Where They're From | Champions by State (Seventy-Eight Titles: Part 2) 5

In the 52-year history of the AMA Pro Motocross series and the 50-year history of Monster Energy Supercross, there have been 103 AMA champions from 27 states within the United States and nine total countries. Which states have the most champions born? Which have the least?  

Where Winners Come From is a series posted every Tuesday and Thursday until we've featured all the major AMA titles from each state and country. If you enjoy this content and would like to read others like it click HERE.

One state makes up the list of places with seventy-eight major AMA Supercross or Pro Motocross Championships from riders born within it's borders. 1990 was the first year since 1972 that this state did not win a major AMA title and they hold more than double the titles of any other state. 

California

Brad Lackey 1972 - 500MX

Gary Jones 1972 - 250MX

Gary Jones 1973 - 250MX

Gary Jones 1974 - 250MX

Marty Smith 1974 - 125MX

Marty Smith 1975 - 125MX

Bob Hannah 1976 - 125MX

Bob Hannah 1977 - 250SX

Marty Smith 1977 - 500MX

Broc Glover 1977 - 125MX

Bob Hannah 1978 - 250SX

Bob Hannah 1978 - 250MX

Broc Glover 1978 - 125MX

Bob Hannah 1979 - 250SX

Bob Hannah 1979 - 250MX

Danny LaPorte 1979 - 500MX

Broc Glover 1979 - 125MX

Mike Bell 1980 - 250SX

Broc Glover 1981 - 500MX

Donnie Hansen 1982 - 250SX

Darrell Schultz 1982 - 500MX

Donnie Hansen 1982 - 250MX

David Bailey 1983 - 250SX

Broc Glover 1983 - 500MX

David Bailey 1983 - 250MX

Johnny O’Mara 1983 - 125MX

Johnny O’Mara 1984 - 250SX

David Bailey 1984 - 500MX

Ricky Johnson 1984 - 250MX

Broc Glover 1985 - 500MX

Ron Lechien 1985 - 125MX

David Bailey 1986 - 500MX

Ricky Johnson 1986 - 250SX

Ricky Johnson 1986 - 250MX

Micky Dymond 1986 - 125MX

Willie Surratt 1987 - 125SX West

Ricky Johnson 1987 - 500MX

Ricky Johnson 1987 - 250MX

Micky Dymond 1987 - 125MX

Ricky Johnson 1988 - 250SX

Jeff Matiasevich 1988 - 125SX West

Ricky Johnson 1988 - 500MX

George Holland 1988 - 125MX

Jeff Matiasevich 1989 - 125SX West

Mike Kiedrowski 1989 - 125MX

Ty Davis 1990 - 125SX West

Jeremy McGrath 1991 - 125SX West

Mike Kiedrowski 1991 - 125MX

Jeremy McGrath 1992 - 125SX West

Mike Kiedrowski 1992 - 50MX

Jeremy McGrath 1993 - 250SX

Mike Kiedrowski 1993 - 250MX

Jeremy McGrath 1994 - 250SX

Damon Huffman 1994 - 125SX West

Jeremy McGrath 1995 - 250SX

Damon Huffman 1995 - 125SX west

Jeremy McGrath 1995 - 250MX

Steve Lamson 1995 - 125MX

Jeremy McGrath 1996 - 250SX

Steve Lamson 1996 - 125MX

Jeremy McGrath 1998 - 250SX

Jeremy McGrath 1999 - 250SX

Jeremy McGrath 2000 - 250SX

Travis Preston 2002 - 125SX West

Ryan Villopoto 2006 - 250MX

Ryan Villopoto 2007 - 250SX West

Ryan Villopoto 2007 - 250MX

Ryan Villopoto 2008 - 250MX

Ryan Villopoto 2011 - 450SX

Ryan Villopoto 2011 - 450MX

Ryan Villopoto 2012 - 450SX

Blake Baggett 2012 - 250MX

Ryan Villopoto 2013 - 450SX

Ryan Villopoto 2013 - 450MX

Ryan Villopoto 2014 - 450SX

Christian Craig 2022 - 250SX West

Haiden Deegan 2023 - 250SMX

Haiden Deegan 2024 - 250MX

Haiden Deegan 2024 - 250SMX

Johnny O'Mara

Titles: 1983 - 125MX & 1984 - 250SX

Place of Birth: Encino, California

Years Pro: 1980 - 1990

