Monster Energy's Mayla Herrick Talks Loretta's Title, WMX Rise and What's Next

If you didn’t get a chance to catch Monster Energy’s Mayla Herrick (SLR/Honda) racing the Women’s class national title at the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National MX Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., here recently - you missed out.

And if you didn’t catch her ‘confident’ quotes from the podium, then you really missed out.

At Loretta’s Women’s class Moto 2, in which a mistake led to a 3^rd place finish, Herrick said from the podium – and over the FloRacing.com global feed: “I’m winning (Moto 3) and I don’t care what anyone says.” And to her credit, she came back and hammered everyone in Moto 3 to earn the AMA National Championship and coveted Loretta’s No. 1 plate, following that performance up (on the podium) with: “I told everyone I was going to win – and I did.”

The 17-year-old walked the walk and talked the talk! 

The recent Loretta’s national championship for Herrick was her actually her second national crown, having previously won the Girls (11-16) title in 2023 on a Husqvarna. And this year, with the move to SLR (“Slam Life Racing”) Honda, she was able to complete the task and bring home her second national title – begging the question: “Which one’s bigger?”

“They are pretty different because now WMX is so big and there is so much support and fans of WMX these days,” she said. “Also, this title (2026) means more to be because the last two years at Loretta’s I’ve crashed out on my last motos. So to finally put the motos together and win the title means more than I can explain.”

And regarding her awesome podium quotes? “I was definitely pretty fired up after the second race, had some bike issues that were out of my control. So I just wasn’t happy. I just said what I was thinking without sugar coating it. I knew I had to back it up, so my third moto, I just knew I needed a start and I could manage my lead from there. That’s exactly what I did!”

Herrick actually burst onto the pro WMX scene at Roud 4 of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Pennsylvania’s High Point Raceway back in June – right when she turned 17. There, Herrick shocked the women’s pro motocross world by winning the opening moto – her first ever official pro motocross race.

That stratospheric moment would quicky burst, bringing her back down to Earth’s soil – quite literally, head first – in a Moto 2 crash that left her dazed and confused.

“High Point was definitely surreal,” explained Herrick. “I didn’t even know when to get my gear on or really anything, so my teammate Mikayla (Nielsen, backed by Monster Energy as well) was essentially my “Big Sister,” helping me with all that. I felt really good on Friday and really loved the track. (In) Moto 1 I just came out of the gate perfect and led every lap, which was truly so fun.”

Herrick continued: “Saturday I felt good in practice, all of it is really a blur for me still, I just knew I was okay. Truthfully, I came out really lucky, just a concussion and a pretty gnarly scrape on my leg. Loretta’s was in five weeks or so, I took two weeks off to let my head heal and was back on the grind for Loretta’s.”

Following Loretta’s, Herrick kept ‘er on the main jet, racing her second MX Nationals’ WMX at Unadilla (N.Y.) and scored a strong 3rd place podium finish.

“Unadilla was awesome,” she said. “The track was so fun, I just wasn’t riding my best all weekend. I put too much pressure on myself. I had to remind myself that this is still my second pro race - ever. I wasn’t happy with a podium, but thinking about it that way is silly. My goal at the beginning of the season was podiums - and that’s what I did. I came out healthy as well.”

As noted earlier, Herrick made the move to Hondas in late 2025 (from Gas Gas) and it’s certainly paid off for her. “I got on a Honda right before Mini Os in 2025 and absolutely loved it. I led lots of laps there, and met Jeff (Proctor) from SLR/Honda. I don’t really know how everything got worked out, but all I know is I really enjoy being around everyone on SLR. Mikayla is a great teammate, Mark (Samuels) is awesome. All the guys are great. I couldn’t ask for a better team.” 

Also at Unadilla, Herrick got another good look at one of the fastest women in the world, if not the fastest right now – fellow Monster Energy racer Lachlan Turner. Herrick’s quite familiar with the overall WMX points leader, appreciates Turner’s speed, but also isn’t shy about comparing her MX merits to the 11-time WMX winner who’s 4^th in all-time WMX wins.

“I’ve raced Lachlan for like six years now,” said Herrick. “She’s always been aggressive and just has raw speed which definitely is an advantage. I think I’m more of a smooth style rider, but that also has its pros.”

Beyond the competition and her race team, Herrick also has, as do many top motocross racers, an incredible family support system. And that begins with her father, Jeff.

“My dad used to ride, so I pretty much grew up around the track,” she said. “I always loved going. He (Jeff) used to ride me around the track when I was little and I just loved it. He got me a (Yamaha) PW50 when I was six and I broke my hand the first day. Even from that I’ve never wanted to do anything else. My dad definitely is my biggest supporter, tells me what I need to hear. He always tries to get me sponsors and always provides me with the best stuff.”

The second stage of Herrick’s rise to the top of the women’s motocross scene in such a short time comes with former pro motocross racer Robbie Reynard and the Reynard Training Complex in Oklahoma – who Herrick is also quick to praise. “Robbie helps me on and off the bike, he really holds me accountable for everything. We work hard, but it’s also fun. His wife Ashely helps me with everything else. Definitely a great place and I’m grateful to be there!”

Beyond motocross, Herrick is a big fan of the wide array of action sports Monster Energy’s involved with. Born and raised in Colorado, she’s no stranger to the mountain lifestyle – especially on snowboards and mountain bikes.

“I enjoy hitting mountain bike jumps, scootering, skateboarding and anything else with wheels, really,” she said. “At home in the summer we do a lot of downhill mountain biking, and that is a lot of fun. You get the same rush from riding (dirt bikes) and it’s awesome. In the winter we snowboard, I grew up doing that so I think it’s fun.”

And when she doesn’t have a throttle pinned or a bike or board high above the Colorado countryside? “I bring my golf clubs everywhere I can and I’ll take any opportunity I can to go golfing,” she added.

Up next… Herrick will contest the final two WMX rounds at Budds Creek, Md. (Aug. 21-23) and the Ironman, Ind. (Aug. 28-30).  Her next major amateur national motocross events are the Moto Playground Race at Ponca City, Sept. 30 through Oct. 4, and the Nov. 21-28 Thor Mini O’s (Winter National Amateur Motocross) at Gatorback Cycle Park in Alachua, Fla.