High Point Raceway Roars with Excitement!
The weather couldn’t have been any better for the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross championship at High Point Raceway in Mount Morris Pennsylvania. Sunshine mixed with some scattered clouds provided just enough breeze to make the afternoon very comfortable. Race fans came in droves as they packed the High Point hills to watch Round 4 of the WMX take to the track under very difficult track conditions.
Moto 1
Sherri Cruse broke Ashely Fiolek's Holeshot streak in Moto 1.
Unlike everyone expected, Ashley Fiolek did not claim the first MotorcycleUSA.com holeshot award. Instead it was Sherri Cruse who capitalized on a mistake made by Ashley at the starting gates. However, Jessica Patterson and Ashley managed to pass Sherri a few turns later. Jessica lead the race for most of the first lap, but as the two riders made the turn onto Bradshaw Boulevard, it was Ashley that took the advantage over Jessica.
Going into Lap 2. Cruse still held the third place spot but was getting pressure from a determined Sara Price and rookie sensation Vicki Golden. Jessica Patterson’s training with Ryan Hughes is apparently paying off as she challenged Ashley’s lead several times going into many turns bar-to-bar, shoulder-to-shoulder. However Ashley’s Factory Honda machine had a quick response to every challenge Jessica managed to unleash.
As Ashley turned onto Bradshaw Boulevard at the end of Lap 2, Patterson was nowhere to be seen. Cruse crossed the finish line then Vicki Golden followed by Sara Price but still no Jessica. Jessica finally crossed the finish line during Lap 2 in 14th place her bike visibly smoking. As Ashley increased her lead, the battle for second arose between Cruse and Golden. Golden managed to take the lead as the two riders came down Bradshaw Boulevard. Patterson, who was running in 14th after she disappeared from sight on the backside of the track, managed to fight her way up to ninth at the end of Lap 3 and continued to charge. In the end it was Ashley Fiolek for first, Vicki Golden for second, Sherri Cruse for third and Jessica Patterson for fourth.
Moto 2
Ashley parlayed the Moto 2 holeshot into another win and sweep of Round 4 of the Women's Motocross Championship.
During Moto 2 as the gate dropped and the riders charged up the hill it was Fiolek who claimed the second MotorcycleUSA.com holeshot award. Ashley quickly opened up a nice lead over Patterson and Cruse who were battling for second place. Patterson finally managed to pass Cruse and set her sights on Ashley’s first place lead. Golden passed Cruse for third; however Cruse managed to regain the third-place spot a couple of turns later and added two seconds to her lead over Golden.
Ashley and Jessica’s battle for first slowly dissolved as Ashley’s lead grew to several seconds after each lap. In Lap 4, Patterson crashed just as she entered Bradshaw Boulevard, but very quickly remounted and resumed the race. Ashley’s 10-second lead would remain unchallenged as Jessica was unable to make up the time difference after her crash.
At the end of Moto 2 it was Ashley Fiolek for first, Jessica Patterson for second, Sherri Cruse for third and Vicki Golden for fourth.
(top left, clockwise): Ashley Fiolek swept
Women's Motocross at High Point; Jessica
Patterson took second overall after taking runner in Moto 2; Sherri Cruse had two podium
finishes and a Holeshot to her name; Vicki Golden rode strong all week to take 4th.
1. Ashley Fiolek (1,1)
2. Jessica Patterson (4,2)
3. Sherri Cruse (3,3)
4. Vicki Golden (2,4)
5. Elizabeth Bash (5,5)
6. Sara Price (6,6)
7. Kimberly Kocher (8,8)
8. Sara Whitmore (11,7)
9. Tatum Sik (9,10)
10. Jackie Ives (12 ,9)
11. April Zastrow (13,11)
12. Lindsey Scheltema (7,17)
13. Nicole Madsen (15,12)
14. Danielle Sawicki (14,14)
15. Penni Cyrus (10,18)
16. Tressa Rau (16,13)
17. Katelyn Crowley (17,16)
18. Hailey Larson (20,15)
19. Jennifer Mead (19,19)
20. Jessica Smith (18,20)
