WORCS Round 4 Race Report

Ricky Dietrich returned to Washington (the state where he grew up) to claim his first WORCS victory of the 2008 season. Dietrich’s win marks a steady climb to the top of the podium which he foretold at the end of the last round, after finishing 10th, 3rd, and 2nd in the first three WORCS events. Dietrich said, “There’s only one place left on the podium I haven’t hit yet.” Dietrich won with style, taking over the lead in the opening minutes of the two-hour event; he went virtually unchallenged for the remainder of the day, racing through the Washington woods as if he were in his own backyard and finishing almost a full minute ahead of his nearest rival for the win.

Bobby Bonds has been determined and fast all season.

Second place went to the heroic Bobby Bonds who had a troubled start and came around in 20th place at the end of the first 13-minute lap. From that point on Bonds put his head down and cut some of the fastest lap times of the day, coming through the field of great racers to finish second behind Dietrich at the end of the two-hour charge.

Defending WORCS Champion Kurt Caselli took the third spot on the podium. Caselli got the holeshot aboard his KTM250XC two-stroke ahead of the field of 450 thumpers, but and early spin-out (yes, he actually spun-out but didn’t fall) cost Caselli the lead and dropped him to fifth in the early running. But Caselli is one of the best all-around off-road racers in the world today, he’s fast on any terrain and the Washington woods were no threat as Caselli worked his way back onto the podium, but was unable to catch the determined Bonds and the distant Dietrich.

Ricky Dietrich was untouchable in the Washington woods.

WORCS Championship points leader Bobby Garrison took the fourth place spot after a troubled first hour saw him bounce around in the race from fifth, to fourth, back to ninth, up to sixth, then back again to seventh, etc. Bobby G. finally settled in during the second hour and pushed his way into fourth by the finish, just ahead of Damon Huffman in fifth.

The Round 4 results closed the title hunt into a dog-fight between the top four men in the series. Garrison and Caselli are tied with 92 points each with Bobby G. getting the tie-breaker with two wins over Caselli’s one. Right behind the lead pair is Dietrich with 87 points and one victory. Bonds sits just 10 points out of the lead with 82 for the season. The next round is in Hollister on May 11th; a fast, tough course which can be brutal in the heat. The Hollister round was won by Caselli last season, but this May it’s anybody’s guess.

Caselli, Dietrich, and Bonds.

The points lead also changed hands in the WORCS Pro 2 class as two-time winner and points leader Taylor Robert was forced to sit out the main with a dislocated hip. “I hit the ground pretty hard in Friday practice,” said Robert. “I felt it pop out, then as I was rolling around it popped back in. I tried to ride today, but I can’t. It sucks to have to watch especially when I had the points lead.”

Pro 2 victor Josh Morros

The Pro 2 win went to Josh Morros, marking his second victory of the season, but the points lead fell to Nick Brozovich, the most consistent rider in the Pro 2 class. In the first four events of 2008 Brozovich has finished 2nd, 2nd, 3rd, and then 2nd again at Washington. He leads the Pro 2 class with 96 points; Morros is second with 90 and Robert third with 85. Third place in round four went to Corey Floyd with Erek Arnold fourth and Wes Johnson fifth.

Kurt Caselli is tied for the points lead...

...with two-time winner Bobby Garrison.