WORCS Race Coverage: Mesquite
Just like a barbecue.
With only two rounds remaining in the 2024 Rocky Mountain ATV WORCS racing season, we head to sunny Mesquite, Nevada, to battle it out. An unusual October heatwave made this already grueling course even more treacherous as they battled over a 6-mile course filled with hard-packed Moto and deep sand ruts that would put your fitness to the test on a cool day. New faces in Pro and Pro-Am spiced up the racing as they put their hat into the ring with the best of the West for some great competition. Braxton Grosse showcased his speed and resilience as he fought hard for a dominating win in Mesquite and Gage Beebe in the Pro-AM, and they got on top of their respective classes. In Women Pro, Torey Matajcich lands herself on top, just one more race to finish another perfect season for her second consecutive women’s title.
On Sunday Afternoon, Riders lined up at a balmy temperature of just over 100 degrees as they prepared for a 90-minute battle on a course with few places to take a break. East Coast specialist Max Lindquist started in front with the trio of West Coast riders breathing fire as they came back across the finish line less than 20 seconds apart after the first lap. Lindquist held off the charging Braxton Grosse as long as he could before he found a way around him on Lap 3, allowing him some breathing room with the fresh air early on in the race. Once in the lead, Grosse quickly put a gap on his fellow competitors as he threw down the fastest lap with a time of 9:14, putting a noticeable gap early in the race.
A slight mistake forced Lindquist to pull in and get a flat tire changed on lap 5, allowing points leader Travis Damon to slide into second place and try to reel in Grosse around the halfway point of the race. Damon clicked off lap after lap, but it was Lindquist with the aggressive riding, shaving seconds off the lead till he caught up with Damon with just two laps to go. In the end, Lindquist fought his way back into second and forced Dmaon to occupy the podium’s final spot, keeping his points lead heading into the final round in Lake Havasu. Logan Huff and Westley Wolfe finished in the top 5 as Beau Baron, still nursing a broken collarbone, had to settle for a 6th place finish after starting near the front.
The Pro-Am was the class to watch, as they swapped leaders four times in just the first five laps, making it truly anyone’s race. Justin Semas sprinted to a holeshot and the lead early on, showcasing why he is leading in points and looking to close the door in the championship as they head to Lake Havasu. On the Second lap, Daven Desilva pushed his way into the lead with the top 6 battling all over the track. Eduardo Rojas, traveling from Jalisco, put down the fastest lap at 10:20 and moved from third to first while fighting with the fresh face of Gage Beebe. Starting conservatively in 4th place, Beebe pushed ahead, hitting his marks lap after lap until he could find his way into the lead halfway through the race.
Gage Leaver had quite the get-off early in the race as he cased the step-up and went over the handlebars. He could get back on the quad and start pushing, but he was stuck back in 6th after the first lap. Fighting from the back through the dust and the heat, Leaver got back into second, but it was too late, finishing just a minute behind Beebe in second place and now just a point behind Desilva for second in points.
On Saturday, The Women’s Pro lined up for a race in the blistering heat as Torey Matajcich came out swinging, leading from start to finish to win as she looks forward to another hometown race for her to clinch not only the championship but a perfect season. A battle brewed behind her as Layne Fryar and Donna Espensen fought for their respective podium spots. As the checkered flag flew, it was Espensen in second place for her first podium finish since March and best finish of the year, with second place.
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC WORCS wants to thank all of the volunteers, racers, and track crew for another awesome weekend of racing in Mesquite and hopes to see everyone at the final round on October 18th-20th in Lake Havasu City.