2026 Loretta Lynn’s Regionals: Three Regional Championships, Eight Tickets to the Ranch

Regional qualifier season is the road to Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, and this year our program delivered in a big way. We had William Canaguier (#95), Chace Lawton (#50), and Trinnytie Batchelor (#48) all qualify in the most competitive classes — the ones where the nation’s best amateur talent shows up ready to fight. That is never easy, and we do not take it for granted.

We spread out across multiple regions to get it done, and when the dust settled we had three regional championships in three different regions. All four of us — including myself in the vet classes — punched at least two tickets to the ranch. This report is about the stories behind those results, not lap charts or timing sheets.

Regional Qualifier Season

Loretta Lynn’s regional qualifiers run as three-moto shootouts across the country, with the top six in each class earning a ticket to the AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship. Our guys lined up in South East, Mid East, North East at Southwick, and North Central at Lincoln Trail — and in the Pro Sport classes especially, every gate was loaded with national-caliber speed. That is exactly the kind of competition we want our program tested against before we head to the ranch in August.

Team Results at a Glance

Will Canaguier

Will’s regional results tell part of the story, but they do not tell the whole thing. In Open Pro Sport at the South East regional, he finished 4th — and that is a legit result when you look at who he beat to get there. He ran with and passed a lot of very fast riders in one of the deepest fields in the country.

On the 250 Pro Sport side, we had to race the best in the country twice — South East and Mid East — to punch our tickets. At the South East regional, Will was running inside qualifying position in the third moto when a bike issue ended that bid. Circumstances cost us there, not a lack of speed or effort.

At the Mid East regional, Will finished 7th overall with moto scores of 6-6-7. We really struggled with starts that weekend, and the results do not reflect how well he rode once he got going. I am proud of how Will handled racing the nation’s best twice and still getting the job done. His speed belongs in that conversation.

Chace Lawton

Chace’s regional path was not a straight line. He struggled a bit at the South East and Mid East regionals, finishing just outside the top six both times. We regrouped, made adjustments, and sent him to the North East regional at Southwick — and that is where everything clicked.

Southwick is a gnarly, old-school track, and Chace rode fantastic all weekend. In 250 Pro Sport, he put together a very solid 1-1-2 to win the regional championship, holding off a very motivated Cole Forbes and several fast locals who know that track inside and out. He also ran several of the fastest lap times of the weekend — the kind of speed that tells you a rider is ready for what Loretta’s demands.

In Open Pro Sport, Chace backed it up with a 2nd overall to cap an incredible North East weekend. That is the kind of bounce-back we want to see from our guys: honest about the tough days, then go win when it counts.

Trinnytie Batchelor

Trinnytie’s regional season might be the comeback story of our program. He is just coming off serious shoulder surgery — the same injury that sidelined him at Daytona — and it was genuinely uncertain whether he would be healed and strong enough to race regionals in time. He did everything he possibly could in rehab and training to be ready.

At the North Central regional at Lincoln Trail, Trinn delivered. He went 1-1-1 in 250 B to win a regional championship, then landed on the podium in both 450 B (3rd) and Schoolboy 2 (3rd). That is a lot of gate drops on a limited prep window, and he handled all of it.

We could not be happier with his progress. His lap times were very competitive late in the week, and based on how he rode and recovered, we have made the decision to allow him to enter the first Combine at Redbud. That is a big step forward for Trinn, and he has earned it.

Chris Hunter

I have been working really hard to be ready for the ranch this year. I have not been to Loretta Lynn’s since 2023, and I am genuinely looking forward to getting back there after a successful run at the Mid East regional.

I finished 5th in Senior 40+ — tied in points for 3rd — and won the Senior 45+ Sportsman class with a 1-1-1 to take home a regional championship. The 40+ class was a dog fight the whole way. There is a lot of parity in that division, with several top riders like Ezra Lusk, Jim Povolny, and Willie Browning pushing the pace all weekend. It was exactly the kind of battle that reminds you how deep and competitive vet racing can be.

Racing vet classes while running this program is a different kind of grind, but it keeps me connected to what our guys go through every weekend — the preparation, the pressure, and the reward when you execute.

What made this regional mean even more to me was getting to do it with my dad. Going to a regional together — sharing that travel, that buildup, that nervous energy before the gate drops — is something I will not forget. Winning a regional number 1 plate and standing on the podium with him made it extra special. Moments like that are why we do this.

Watching our other guys collect their number 1 plates across the country gave me the same feeling. You could see the similarities in how Trinn and Chace celebrated with their families — the hugs, the photos, the relief and pride all at once. It reminded me how much I appreciate the family atmosphere of this sport. Winning with your family beside you hits different, and I am grateful we got to experience that as a team this regional season.

Closing

All four of us punched at least two tickets to Loretta Lynn’s. We won three regional championships across three regions, and our pro riders had to go through the toughest classes in amateur motocross to get there. I could not be more proud of this group.

We will be ready. The team is doing everything we can to be prepared for the ranch, and Trinnytie has the green light for Redbud Combine as the next step in his development.

Special Thanks

Regional season takes a village, and I want to thank a few people who went above and beyond for us.

Thanks to Jeff Cernic for his support at the regional events with sprockets, tires, and so many other things along the way.

Thanks to Evan at Thor for getting us the gear we needed.

Thanks to Tyler at Powerband Racing Florida for getting us the suspension we needed to be successful at these events and being available to support us whenever we needed it.

Thanks to Willie Browning for the amazing photography from the events.

And thanks to all the families for traveling, staying prepared, and representing our team to the best of their abilities. None of this happens without you.

Huge thanks as well to our sponsors for helping us keep building this program the right way.

Event Photography: Willie Browning

Stay tuned for more race reports and team updates as Hunter Racing continues the 2026 season.