Taylor Robert Swings the Podium Back with Three Peaks Oasis Victory

Cedar City, UT – Taylor Robert came out ahead of KTM teammate Dante Oliveira and won the Rocky Mountain ATV MC WORCS Series Presented by Polaris RZR and Dirt Bike Pro 450 motorcycle race at Three Peaks Oasis. Tallon Lafountaine won the Pro 250 race, Evan Stice finished first in Pro Am, and Brandy Richards, fresh off her ISDE victory, continued her dominance in the Women Pro class.

The event was held on a new course for the WORCS Series, which previously competed here at Iron Mine Raceway. The track featured more than 200 turns. The off-road section was narrow and hard packed, and the circuit also featured a motocross course.
In the Pro 450 race, Oliveira snagged the holeshot with Robert hot on his rear tire. Coming into the motocross section on the first lap, Robert out-jumped Oliveira and took the lead. For the next hour, Oliveira stayed just behind Robert, trying everything to get past him, while taking a beating from Robertβs roost. Oliveiraβs pace slowed after the first hour and he settled for second. Cole Martinez was third on a Honda.

βI knew I had to get around Dante fast because heβs so quick,β said Robert who unofficially took the points lead with the win. βLuckily, I got around him about a minute in and then we battled for about an hour. He was not making it easy on me. The track is really fast and we were holding a pretty high pace. I made it through without making any major mistakes and made it up here to the top step.β

Oliveira, who joined Robert on the factory KTM team at the beginning of the season, is true competitor, something that was well illustrated by his attempts to take the lead. When he lost the lead, he showed just how much of a hard charger he is. βI rode five feet behind him until we pitted after an hour,β said Oliveira. βI fell back a little after taking a good amount of roost. It reminded me of a Primm with a bunch of trees. You had to be super precise to get through the turns and the small chop.β

Martinez scored his first podium of the season here and definitely worked hard to get it. He overcame a big get-off on the first lap and ended up third. βOn the first lap I got clothes lined by a tree,β explained Martinez. βThankfully, I improved a lot on my first lap, and I think it was a great day. It was a tough track and Iβm happy to come out of here healthy and on the podium.β

In Pro 250, Lafountaine took the lead on his Honda on the first lap and never looked back. Mason Ottersberg was second on a Yamaha, followed by KTM of Angus Riordan.

βThe track really suited my style,β said Lafountaine. βYou could get super flowy on it, but you also had to be patient and hit your marks. It was a nice change of pace and overall, and it was a nice weekend.β

Ottersberg got a decent start, but had issues getting into the groove during the first half of the race. After pitting with an hour to go, Ottersberg found his lines. With three laps left, he flew past Riordan to score second at the finish. βOnce again my second half magic kicked in,β said Ottersberg. βAfter the pit I loosened up, found some good lines, and started charging. I started reeling in Angus. I put on a push and I got it done. I put a decent gap on him and cruised to the finish.β

Riordan had worked his way up to second before losing the spot to Ottersberg. He enjoyed the change of pace offered by the new track. βI got passed with three laps to go, but racing is racing,β said Riordan. βI enjoyed the track. It was lots of fun. It had a lot of turns and was a bit different than the usual.β

In Pro Am, Evan Stice rode his Honda to his second consecutive victory. After starting 10th, Stice moved his way through the field and took the lead early in the event. From there, he wasnβt challenged. Brandy Richards was second on her KTM, followed by the Husqvarna of Alex Morgan.

βOnce I got into the lead, I just rode my own race,β said Stice. βThis track is sick. Itβs really choppy and tight, but I liked it. Iβm pumped.β

Richards rode a great first half, but began falling off in the second hour. She tried to put on a charge during the waning laps, but settled for second, earning her fourth consecutive podium finish. βI rode pretty fantastic in the first half of the race and made it all the way up to second,β said Richards. βI tried to sprint to the end, but the last few laps were pretty tough. It was a little bit of a struggle, but it was good weekend.β

Morgan took the lead early, but the trackβs many turns took its toll on him. He finished third and should retain the points lead. βMy hands are pretty mangled, so I was just trying to hold on and then Brandy and Evan came on pretty strong,β said Morgan. βFrom there, I just tried to click off the laps and ride smooth.β

Richards continued her streak in Women Pro, winning her sixth straight race of the 2021 season. Kaitlyn Jacobs was second on a KTM, followed by Ava Silvestriβs Yamaha.
The WORCS motorcycles next head to the fan and competitor favorite Glen Helen Raceway in Devore, CA. That race is scheduled for September 24-26.
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