ROUND 6/OCTOBER 5-6, 2013
DESERT EMPIRE FAIRGROUNDS/RIDGECREST, CALIFORNIA
OFF ROAD
P102
AMA DISTRICT 37 BIG 6/WEST COAST GRAND PRIX SERIES
WEIGAND'S
WIN, WARD'S
WELCOME
BACK
AMA DISTRICT 37 BIG 6 AND
WEST COAST GP SERIES RETURNS
AFTER SUMMER BREAK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY GRUMPY
B
right blue skies and a cool
autumn breeze greeted
racers at the Desert Empire Fairgrounds in Ridgecrest,
California, where round six
of the District 37 AMA Big 6
Grand Prix Series took place.
The Viewfinders MC hosted the
event, which welcomed Southern California racers back from
the summer break in the series. Johnny Campbell Racing
(JCR) Honda's Timmy Weigand
proved that he hasn't lost a beat
by taking the big win in Saturday's West Coast GP, despite a
solid challenge from hometown
racer Ryan Abbatoye.
"I actually got in the lead before we got out to the off-road
and then they changed the
course," Weigand said. "I totally blew the corner and went
through the banners."
As the Rockstar Energy rider
struggled to free himself from
the banners, KX450F-mounted
Abbatoye – who decided to
race the WCGP at the last minute – moved into the lead.
"I led for three or four laps,"
Abbatoye explained. "We had a
good battle for a bit but Timmy
got back by me."
Abbatoye held on for second ahead of Justin Seeds and
Blayne Thompson.
Weigand typically takes multiple wins at the Big 6 GPs, the
other being in the Vet class
(30+), which he uses as practice. But the Ridgecrest venue
welcomed back none other
than Gordon Ward, who sailed
to the Heavyweight Expert win
ahead of Weigand.
"I knew that I had to put
down some hot laps because
Weigand was behind me," Ward
said. "I knew he didn't ride Unclassified so I said, 'Long as
I put some hot laps down I