2023 AMA Supermoto Round 1 - Horse Thief Mile
Written By Butters109, Simpy, & Panelley
The 2023 season of AMA Supermoto kicked off at Willow Springs International Raceway's Horse Thief Mile in Rosamond, California. We will unpack the first round of the AMA Supermoto season recap with input from our team, each in one of the riding classes. Butters109 in Open Pro, Simpy in Pro Lites and Panelley riding the National Amateur.
The event was definitely an interesting one, it was a joint event with the 2WTD (2wheelstrackdays) mini racing championship, and the AMA Supermoto Championship. Race day had a packed schedule with multiple asphalt classes alongside the usual AMA Supermoto classes.
Rick Pearce #32
Photo: Johnny Solano @babuelly
Rider’s Initial track take away:
Butters109: The track's elevation changes, and speed added to the challenge for the riders, making it a dope experience for all involved. 2WTD had a lot of racers and is doing the Lord’s work by giving kids great opportunities to go racing, but we will focus on the AMA Supermoto classes in this recap because I’ll be honest, I think asphalt only racing is boring. Sorry dudes add in some dirt shredding, and I’ll pay attention.
Panelley: Beautiful scenery with the hills behind us, and literally racing on the side of a mountain! Props to all that helped bring the old, weeded over, dirt section back to life! ‘It’s not Supermoto without a dirt section’
Most of the racers went with full leathers with their Moto boots and helmet, or a leather pant hybrid setup due to the high speeds on the asphalt.
Simpy: Initially I didn’t have high expectations for the track, the videos I saw online didn’t do the elevation change or high speeds justice. It was pretty cool maxing out my 250f on the downhill section and going through the banked 180 degree turn while dragging my foot peg. The flat corners on top of the hills kept giving me issues throughout the race but somehow I avoided tucking the front, there were definitely a few close calls though. The dirt section was simple but ended up being a good time. It was best during practice Friday because the berms were formed so good you were able to carry more momentum through the corner. During the motos the dirt had less moisture which made the berms a little more inconsistent and slick. Overall the track was a lot of fun and I hope we have rounds there again next year.
Some road racers doing road race things.
Photo: Brad Petruchik @evergrvxn
National Amateur/VET
•Graham Watson kicked everyone’s dick in.
•Big Grid (20+ Riders)
•Clayton Moyer looks to have figured out how to ride asphalt. The rest of the class should be scared.
Panelley: Went into the weekend feeling pretty off. Rode practice on Friday and was WAY off pace. The dirt was loose and the asphalt fast (sounds like a country song)
So, I packed up my gear, grabbed my lawn chair, sunglasses, lawn flamingos and got comfy! (No, I didn’t actually have any flamingos unfortunately)
Then Saturday comes… The race day energy builds… I saw an old friends that talked me into it… Okay Okay I’m Racing!
Graham was on fire all day, after taking a chance by completely tearing his forks apart and making some major changes in his pit.
MOB (#MikeonBikes) is more of a road racer, so the track played in his favor.
Clayton is a Moto kid, with an older 350XCF cross-country bike, so he had some work ahead of him on those long straight aways! Wonder if he is using his 6th gear?
Rydalch was doing double duty, He provided tire service for the paddock under his Toxic Moto Racing canopy AND raced both Motos, all while running a brand new set of custom SM ‘Butters Triple Clamps’ for his Honda.
Moto #1 I started back in 10th and worked my way up to 4th. Moto #2 I was nipping at MOB for 2nd place, but just about tossed myself coming out of the dirt section on the asphalt.. Miraculously didn’t lose a position! But like in the ‘Final Destination’ movies, you can only run from your fate for so long… The very next lap the dirt section caught up to me. I lost the front and the rear coming off the step down drop. Sliding sideways and getting bucked around I somehow didn't go down ..but stalled the bike in the end. I lost 4 positions when my bike wouldn’t start right back up.
In the end I caught back to 5th place with Zach Klassen right behind me for a 4th Overall for the day!
Though I didn’t see my fate beforehand like in the movies, It went pretty well for feeling off and not going to ride at all.
