Entering the weekend, Lachlan Turner sits on two straight 1-1 days to start the season off with a four-moto win streak and two straight overall wins. She looks to have improved even from last year, when she was already pretty dang good. Charli Cannon has come close a few times this season but has yet to best the #1. Will this weekend be the weekend Cannon stands in the center of the podium? Taylah McCutcheon, Jordan Jarvis, and Lotte Van Drunen also want a crack at beating two-time champion Turner. Add in Jamie Astudillo (currently running the #1 in the Canadian Triple Crown series up north) and now 17-year-old (and old enough to race pro) Mayla Herrick, and we will have a very fast top ten. You have to imagine van Drunen will be better this weekend, one more week into knowing the schedule and format, plus not having to race in elevation. Will the #401 be in the mix this weekend?

As like the first two rounds, today (Friday) is the first moto and the WMX field might have a smoother track than compared to in the middle of tomorrow's Pro Motocross race. Could play a factor here. Bikes will be on track soon.

Check out the entry list for today to see who is competing this weekend in our first East Coast WMX event of the summer. 

First Qualifying Session

The first qualifying session got underway, and it was Lotte Van Drunen who put in the fastest lap of the session. van Drunen’s 2:10.746 was 0.923 seconds better than P2 Charli Cannon and it was 1.196 seconds better than championship leader Lachlan Turner’s 2:11.942, which was P3. Rookie Mayla Herrick’s 2:12.278 was fourth fastest in her first qualifying session as Mikayla Nielsen’s 2:14.289 was fifth. Good signs from van Drunen to start the day.

There is more amateur practice happening now between the second WMX qualifying session, which will surely change the track a good bit.

There is also a ton of soft mulch added to the top of the track, which could result in more braking and accelerating bumps than this track had a month ago during the area qualifier for the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. Then again, it rained a ton that weekend anyway. But the track gets prepped different for Pro Motocross weekend and forms up differently from the lines the pro 250 and 450 Class riders take as well.

Second Qualifying Session

The second session got underway, and initially it was Lachlan Turner with the fast lap. But in the end, Lotte Van Drunen topped the field again. Van Drunen's 2:09.263 was nearly a second faster than Turner's 2:10.126 as rookie Mayla Herrick was third fastest with a 2:10.459. Piper Bell had a big crash while jumping the finish line jump near the mid-point of the session. She went to the mechanics' area to reground before rejoining the field and finishing the session, which was a good sign. The girls were sending it out there and over a dozen riders jumped the triple into the finish line no problem! That is not an easy jump, but they were nailing it lap after lap.

Weather is perfect here: about 75 degrees and sunny with some clouds. The track is shaping up nicely. 

The first WMX moto will take place shortly and we should be set for a good battle. 

First Moto—Friday

WMX qualifying wrapped up, as did the media window and press riding for the 250 and 450 Classes, and it was time to go WMX racing. The top few riders were introduced before the sight lap. They came back and the 30-second board went up. The gate dropped and it was Mayla Herrick with the holeshot! What a welcome to WMX moment for the rookie, who immediately sent it off the Carmichael Double, doubling the tunnel jumps into the rollers! While Herrick got out to the early lead, it was a little bit chaotic behind her as Taylah McCutcheon got sideways on the slick face of the tunnel jump. That slowed up the field just enough for Herrick to get some early breathing room as the rest of the field was not able to double the tunnel jump. Herrick took off and it was Lotte Van Drunen who slotted into the second position, as Mikayla Nielsen and Lachlan Turner were not too far behind. Turner and Nielsen would battle hard for a few laps before the #1 eventually made a pass stick. She started to go after van Drunen but was not able to get close enough for a pass attempt. The front two were running well but Turner was the fastest on track. Turner’s 2:08.131 on the sixth lap of the seven-lap race was by far the best lap of the moto. It was a second and a half better than van Drunen’s best of 2:07.721 and nearly two seconds faster than Herrick’s 2:09.914.

It got close at the end, but Herrick was able to take the race win as Turner came through third. Nielsen and Charli Cannon rounded out the top five. Herrick becomes the rider to end Turner’s perfect moto streak, which ended after four moto straight moto wins. After he four straight moto wins to start the season, Turner did not get to lead a single lap in the moto today as it was all Herrick, leading wire-to-wire in the seven-lap race. Cannon made ten passes after crossing the holeshot line 15th.

Again, the second WMX moto will take place tomorrow. If today’s race is any indication, tomorrow’s race should be awesome as well. Can Herrick pull off the overall win in her WMX pro debut? Or will van Drunen take the win? Or will Turner rebound and take the overall win? The second the checkered flag came out, and the  riders exited the track, the anticipation for the second moto began. This will be one you do not want to miss!