Lipscomb Tops Riverfront AWRCS
T
he Kioti Armstrong Truck &
Tractor American Woods
Racing Championship Series
(AWRCS), presented by Lo-
jaks Cycle Sales and an AMA
East Regional Championship,
returned to West Virginia with
round seven held at FMF Riv-
erfront Raceway on July 25-
26. Riders were greeted by an
all-new course that combined
flowing, high-speed sections
with technical, rock-filled terrain,
setting the stage for one of the
season's closest battles.
The front-runners spent the
afternoon separated by only a
handful of seconds as the over
-
all lead changed hands multiple
times before Jay Lipscomb
emerged victorious.
Sawyer Carratura grabbed
the holeshot, but Keihin Rupp
checked in first at the end of the
opening lap, holding a two-sec-
ond advantage over Lipscomb.
Carratura remained close behind,
while adjusted time placed XC-
Pro Amateur riders Easton Up-
linger and Ruger Morgan in third
and fourth overall, keeping all five
riders within striking distance.
By the end of lap two, Uplinger
had moved into the overall lead
aboard his Beta, with a time
adjustment, while Lipscomb, Rupp
and Carratura fought for the physi
-
cal lead. At the halfway point,
fewer than 30 seconds separated
the top five riders, setting up an
all-out battle to the checkered.
As the race entered the fourth
lap, Morgan took over the XC-
Pro Amateur lead from Uplinger,
while Lipscomb took over the
overall lead, with Carratura in
second and Rupp in third. The
battle remained incredibly close
as the front-runners continued to
push one another, leaving little
room for error.
In the closing miles, the lead
-
ers encountered lapped traffic,
and Carratura was caught up in
an incident while trying to pass
a lapped rider. The mishap al
-
lowed Rupp to move into second
WIND
IN THE
P40
Sawyer Carratura (1) leads
the start of the XC-Pro race
at the American Woods
Racing Championship
round at Riverfront
Raceway in West Virginia
.
PHOTOS: KATE STILLER
