Graham, Guffey qualify for nationals

Published 3:28 pm Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Bainbridge cousins Grayson Graham and Joshua Guffey have qualified for the Aug. 1-8 American Motocross Association (AMA) national championship motocross race at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch and Campground in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

The course contains a variety of jumps, corners and other obstacles designed to test the skills and stamina of the racers.

In the last four months, 11-year-old Grayson, son of Daniel and Shelly Graham, and 10-year-old Joshua, son of Misty and Randy Guffey, took on more than 20,000 hopefuls from across America to earn just two of 1,386 qualifying positions.

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Most of America’s top professional motocrossers have won AMA Amateur National Championships at Loretta Lynn’s.

Last year teenage stars such as Justin Barcia of New York, P.J. Larsen of South Carolina, Darryn Durham of Pennsylvania and Blake Wharton of Texas were awarded professional contracts after the race.

Grayson and Joshua, who attended John Johnson Elementary School, have been riding since they were 4 years old. They have won numerous races the past several years, and they compete nearly every weekend.

Racers may enter a wide variety of classes, from minicycle classes for children as young as 4, all the way up to senior division for riders over 50. There are also classes for women and classes for both stock and modified bikes.