Local racer earns spot at National Championships Devin Kusmider Devin Kusmider just recently had his dream come true.The 7-year-old dirt bike racer qualified for the largest amateur motocross race in the world, the 26th annual AMA/Air Nautiques Amateur National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. Devin took on over 20,000 hopefuls from across America to earn one of just 1,386 qualifying positions. "Every motocross racer in the country wants to compete in the Amateur Nationals," says event director Tim Cotter. "A win there can serve as a springboard to a lucrative professional motocross career." Most of America's top professional motocrossers, including Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, Travis Pastrana and James Stewart, have won AMA Amateur National Championships. Devin, who attends Chittick Elementary School, has been riding since he was 3 years old. He has won many races in the past four years, and competes nearly every weekend at Raceway Park in Englishtown. Devin's parents, Jay and Debbie, packed up the family SUV and headed to Tennessee for the race, which ran from July 30 to Aug. 4. Devin was just one of the over 20,000 who spent the last four months attempting to qualify for the event. The top finishers in area and regional qualifiers earn a birth into the national championship race. Racers may enter a wide variety of classes, from minicycle classes for children as young as 4, all the way up to a senior division for riders over 45. There are also classes for women and classes for both stock and modified bikes. The track is built on a section of Loretta Lynn's Ranch and Campground in Hurricane Mills. The course contains a variety of jumps, corners and other obstacles designed to test the skills and stamina of the racers. Most riders attend the event with the help of their families. In fact, many groups consider the event their family's summer vacation. Besides races, the ranch provides family-friendly facilities including a game room, swimming pools, arts and crafts activities, and a fashion and talent show.