At 5.5 miles per lap, Bunker Hill MX tested the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC WORCS Series field at the Rabbit Run GP. Deep, rutted sand whoops and big, sweeping corners pushed riders and machines to their limits from the first lap to the last. Sunday’s 90-minute Pro races delivered a mid-race lead change, a podium that stayed tight for the whole race, and late-race heartbreak that saw contenders pushing their bikes to the finish. When the dust settled, SLR Honda had gone 1-1 in the two premier classes, and the championship picture had shifted heading into the final two rounds.

The 450 Pro class lined up Sunday with Mason Semmens grabbing the holeshot and taking the early lead. He immediately went to work in some of the deepest sand I have seen WORCS race on. Once riders left the finishing portion of each lap, a short motocross section, they faced just over 3.5 miles of deep, rutted sand whoops that did not let up. Semmens, riding for RPM FMF KTM Racing, attacked it. For the first 45 minutes, he put the hammer down and looked untouchable at the front.

A 90-minute race is a long one, though, and Tyler Lynn, aboard his SLR Honda, had stayed patient. Around the halfway mark, Lynn made his way around Semmens and took over the lead. Dare Demartile had started the race in second and stayed right there with them, and the top three ran close together for the entire 90 minutes. Nobody could afford a mistake. Lynn took the overall win, Semmens finished second, and Demartile, on the Beta, rounded out the podium. Giacomo Redondi (Gas Gas) finished fourth, followed by Henry Millecam (KTM) in fifth, Hayden Florez (Yamaha) in sixth, and Tristun Alvarez (Kawasaki) in seventh. The podium finishers in the 450 Pro class are also the top three in the championship standings. Semmens still holds the points lead, but only by just over ten points over Demartile. Lynn gained valuable ground with the win, cutting his gap to Demartile for second place to only five points. With two rounds remaining, the fight behind Semmens is wide open.

The 250 Pro race was every bit as dramatic, and this one ended in heartbreak. Sam Pretscherer and Cole Zeller battled at the front as they have done all year long in the 250 class. Zeller, riding for RPM FMF KTM Racing, was running second and looked absolutely prime to take the victory. He also came into the weekend leading Pretscherer in the championship by four points. With just a few laps remaining, though, he suffered a mechanical issue and was forced to push his bike over the finish line. Jake Alvarez, who had been sitting in fourth, hit trouble of his own and had to push his Kawasaki across the line as well. In terms of final results, Zeller ended up 11th and Alvarez 10th. It’s a brutal way to lose a podium, and a reminder of how unforgiving the Bunker Hill sand can be.

Pretscherer, on his SLR Honda, took full advantage and brought it home for the win, and it was enough to put him on top of the 250 Pro points standings. The late drama moved Dustyn Davis (Husqvarna) and Noah Gordon (RPM FMF KTM Racing) up one spot each, which gave both riders great finishes in second and third. Kayden Lynn (KTM) took fourth and David Fry (Kawasaki) fifth. Colton Aeck (Honda) was sixth, Jordan Maas (Gasgas) seventh, Rylan Binford (KTM) eighth and Harlem Nelson (KTM) ninth, ahead of Alvarez and Zeller. With Tyler Lynn and Sam Pretscherer both going 1-1 for SLR Honda, it was a perfect day for the team in the classes that matter most. RPM FMF KTM Racing also had a strong weekend, with Semmens and Gordon on the podium and Zeller in the fight until the very end. The weather cooperated all weekend, with very nice conditions on Sunday. The wind picked up toward the end of the 90-minute race, but it didn’t change how the day played out.

The weekend actually kicked off Saturday morning with the Women’s Pro class. Lauren Woods grabbed the holeshot and held off Ava Silvestri for a few laps before Silvestri found a way around and made the pass for the lead. From there, the order stayed the same. Silvestri took the win on her Husqvarna, Woods finished second on her Gas Gas, and Rachel Burton rounded out the podium in third on her Kawasaki. Woods still maintains her lead in the Women’s Pro points standings.

Between the deep sand, the late mechanical drama and the tight battles up front, Round 8 at Bunker Hill MX made for a memorable weekend. With Pretscherer now leading the 250 Pro class after Zeller’s misfortune, and the 450 Pro title fight tightening, we will see how the final two rounds pan out.