From a press release issued by AMA Pro Racing:
AMA PRO RACING AWARDS BANQUET WRAPS UP 2003 RACING SEASON
PICKERINGTON, Ohio (Nov. 25, 2003) — The annual AMA Pro Racing Awards banquet on Saturday at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas brought a dazzling close to the 2003 AMA Pro Racing season. This year’s sold-out gala was attended by nearly 800 fans, riders and members of the motorcycle industry. Champions from all disciplines of racing were crowned.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the AMA Pro Racing Speed Channel Athlete of the Year Award to five-time AMA Grand National Champion Chris Carr. Carr received a specially engraved Rolex watch and a crystal trophy in commemoration of his achievement. Also earning special awards Saturday night were Jeff Ward, the 2003 AMA Pro Racing Sportsman of the Year and Steve McBride who won the 2003 AMA Pro Racing Award of Mechanical Excellence. Longtime AMA Motocross Manager Duke Finch was also given a special award of merit for his years of service with AMA Pro Racing.
Carr broke through to win his first AMA Speed Channel Pro Athlete of the Year Award this year in his sixth time of being nominated. Carr, 36, of Fleetwood, Pa., became only the second rider in a half-century of AMA Grand National competition to win five championships. He is the winningest active rider in the AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship with 62-career national victories.
Jeff Ward, one of the all-time greats in AMA Motocross and Supercross, came back to AMA Pro Racing after over a decade’s absence and won this year’s AMA Pro Racing Sportsman of the Year. ‘Wardy’ was a tireless ambassador for the new AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championship. He worked hard to promote the series and was the leading winner in the regular season standings with the Troy Lee Designs Honda squad.
Steve McBride, crew chief for his brother AMA Prostar standout Larry “Spiderman” McBride, earned the 2003 AMA Pro Racing Award of Mechanical Excellence. McBride, 47, has been building drag racing rigs for over 20 years. This year Larry McBride won the AMA Prostar Top Fuel Championship and set numerous records on a Kawasaki-based bike built by Steve.
2003 AMA Pro Racing Champions
Special Presentations
Chris Carr, AMA Pro Racing Speed Channel Athlete of the Year
Jeff Ward, AMA Pro Racing Sportsman of the Year
Steve McBride, AMA Pro Racing Award of Mechanical Excellence
AMA Supercross/Motocross Championships
Ricky Carmichael, AMA 250 Supercross
Ricky Carmichael, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. 250 Motocross
Grant Langston, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. 125 Motocross
Yamaha Motor Corp., USA, AMA U.S. Motocross/Supercross Championship Manufacturer of the Year
Brian Gray, AMA U.S. Motocross/Supercross Rookie of the Year
Branden Jesseman, AMA 125 East Supercross
James Stewart Jr., AMA 125 West Supercross
Josh Demuth, AMA National Arenacross
Ricky Carmichael & American Honda Motor Corporation, Inc., AMA Pro Racing Cross Team Cup
Mike Gosselaar, AMA Supercross Series Crew Member of the Year
Mike Gosselaar, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. 250 Motocross Championship Crew Member of the Year
Mike Williamson, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. 125 Motocross Championship Crew Member of the Year
AMA Superbike Championships
Mat Mladin, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike
American Suzuki Motor Corporation, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship Manufacturer of the Year
Geoff May, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Rookie of the Year
Jamie Hacking, AMA Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport presented by Shoei
Joshua Kurt Hayes, AMA Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock
Ben Spies, AMA Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme
Rich Oliver, AMA MBNA 250 Grand Prix
Mat Mladin & Yoshimura Suzuki, AMA Pro Racing Superbike Team Cup
Reg O’Rourke, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship Crew Member of the Year
Henry Yokota, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship Crew Member of the Year
John Asher, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship Crew Member of the Year
Peter Doyle, AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship Crew Member of the Year
Jefferson Burks, AMA Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship presented by Shoei Crew Member of the Year
Jeff Myers, AMA Pro Honda Oils U.S. Supersport Championship presented by Shoei Crew Member of the Year
Tom Houseworth, AMA Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series Crew Member of the Year
Mitch Leonard, AMA Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series Crew Member of the Year
Steve Meyer, AMA Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series Crew Member of the Year
John Jackson, AMA Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series Crew Member of the Year
Paul Kahtava, AMA Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Series Crew Member of the Year
Stephen Rezmer, AMA Genuine Suzuki Accessories Superstock Series Crew Member of the Year
Robert Ward, AMA MBNA 250 Grand Prix Series Crew Member of the Year
AMA Flat Track Championships
Chris Carr, AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track
Harley-Davidson Motor Company, AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship Manufacturer of the Year
John Raun Wood, Ricky Graham AMA U.S. Flat Track Rookie of the Year
Scott Scherb, AMA Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance
George Roeder II, AMA 750/1000 Hot Shoe
Thomas McGrane Jr., AMA 505 Expert Hot Shoe
Robert Lewis Jr., AMA HDSP 883 Hot Shoe
Logan Myers, AMA 505 Pro Sport Hot Shoe
Chris Carr & Quality Checked Certified Pre-Owned Ford Racing Team, AMA Pro Racing Flat Track Team Cup
Kenny Tolbert, AMA Progressive Insurance U.S. Flat Track Championship Crew Member of the Year
Al Simons, AMA Harley-Davidson Sportster Performance Championship Crew Member of the Year
AMA Red Bull Supermoto Championships
Ben Bostrom, AMA Supermoto
Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1, AMA Pro Racing Supermoto Team
Grant Langston, AMA Supermoto Unlimited
Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1, AMA Pro Racing Supermoto Unlimited Team
Mike Alessi, AMA Honda Red Riders Junior Supermoto Challenge
Red Bull HMC KTM Supermoto Racing Team 1, AMA Pro Racing Supermoto Team Cup
Rick Boyles, AMA Supermoto Crew Member of the Year
Mark Braunwalder, AMA Supermoto Crew Member of the Year
Gary Medley, AMA Supermoto Unlimited Crew Member of the Year
AMA U.S. Hillclimb Championships
David Watson, AMA U.S. 540 Hillclimb presented by Pace American Inc.
David Watson, AMA U.S. 800 Hillclimb presented by Pace American Inc.
Dan Watson, AMA U.S. Hillclimb 800 Championship presented by Pace American Inc., Crew Member of the Year
Dan Watson, AMA U.S. Hillclimb 540 Championship presented by Pace American Inc., Crew Member of the Year
AMA Prostar Championships
Chip Hunter, AMA Prostar 600 SuperSport
Chip Ellis, AMA Prostar Formula Superbike
Travis Davis, AMA Prostar Funnybike
Mark Underwood, AMA Prostar Hot Rod Cruiser
Charlie Farrar, AMA Prostar Pro Mod
Keith Dennis, AMA Prostar Pro Stock
Rickey Gadson, AMA Prostar Streetbike Shootout
Larry McBride, AMA Prostar Top Fuel