Round 1 – WORCS – January 20, 2019
PRIMM, Nev. – The 2019 World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) got underway this weekend in Primm, Nevada and FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Taylor Robert battled his way to an overall victory, besting the competition by just over two minutes.
Robert came into the weekend a little under the weather with a chest cold but that didn’t stop the 2012 WORCS Champion from giving it his all on the course. Following an abundance of rainfall over the last week, track conditions proved to be ideal in Primm with virtually no dust throughout the weekend.
Robert, who lined up aboard the KTM 450 XC-F, grabbed a top-five position off the start and he quickly moved his way into second on the opening lap. By lap two, Robert had made his way into the lead but he had plenty of pressure from the second-place rider of Zach Bell through the first hour of racing. Robert admittedly felt the pressure from Bell early on but he remained steady and was able to stretch his lead to over one-minute by the ninth lap. With another hard charge on the final lap, Robert was able to garner a two-minute lead over Bell by the end of the race as he collected the first victory of the season with ease.
Robert: “Zach [Bell] was riding really well, he had a really good pace going but I just pushed really hard through the rocks and I was able to get around him early on. He soaked up to my rear wheel and I couldn’t get away from him for a while. We went at it for about an hour and he was on the limit pretty much the whole time, so it was some good racing, for sure! It’s my second race on the new bike this year, I raced it at the Sprint Hero two weeks ago, and to go 1-1 to start off the season has been really good and I’m stoked on the new bike!”
KTM-mounted riders Dante Oliveira (FMF/RPM/KTM Racing Team Maxxis), Giacomo Redondi and Gary Sutherlin got off to a solid start to the season, finishing fourth through sixth, respectively, in the Pro class.
In the Pro 2 division, FMF/RPM/KTM Racing Team Maxxis rider Austin Serpa finished on the podium with a solid third-place at Round 1.
In Pro 2 Lites, KTM-supported rider Brandy Richards rode to an impressive second-place finish in the class, while KTM-mounted rider Tyler Nicholson rounded out the class podium.
Round 2: Glen Helen Raceway – Devore, California – February 1-3, 2019
Pro (MC) Results – Round 1
- Taylor Robert, KTM, (10 laps)
- Zach Bell, KAW
- Blayne Thompson, KAW
- Dante Oliveira, KTM
- Giacomo Redondi, KTM
- Gary Sutherlin, KTM
Pro 2 (MC) Results
- Clayton Hengeveld, KAW
- Tallon Lafountaine, HON
- Austin Serpa, KTM
Pro 2 Lights (MC) Results
- Mateo Oliveira, GAS
- Brandy Richards, KTM
- Tyler Nicholson, KTM
