< 2002 Road Racing Grand Championships home

The best of the best

Chris "Opie" Caylor is the AMA Road Racing Horizon Award winner for 2002

July 22 - Chris "Opie" Caylor proved to be the best of the best at the AMA Road Race Grand Championships that ended today and went home with the prestigious AMA Horizon Award, given to a club level road-racer with a promising professional career on the horizon.

But he faced some strong competition for the top prize in club road racing from Ty Howard of Fort Worth, Texas.

"I put as much effort into winning this as I could," said Caylor, a 28-year-old resident of Marietta, Georgia. "One thing that makes me feel really good is that race results aren't the only thing involved in picking the winner.

"It means that people like you, and you're doing a good job for the sport and your sponsors," he said.

The AMA Road Race Grand Championships were held over two days at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. Club road racers from around the nation took part to pit their racing skills against each other and to compete for the AMA Horizon Award.

They also earned national No. 1 plates for winning their classes. In all, more than two dozen national champions were crowned at the two-day event.

Caylor hopes that winning the award will lead to some more sponsorships, as well as to prompt some professional race teams to take a close look at his riding, and maybe offer him a job. Caylor is taking this year to run the AMA Chevy Trucks U.S. Superbike Championship series to learn the tracks, with high hopes for next year.

"I want to be an upfront, competitive AMA professional racer," a smiling Caylor said. "The money isn't important. To be happy in what you're doing for a job should breed happiness in all parts of your life."

There were eight "premier" races during the AMA Road Race Grand Championships that figured in the decision for this year's Horizon Award winner. Caylor won two of the races, and finished second in two more. He also had a 5th-place finish.

In the 600 Superbike race, Caylor got off the line quickly aboard his Suzuki and was leading the race, but Troy Green of Dallas aboard a Yamaha began reeling him in on about the sixth lap in the 10-lap race.

"I think he had his bike set up better than I did," Caylor said. "But I had enough of a lead early that I could hang on for the win."

Then Howard won the 750 SS Suzuki World GSXR Cup race, another premier event, challenging Caylor for the Horizon Award. Caylor finished that race 5th.
Caylor came back and won the 750 Superbike race.

Then Caylor and Howard faced off in the 600 Superstock race. Caylor jumped into the lead with Howard about a bike length behind. At the midway point in the race, Howard made his move aboard his Suzuki to pass Caylor and never gave up the lead.

"We talked after the race, and he (Howard) found out where I was weak," Caylor said. "I struggled in some areas, he struggled in others, but I struggled more than he did."

So Caylor and Howard both had two wins in premier races, with one race to go: GTI, which is basically anything goes, or "run what you brung."

Caylor finished second. Howard didn't race.

And the Horizon Award went to Caylor.