100% FIOLEK AT FREESTONE
Author: David Bulmer	Features | Saturday, 06 June 2009 19:04

Photos: John Parkinson

A familiar sight as the #1 of Ashley Fiolek took her millionth holeshot. Just behind was Patterson with Price, Whitmore and Golden rounding out the top five.  Like previous rounds, the two Honda riders pulled away quickly from the field, leaving the other riders to battle it out for the last podium spot. Sara Price was also in the mix but bike problems would halt her progress.

In the end it was the Suzuki rider Sherri Cruse who'd take that position as she held off Sarah Whitmore and Vicki Golden, who dropped back after re-injuring her wrist. But most eyes were fixed on the battle at the front as Fiolek and Patterson were really going at it.

Fiolek led most of the race but on the penultimate lap Patterson took an inside line and forced Fiolek to slow, taking the lead that she didn't look like losing. As they entered the final sand whoop section, Patterson took a bad line which gave Fiolek all the space she needed to take the victory by about a bike length. It was a crazy race that left fans on the edge of their seats.

Once again Ashley picked up the holeshot, but there was drama behind her as rival Jessica Patterson fell down and then got hit, leaving her roughly 90 seconds off the pace. This meant that Fiolek went to take the win, but not before Sara Price gave her a scare by not only passing her once, but re-passing her after making an error. Price wasn't able to maintain this speed though, eventually dropping back to 4^th place.

Sherri Cruse was the first person to take advantage, riding an extremely solid race and giving her enough points to take 2^nd overall and move up to joint 3^rd in the Championship race. She now shares this position with Vicki Golden who had a good second moto, taking 3^rd place overall, just ahead of Jessica Patterson who somehow managed to come back from that 1^st turn crash to take 7^th place. It was a pretty incredible feat and to only lose 14points on the weekend could act as an incentive as she looks for another title.

 

	Round			Championship
Position	Name	Points		Name	Points
1.	Ashley Fiolek	50	1.	Ashley Fiolek	147
2.	Sherri Cruse	42	2.	Jessica Patterson	123
3.	Vicki Golden	36	3.	Vicki Golden	114
4.	Jessica Patterson	36	4.	Sherri Cruse	114
5.	Sarah Whitmore	33	5.	Sara Price	87