Georgie, those aren't exactly this year's rules, but here they are from this year's supplemental rule info on MXSports.com website for Loretta Lynn's info:
7. Riders may not participate in a "C" class if they have ever:
a. Participated at the National in any previous year in any class (with the exception of Girls and Youth Beginner (2011) classes, and Women's class riders finishing outside the top 5 in the previous year;
b. Received any type of OEM factory support in any class;
c. Earned a Rider Performance Value (RPV) of 15.0 or higher the previous advancement year (11.1.2010-10.31.2011) in any class, including youth divisions; or
d. Competed in any C or youth division at the age of 12 years or older prior to January 1, 2010 and had an RPV or calculated RPV of 11.0 or higher the previous advancement year (11.1.2010-10.31.2011) in 6 or more events.
And let's look at it from Mr Leighton's perspective and see how he could have been abiding by the rules last year.
1. If Scottie was 14 last year(as I heard), that means he was only twelve 2 years prior on January 1, 2009. This means any racing prior to 2009 in 2008 or before, was in Junior Mini classes or 65 cc classes and don't count against him for C class eligibility unless he went to Loretta Lynn's in any of those classes ever, which he didn't. So even if he was riding 12-16 Supermini class in 2009 and 2010 (which is unclassified for skill level) he is ok if he raced at least 6 AMA races that gave him an RPV Value of 10.99 or less, or didn't race enough AMA races to get an RPV Value. Since I'm pretty sure that they normally ran CRA, and only a few qualifiers with so so results in 2008 without qualifying for Loretta Lynn's in 7 - 11 classes that don't count against you unless you make Loretta Lynns, I'm guessing that Scottie fell into that area of being able to run C class as a 14 year old in 2011. He didn't ride enough AMA races to get a HIGH RPV to be bumped out, never qualified for Loretta Lynns in the youth classes, and only had 2009 and 2010 as years he had been racing in 12 and older classes to review. Looks like he was a legal C class rider last year according to the rules. Of course, in 2012, he's got to race B class since he's got 3 years of racing in 12 and older classes now and that is what he is doing, still playing in the AMA within the rules.
I'm sure he got protested, plead his case, and was allowed to stay in C last year based on the rules. I can't imagine someone out there last year not protesting him in the C class because his father has that Alessi type effect on people. And I only say this as a spectator of the Pitracer site as I have no personal interaction or knowledge of the family at all.