KIEDROWSKI TAKES THE WORCS OPENER–FEB 19

Team Suzuki Off-Road manager Mike Webb called into the Dirt Bike office with a quick recap from the opening round of the WORCS race held at the Speedworld MX facility in Arizona. Mike Kiedrowski won the event after getting off to a sixth-place start. MK, mounted on the Yoshimura DR-Z400 Suzuki four-stroke slithered past leader Robert Naughton and then held off a late-race charge by National Hare & Hound Champion Destry Abbott in remounting his defense of the WORCS number-one plate. Early leader Rodney Smith, also Yoshimura Suzuki mounted suffered problems when he blew third gear, then grenaded the motor when he downshifted into third, over revved the engine and cooked the top end. This was Suzuki’s first mechanical dilemma with the DRZ Yosh bikes. Teammate Steve Hatch front flatted early in the race and had a long pit (6 minutes) when the mechanics had issues switching the front wheels with the works forks on the factory DR. Webb said that this issue will be reconciled by the next race. Kawasaki-mounted Abbott ended up finishing second, about a half minute behind Kiedrowski. Finishing third was Yamaha-mounted Ty Davis, who was a front runner but suffered carburetion problems. Naughton ended up fourth, followed by Nick Pearson, Kurt Caselli, David Pearson and Brian Garrahan.