Rocky Mountain ATV/MC brought the next round of SXS racing to a new location at American MX in Delano, California, as the recent rain was showcased by the rolling green hills this course had to offer. After switching his Polaris motor back to a stock motor, Jeremiah Wagner put his Polaris on top of the box for his first win of the season in Pro Production. Following his first-round victory, Casey Sims continued his 2023 season with a win. Dane Perry and the WORCS track crew put together an excellent 5.7-mile course that winded through the hills and near the orange groves of Delano.
The Pro Production class would lineup on Saturday evening; each round they switch when each pro class races. On the front line, Beau Judge who had quite a busy race leaving the lakebed from King of the Hammers after a week of racing in both the desert and rock race, drove straight to the course to defend his title. Behind him was our Primm winner, Shawn Saxton, and as the race started it seemed like we were in for another great battle between the two. Saxton faced some steering issues that caused him from really pushing for the lead against Judge.
Meanwhile from the second row, Wagner, who suffered a few setbacks in Primm, causing him to finish in 6th, was looking to make up some room in the points championship. David Haagsma showed up in Delano, very close to his hometown of Bakersfield, and decided to put on a show for the hometown crew.
Haagsma and Wagner battled from the second line separating themselves from the competition as they set eyes on the front line. For each lap, they would shave off time as their times were a few seconds, then the leader Judge. The fastest lap of the race would go to Judge as a late charge had him complete his final lap in 8:31.35, But sadly, it would be a little too much too late as Wagner got the win. Judge would finish in second, with Haagsma rounding out the podium after a minor mishap on the final lap giving his position up to Judge.
In the pro stock class, another driver who spent a long week on the lakebed Chris Johnson also raced the same car he was driving this weekend in the short course at KOH. Johnson was fast in third as he had Sebastian Marquez in sight. But a rollover in the late stages caused him quite a good bit of downtime, but he was able to put it on the box still.
Marquez, in only his second Pro Stock race, showed that he was here to stay as he came out the gate hot battling with Casey Sims for the win for the entirety of the race. Tipping his machine left and right to keep up with Sims, who raced a flawless race in Delano, wasn’t easy, but he made it happen and was happy to see himself in the 2nd position for the 2nd round as well. Sims is looking ahead as the championship season unfolds, taking home the win in the first two rounds. This will be a great class to watch as they battle it over the next several months.
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC WORCS thanks all the racers for coming out to another great round of racing and can’t wait to see everyone very soon in Lake Havasu for the always exciting lagoon.