Butters109: I saw one of the Og’s of the sport Rick Pearce #32 out there having a good time! (Finishing 1st in vet and 7th Overall in this combined grid), I actually got to follow him in practice and got some good dirt lines.
Simpy: I wasn’t able to watch most of the amateur because I ran Pro Lites right before and Open Pro right after. I was only able to watch a little bit of practice and qualifying but mainly just saw the homies go around the part of the track that was close to the pits. I’m hoping I’ll be able to catch more of their motos at the next round.
National Amateur/VET Photo Drop:
Graham Watson #487
Amateur Moto 2 Start
Photo: Brad Petruchik @evergrvxn
National Amateur Moto 1 Race Start
Photo: Johnny Solano @babuelly
Jake Randall #88
Photo: Brad Petruchik @evergrvxn
Graham Watson #487 / Clayton Moyer #251 / Rick Pearce
Photo: Karen E Ott @karen_e_ott_photography
Clayton Moyer #251
Photo: Karen E Ott @karen_e_ott_photography
James Older #00 (usually #100)
Photo: Johnny Solano @babuelly
Zach Klassen #69 / Johnny Bang #292
Amateur Dirt Sends!
Photo: Onewheel Brendita
Jeff Panelley #686
Photo: Karen E Ott @karen_e_ott_photography
Clayton Moyer #251
Photo: Karen E Ott @karen_e_ott_photography
Rick Pearce #32
Photo: Johnny Solano @babuelly
National Amateur Rd 1 Results
1st: Graham Watson #487
2nd: Clayton Moyer #251
3rd: Mike Sedlacek #441
(4th: Jeff Panelley #686) So Close
Pro Lites
•Buffdaddy with the win!
•Samp Cross jumps 2x Pro Lites champ Christian Payne for 2nd place his first 250 Pro podium ever! Congrats Samp Champ.
•Cpayne is full dad mode but still ripping.
•Small Grid (people don’t want the smoke I guess)
Simpy: Moto one was a blast, I didn’t get the greatest start but stuck with Charlie and Christian going up the hill. Going through the first chicane decided the running order for the rest of the moto, Charlie first, Christian second, and me third. I was able to keep the pace on the asphalt but lost a lot of time exiting the dirt section. I kept taking a bad line in the dirt which led to me not getting a good drive once I got onto the asphalt. Luckily I was able to make that time back and then some going into the dirt. However, I wasn’t able to make a move on Christian in moto one cause I wasn’t taking different lines and couldn’t get close enough to capitalize in the dirt.
Moto two started off the same way but with a slightly worse start and a few mistakes in the first two laps. I was able to put in a few heaters and catch back up, mainly using the dirt section to close the gap. I started taking the inside line going into the dirt but it was slower because the end of the berm was blown out which made it hard to keep traction going up the face of the jump. By the second to last lap I was close enough to try and get around him, I took the inside line and got to the face of the jump first but I drifted over more than I wanted to and crossed jumped Christian pretty bad. Luckily, he saw it coming and was able to make adjustments to keep from running into me (sorry Christian). Once I was in front of him I was able to keep the gap all the way to the finish line. Goin 3-2 in the motos for 2nd overall. This race was the first time I was able to get a podium finish and I’m stoked that it was a 2nd place. Still have to find some speed before I can give Buffum a run for his money but the next round is at IMI so hopefully I’ll be able to take advantage of having more seat time at that track.
Butters109: Watching from the sidelines my favorite part was cpayne’s stand-up slides into turn 1 were the definition of ‘hot’.
Panelley: I noticed that all 3 of the top finishers ran double duty this weekend. So not only are they racing the 250 Pro class, they're also racing the 450 Pro class, with practically no break in-between! I’m super impressed with the race stamina, sheer speed, and the skill to jump back and forth between different bikes (Even different brands of bikes for Simpy and Cpayne). Credit is due where credit is deserved. Kudos guys.