Johnny O'Mara won the 1980 125cc USGP at Mid-Ohio in his rookie season, which he claims helped him get the factory Honda ride in 1981. In '81, he raced his first full season and finished second behind Mark Barnett, then won the title two years later against Barnett and Jeff Ward. His final career win came in 1985 at Washougal in the 250 class. O'Mara was part of the first American team to win the MXdN in 1981, along with Donnie Hansen, Danny LaPorte, and Chuck Sun. He was a part of three more winning MXdN teams in 1982, 1984, and 1986.

Ricky Johnson

Titles: 1984 - 250MX, 1986 - 250SX, 1986 - 250MX, 1987 - 500MX, 1987 - 250MX, 1988 - 250SX, & 1988 - 500MX

Place of Birth: El Cajon, California

Years Pro: 1980 - 1991

Ricky Johnson was the 1981 125cc Rookie of the Year, riding for Yamaha with two podiums and a win at Carlsbad, California. In '82, RJ led the points outdoors until he broke a wheel in the final round and lost the title by three points to Donnie Hansen. Ricky had a breakout season in 1984, winning his first 250 Supercross race in Seattle, finishing third in points, and then winning the 250MX title. He signed with factory Honda in 1986 with teammates David Bailey and Johny O'Mara. His first race with Honda was the 1986 Supercross in Anaheim, California, and is widely considered one of the greatest SX races of all time. David Bailey won that battle, but RJ would win the war by winning the 250SX and 250MX championships that season. RJ suffered a broken wrist in 1989 that led to his early retirement, but winning seven AMA titles, four MXdNs, and being third on the all-time 450 (250cc two-stroke) wins means his legacy lives on. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.

Ron Lechien

Titles: 1985 - 125MX

Place of Birth: El Cajon, California

Years Pro: 1983 - 1994

Ron Lechien won the 125 Pro Class at the 1981 Mammoth Mountain Classic at 14 years old. A year later, he won the 125 Expert and Schoolboy titles at the inaugural Loretta Lynn's Amateur National Motocross Championship. Yamaha signed him in 1983, and he was immediately successful in winning races. He signed with Honda in 1984 and won the 125MX title with them in '85. He was also a part of the '85 winning MXdN team along with David Bailey and Jeff Ward. Unfortunately, Lechien would have his Honda contract terminated after getting in trouble while in Japan. Kawasaki picked him up, but inconsistency would ultimately be his downfall. Ron was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2019 and runs Maxima Oils, which his father, Dick Lechien, founded.

Micky Dymond

Titles: 1986 - 125MX & 1987 - 125MX

Place of Birth: Garden Grove, California

Years Pro: 1982 - 1992

Micky Dymond grew up racing in Southern California at tracks such as Indian Dunes and Saddleback. Despite not racing Loretta Lynn's, the results he was putting in got noticed by Roger DeCoster at Honda, and in 1986 he signed with the powerhouse Factory Honda team. After winning two 125cc titles with them, Dymond got let go as Honda was restructuring from a four rider team to two. He moved to Yamaha for a couple of years, but his results weren't as good and injuries took their toll and he stepped away from the sport in 1991. Micky later raced the Baja 1000, won at Pikes Peak, and won the AMA Supermoto Unlimited class championship in 2005. 

