Turner & Cannon Bring WMX Rivalry to Budds Creek for Penultimate Round

Turner reclaimed the championship momentum this past weekend at Unadilla, with an impressive 1-1 performance that provided her third win in four rounds. In response, Cannon did her part by minimizing the damage in the point standings with a 2-2 effort for her third runner-up of the summer. Perhaps the silver lining for the Australian, she closed the deficit to Turner in the final moto and finished just 1.5 seconds back at the finish. 

The speed and pace shown by Turner and Cannon has largely been equal, but the biggest difference maker at Unadilla and for much of the season has been in the early laps. Turner has shown a knack for making moves on the opening lap, regardless of where she starts, which has allowed her to navigate to the front of the field and sprint to control of the moto. Cannon, meanwhile, has often shown stronger pace as once she settles in, but given the 12 Minute + 1 Lap format, it has limited her ability to erase any deficit she may face. With just four motos remaining, Cannon has entered must-win territory if she hopes to keep the points close heading into the final round.

The addition of SLR Honda’s Mayla Herrick has been a bright spot for the championship, as the 17-year-old has injected added intrigue to the front of the field. She’s quickly become the best starter in WMX and already has a moto win under her belt. While she recognizes the steep learning curve that comes with the challenging track conditions of National tracks and finding a pace that will allow her to compete with Turner and Cannon when it’s rough and rutty, Herrick has proven to be a quick learner after securing her maiden overall podium finish last weekend. She’s poised to be an intriguing player in the stretch run of the title fight.

The battle for third in the WMX standings is also coming down to the wire, as Dusty Rocks Yamaha’s Jordan Jarvis sits just four points ahead of Partzilla Blaster Power PRMX Kawasaki’s Taylah McCutcheon. For Jarvis, the most decorated rider in the field, she came a tiebreaker short of her first podium finish of the season at Unadilla and has taken full advantage of her wealth of experience. The hallmark of Jarvis’ consistent campaign this summer has been her ability to charge through the field, where she’s overcome an 11.1 starting average by passing an average of six riders per moto. For McCutcheon, the Australian’s strong first season in the U.S. has been a testament to her prowess out the starting gate, where she’s statistically been the best starter in the championship this summer. The confidence that she’ll put herself at the front of the field should pay off when it matters most and creates a compelling dynamic as she and Jarvis wage battle for the final spot on the championship podium.

The field will receive an added boost over the final two rounds with the return of Priority MX GASGAS’ Jamie Astudillo, who successfully defended her crown in the Canadian WMX Championship last weekend and will bring championship-caliber talent to the starting gate at Budds Creek and Ironman.

The WMX field will face a unique challenge at Budds Creek, with its abundance of sharp elevation changes, multitude of off-camber corners, and some of the best soil in American motocross. Turner prevailed with the victory in Southern Maryland last season and captured the WMX Championship in doing so, but with a larger, deeper field of talent set to hit the track this weekend, it’s anyone’s guess as to who will step up on Friday and Saturday.

On-track action for the WMX at Budds Creek will span two days, with qualifying and the weekend’s first 12 Minutes + 1 Lap moto scheduled for Friday, August 21. The women will return to the track on Saturday, August 22, for a midday warm-up before contesting Moto 2 in between the first and second motos of the 450SMX and 250SMX classes.