but that falls short of Burson's
1-3-2-1 over the same stretch.
Local favorite Axel Pearson
made it a Purvines DA8 1-2 by
finishing a close second—his
best finish of the series this
year—and he finds himself fourth
in points at 104.
The Trail Blazers almost always
do something memorable, and
the club's first WHS in tiny but his-
toric Pioche was no different with
signups/pits/start/finish utilizing
the Pioche Elementary School,
including the surrounding streets.
In that way, it was similar to a
good old-fashioned grand prix,
complete with lots of fast, rocky
and very dusty two-track through
the hills filled with sagebrush and
small cedars. Total mileage was
20, thanks to adding a 10-mile
loop onto the 10-mile loop utilized
earlier in the day by the Youth and
Women/C races.
Knowing dust would pose a
problem, everyone concentrated
on getting the best jump on the
dead-engine start when series
race director Brian Garrahan
waved the green flag.
Burson, however, enjoyed the
quickest start on his John Burr
Cycles/Precision Concepts/
Thor-sponsored YZ450FX and
as he peeled off the pavement
into the dirt (and dust), Ryan
Marshall—a Purvines DA8 racer
who concentrates on Nevada's
MRAN series—was second in
line.
"Our bikes always start good,
but sometimes they start really
fast!" Burson said.
Suddenly, however, Burson
saw something no one expect-
ed: a closed gate!
"I didn't know what to do,"
he said. "I kind of panicked
and I was like, 'Well, I'm go-
VOL. 54 ISSUE 20 MAY 23, 2017 P59
(Right) The FMF
Pro 250 podium
saw Cole Conatser
(center) on top for
the second time
this season. J.T.
Baker (left) was
second and Tayson
Weeks (right) third.
(Below) The
fast, dusty, rocky
conditions didn't
faze Nick Burson as
the reigning AMA
WHS champ got a
needed holeshot
and remained in
front all day.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
MARK
KARIYA
