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Scott USA Pro Board Sports Motocross National Washougal MX Park Matt Goodwill (1761 dominated the Pro Board Sports MX National at Washougal. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DOUG KARCHER WASHOUGAL, WA, JULY 26-27 'lFhanks to the National Promoters II Group (NPG), spectators at select Outdoor Nationals this year have been treated to an extra-special treat: Glen Helen had the Thor Celebrity Motocross National, and Hangtown featured "Where the Snow Meets the Dirt." At Washougal, it was the Scott USA Pro Board Sports Motocross National - a two-moto, invitational race featuring current ski and snowboard champions held on Washougal's National MX track. No strangers to speed and jumps (and crashing, no less), a distinctive group of celebrities hit the track duro ing the National Motocross Championship weekend at Washougal. There were Phil and Steve Mahre, whose names are synonymous with Olympic and World Cup skiing. Plus, there was current World Cup downhiller Daron Rahlves and pro freeskiers Barry Selley and Brant Moles. The snowboard contingent was no less impressive and included three-time World Extreme Champion Matt Goodwill and pro snowboarders Aaron" AV" Vincent and Jim Rippey. With only a parade lap to sight in the track, they got their first look at the track on Friday when the gate dropped on the first of two three-lap motos run on the full National course. They all survived and were back again on Sunday, this time in front of near-record crowds (and no snow in sight) during the break between the National motos. It was the skiers versus the snow- Steve and Phil Mahre had a great time at Washougal. boarders. In their previous outing at Hangtown, the skiers got the upper hand when Rahlves held off Goodwill to take the win. This time the tables were turned. Although Ralves took the holeshot, they traded positions a few times. and at the checkers, it was the extreme snow boarder taking the win over the World Cup downhiller. "It was great, so much fun," said Goodwill, whose idea of fun includes doing extreme big mountain stuff on a snowboard, helicopter drops into Alaska, picking extreme lines and jumping off some pretty big rocks. "I've been riding since I was six and was on my way to racing motocross and then I saw snowboards." Extreme snowboarder and the first person to pull a back·flip on a snowmobile, Jim Rippey gets in about 10 to 15 (dirt bike) rides a year, though it's mostly trail riding. "To come out and race on a National track in front of all these people is awesome and humbling; it's an honor," he said. Another extreme rider, A.V. Vin· cent, in only his fifth MX race ever, enjoyed the jumps most of all. A.V. summed it up in one line: "I tend to be a lot better in the air than on the ground." Steve Mahre, who ended up fifth on the day, felt most comfortable on the Ski Jump (go figure?). "Things were going pretty good," he said. "One of the guys passed me, and I got him back again before the tower jump, and he ran into the back of me and got hooked onto my bike. I drug his bike for about 150. and I knew it wasn't going to come off, so I had to stop and get it off, and by that time, two or three guys got by me, and Phil was nice because he crashed on the downhill." Phil Mahre traded off the YZ250 that he rode in Friday's moto for a YZ250F on Sunday and took the conservative approach. hoping that a combination of survival attrition would improve his finish. "Figured I'd just bide my time," he said. "I know some guys are going to go down. As the first lap progressed, I found myself in third, and then I got a little braver than I should have and took a Iittle nosedive at the bottom of Ski Jump hill." That spill took the former ski champ from third to seventh. When it was all over, a good time was had by all. The Mahre brothers and the rest of the gang camped by the track and spent the rest of the weekend spectating and visiting with the racers and fans. eN Washougal MX Parte Washougal, Washington Results: July 2&-27, 2003 O/A: I. Matt Goodwill; 2. Daron Rahlves: 3. Barry Selley; 4. Aaron NAV" Vincent; 5. Steve Mahre: 6. Jim Rippey: 7; Brant Moles: 8. Phil Mahre. (Leftl Brant Moles (1291 led the field into tum one, but a fall later on relegated him to seventh. (Rightl James Stewart (Ieftl gave some pointers to the Mahres before the start of their moto. cue I e n e VV s AUGUST 13,2003 49