MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – MX Sports, the producer of the 40th annual Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, has announced the area qualifiers and regional championships schedule for next year.

The qualifying program will start up mid-February with area qualifiers, followed by regional championships taking place in late May through the month of June.

After a Super-Regional format in 2020, this year’s qualifying will start in Arizona.

The program will take place in 32 different states throughout the country, beginning with more than 50 historical area qualifiers, where riders must finish in the top positions listed in the supplemental rules depending on their region.

After qualifying through an area, riders will move onto the 18 regional championships that run through eight major regions in the United States.

“We are looking to get back to normal and start our area qualifier schedule, as after the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, many of our race tracks suffered devastating losses,” said MX Sports Event Director Tim Cotter. “The organizers on this schedule were able to weather the pandemic and are eager to welcome our Loretta Lynn hopefuls.”

Area qualifiers will once again serve as the first step in qualifying for the world’s largest and most prestigious amateur motocross championship.

The regional championships then serve as the next step to seed riders into the national championship.

Only riders who finish in a qualifying position at a regional championship are eligible to race during the national championship, which runs from Aug. 2-7.

“The AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship is one of the longest-running motorsports championships in the country,” said Mike Pelletier, AMA Director of Racing. “Due to the great partnership between the AMA and MX Sports the event continues to grow each year. The AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship crowns the country’s top amateur motocross racers every summer and we are looking forward to an exciting 2021 season.”

The 2021 lineup includes numerous Pro Motocross tracks that have become a crucial part of the Road to Loretta’s.

From historic tracks including Budds Creek Motocross Park and High Point Raceway in the Northeast to Ironman Raceway in the Mid-East along with Washougal MX Park in the Northwest, the national tracks offer amateur racers a chance to race on the same track as the professionals in the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship circuit.

The program will also return to other favorites such as Unadilla MX, Muddy Creek Raceway and Thunder Valley Motocross Park in Colorado.

WW Ranch Motocross Park returns for a Southeast Area Qualifier on March 13-14, while Oak Ridge MX will run April 17-18 for a North Central Area Qualifier.

The program also returns to many other favorites such as Unadilla MX, Ironman Raceway, RedBud MX and Muddy Creek Raceway along with WW Ranch Motocross Park.

Bunker Hill will host a Northwest Area Qualifier on April 17 and a Mid-West Area Qualifier on April 18, while Fox Raceway will hold a Southwest Area Qualifier on Saturday, May 8.

Brand new additions to the 2021 Regional Championships will be the Regional Plus Classes.

In addition to the National Classes, riders may compete in Regional Plus Classes for AMA Regional Championships at the regionals. Regional Plus Classes do not require advancement from Area Qualifiers.

Regional Plus Classes will not advance to the National Championship. Rider and machine eligibility requirements set forth herein apply to Regional Plus Classes.

The 40th annual Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship will take place Aug. 2-7 at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

To view the full list of area qualifiers and regional championship events, click here.