2011 Fontana Winter Series Round #2

The warm and sunny Southern California weather showed itself for the second round of racing at the Southridge Winter Series presented by Shimano. No longer was the Fontana dirt moist and tacky like the last round. The dirt showed its usual self, bone dry to the core. New winners were on the top spots in both DH and 4X. The racing is beginning to really heat up.

Read on for DH and 4X results,The deep and spicy aroma of Mexican food from the onsite taco booth and the amusing sounds of the hustle and bustle of the pits reminded me that it was racing time as I first arrived to the event. People were out and about. Racers were catching up with good friends while they waited for their bikes to be serviced for the eminent abuse that they would undergo the rest of the afternoon. Others were having a brew with their lunch, escaping the desert-like conditions.


Saturday 4X Finals

Though the course is the same throughout the season the racing is never the same except for one point. It's always thrilling racing at Fontana. With the recent rain and wind, the 4X course has gotten loose and rockier. Racers are tough in Fontana, they never let the rough get to them.


The sun was getting low and the racing heated up. The 4X pro men's field is small, so the fast action instantly begins. The field is very competitive, any of the pros could take the win. Points are very key to grasp due to the unpredictable results.


Jake Kinney wasn't having his usual weekend by getting knocked out in his first heat. Having the same luck, Lear Miller looked great in practice, but the finals did not treat him favorably. Blake Carney was his usual self, killing it in every heat was nothing for him. In the finals Brian Schmith got the edge on him. Leading Carney into the last few berms, Schmith played defensive and Carney went down trying to pull the last corner pass.

---

Sunday Downhill Finals

Sunday was a clear and windy day. Very unforgiving and unfavorable to everyone, spectator and racer alike. The wind was so strong at times it would push riders off course. For us photographers we had to keep a steady hand and not get pushed around by the wind. Our gear was also in jeopardy with the constant oncoming dust.


Rocks and silt littered the course for this weekend. To make it even worse the wind was howling at hurricane speeds during quality practice time. Many riders opted out of practice to not run the risk of being blown off course. Those who braved it, had a difficult time on the top section, but things got easier in the middle to finish where the mountains blocked the winds.


Throughout the day the winds progressively died down, by the time finals were about to start the wind was bearable. With the winds low, they had already done their damage taking off the dirt and silt leaving hard pack rock and dirt. The course got fast and loose, but was catching riders off guard with the lack of grip. Podium regular, Waylon Smith was on a hot lap, but washed out in the dusty berms of the middle section. Eric Carter was looking fast all day, but couldn't put things together for a top spot.




For more results check on Southridge USA

Thanks for all that came out! See you guys at the next race on February 5-6

-Tony "Double T" Tarumoto