Patterson Five-Time WMA Champion

Whitmore Gets Overall at Steel City National

I-80 (August 27, 2007) – Honda’s Jessica Patterson secured her fifth WMA Championship at Steel City Raceway this past Sunday during the final round of the 2007 AMA/WMA Women’s National Motocross Championship presented by Kawasaki while Sarah Whitmore had a 1-2 finish for the overall win.

The 2007 WMA Pro Championship ended on a high note at Steel City with both motos happening on Sunday amid the encouraging cheers of Pennsylvania finest motocross fans. Thunderstorms had hit the area pretty hard throughout the week prior and although there was a reprieve from the rain for Saturday’s practice, moto one was pushed back an hour to allow for track work after the storms returned during the night. When the gate dropped on a very slick and muddy track Girlyz/Yamaha/Motoworld rider Sarah Whitmore beat out Honda/Alpinestars/Red Bull’s Ashley Fiolek for the Girlyz holeshot with Vanessa Florentino and defending champion Jessica Patterson close behind. Midway through the first lap Fiolek lost a position to Thor/Spy Goggles/Panolin sponsored Florentino. Whitmore out in front demonstrated her mud riding skills and steadily picked up speed and created a very comfortable lead by the end of the moto. Meanwhile, a three-way battle for third ensued between Florentino, Fiolek, and Patterson. Fiolek and Patterson got by Florentino. Patterson then made her move on Fiolek. Shortly after Fiolek went down, she remounted quickly but lost a few positions to Florentino, Freedom Cycle’s Heidi Cooke and Tania Satchwell. Then it was Patterson turn to crash. Florentino inherited second and defended her position despite pressure from Patterson later on. Patterson finished in 3rd and Kawasaki/Thor’s Satchwell finished forth. Etnies/Answer/Yamaha rider Tarah Gieger, who came into the closing round with a 16-point deficit to Patterson, went down in the first corner and although she put in some fast laps and moved from dead last to 4th at one point, it just wasn’t her day, she crashed again and finished in 13th. Fiolek finished in 6th and without goggles on her CR125 and was the only rider in the class to jump the big pro double.

During intermission of the AMA Toyota Motocross motos, Fox Racing’s Jessica Patterson received the 2007 WMA Number One plate and picked up her fifth WMA Pro Championship making her the most accomplished racer in the WMA Championship. Tarah Gieger locked up her 2nd place overall position in the championship after moto one with some exceptional rides throughout the season.

At 5:30pm the WMA racers returned to the track in dryer and rougher conditions. Fiolek put her Honda out in front to get the Girlyz holeshot. Patterson was in hot pursuit but Fiolek seemed quite comfortable in the track conditions. After a few laps Patterson made her move in the double section. The two ran side by side down the straightaway before Patterson made the pass stick. Then it was Whitmore looking to pass Fiolek. Fiolek made a little error in the rythym section and Whitmore got by. Meanwhile Satchwell soldiered on in 4th. Further back Florentino had her hands full with the Fox/Zoolo bike of Mariana Balbi. The two seem to rub plastic the entire moto but Florentino would not waiver. After gaining some ground on Balbi she faced her next challenge from Gieger but again remained focused and finished ahead for fifth place. Patterson ended her season with a first place in the moto, Whitmore in 2nd and Fiolek in third.

The overall win for the WMA Steel City National went to Sarah Whitmore, 2nd went to Jessica Patterson, and 3rd to Vanessa Florentino. Tania Satchwell finished the 2007 AMA/WMA Championship in 3rd place. WMA’s special guest Trophy presented was Yamaha’s Patrick Brown (first AMA ATV Pro Open champion, which took place the day before).

Top Ten Results:

1   YAM   Sarah Whitmore   1   2   Yamaha/Girlyz/Motoworld
2   HON   Jessica Patterson   3   1   American Honda/Honda of Houston/Bad Boy/Fox  
3   HON   Vanessa Florentino   2   5   Thor/Spy Goggles/Panolin
4   KAW   Tania Satchwell   4   4   Kawasaki Team Green/Thor MX/Scott/Dunlop  
5   HON   Ashley Fiolek   6   3   American Honda/Cernics/Alpiinestars/Red Bulll/Oakley  
6   HON   Mariana Balbi   7   8   Fox/Zoolo/ASW
7   KAW   Elizabeth Bash   9   7   Team Green Kawasaki/MSR/Pro Circuit
8   KAW   Heidi Cooke   5   11   Freedom Cycle/Kawasaki
9   YAM   Tarah Gieger   13   6   Yamaha/Etnies Girl/Answer/Red Bull
10   HON   Ashley Boham   11   10   Troy Lee/Spy/FMF/Heads Up Custom Porting 

Top Ten Final Points Standings:

1   1   Jessica Patterson   268
2   68   Tarah Gieger   230
3   105   Tania Satchwell   201
4   33   Elizabeth Bash   194
5   5   Mariana Balbi   193
6   4   Sarah Whitmore   172
7   75   Vanessa Florentino   164
8   2   Alisa Nix   135
9   12   Ashley Boham   108
10   905   Meika Cornelius   92

WMA is sponsored by Kawasaki Motors Corp. U.S.A, Girlyz Clothing Co, Honda Riders Club of America, Drill Tech Drilling, RAM Rick Albert Machinery Hyundai Dealership, VP Fuels, Dunlop Tires, Polisport, Powermadd, Alpinestars, Hitachi, Thor MX Gear and ZLT Racing.

For additional WMA race information and results, please visit
www.wmaracing.com