Willie Surratt

Titles: 1987 - 125SX West

Place of Birth: Canyon Country, California

Years Pro: 1985 - 1992

Willie Surratt won four 125cc mains in his rookie Supercross season in 1986, more than Donny Schmit, who won the title. In '87, he signed with Suzuki and won the 125SX West title without winning a race. Suzuki let him go the following year even though he was still under contract. Willie chose to head to Europe to race in the World Championship series, where he won Italian MX and SX championships and finished seventh overall in the '91 GP series. 

Jeff Matiasevich

Titles: 1988 - 125SX West & 1989 125SX West

Place of Birth: Anaheim Hills, California

Years Pro: 1986 - 1998

Jeff Matiasevich was a Team Green rider who became one of the country's top intermediate riders. In 1986, he raced Supercross as a Team Green support rider. In '87, he won the 125 Pro-Am and 250/Open Pro-Am titles at Loretta Lynn's and finished ninth in the 125SX West class. He won back-to-back titles in '86 and '87 but struggled in the following years. He rode for Suzuki in '93 and was a privateer in '94, and his results got him an offer to go back to Kawasaki to race the Japanese Nationals, where he won titles in '95, '96, and '97. He retired in '98. 

George Holland

Titles: 1988 - 125MX

Place of Birth: Fresno, California

Years Pro: 1981 - 1989

George Holland was a dominant mini rider in the early 80s before going pro with Suzuki in 1981. He signed with Team Honda in 1988 and took them to the 125MX title. Injuries hindered his '89 season, and George decided to hang up the boots later that year. 

Mike Kiedrowski

Titles: 1989 - 125MX, 1991 - 125MX, 1992 - 500MX, & 1993 - 250MX

Place of Birth: Santa Clarita, California

Years Pro: 1987 - 1997

Mike Kiedrowski started riding off-road before entering his first motocross race at seven years old. In his first full year as a pro, 1988, he finished second in the 125SX West series for Kawasaki before signing with Honda for '89, where he won his first title. Jeff returned to Kawasaki in '91 and won three more titles for them. He won the Daytona Supercross three years from '93 to '95. Post SX/MX career, Mike raced the GNCC series, WORCS and won a gold medal at ISDE in Brazil. 

Ty Davis

Titles: 1990 - 125SX West

Place of Birth: Bakersfield, California

Years Pro: 1987 - 1996

Ty Davis grew up riding in the high desert of Hesperia, California, and local motocross races. He won the Golden State National Championship in the 250cc pro class in '87 and the 125cc and 250cc TransCal series championships in '88. Ty beat Jeremy McGrath to win the 1990 125SX West title on bikes he bought himself and hauled to the races in his van. He pointed out of the 125 class and moved to the 250cc class in '91, but felt he was not mentally ready. After the SX season was done that year, he won the White Brother's Four-Stroke Nationals in the 500cc and 600cc. He was also on the winning Baja 1000 team four times. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2012.

Jeremy McGrath

Titles: 1991 - 125SX West, 1992 - 125SX West, 1993 - 250SX, 1994 - 250SX, 1995 - 250SX, 1995 - 250MX, 1998 - 250SX, 1999 - 250SX, & 2000 - 250SX

Place of Birth: San Francisco, California

Years Pro: 1989 - 2006

Jeremy McGrath grew up racing BMX in Southern California and was not an amateur standout dominating races at Loretta Lynn's. After just three years as an amateur, he made his pro debut in 1989. In '90, Jeremy got his first win in Las Vegas riding for Kawasaki's support program, and the following season, Mitch Payton hired him for his brand new Splitfire/Pro Circuit/Honda team. McGrath won the 125SX West titles in '91 and '92, dominating those series before moving to the premiere 250 class in '93. He started his rookie season in the 250 class with a fourth and fifth in the first two rounds before clicking off four wins in a row and eventually winning the title. McGrath won 72 premier class Supercross main events, 15 career Pro Motocross Championship wins, the '95 Pro Motocross Championship, and earned the nickname "King of Supercross." Jeremy McGrath is arguably the most popular professional dirt bike racer of all time.