Loretta Lynn’s mixes racing and family

Ricky Carmichael thought he had arrived as a budding motocross prodigy when he made his first trip to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., for the annual Amateur National Championships.

Rolling into the sprawling compound about an hour west of Nashville, the then 10-year-old Carmichael took one look around and knew he still had plenty of work to do if he wanted to prove himself at amateur racing’s Super Bowl.

"I had built up a decent name for myself," Carmichael said. "But that race can make or break you. If you don’t do it there, it’s really hard to establish yourself."

The weeklong event, now in its 28th year, has become the ultimate test for amateur riders all across the country. It’s also become motocross’ version of the Little League World Series, a place where the focus isn’t just on the competition, but also on providing a little something extra.

"We branded it a long time ago as the world’s gr! eatest motocross vacation," said Davey Coombs. "We bill it as a festival, but we bill it as a family festival."

Which is just the way his father, Dave Coombs Sr., wanted it when he approached the Lynn family about staging the event there nearly three decades ago.

While driving sons Davey and Tim to various motocross events across the country, Coombs Sr. realized it was hard for riders growing up outside California to get a foothold in the industry.

"There was kind of a West Coast bias," Davey Coombs said. "Most of the industry was in Southern California. It was really hard for kids on the East Coast or Florida, Texas or Michigan to get noticed and what he wanted to do is build sort of a catchall, end-all argument that this is the fastest 16-year-old rider in the world, the fastest 12-year-old rider and so on."

Over the years, while the sport has exploded in popularity, Loretta Lynn’s has remained largely the same event it was in 1982. Sure, the quali! fying is bigger – over 23,000 began regional qualifying this year, up from 4,000 when it first started – but the field size remains largely intact.

There are around 1,000 riders competing in 33 championship classes at this year’s event, which runs through Saturday, with competitors ranging in age from elementary school kids on 51cc bikes to guys who already have their AARP card trying to handle a 450cc monster.

There’s more to Loretta Lynn’s, however, than just racing. Coombs estimates about 85 percent of participants spend the week camping out on the grounds and turning the week into a family affair.

"We realized that for every rider, there’s a brother and sister that came along that needed something to do," Coombs said. "That’s why we picked a facility like Loretta Lynn’s. We have canoeing, horseback riding, all kinds of stuff."

And those experiences can stick with the riders just as much as grabbing the checkered flag after a victory.

Ask Carmichael what he remembers most about his time at Loretta Lynn’s, and t! he first thing that rolls off his tongue isn’t the nine titles he won there, but swimming in the creek that runs through the property and hanging out with the other kids. At least, when his parents let him.

"I tried to have as much fun as I could," he said. "But if I had too much fun, my mom would crack the whip on me."

Even now, 13 years after his last race there, Carmichael makes the annual pilgrimage to the ranch with his parents to get a look at the next wave of talent.

The biggest changes? The kids are better than ever. So are their accommodations.

When Carmichael made his first appearance at Loretta Lynn’s, his family rolled into town in a Class C motor home with a 10-foot trailer.

Now the camping area is filled with coach buses and semis.

"It’s a little more stylish, but the feeling is still the same," said Carmichael, who is now driving in NASCAR’s Camping World truck series.

So are the results. There’s a billboard at this year’s ! event that features 18 former Loretta Lynn’s champions who have gone o n to become superstars at the professional level.

From Carmichael – a 10-time pro motocross champion- to Jeremy McGrath to Travis Pastrana – Loretta Lynn’s has paved the way for the "Who’s Who" of the motocross elite.

"You can win zero races all year and you win that one, you’ll be established," said Carmichael said. "It’s like winning the Brickyard in NASCAR or the Indy 500. You know if you win one of those, you’ll have a good shot at a ride."