But Shirey finally put the bad luck that’s dogged him in the Big 6 WCGPs all year behind him and romped to victory in the $2000 race (shortened from its usual 90 minutes to 75 due to delays in the WCGP Novice/Beginner race preceding it while two crash victims requiring separate helicopters were airlifted out).
“I was pretty confident,” he said, referring to his avoidance of any mechanical mishaps. And it worked out well for him. Though he got punted to the side in the first turn, Shirey stuck with the leaders, made some quick passes and took the lead before the end of the first lap at the Quail Canyon MX Track course near Gorman, California, where the Prospectors Motorcycle Club’s 31st Annual California Big 6 Grand Prix took place.
From there, Shirey checked out, saying, “After that, I sprinted for one lap to get my lead [bigger] and I kind of set my pace and cruised all the way almost to the finish. After that, I sprinted for one lap to get my lead [bigger] and I kind of set my pace and cruised all the way almost to the finish,”
That left the fight for runner-up between several contenders with Maxxis/FMF/RPM Racing KTM’s Eric Yorba also recovering from some first-turn elbowing as well as ignoring the effects of a big crash earlier in the day.
“I probably shouldn’t have even been racing today, but someone was watching over me and kept me safe today,” Yorba said. “I was able to line up [for the WCGP event] and not only line up but put in a pretty solid result and come out with a second.”
As long as he kept championship rival Blayne Thompson behind him, current points leader Yorba probably didn’t have to charge as hard as he did, but after briefly flirting with the lead, he figured he might as well and eventually ran down Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/Precision Concepts Kawasaki’s Justin Seeds for the runner-up spot. That, of course, puts Yorba in a good position to reclaim the title he won in 2014 with only the series finale remaining.
Seeds (who, coincidentally, rents a room to Yorba) was near the front in the early going but one incident caused him to lose focus.
“There was a fat hole [in one sand wash], and I hit it so hard and it threw my feet up over the seat, headshake everywhere and ended up in the bushes, then popped back out on the track and still had the lead!” Seeds said. “But after that, I was so shook up, I was like, ‘Dude, how did I survive that?’ After seeing all the people get Life-Flighted the race before, I got lucky right there. Dalton was able to get around me. I tried to hang there with his tire, but the kid is so fast these days!”
Still, third gave Seeds his second Big 6 podium in a row, validating him getting on the same training program that Yorba’s been using with great success this year.
As for Fasthouse Honda-mounted Thompson, his fourth-place finish meant he lost seven points to Yorba and goes into the finale 28 points back, 163-135, unofficially. Ox Motorsports Honda’s Justin Jones, WCGP Pro II winner Trevor Stewart, Ox Motorsports Honda’s Mark Samuels, Thousand Oaks Powersports Yamaha’s Michael Del Fante, Honda-mounted Travis Damon and WCGP Pro II riders Willy Simons, Jr., and Beau Baron, the class points leader, rounded out the top 10 overall.
2016 AMA District 37/MSR Big 6 Grand Prix Series
31st Annual California Grand Prix
Gorman MX Track
Gorman, California
Results: November 6-7, 2016 (Round 7 of 8)
WCGP Pro
1. Dalton Shirey-Hus
2. Eric Yorba-KTM
3. Justin Seeds-Kaw
4. Blayne Thompson
5. Justin Jones-Hon
6. Mark Samuels-Hon
7. Michael Del Fante-Yam
8. Travis Damon-Hon
9. Andrew Puckett-Yam
WCGP Pro II
1. Trevo Stewart-Yam
2. Willy Simons-Yam
3. Beau Baron-Hon
4. Mitch Anderson-KTM
5. Nick Stover-KTM
6. Jacob Clements-KTM
7. Jordan Gamboa-KTM
8. Kenny Owens
9. Jarett Megla-Hon
WCGP Women Pro
1. Tatum Sik
2. Gina Alvarez
3. Mica Diaz
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