Fiolek Grabs Title with Overall Win at AMA/WMA Women’s Motocross National at Steel City
American Honda/Red Bull/Alpinestars’ rookie rider Ashley Fiolek claimed her first career title in the season finale of AMA/WMA Women’s Motocross National Championship Presented by Kawasaki from Steel City Raceway, earning her fourth win of the season at the T-Mobile Sidekick Final Round, part of the American Motocross Festival.
In the first moto of the weekend, Fiolek sped out of the gates to the Meterman Holeshot Award and held off the advances of American Honda/Honda of Houston/Fox Racing/Bad Boy Energy Drink’s Jessica Patterson early on to take the win and seal the championship heading into Saturday’s final moto.
Fiolek was the first to the line again in moto two, sweeping the holeshots for the weekend. With the title in hand, she rode conservatively as Patterson and Yamaha, Jayco, Etnies, FMF, Answer Racing’s Tarah Gieger battled out front. In her best moto of the season, Gieger raced to the front and grabbed her first and only moto win of the season, helping her to third overall. Patterson’s pair of runner-up finishes placed her second overall.
“After winning the moto yesterday, I just didn’t want to force the issue today,” explained Fiolek, who became the first deaf women’s champion. “(I’ve) learned it takes a lot to be competitive in the WMA and it’s been a learning experience all year. I thought there would be good battles, but I didn’t (expect) the championship.”
Fiolek edged out the five-time champion Patterson by 29 points in the final standings.
AMA/WMA Women’s National Motocross Championship Presented by Kawasaki
Steel City Raceway – Delmont , Pa.
August 29-30, 2008
Round 6 of 6
AMA/WMA Women’s National Motocross Championship (Moto Finish)
Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine , Fla. , Honda, 1-3
Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee , Fla. , Honda, 2-2
Tarah Gieger, Vero Beach , Fla. , Yamaha, 4-1
Sherri Cruse, Bakersfield , Calif. , Suzuki, 3-4
Mariana Balbi, Brazil , Kawasaki , 6-5
Kirsten Raemisch, Madison , Wis. , 7-6
Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan , Mich. , Suzuki, 8-7
Elizabeth Bash, Riverside , Calif. , Kawasaki , 9-8
Kimberly Kocher, Paris , Ohio , KTM, 12-9
April Zastrow, Kuna , Idaho , Honda, 11-12
AMA/WMA Women’s National Motocross Championship Points
Ashley Fiolek, St. Augustine , Fla. , Honda, 276
Jessica Patterson, Tallahassee , Fla. , Honda, 247
Sarah Whitmore, Cheboygan , Mich. , Suzuki, 200
Tarah Gieger, Vero Beach , Calif. , Yamaha, 198
Sherri Cruse, Bakersfield , Calif. , Suzuki, 198
Mariana Balbi, Brazil , Kawasaki , 165
Elizabeth Bash, Riverside , Calif. , Kawasaki , 138
Tatum Sik, Murrieta , Calif. , Kawasaki , 126
Ayla Cabus, Riverside , Calif. , Yamaha, 115
Alisa Nix, Ukiah , Calif. , Yamaha, 105
For full results, log onto www.wmaracing.com.
Interview opportunities are available to the media by contacting AMA Toyota Motocross Championship media coordinator Brandon Short via email at[email protected] or by phone at 951-203-2605.
For more information on the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship, presented by FMF, log on to www.amamotocross.com for live timing and scoring at @theWireLIVE!. Racer X Illustrated will host a new and improved webcast on www.motocross.com, with live racing action hosted by Jason Weigandt. The Racer X Motocross Show on Motocross.com has also been added on Saturday night of each race weekend, featuring practice footage and interviews taken earlier in the day.
Credential requests for each round of the 2008 AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF must be submitted via email to [email protected] three weeks prior to the race. Media members interested in interviews with the riders of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF should contact Brandon at 951-203-2605 or email [email protected].
The Women’s Motocross Association (WMA) owns and operates the women’s professional motocross series, known as the AMA/WMA Women’s National Motocross Championship, the WMA Cup event which is the worlds largest women’s motocross event – and also promotes women’s amateur-class racing, through the WMA membership organization at its events. The WMA has an American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) charter and the AMA sanctions all WMA events. The WMA is committed to the promotion of women’s racing, providing the highest quality women’s motocross events and creating opportunities for women in all areas of the sport. For more about WMA visit www.wmaracing.com.
About the National Promoters Group (NPG)
The National Promoters Group (NPG) comprises 12 individual promoters of the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship Presented by FMF which sanctions outdoor motocross events throughout the United States , and remains the Nation’s premier outdoor motocross championship series. NPG’s mission is to raise awareness of motocross racing through the production of professional championship racing events nationwide.
About AMA Racing
AMA Racing is the competition arm of the American Motorcyclist Association and is the leading sanctioning body for motorcycle sport in the United States . Its professional properties include the Monster Energy® AMA Supercross Series, an FIM World Championship, the AMA Toyota Motocross Championship presented by FMF, the AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited, the AMA Flat Track Championship, the AMA Supermoto Championship and the AMA Pro ATV Championship. In amateur and pro-am competition, AMA Racing sanctions over 4000 events in 24 different disciplines and supports over 110 thousand active members. For more information about professional racing, visit www.amaproracing.com. Accredited media outlets can also access an on line Press Room atwww.amaproracing.com/pressroom. For amateur racing information visitwww.amadirectlink.com/amrace/amasports.asp.
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