Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1527609
Turner Wins Women's MX Championship A fter missing two rounds due to injury—a broken back before the Daytona round and a broken foot before the High Point round—Yamaha-backed Lachlan Turner came on strong in the end, winning the final four motos of the year, two at the Pastrana Challenge in Pennsyl - vania and two at the Playground finale in Ponca City, Oklahoma, to claim this year's Women's Mo - tocross Championship (WMX) title. It was a breakout perfor- mance for the 17-year-old, who was competing in her first year of competition in the series. Turner put a beatdown on the competition at the Playground Race in Ponca City on October 5 where she overcame a bad start in moto one after being involved in a first-turn pileup and a fifth- place start in moto two, working her way through the pack to go 1-1 for the overall win and the championship. She passed early leader and main rival Kyleigh Stallings in each case. Each rider was allowed to drop their worst four motos, so the championship standings were unsure until the last moto was completed. In the end, Kawasaki riders Kyleigh Stallings and So - phia Phelps finished second and third, respectively, in the cham- pionship chase, while Turner claimed the title. "It's pretty sick winning the championship in my first year, especially with all my injuries," said Turner. "When I caught up to Kyleigh, I didn't think I was going to be able to pass her, but I man - aged to get by her. She put up a good fight. In the second moto, I was about fifth, which is a good start for me, and I managed to pass Kyleigh on the second lap." Turner passed Stallings down the whooped-out straight on the back side of the track in the second moto before stretching a comfortable lead. "At the start of the year, I didn't expect to win the championship," added Turner. "I always fall over, but I managed to stay upright the last four motos; I'm so surprised." Stallings capitalized on a pair of holeshots to finish second overall in the race and second in the championship with a 2-2 finish, despite suffering from the effects of the Oklahoma heat, which reached the mid-90s on the track. "The heat killed me," said Stall - ings. "I just didn't have anything left once the two-lap board came out; I was done. But I'm happy WIND IN THE P30 Lachlan Turner wrapped up the WMX title in Ponca City, Oklahoma. PHOTOS: SHAN MOORE