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IFMA FMX Series Round 15: Birmingham Civic Center was so good it looked like he threw the bike away from his reach. It was very reminiscent of Mannu Troux's missed double grab in Colorado last year at the Summer X Games qualifier, only Bartam was able to climb back aboard. That trick, accompanied by Mike Jones-styled Miracle Whips, was good enough for Bartram to better McElroy's score by 0.05. McElroy would have scored better on Friday night had he not messed up a Lazyboy. His balance in the air wasn't right and he could not commit to the trick. One could find no fault in his run on Saturday night. Bartram STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOEY CASEY/ PRACTICE TRACK MAGAZINE BIRMINGHAM, AL, MAR. 15-16 he 2002 IFMA tour has been a tight points race between two friends and neighbors. Defending champ Dustin "Scoot" Miller, from Minden, Nevada, has been in a title war with Fernley Navada's Drake McElroy. The two sit just over 20 points ahead of Oklahoma's Kenny Bartram, who picked up his 13th win of the season on Saturday night. Miller stretched his points lead on Friday night, following a win. McElroy finished fourth and lost valuable points to Miller on Friday, but bounced back on Saturday to take over the points lead following a second-place finish. The shake-up in Birmingham came on the second night of competition, when Michael's Reno Suzuki/ Thor-sponsored Miller miscued on his first jump in the main event. Miller, who scores big with his No-Hander Lander combos, was coming down from a perfectly executed Cliffhanger to No-Hander Lander without checking the bars. He landed with the front end high - a little too high - then slammed down and was sent speeding toward the edge of the course and toward a wall. Miller was able to get on the brakes and stop just in time to save himself from a bad collision, but he was stuck half on and half off the track, keeping him from getting in all his jumps in the two-minute final. Miller had landed various no-hander combos on Friday night to jnsure himself of the win, but after the miscue on Saturday, he had to settle for sixth. KTM/No Fear-sponsored Bartram picked up his 13th win of the series on Saturday with a win over McElroy. Both riders rode well enough to win 30 APRIL 10. 2002' 0 U 0 I doing McMetz and Cliffhangers and landing them no-handed. He ended his runs with Sterilizers, which aided to his 3-4 on the weekend. Like Vines, another one of the sport's originators, Moto XXX/Alpinestars-sponsored Tommy Clowers, was incredible all weekend, hucking huge 9 o'clock Nac Nacs, and Rock Solids. He did throw a weak Cliffhanger on Friday, but bettered it on Saturday and finished third. DC Shoes/Thor rider Jake Windham also does huge Rock Solids and still does the best looking upside down Kiss of Death. He went 6- 7 on the weekend and sits four points ahead of Clowers in fifth. Though he qualified for both main events, Windham's teammate Nate Adams had an off weekend. Adams had re-occurring problems keeping his front end down. Count one Dead Sailor on Friday night, despite his big Rock Solids and No-Footed 9 o'clock Nac Nacs, he went 8-5 on the weekend. eN Binningham Convanllon Center Binnlngham, Alabama Results: March 15-16, 2002 Friday Q/A: 1. Dustin Miller (Suz); 2. Kenny Bertram (KTM); 3. Trevor Vines (Yam); 4. Drake McElroy (Hon); 5. Tommy Clowers (Hon); 6. Jake Windham (Su,); 7. Jesse Olson (Yom); 8. Note Adoms (Han); 9. Jimmie McGuire (Yam); 10. Brian Foster (Yam); 11. Jeff TIlton (Han); 12. Robert Distler (Han); 13. Ronnie Renner (Yam); 14. Jason Thome (Hon); 15. John Distler (Hon). Saturday: O/A; 1. Kenny Bortrom (KTM); 2. Droke McElroy (Hon); 3. Tommy Clowers (Hon); 4. Trevor Vines (Yom); 5. Note Adorns (Han); 6. Dustin Miller (SOl); 7. Jake Windham (Suz); 8, Ronnie Renner (Yam); 9. Jimmie McGuire (Yem); 10. Robert Distler (Hon); 11. (Below) Yamaha's Trevor Vines kept himself in the points on both nights with a third on Friday and a fourth on Saturday. (Right) Drake McElroy finished second on Saturday to Bartram. Check out the extension. Saturday night, but Bartram's Rock Solid was just that - rock solid. He threw the bike in front of him and let go for what seemed like an eternity. When some riders do a Rock Solid (Double Seat Grab Superman Air and Let Go) they do it so quick it is easy for spectators to miss the trick. Bartram's Rock Solid in Saturday's main • n e _ s had to take some chances to beat his run and it paid off in his favor. McElroy's 4-2 on the weekend was enough to put him in the points lead, one point ahead of the defending champion, Dustin Miller. Yamaha/SoBe/Thor's Trevor Vines was dishing out huge tricks and rode smooth all weekend. Vines was also Jeff Tilton (Hon); 12. Jesse Olson (Yam); 13. Brian Foster (Yam); 14. Jason Thorne (Hon); 15. John Distler (Hon). Fi'IX IFMA SERIES POINT STANDINGS; 1. Drake McElroy (954/5 wins); 2. Dustin Miller (953/6); 3. Kenny Bartram (932/13); 4. Ronnie Renner (841); 5. Joke Windham (815/1); 6. Tommy Clowers (811); 7. Jesse Olson (764); 8. Jeff Tilton (743); 9. Jimmie McGuire (737/2); 10. Nata Adoms (727/4); 1 J. Trevor Vines (717); 12. Beou Bombur9 (622); 13. Robert Distler (620); 14. John Distler (562); 15. Mike Jones (529); 16. Brion Foster (464); 17. Ryon Leybo (343); 18. Coleb Wyatt (338); 19. Mott Knesek (329); 20. (TIE) Ryan Hanson/Derek Berlew/Julian d'Usseou (315).