Lakewood, CO – Saturday, July 22, 2006

(July 19, 2006) Bend, OR: After a long break the WMA returns to racing with round three of the 2006 Hitachi AMA/WMA National Motocross Championship presented by Kawasaki, at the Thunder Valley MX National in Lakewood, Colorado, Saturday July 22nd.

WMA racing left off at the Hangtown Classic where Jessica Patterson took over the points lead from Katherine Prumm, the newcomer from New Zealand who won the first three motos of the WMA Championship. Prumm broke her hand in the second moto at Hangtown while chasing down Patterson, but finished the moto despite the injury. She now sits only four points behind Patterson.  Alisa Nix, a real rising star in the WMA pro ranks, finished second overall at Hangtown and trails Patterson by 11 points. Mariana Balbi sister of AMA pro racer Antonio Balbi and a fresh face in the WMA race scene sits in fourth place. Both Prumm and Balbi are returning to the United States for the WMA Championship.

During the time off, Prumm and Patterson had another opportunity to race. At the FIM Women’s World Cup in Sweden, Prumm went 1-1 and Patterson 3-3 (although she was disqualified for assistance on the starting line after moto one began). Meanwhile at the Mammoth MX, Tarah Gieger picked up a win. Gieger won the overall at Lakewood in 05’ but has had some bad luck this year in the WMA Championship including getting a flat tire at Hangtown.

There’s a really strong local contingent of WMA racers at Thunder Valley that includes Ashley Boham of Loveland, Lindsey Jelitto of Falcon, Kelly Spring of Superior, Kelly Longwell of Boulder, Jenny Mortimer of Littleton, and Alyssa Weaver of Falcon. Former Lakewood resident Tania Satchwell returns to her hometown track hoping to better her 3rd place overall finish from last year.
Noticeably absent will be 2005 WMA Pro Championship runner-up, Sarah Whitmore, who is out with an injury. Whitmore got 2nd overall at Lakewood last year. While, Stefy Bau will make her first appearance at a WMA National since her devastating crash at a practice track last October. Bau will not be there as a racer but as a fan.

The 2006 WMA race season has been an excited one and Thunder Valley should be no exception. The talent pool runs deep and it is still anyone’s championship to win.
Highlights from the WMA pro races will be included in AMA Pro Racing’s Motocross Show airing Saturday, July 31st, 5:00pm EST on OLN.

WMA is sponsored additionally by Sick Racing, Z1R Helmets, Honda, Scott USA, VP Fuels, Dunlop Tires, Alpinestars, Thor, Northgate Auto and Pro Clean.

Check www.wmaracing.com for results Saturday evening.