Cycle News Staff | April 11, 2023
The Rocky Mountain ATV-MC WORCS Championship visited Shorty’s Sports Park in Blythe, California, April 8-9, for round four of the 2023 season. Purvines Yamaha’s Justin Hoeft backed up his big win at the previous round at Lake Havasu with another one in Blythe. Other Pro winners over the weekend were Kade Tinkler-Walker (250cc), Hayden Florez, Travis Damon (125cc) and Kaitlyn Jacobs (Women).
Justin Hoeft made it two wins in a row in the WORCS Championship. Photos: Connor Moore
For the first time in a while, the racers were challenged by warm weather, with temps hovering around the 90-degree mark as they traversed the track, which took the pros approximately 7-8 minutes a lap to complete. The weekend’s final race for the 250 and 450cc Pros lined up at 11:35 a.m. on Sunday and with the sun beating down and a lack of wind, it was going to be a grueling two-hour race.
Tallon Lafountaine, on his SLR Honda, took the holeshot and led early on while holding Zach Bell, Hoeft, Trevor Stewart and teammate Cole Martinez at bay. He was successful for the first two of what would be a 16-lap race before Hoeft was able to make the pass and dominate the rest of the race.
Cole Martinez was second in Blythe.
Once out front, Hoeft’s lead steadily grew, while the race for second heated up. Several riders held the position at one time or another throughout the race, including LaFountaine, Mateo Oliveira, Stewart and the rider who’d be there at the checkers, Martinez. Martinez started the race in sixth and was in fourth by the fourth lap. From there, he bounced up and down from fourth to second a few times before taking control of second place for good three laps from the end, finishing well ahead of Stewart.
After a couple of tough outings in Delano and Havasu, Stewart was exceptionally happy to get back on the podium. “I am a little under the weather this week, so it was nice to be able to land on the podium,” he said.
450 podium
Stewart made it two Purvines Yamahas on the podium. LaFountaine slipped back to fourth at the finish, while Oliveira rounded out the top five. Bell dropped out after lap three. Hoeft holds a 10-point lead over LaFountaine in the 450cc Championship. Oliveira and Tyler Lynn are just a few points back.
Kade Tinkler-Walker was flying in the Pro 250 class.
Honda-mounted Tinkler-Walker out-dueled Yamaha rider Jack Simpson to win the Pro 250cc class. Tinkler-Walker led the first part, Simpson the middle part, and Tinkler-Walker the important part—at the end. Tinkler-Walker’s adjusted race time was good enough to claim second overall, as well, which includes the 450cc riders.
250 podium
Simpson took second place, while 3-Bros. Husqvarna pilot Kai Aiello took third, a spot Jake Alvarez (RPM/FMF KTM) was comfortably holding down when he suffered a mechanical on the final lap and needed a tow back to the pits. Alvarez was credited with fourth in class. Simpson leads the Pro 250 Championship with 91 points, followed by Aiello with 74. Tinkler-Walker and Alvarez are tied for third with 68 points each.
125 podium
Travis Damon (Honda) and Tristun Alvarez (KTM) put on a show during Saturday’s 125cc Pro race. The two racers battled back and forth with Damon edging out the win.Damon leads Alvarez by just two points in the class championship.
Kaitlyn Jacobs went wire-to-wire in the Women’s Pro race.
Kaitlyn Jacobs (RPM/FMF KTM) led wire-to-wire in the Women’s Pro race. Her only rival, Lauren Woods, kept Jacobs honest throughout the race. Jacobs leads Woods by just seven points in the championship.
Womens podium
Hayden Florez stretched out his lead in the ProAm Championship after recording his first win of the season. Consistency has been the key to his success so far. He leads Mason Decunzo, second in Blythe, by 18 points.
Connor Moore
Results
450 PRO
- Justin Hoeft (Yam)
- Cole Martinez (Hon)
- Trevor Stewart (Yam)
- Tallon LaFountaine (Hon)
- Mateo Oliveira (KTM)
250 PRO
- Kade Tinkler-Walker (Hon)
- Jack Simpson (Yam)
- Kai Aiello (Hus)
- Jake Alvarez (KTM)
- Clayton Hengeveld (Yam)
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