VOL. 52 ISSUE 18 MAY 5, 2015 P37
firing FMF/GPR Stabilizers/
O'Neal Racing KX450F balked
and required several patient
kicks while the rest of the first
wave left to head out into the
Little Sahara Recreation Area's
sand dunes where much of the
50-mile first loop was based.
Up front Utah's Josh Knight
led the charge aboard his ADS
Motorsports/Fasst Co./Fly Rac-
ing KTM 250 XC.
"I pre-ran it a lot; I probably
rode that line five times [in bomb-
run practice], and I remember
[Kurt] Caselli chose that starting
position rather than going on the
end," Knight said. "There wasn't
much traffic on there. Nobody re-
ally was battling for that line; I had
it all to myself, so I had a good
jump and I just rode how I know
how to ride sand."
After a few miles, though,
Ramirez—last year's Sage Riders
winner—used his experience and
the horsepower in his Motorex/
Renthal/Red Bull 450 XC-F to
get around the teenager with
FMF KTM support rider Gary
Sutherlin and Brabec also join-
ing the fray at the front.
As the race wore on and they
headed out onto the second
loop (most of it zig-zagging
through the trees up in the hills),
Brabec led the way despite
his physical issues. Ramirez
couldn't capitalize on any mis-
takes and settled for second
with Sutherlin unable to recreate
a ride like the one he'd enjoyed
in winning round four, though
he got on the box again with his
third-place finish.
Knight's fourth overall handed
Dalton Shirey his first loss of
the season in the FMF 250cc
Pro class with Purvines Racing
Beta's Axel Pearson fifth over-
all. Zip-Ty Racing Husqvarna's
Shirey rolled in for sixth overall
followed by Carson Giles, the
third-place FMF 250cc Pro
finisher. Blais Racing Services
KTM's Skyler Howes, Brabec's
teammate Max Eddy, Jr., and
Open A victor Kyle Tichenor
rounded out the top 10.
Mark Kariya
Fast-starting Josh Knight finished
a best-to-date fourth overall to
win the FMF 250cc Pro class,
the first time someone besides
Dalton Shirey (left) has won. Shirey
claimed second while Carson Giles
(right) joined them on the podium.
Braydon Bland rode with a
vengeance in familiar territory,
leading from start to finish in
winning the Super Mini race for the
third time this season.
