Caden Shubert chases national spotlight

Caden Shubert of Zebulon just made his dream come true. The 16 year-old dirt bike racer has qualified for the largest amateur motocross race in the world, the 39th Annual Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, to be held Aug. 3-8 at the historic Loretta Lynn Ranch. ’The Amateur National at Loretta Lynn’s is the best of the best motocrossers in America and around the world,’ said Tim Cotter, director of MX Sports. ‘Just being here makes you an elite racer and a top athlete. A solid finish at Loretta’s would you give you instant national recognition and a possible professional career.’Most of America’s top professional motocross racers, including James Stewart, Ricky Carmichael, Travis Pastrana and Ryan Dungey, have won AMA Amateur National titles at Loretta Lynn’s. Caden Shubert, who attends Pike County High School and will be a senior this year, has been riding dirt bikes since he was 4 years old. When school was canceled due to COVID-19, Caden began training full time at Moto X Compound Training Facility in Culloden, GA. With the help of sponsors such as Zebulon’s American Pie Pizzeria, A-1 Racing Suspension, Wynntyrac Construction and Capitol Cycle who helped pay his way to the races, Caden has had the opportunity to pursue his dreams. He has won several races in the last 12 years and competes nearly every weekend at races across the country. His most recent championship was at an AMA featured event in Pell City, Alabama at Millcreek Motocross park where he was able to win two championships on July 19.Caden will make the journey to Hurricane Mills, Tennessee with his brothers Denver and Austin and mom and dad Wendy and Billy. The race runs Aug. 3-8 and Caden and his family will be camping onsite for the weeklong event, and will participate in many non-racing evening activities.Due to COVID-19 this year’s qualifying process was broken into a five-week regional championship system from June 5 until July 3. Caden is one of nearly 10,200 racers across the country who spent the last couple of months qualifying for the event. He travelled all the way to Ponca City, Oklahoma to qualify for the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National.Racers may enter a wide variety of classes, from mini-cycle classes for children as young as 4, all the way up to a senior division for riders over 50. There are also classes for women and classes for both stock and modified machines. In total, there are 36 different classes of competition. Caden will compete in the highly competitive 250C and 250C Limited classes.The race action will be broadcast live daily at RacerTV.com from Aug. 3 to 8, for a total of 40 hours of live coverage. In addition, highlight shows featuring the event will air on MAVTV in the fall.For more information on the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National, visit the series official website at mxsports.com or call 304-284-0101.