Walker Fowler Named AMA ATV Athlete of the Year

At a star-studded celebration of amateur racers held in Las Vegas, Nev., the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) named Walker Fowler as its 2011 AMA ATV Athlete of the year. The honor was presented to Fowler by AMA Racing Director Joe Bromley at the AMA Visa Card from Capital One Racing Championship Banquet on Nov. 20 at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa.

Fowler, of Rogers, Ohio, was the most dominant rider in the history of XC2 Pro-Am class competition in the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series. He won every round of the off-road racing series.

“It was just a crazy year for sure — a dream season,” says Fowler. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it again. It’s every racer’s dream to be able to do something that no one else can. But there are a lot more goals in front of me that are the same thing, and that’s what keeps us racers going. I just want to thank the AMA for giving us all these series to compete in and letting us go out and do what we do.”

Other ATV-related honors were also presented during the event. The annual awards banquet celebrated racers’ championship seasons and presented a number of special awards that acknowledge the standout performances of top competitors and others.

The Cheaha Trail Riders of Alabama earned AMA Club of the Year honors. The organization is an off-highway vehicle (OHV) advocacy group of volunteers that promotes the development of OHV trail systems throughout the United States and particularly in Alabama.

The group also promotes OHV safety, education, family recreation, riding responsibly, environmental conservation and volunteerism.

Racer Productions was named ATV Organizer of the Year for its Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series.

Also, the AMA Racing Media Award was presented to Shan Moore for his stellar work as an off-road photographer and reporter. Moore is well known for his ATV racing coverage as well as coverage of other competition.

The AMA welcomed a full house of champions and their families, friends and fans to the banquet, Stan Simpson, the chairman of the AMA’s Board of Directors, thanked all AMA racers for their contribution to making racing the exciting sport it has become.

“On behalf of the board of directors of the American Motorcyclist Association, our AMA staff, and each and every AMA member, I congratulate all of you for your successful seasons,” says. “Your skill and determination have earned you a place among this elite group of champions and taken you to the top of amateur racing.”

Hundreds of top competitors, in disciplines ranging from land-speed racing to motocross to woods racing and everything in between, received their national championship trophies and No. 1 plates at the banquet.