Winnipeg racer claims Grand National title

From the American Motorcyclist Association

PICKERINGTON, OH -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports that Shock Doctor/KTM's Cory Buttrick took home the top off-road honours at the inaugural AMA Racing Vintage Grand Championships, which took place July 24-26 as part of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days in Lexington, OH, while Paul Germain emerged as the weekend's top track-racing competitor.

Buttrick, from Logan, OH, was crowned the AMA Off-Road Vintage Grand National Champion, while Germain, from Winnipeg, earned the AMA Track Racing Vintage Grand National Championship.

The weekend of competition ushered in a new era of national recognition for vintage competitors. In addition to recognizing the AMA Vintage Grand National Champions, national championships were decided in trials, vintage motocross and hare scrambles, post-vintage motocross and hare scrambles, dirt track, and road racing.

There were only two AMA Vintage Grand National Champions, however. To capture these unique awards, Buttrick and Germain demonstrated not just speed but consistency and versatility across multiple disciplines.

The 59-year-old Germain, who was the 1975 360cc Canadian Dirt Track National Champion, raced his way to the AMA Track Racing Vintage Grand National Championship with the 250 Grand Prix road racing title as well as a consistent showing in dirt track.

Germain said that the vintage title had special meaning to him because of his past history in dirt-track competition, where the top riders battle for the AMA Grand National Championship.

"I had my AMA license and ran AMA races, but I spent too much time in Canada to really excel down here, but for sure, an (AMA Grand National Championship) was always my dream," Germain said. "When I saw the posting for this Grand National format for this year, I said, 'This is it! I'm going down there, and I'm doing it.'"

Germain added that he's definitely coming back next year to defend his title.

"The crosshairs are already lining up on us," Germain said. "I'm sure everybody figures it was too easy for those guys, so let's go get 'em. So, we've got to come back and show them what it's all about."

Germain raced his 1968 Yamaha in two classes, finishing third and first in 250 Grand Prix and earning two second-place finishes in 350 Grand Prix. In dirt track, Germain finished 10th in 501cc-Open Singles on a 1979 Yamaha 560 and fifth in 501cc-Open Twins on a 1972 Yamaha 750.

The 18-year-old Buttrick, who is currently second in points in the XC2 Pro Lites class in the Grand National Cross Country series, combined dominant performances in hare scrambles and motocross with a solid effort in trials to claim the AMA Off-Road Racing Vintage Grand National Championships.