2018 Chaparral Motorsports- Precision Concepts-Kawasaki Sand Hollow WORCS Report

Utah was host to the fifth round of the WORCS series. Always offering unique terrain, the 2018 Sand Hollow WORCS race proved a tough challenge to the field. After the event, nearly every rider commented that they fell at least once during the race. Both of Chaparral Motorsports, Precision Concepts, Kawasaki's pro riders overcame trials to earn finishes on the day. Justin Seeds suffered a crash in the first corner. He then had two more falls while trying regain the ground, never relenting to finish eighth. Likewise, Blayne Thompson had a rough day, badly jamming his wrist early on. Thompson would continue to circulate until a mechanical issue forced him to wait for the checkers in the pits. He would finish eleventh. In the Pro 2 class, Clay Hengeveld earned his first WORCS podium on the 450. The second place finish additionally puts him in second in the points as the series hits the halfway mark.

Justin Seeds - 8th place Pro

Justin's trouble began early as he came together with Travis Damon in the first corner. The momentum of the riders on the inside pushed Seeds a little wide as they entered the first turn. Meanwhile, Damon was beginning to lean in from the outside. Justin was caught in the middle and ended up pushing out into Travis. When that happened, the two came together and both riders suffered hard falls. After gathering himself, Justin remounted and started pushing from the tail-end of the field. Unfortunately, Seeds would have another wicked fall a couple laps later. In a sandy whoop section, Seeds' rear tire clipped the edge of a hidden rock. The impact instantly sent his rear end sideways and he low-sided to the ground. As Justin came down, he hit his head and elbow on a buried shale ledge. From there, he would fight through the pain and claw his way back into the top ten. Seeds earned an 8th place finish as the checkers came out.

Blayne Thompson - 11th place Pro

Blayne didn't get off to the best of starts. As the green flag flew, his bike failed to ignite until the third kick. After his bike came to life, Blayne settled in around the edge of the top-ten on the first lap. During the first lap, Blayne took heavy roost from a rider, which filled his goggles with sand, and would have to dive into the pits to grab a fresh pair. Once he rejoined the race, Thompson looked to push back into the pack. Unfortunately, Blayne would badly jam his wrist on an embedded rock. Coincidentally, this was the same wrist he broke at the Sand Hollow WORCS race just a few years back. While Blayne tried to push through the pain, it would prove a bit too much and he was forced to slow his pace. In the end, an electrical issue cropped up on his bike as well, which forced him into the pits. From there the team decided to have him wait until the checkers came out to garner a finish.

Clay Hengeveld - 2nd place Pro 2

Clay's day didn't get off to the most auspicious start. In the early morning qualifying race, Clay went down hard after he hit a hidden rock at speed. Fortunately, Hengeveld popped up uninjured and salvaged a 4th place finish to qualify. In the Pro 2 main event, Clay got off to a good start and settled into 4th place straightaway. After the first lap, Henge put in a charge and passed up to 2nd, just fifteen seconds behind the leading KTM of Cooper Abbott. The team pushed Clay a lap longer before his pit, which allowed him to close even further up to the leader.

After he came out of the pits, Hengeveld was able to narrow the distance to Abbott and took the lead heading into a sweeping corner. Unfortunately, Clay didn't have the best rhythm down the next sandy, whooped straightaway and lost the lead to a charging Austin Serpa. Additionally, Cooper found his way back around Clay, who quickly regrouped and passed his way back into 2nd. From there, Clay put in an effort to reel Serpa back in, but just couldn't quite reduce the gap. Hengeveld crossed the checkers in 2nd, earning his first WORCS Pro 2 podium. Moreover, the second place finish moves Clay into 2nd place in the points as well.

2018 Sand Hollow WORCS Results

Pro

1. Taylor Robert
2. Giacomo Redondi
3. Gary Sutherlin
4. Justin Wallis
5. Travis Damon
6. Dante Oliveira
7. Ricky Dietrich
8. Justin Seeds
9. Danny Brocker
10. Cole Shondeck
11. Blayne Thompson

Pro 2

1. Austin Serpa
2. Clay Hengeveld
3. Mitch Anderson
4. Cooper Abbott
5. Matt Maple