Pro Lites Photo Drop:
Charlie Buffum #929
Photo: Onewheel Brendita
Christian Payne #123 / Ryan Samp #324
Photo: Johnny Solano @babuelly
Christian Payne #123 (or 523 on the jersey smh) / Ryan Samp #324
Photo: Onewheel Brendita
Buffum #929 / Payne #123 / Samp #324
Lot of rev limiters out of these 3
Photo: Onewheel Brendita
Pro Lites Rd 1 Results
1st: Charlie Buffum #929 (Buffdaddy)
2nd: Ryan Samp #324 (Simpy)
3rd: Christian Payne #123 (Cpayne)
Open Pro
•Reimer gets his first Open Pro victory leading every lap of both Motos.
•Butters starts are trash.
•Pecoraro with the first Open Pro podium of his career, he has made huge strides in his riding the past year.
•Magnum Motorsports is a new team with well-known faces. Team riders Reimer and Pecoraro both land on the podium in Open Pro.
•Where is RSR? What is Cobra Chicken Buffalo Sauce?
• A handful of road racers manned up and raced the real deal with dirt, so props for that.
Butters109: (Sorry guys shameless plug) RSR is still a thing. Joe carried the sport for the better part of a decade and is just enjoying his life and still supporting me. Cobra Chicken Buffalo Sauce is going to take over the world soon …probably. Hopefully next race I can execute the starts and give Nick a run
Simpy: Open Pro was a mess for me. In hindsight it probably would’ve been a good idea to get at least one practice session on the 450 before Moto 1. It was insane going from riding my 250 all weekend to racing on the 450. Moto one started off dicey. Charlie got pushed wide on the sweeping first corner which pushed me even wider and into the dirt. I kept it on two wheels and got back onto the track but quickly found myself in last place. I was able to pick off one of the road racers by going around the outside on the downhill 180. It took me two or three laps to get around the next road racer in the dirt which is where I ended up staying the rest of the moto.
Moto two was a better start but I got pushed wide again in the same section. Luckily, I recovered better and stayed ahead of one of the road racers and Christian. I had to push harder this moto with Christian being right behind me the entire time. Somehow managed to survive the speed of the RSR 450 and finish the moto in 7th.
Panelley: I found a spot in the middle of the dirt section to film, pulled up my lawn chair and kicked back to watch the show! The road race guys had some serious speed on the massive flowing asphalt section, but with the dirt breaking down at the end of the day.. it kept biting them in the butt and a handful of them ended up on the ground. A SM Dirt Section: ‘The Great Equalizer’
As Butters came into the dirt near the end of the race, a loud clunk snapped me out of my daydreaming of going fast like them one day.. Butters had landed from the long take off double at the beginning of the dirt section, and was then trying to figure out if parts were still attached to his bike or not! His front forks were not working quite like they were supposed to.. and so with a pogo stick for a front end, he nursed the bike the last 2 laps and barely held Pecoraro off for a 2nd place finish!
Open Pro Photo Drop:
Open Pro Moto 2 Race Start
Photo: Onewheel Brendita
Nicky Reimer #41
Photo: Onewheel Brendita
Sean Butterman #109
Photo: Karen E Ott @karen_e_ott_photography
Nicky Reimer #41
Photo: Karen E Ott @karen_e_ott_photography
Austin Pecoraro #175
Photo: Onewheel Brendita
Nicky Reimer #41
Photo: Karen E Ott @karen_e_ott_photography
Sean Butterman #109
Photo: Johnny Solano @babuelly
Christian Payne #123
Photo: Onewheel Brendita
Jason Rodriguez #882 / Ryan Samp #324 / Christian Payne #123
Photo: Johnny Solano @babuelly
Sean Butterman #109
That’s hawt -Simpy
Photo: Karen E Ott @karen_e_ott_photography
Top 4 - Open Pro Moto 2 After Race
Photo: Onewheel Brendita
Open Pro Rd 1 Results
1st: Nicky Reimer #41
2nd: Sean Butterman #109
3rd: Austin Pecoraro #175
Huge thanks to all the photographers that are so rad and willing to share these shots! Please click the links to their instagrams and support them.
