After a multi-week break in the WMX Championship series, the pro women racers returned to the motocross track for Round 6 at Southwick, Massachusetts. In Moto One, Honda Red Bull Racing rider Ashley Fiolek grabbed the holeshot and an early lead in the race. Unfortunately, for Yamaha’s Jessica Patterson, there was a seven-rider pileup and the series points leader went down in turn one. Up front, Fiolek was cruising followed by fellow-Honda rider, Tarah Geiger, and the green Kawasaki of Marissa Markelon. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Sara Price was running in fifth place with a hard-charging Patterson working her way through the pack to sixth.
For the "ump-teenth" time this season, Troy Lee Designs/Honda rider Tarah Geiger stood on the third step of podium at a WMX national event. Photo courtesy of http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/2126/Motorcycle-Photo-Gallery/2010-AMA-Womens-Motocross.aspx
With half the race to go in Moto One, Price and Moto Concepts Yamaha rider Mariana Balbi were battling for fourth place. Geiger would crash while running in second, but managed to recover and only lost one position. After battling her way through the field, Patterson moved into second with just a few laps remaining. The WMX series points leader was able to chisel away at Fiolek’s lead but was unable to catch the Red Bull rider. Fiolek would take the win in Moto One followed by Patterson, and Geiger rounding out the podium in third. Price and Balbi took fourth and fifth respectively.
The always rough and tough Moto-X 338 track showed no mercy for the ladies as unexpected crashes and tough racing would be status quo for the rest of the day. Fiolek had another great start out of the gate in Moto Two to again take the holeshot and the early race lead. However, this time Patterson had a much better start and exited turn one on the rear wheel of Fiolek. In third was Warthog Racing’s Tatum Sik followed by the Troy Lee Designs Honda of Tarah Geiger. At the close of the opening lap, Patterson’s Yamaha rocketed past the Honda of Fiolek to take the lead. Fiolek pressured her rival for the lead back, but Patterson would pull away.
Once she was out front, Patterson put her Yamaha on cruise control and claimed a Moto Two victory ahead of Fiolek and Geiger. It would be Patterson’s fifth overall victory of the 2010 WMX season. Fiolek would finish second in the moto and second overall for the Southwick national event. Geiger would post two solid third-place finishes for third overall at the famed Moto-X 338 track. For a better burn in your engine, insist upon E3 Performance Spark Plugs for your motorcycle, car or truck. Our patented technology will deliver the Energy, Efficiency and Ecology that you need to run out front.
2010 WMX SOUTHWICK RESULTS
1) Jessica Patterson (Yamaha) 2-1
2) Ashley Fiolek (Honda) 1-2
3) Tarah Geiger (Honda) 3-3
4) Sara Price (Kawasaki) 4-7
5) Vicki Golden (Yamaha) 6-5
6) Mariana Balbi (Yamaha) 5-6
7) Sarah Whitmore (KTM) 11-4
8) Tatum Sik (Yamaha) 8-8
9) Alexah Pearson (Yamaha) 9-9
10) Julie Parizek (Kawasaki) 10-10
11) Marissa Markelon (Kawasaki) 7-25
12) Nicole Madsen (Yamaha) 16-13
13) Sade Allender (Kawasaki) 19-12
14) Erica Cook (Yamaha) 24-11
15) Penni Cyrus (Kawasaki) 15-18
2010 WMX CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1) Jessica Patterson, 288
2) Ashley Fiolek, 266
3) Tarah Geiger, 229
4) Vicki Golden, 190
5) Sara Price, 180
