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Lanesborough Boy, 9, Heading to Motocross Nationals

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LANESBOROUGH, Mass. – Mason Mickle, 9, has qualified for the largest amateur motocross race in the world, the 35th annual Rocky Mountain ATV/MC AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship, to be held this August at the Loretta Lynn Ranch
 
Mickle took on more than 22,000 hopefuls from across America to earn one of 1,482 qualifying positions.
 
“The Amateur National at Loretta Lynn’s is the event every motocross racer in the country wants to compete in,” event director Tim Cotter said. “A win at Loretta’s gives a racer instant national notoriety and can serve as a springboard to a lucrative professional motocross career.”
 
Most of America’s top professional motocross racers, including James Stewart, Ricky Carmichael, Travis Pastrana and Ryan Dungey, have won AMA Amateur National titles at Loretta Lynn’s.
 
Mickle, who attends Lanesborough Elementary in the 3rd grade, has been riding dirt bikes since he was 5 years old.
 
With the help of sponsors such as Mickle Electric Inc., Sandbox Kings, Minton Cycle, Bell Helmets, Dunlop, Performance Rec, GoPro, and Illusive gloves, who help pay his way to the races, Mickle has had the opportunity to pursue his dreams. He has won many races in the last three years and competes nearly every weekend in races across the country.
 
This is his second time making it to the National Championship, the first was in the 4-6 class, where he finished 31st out of 42 racers.
 
Mickle will make the journey to Hurricane Mills, Tenn., along with his family, The race runs July 31 to Aug. 5, 2017. Mickle and his family will be camping onsite for the week-long event and will have the opportunity to participate in many non-racing evening activities.
 
The top finishers in area qualifiers and regional championships earn a gate position in the National Championship race at Loretta Lynn’s. Racers may enter a wide variety of classes, from minicycle classes for children as young as 4, all the way up to a senior division for riders over 50. There are also classes for women and classes for both stock and modified machines.
 
In total, there are 38 different classes of competition. Mickle will compete in the 50cc 7-8 class.
 
The track is built on a section of Loretta Lynn Ranch and Campground. The course contains a variety of jumps, corners and other obstacles designed to test the skills and stamina of the racers. The motocross track is used only once a year for motorcycles, so there is no hometown advantage. Racers compete in three 15-20 minute races over the course of the week per class, sometimes in grueling temperatures. Proper training and preparation are paramount.
 
Most riders attend the event with the help of their families. In fact, many consider the event their  family’s summer trip, nicknaming it the “World’s Greatest Motocross Vacation.” Besides the races, the week-long event hosts many family-friendly activities, including swimming, a talent show, concerts, and live entertainment.
 
The race action will be telecast live daily at www.racertv.com, Aug. 1-6, for a total of 40 hours of live coverage. In addition, two highlight shows featuring the event will air on NBC Sports Network in the fall.
 
For additional information on the Amateur National, visit the official website at www.mxsports.com or call (304) 284-0101. Also, follow the official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts for exclusive content and to catch the latest news.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corporation Scholarships

LUDLOW, Mass. — For the third year, Berkshire Wind Power Cooperative Corporation (BWPCC) will award scholarships to students from Lanesborough and Hancock. 
 
The scholarship is open to seniors at Mount Greylock Regional High School and Charles H. McCann Technical School. BWPCC will select two students from the class of 2024 to receive $1,000 scholarships.
 
The scholarships will be awarded to qualifying seniors who are planning to attend either a two- or four-year college or trade school program. Seniors must be from either Hancock or Lanesborough to be considered for the scholarship. Special consideration will be given to students with financial need, but all students are encouraged to apply.
 
The BWPCC owns and operates the Berkshire Wind Power Project, a 12 turbine, 19.6-megawatt wind farm located on Brodie Mountain in Hancock and Lanesborough. The non-profit BWPCC consists of 16 municipal utilities located in Ashburnham, Boylston, Chicopee, Groton, Holden, Hull, Ipswich, Marblehead, Paxton, Peabody, Russell, Shrewsbury, Sterling, Templeton, Wakefield, and West Boylston, and their joint action agency, the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC). 
 
To be considered, students must submit all required documents including a letter of recommendation from their school counselor and a letter detailing their educational and professional goals. Application and submission details will be shared with students via their school counselors. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 19.
 
 MMWEC is a not-for-profit, public corporation and political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts created by an Act of the General Court in 1975 and authorized to issue tax-exempt debt to finance a wide range of energy facilities.  MMWEC provides a variety of power supply, financial, risk management and other services to the state's consumer-owned, municipal utilities. 
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