Kennedy Lutz's talent was on full display at the Millstone Raceway during the 2014 Saskatchewan Motorsport Association Motocross races this past Sunday just north of Yorkton.
Lutz, 14, competed in four races, all against young men, finishing 13th overall in her first race of the MX2 Junior class due to a first turn collision with five other riders, before rebounding with three straight race victories, one in the MX2 Junior division and two in the Youth (14-24) category.
And while she admits the crash in her first race did scare her a little bit, the 14-year-old showed she is mature beyond her years in the sport of motocross by brushing it off and hopping back on the bike. "I was kind of scared after that crash and I didn't ride too well once I got back on," offered the talented Lutz, who had to compete in the boys' classes due to being too fast for the Ladies category. "There was so much dust and so many people and then they red flagged it so I was like 'Whatever, just go and win the next few races'."
And that's exactly what she did, propelling herself to a fifth overall finish in the MX2 Junior category and a first overall finish in the Youth (14-24) class.
In fact Lutz had to pass just three people in total in her final three races due to coming out of the starting gate in third and second place respectively in her second and third races, before grabbing the lead with an incredible two bike length hole shot in her final race; a race in which she increased her lead the entire time, besting the rest of the field by nearly half a lap, including lapping some of the slower riders. "I just try to go my fastest," suggested Lutz, adding, "If I check out, I just try to pass as many people as I can."
The three impressive race victories are not the only wins for Lutz this season, however.
Lutz has also competed in, and won, several races in the United States in places like Newberry, Florida, Alvord, Texas, Little Falls, Minnesota and Walnut, Illinois, as well as top ten finishes in some of America's most competitive races. "At Loretta's (Loretta Lynn Ranch) I got a couple of eighth places," offered Lutz, adding that the reason she didn't finish in the top ten overall was because of a crash in her first Moto that resulted in broken bars and a 35th place finish. "Then in the Spring Nationals I got first in a couple of classes and top-five in the other races there."
And while Lutz has had success south of the border, she has also been quite successful in her home country. "This year I got second in the Western Canadian rounds and first in Walton, which is all of Canada," mentioned the talented rider, who now trains at the Georgia Practice Facility (GPF) in Cairo, Georgia.
In fact Lutz was hardly challenged by her competition at the Parts Canada TransCan Grand National in Walton, Ontario, back on August 12, finishing first overall in the Ladies class with a second place finish in her second Moto sandwiched between a pair of first place finishes in her first and third Motos respectively.
And that's really why she has started training, and racing, primarily in the United States: Competition. "In the States there is just more competition," suggested Lutz. "Some of the fast names that I race are Kaitlyn Morrow, Mackenzie Tricker and people like that."
So why did Lutz, who is starting to forge quite the career in motocross, decide to take part in the event at Millstone Raceway?
Because it's home. "I came out here at the Yorkton track on a PW50 (Yamaha two-stroke) when I was four and then soon after that I was on a KTM Junior 50," mentioned the 2014 Ladies National champion. "It's always nice to come back here."
