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AMA Western Four-Stroke National Series Round 6: Honey Lake Motocross Park By CASHEL HACKLAND PHOTOS By TIM NOBLES/MoTOSHOTS.COM MILFORD, CA, JUNE 1 oney Lake Motocross Park played host to some of the fastest riders of four-strokes at the sixth round of the AMA Western Four-Stroke National Series. Track owner Larry Wosick announced at the riders' meeting that he would be running the track backward; this left some of the riders a little shell-shocked. Spud Walters, however, was smiling all the way to the bank - literally - as the old-school style of Honey Lake appeals to the White Brothers/American Honda-backed rider. After two qualifiers and an LCQ, some 40 Premier Pro-Am riders took to the gate for the first moto of the day. Motion Sports/Beaudry Motorsports/Axo/Big Gun Exhaust/Maxxis Tires-backed KTM rider Chaun McAlister claimed the holeshot, followed by Ho.nda rider Jason McCormick, CHM System/P-4R/Torco/Dunlop/ Shoei-sponsored Mike Corder, and American Honda teammates Walters and Paul Carpenter. McCormick surged past McAlister for the lead, and Walters also passed him, for second. McCormick quickly set a pace that had the riders behind him working for their positions; barely making it up the uphill in third gear, McCormick rounded the off-camber section and launched himself off the newly added lip and landed more than a hundred feet down the hill. Walters appeared to land just ahead of him, but a lack of momentum stopped him from claiming the lead. The two riders charged their way toward Clubhouse Corner, and Walters' frustration was becoming evident, as he couldn't find the line or opening to pass McCormick. Carpenter was having difficulty in this first moto due to bike problems that kept him from being in the top three; deep lines and ruts were beginning to form, and as Carpenter looked back, he saw that Dustin Nelson was reeling him in, closing the gap every second. At the double jumps situated at the lower bleachers, Carpenter chose an inside line and came out wide, allowing Nelson to make the pass on him from the inside. With only.a few laps to go, Nelson set about securing the third position by extending a gap of nearly five seconds on Carpenter. With four laps to go, Walters found what he was looking for; McCormick was tiring, and Walters chose an inside line on the sweeper and sneaked his Honda past McCormick. Nelson was still on the gas, and now he had his sights set on McCormick. Nelson caught him at the finish-line jump; the two found themselves battling bar to bar. McCormick edged forward, but Nelson faked an inside pass, causing McCormick to leave his right side wide open, and this gave Nelson the second-place spot he was so hungry for. By then, Walters was too far out of Nelson's reach, and as Walters rolled across the finish line, he was all smiles after an awesome ride. Nelson, McCormick and a despondent Carpenter followed. "The pace of these guys is incredible," McCormick said. "I broke a footpeg in practice yesterday keeping up with the front guys coming down the hill! They've really stepped it up, and there is no room for error at this speed, so I am happy with my final position and that I can hang with them." Temperatures had soared up to nearly 90 degrees by the time the second moto was called to the line. After numerous motos in the morning and the day before, the general consensus was that the track was national-caliber. Carpenter had every intention of redeeming himself in moto two, and he came tearing around the first corner onto the track, claiming the holes hot. The fast pace of the first moto had seemed to double. Walters charged past McCormick effortlessly; Nelson followed suit and passed McCormick at the base of the scoring tower as the two were heading up toward the off-camber section. Carpenter was flawless in his pursuit of a first-place finish, and so the battle was for second place, more than six seconds behind the numberone rider. Nelson's adrenaline kicked in, and he was all but on top of Waiters, finally passing him. However, Walters came up behind Nelson and nudged him, causing Nelson to lose momentum, and Walters passed him. Walters then formed a considerable gap between himself and Nelson. Shaking off his near-fall, Nelson again began chasing Walters. With two laps to go, Nelson came tearing around the corner after the double-jump section and took everyone by surprise by passing Walters on the inside and charging up the straight toward the uphill, and he was gone! Time was against Walters; he couldn't catch Nelson in the few laps that remained. Carpenter took the first-place finish, with Nelson and Walters in second and third, respectively. As a bonus, the Honey Lake staff had the pleasure of Walters and Carpenter's company for a couple of days afterward, as they stayed to shoot the new Fox film Terrafirma 8 with the crew from TEC Films. eN Honey Lake Molocross Park Milford, California Results: June I, 2003 IRound 61 PREM PRO·AM: 1. Spud Wallers (Han); 2. Dustin Nelson (Yam): 3. Paul Carpenter (Han); 4. Jason McCormick (Hen); 5. Nathan Woods (Yam); 6. Mike Corder (Hon): 7. Leighton Lillie (Han): 8. Chaun McAlister (Han): 9. Brandon Morgan (Han); 10. Greg Crater (Han); 11. Robb Flath (Han); 12. Konn~ad Kuest (Han): 13. Dennis Stapleton (Han): 14. NIck Foister (Yam); 15. Anthony Pocorobba (Yam); 16. Corey Cope (Han); 17. Shawn McDonald (Hon); 18. Cameron Weaver (Yam); 19. Bobby Garrison (Yam); 20. Shane Smith (Hon); 21. Ty Carson (Hon): 22. Beau Judge (Hon); 23. Dale Ainslie (Yam); 24. Brian Morgan (Hon); 25. Matt Barber (Hon); 26. Tre~or Brooks (Yam): 27. Matt Gaines (Hon); 28. Greg King (Han); 29. Patrick Wade (Yam); 30. Nick Baugh (Hon); 31. Michael Stevenson (Yam): 32. Steve Thinger (Han); 33. Mall Bussell (Hon): 34. Sh~n Wilson (Yam); 35. Rory Sullivan (KTM); 36. Ene Havins (Hon); 37. Jeffrey Simas (Yam); 38. ~ryan Allen (Hon); 39. Danny Carlson (Han); 40. JImmy laMastus (KTM). (Above) Spud Walters topped round six of the AMA Western Four-Stroke National Series at Honey Lake Motocross Park. (Left) Dustin Nelson used consistency to gamer the runner-up laurels in Milford, California. (Right) After placing fourth in moto one, Paul Carpenter (1) redeemed himself with the holeshot in moto two and a wire-towire moto win, garnering third overall. cue e nevus JUNE 25, 2003 69