OFF ROAD
2014 AIRES AMA NATC MOTOTRIAL USA NATIONAL SERIES
ROUNDS 1-2/MAY 24-25, 2014
TEXAS CREEK, COLORADO
P112
were much bigger than what he
sees in the European series. The
Gas Gas rider fived three of the
first four sections on lap one and
posted a score of 37, leaving him
in third place heading into lap
two.
Matejicek settled down on lap
two, turning in a 21-point score,
which was 11 points better than
Bolopue and good enough to
move Matejicek into second
place heading into the final lap.
However, Smage lost just two
points for the lap and extended
his advantage to 52 points over
Matejicek with one lap to go.
Rain moved in overhead as
most of the riders started the fi-
nal lap, making the going quite
tough in some of the sections,
however, Smage completed the
lap with nine points, including a
five on section seven, perhaps
the toughest section of the event.
Smage had posted a one and a
clean on section seven before
the rain hit, however, no one
made it across the 12-foot crevice
on the final go-around.
"Section seven was probably
the hardest, at least it was the
most intimidating," said Smage.
"There was a pretty big gap that
we had to jump and you had a re-
ally awkward run up to it. It was
kind of off-camber and you had
bridge this little gap and then turn
right into a really long gap, which
was a splatter, and I honestly
didn't think anyone could make it
when I first looked at it, but I was
really happy to make it on the first
two laps."
When the final tally was made,
Smage finished the 36 sections
with a total of 15 points for the
win.
"I felt a little nervous in the be-
ginning, the sections were long
and you had to rush a little to stay
(Above) Rising star Martin Matejicek
of the Czech Republic kept Smage
honest both days.
(Right) Ray Peters won the first day
in the highly competitive Expert
division.
