In only his second full season as a pro, the 19-year-old Kawasaki star is coming off one of the most successful racing campaigns in AMA history.

In February he clinched the 2007 AMA Supercross Lites West title. In that series Villopoto was nearly unstoppable, winning all but a single race en route to the championship, which he wrapped up with one round remaining.

Villopoto then faced the biggest test of his young career in a season-long one-on-one battle with team-mate and former world champion Ben Townley in this summer's AMA Toyota Motocross Lites championship.

In the end a three-race winning streak starting at Millville gave Villopoto the cushion he needed to back up his 2006 Motocross Lites title with yet another No. 1 plate. He thus became the first to win the Motocross Lites class back-to-back since Ricky Carmichael did it in 1998.

Villopoto then closed 2007 by turning in a stunning performance at the Motocross of Nations, at Budds Creek in September, where he won both the combined MX1/MX2 moto and the combined MX2/Open moto.

Lining up against the best in the world, including reigning world champions Antonio Cairoli and Steve Ramon, current AMA Motocross champion Grant Langston and past AMA Supercross champion Chad Reed, Villopoto flat out dominated.

Ryan won his first moto by 15 seconds over Reed and his second moto by more than a minute over Belgium's Ken de Dycker.

"This year was really a great and one I'll always remember," Villopoto said. "Getting this nomination just adds to a nearly perfect 2007. Actually winning the award would be the icing on the cake, but I guess you have to be nominated first to have a chance to win it."

Villopoto added that the Motocross of Nations was the highlight of the year for him.

“Winning the Motocross Lites Championship in a season-long battle with my team-mate was awesome, but doing so well in the Motocross des Nations was just unbelievable. It was great winning the thing at home in front of such a huge crowd. It was a great day for American motocross," he said.

Dating back to 1976, the Athlete of the Year award is the highest honour bestowed to a professional motorcycle racer competing in AMA-sanctioned racing. Past recipients of the award include such legendary names as Bob Hannah, Scott Parker and Kenny Roberts.

Villopoto's rivals for the 2007 award are AMA Supermoto champion Mark Burkhart, AMA Flat Track Twins and Singles champion Ken Coolbeth, Formula Xtreme champion Josh Hayes and AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies.