Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Austin Walton rode a powerful race in Mesquite, Nevada, taking second overall at Round 9 of the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS). Steadiness has been a trait that Walton has shown all season, as the Pro 450 competitor has put his FX 450 inside the top-five at every round this season, including four podium finishes and one win under his belt.
The Nevada-native got off to third place early on and he diced back-and-forth to maintain a podium spot in the first couple laps. On Lap 3, he rocketed his way into second and he didn’t let up for the duration of the race. Challenging the leader several times throughout the race, Walton found himself in a cat-and-mouse situation as he attempted to extend his win-streak to two-in-a-row. As the race went on, track conditions began to deteriorate and Walton ended up getting caught up in the back sand section and went down. He quickly remounted and finished with a strong pace to secure second overall in his home state.
“All-in-all, it was a good day for me,” Walton said. “I got off to a pretty decent start and charged really hard to get behind Dante [Oliveira]. We charged the whole race and I was kind of just yo-yoing right behind him. He’d get me in the back, and I’d kind of catch him up in the front. I was feeling good and felt like I fell into a comfortable groove. I sort of pushed a little bit harder and made a couple mistakes in the back section. It’s one of those tracks where you can make some major mistakes and make yourself really tired to get to the end. Today was a good day on the bike – I felt comfortable, the suspension felt comfortable and I’m happy with the performance. We had a little mistake and ended up taking a little digger, but that’s just racing – we’re finding our limits.”
Next Round: Primm, Nevada – November 4-6, 2022
Pro (MC) Round 9 Results
1. Dante Oliveira (KTM)
2. Austin Walton – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Dare Demartile (Beta)
3. Dare Demartile (Beta)
