The top three: from left,...
The top three: from left, runner-up Jimmy Jarrett, winner Shane Watts and third-place Justin Williamson.
Rumors of Shane Watts' career winding down are obviously premature and quite incorrect, judging by the way he rode in Waukon, Iowa, for the Coyote Cross-Country presented by Motion Pro, round eight of the Parts Unlimited Off-road Motorcycle and ATV Nationals. Despite a clutch and rear brake that went out on his hammered old race bike halfway through the two-and-a-half-hour race, he managed to ride away from the field to convincingly take his first OMA win of the season. Although the conditions were perfect, many felt the Waukon ("rock-on") course was the longest and most technically demanding to date.
"That wasn't so fun trying to pump the clutch and pump the rear brake at the same time and go fast, but I was able to keep pulling away and get more of a lead so I was happy with that," the KTMHutt.com/Fun Mart Cycles/Moose-backed 200 E/XC rider said. "It's just all part of my plan to get ready for next year.
 Justin Williamson had second...  Justin Williamson had second until he fell on the final lap and couldn't recover in time. |  Jimmy Jarrett got lucky and...  Jimmy Jarrett got lucky and got second despite his ISDE shoulder injury. |  Watts emerged from the cornfields...  Watts emerged from the cornfields and culverts in Iowa with his first win of the season. |
"This year was just a re-evaluation year. I took some time off in the middle of the year for the baby, this new house (while he was at the race, his wife stayed home to handle moving chores) and all that stuff, flying all over the place. This year wasn't much of a concern, but now we're ramping up for next year."
Defending series champ and round seven winner Jimmy Jarrett gave it a go at the front after pulling the holeshot on his Andrews Cycles/Kenda/Moose-sponsored RM250, but he simply couldn't ride effectively, hampered by the shoulder he separated at the ISDE in Slovakia two weeks before. Still, he managed to fight for second with young Justin Williamson until the Williamsonracing.com YZ250 racer got by and began to pull away. At that point Jarrett let him go, figuring he'd salvage third and still maintain his series points lead.
But Jarrett then found himself with a gift: "About three turns later I came around a corner and he was upside-down so I was able to get around him. The track's pretty tight and it's hard to pass so I thought, 'Well, I'll give it one last shot,' so I just kind of went pretty slow in the tight stuff because I knew he couldn't get by me. Once we got in the open I pinned it and he couldn't get around me so, luckily, that's how it ended."
Like the Jarrett-Williamson battle, Brian Garrahan had his hands full with Chris Bach in a fight for fourth. In the end, it was Garrahan prevailing by a bike-length on his Rentoneonline.com/NorCal Motorsports/Moose RM250, Bach settling for fifth on his Midwest KTM/Torco/Pro-Action 250 E/XC.
Waukon, "rock on." Get it?...
Waukon, "rock on." Get it? (And yes, it was gnarly.)
Pro Results
1. Shane Watts, KTM 200 E/XC
2. Jimmy Jarrett, Suzuki RM250
3. Justin Williamson, Yamaha YZ250
4. Brian Garrahan, Suzuki RM250
5. Chris Bach, KTM 250 E/XC
6. Josh McLevy, Kawasaki KX250
7. Dave Neumeister, Kawasaki KX250
8. Tracy Bachman, Honda CRF250R