The beautiful mountains of Washougal, WA were home to round eight of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship where the women of the WMA tore up the hillsides in a series of action packed motos.
WMA Moto1
The Washington heat was in full effect as temperatures reached in the high 90’s under mostly sunny skies. As the women began lining up at the starting gate, a new racer took her place. Japanese champion, Haruna Masu from Tokyo traveled to America to challenge the leading ladies.
Ashley Fiolek took the Moto 1 holeshot on her way to a win.
Engines roared throughout the Washougal valley as the 30 second board dropped and when the gate fell, it was
Honda rider Ashley Fiolek who took an early lead and captured the MotorcycleUSA.com holeshot award. As the riders rounded the turn towards Horsepower Hill, it was Ashley who started to pull away from the pack followed close behind by Jessica Patterson. For the next several laps the handlebars were banging as Fiolek and Patterson battled for first position.
Back in the pack Mariana Balbi was on fire as she roared passed Sarah Whitmore and the Japanese champ, Haruna Masu. Sheri Cruse was on the warpath as she tried to make up some time after a crash. In the end it was Ashley Fiolek for first, Jessica Patterson second and Mariana Balbi third.
WMA Moto 2
As the gate dropped for the second moto, Ashley left the gate fast but took the corner wide which allowed Haruna Masu and Sara Price to pass Fiolek. But it was the Japanese visitor Haruna Masu who claimed the MotorcycleUSA.com holeshot award. As the ladies roared out of the corner toward Horsepower Hill it was Masu, Price, Patterson Balbi followed by Fiolek.
Japanese Women's Motocross winner Haruna Masu took the Moto 2 MotorcycleUSA.com Holeshot Award.
Haruna’s luck would soon run out as she washed out and allowed Sara Price and Jessica Patterson to take over the lead. With the Japanese rider out of way, Patterson set her sights on Price and good battled developed as Patterson tried to overtake Price’s lead. Several turns later Patterson was able to make the move on Price and take over first. Patterson opened up a nice lead as Price held up Fiolek’s forward progress.
At the four-minute mark, Fiolek overtook Price and began her assault for Patterson’s position. Unfortunately the current points leader was unable to unseat Patterson and as the riders crossed the Lucas Oil finish line it was Jessica Patterson for first, Ashley Fiolek second and Mariana Balbi for third.
(
top left, clockwise) Ashley Fiolek took the Moto 1 win after taking the MotorcycleUSA
holeshot | Mariana Balbi tore it up in the back of pack to finish third in Moto 1 | Jessica
Patterson took the overall win after following her second-place finish in Moto 1 with a
Moto 2 victory | The WMA podium consisted of Balbi, Patterson and Fiolek.
1. Jessica Patterson (2-1)
2. Ashley Fiolek (1-2)
3. Mariana Balbi (3-3)
4. Haruna Masu (6-5)
5. Sarah Whitmore (4-8)
6. Sherri Cruse (5-7)
7. Sara Price (10-4)
8. Jacqueline Strong (8-6)
9. Sayyaka Kaneshiro (13-9)
10. Ashley Boham (12-10)
WMA Championship Point Standings
1. Ashley Fiolek 294
2. Jessica Patterson 245
3. Sherri Cruse 224
4. Vicki Golden 192
5. Sara Price 175
6. Elizabeth Bash 161
7. Sara Whitmore 149
8. Mariana Balbi 126
9. Penni Cyrus 116
10. Tatum Sik 101
