Insight: High Point WMX Round

After a three-month break in the schedule since the third round, the Women’s Motocross (WMX) Championship returned for round four on June 14. Ahead of the High Point National round of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship, the WMX racers were able to compete on the Pro Motocross caliber and fully prepped track.

There is essentially a drop round as only the 12 best moto finishes per rider will count for championship points, but Sophia Phelps (Kawasaki) tentatively entered the day in the championship lead ahead of Jamie Astudillo (KTM). Lachlan “LaLa” Turner (GasGas), who took the overall win at the previous round, recently shattered her heel and although she did qualify for the WMX and Girls (11-16) classes for the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, she did not compete at High Point’s WMX round. Still, there were 24 women who did compete. The track was prepped deep, which was difficult for all amateur riders throughout the day, plus the added woodchips made the breaking bumps bigger.

Once the gates dropped, it was Kyleigh Stallings (Kawasaki) and Phelps out front. Stallings did not compete in the opening WMX round at Daytona International Speedway, but she has 2-3-2-2 in her first four motos she had raced at the second and third rounds. The Oklahoma native would pull away until a charging Jordan Jarvis (Yamaha) would close up Stallings’ lead. Jarvis went down early but fought hard to come back and finish second, just three seconds behind the #21 machine. Phelps and Astudillo battled before Astudillo went down on the back section of the track and Phelps took over third. Katie Benson (Yamaha) rounded out the top five.

Following the 250 and 450 Class Pro Motocross press day media riding session, the WMX class was back in staging and then back on the starting gates. The track had been worked in some more this go round vs a freshly prepped track for their first moto. Again, it was the Kawasakis out front as Stallings lead Phelps, Astudillo, Jarvis, Shelby Rolen (KTM), and Brianna Scheltema (KTM). Rolen and Scheltema finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the first moto. Astudillo had a solid fourth place finish in the first moto and was running inside the top five as she battled Phelps again in the second moto when she had a hard crash exiting the turn after the tricky downhill rollers. It looked like the KTM rider’s moto was over as after the medical crew got the bike off of her back, she was favoring her left shoulder. But she managed to swing her leg back over her bike and get going again, eventually finishing the race—although a lap down. Her 4-11 earned her eighth overall on the day. We are unaware of her status just yet, but it was good to see her finish the race.

Out front, Stallings again put in steady laps and grew a lead with Jarvis keeping her honest the entire way, although not getting close enough for a pass attempt. Stallings took the moto win to claim the overall win 1-1 finishes over Jarvis’ 2-2 (second overall) and Phelps’ 3-3 (third overall). Scheltema’s 7-4 was fourth overall and Rolen’s 6-5 rounded out the top five. Benson had a crash off the start of the first moto, which caused her to work through the field, as the #28 came through ninth, 5-9 for seventh overall.

Their next round (round five) will also take place the day before a Pro Motocross round—the August 24 Ironman National Pro Motocross season finale—so there will again be a big break. Regionals, local races, and Loretta Lynn’s will all take place beforehand to keep the women ready for their next round.

Check out the unofficial overall results and some photos below.