I changed my goggles, got clear
vision and found myself near the
front. I could see the leaders.
Third-to-last lap I got stuck twice
and Ben caught me and passed
me. I latched onto him and rode
smooth, and he ended up tipping
over. I was getting pit boards
saying I was catching Stew. I
just put my head down and kept
charging. I caught Stew and we
kind of came together a little bit.
I got the better end of it and got
in the lead and just dropped the
hammer. I knew it was now or
never. It was a hell of a race."
Baylor moved to within six
points of Kelley in the champion
-
ship standings with his runner-
up finish.
"Johnny just tracked me
down," said Baylor. "There must
have been a beacon on my back
tire because he ran me down
pretty quick. I had a couple
mistakes with two laps to go. I
got stuck with my foot under my
tire. I was trying to do feet on
the pegs and somehow my feet
were stuck in the rut with my
bike and I couldn't get out and
lost a good bit of time."
On the final lap Baylor and Kel
-
ley came together.
"We were in a rut and I lost
about 40 seconds," added Baylor.
"I put my head down and did ev
-
erything I could, but just came up
15 seconds shy. I felt like it was
my race, but I'm pumped to see
Johnny G get one. He needs it."
Witkowski made the ride of
his life and finished third overall
on adjusted time and first in the
XC2 250 Pro class.
"I just got off to a really good
start and just kind of rode smart
from there and picked good
lines," said Witkowski. "Me and
Liam (Draper) just connected
and caught some XC1 guys and
just latched on. I have no words.
I'm just so stoked."
Draper was heartbroken,
having ran in second overall for
most of the race, only to throw it
away when a lapper got stuck in
a rut in front of him just 50 feet
from the finish line. In the end,
Draper was second in the XC2
250 Pro class behind Witkowski
and fourth overall.
"I got off to a good start; sec
-
ond going into the woods," said
Draper. "I passed for the lead
(in the XC2 class) pretty soon.
I led the majority of the race.
About a mile before the finish
there was a mud hole and I knew
if I got through it, I could make
it to the finish ahead of Mike. I
got through it clean and Mike
VOLUME ISSUE MAY , P45
Michael Witkowski (282)
was third overall and
first XC2 250 Pro.
