Alisa Nix was second in the WMA championship in 2006 but clearly has her eye on the number one plate this year. The stats of WMA Round Three at Budds Creek may be misleading, but if you were at the race, you were on the edge of your seat watching the young protg give the veteran racers a memorable fight. Although a frustrating first moto second lap crash put her in a 16th place finish, she was unfazed and went into Moto Two with the confidence and composure of a seasoned racer. A resilient Nix gave the crowd a breathtaking performance they won't soon forget. The spectators went wild as the battle for first raged between Fox rider, Jessica Patterson and Girlyz rider, Alisa Nix.
Nix got off the line right after Patterson, just missing the hole shot and taking the lead away in turn two. Patterson took back the lead a couple of turns later but would have to fight for every inch of track to make it stick. This was the beginning of lap after lap of close racing action that lasted the entire first half of the race. Nix gave Patterson no breathing room and Patterson had to ride a strong defense as she was unable to shake the young rider and pull away.
Sometimes overlooked in the media and press, no one could overlook the cool headed pass for pass racing this young rider dished out. Nix didn't let up, did not let down and put non-stop pressure on Patterson. Riding smart, clearly improving each lap, she was closer to making a pass when she lost the back end flat tracking on the inside of the right uphill sweeper by the tower. This may have been the end of her battle for first, but she kept her head down and still managed to fight back up to fifth place after starting her bike and re-entering the race.
Although it may have been a disappointing weekend as far as podiums and points earned, Nix is still in 3rd place for the championship. Budds Creek showed the dominating ability of this young rider and the possibilities of even greater things to come.
With a confidence boosting fight under her belt, Nix moved on to Mammoth for the Ford Mammoth Motocross Races and did not disappoint. Nix walked away with the overall win after a 3rd and 1st place finish. This strong performance and important overall win helps fuel her momentum as she returns to the WMA championship series for the final half of the season.
Nix's hard work ethic, dedication to training and smart racing continue to come together as she improves her status and performance with each round. See Alisa and the rest of these courageous women battle it out in WMA Round Four, July 21 in Lakewood Colorado at Thunder Valley MX. The end of the season is growing closer and each rider will be fighting for every crucial championship point.
Don't miss the women's racing on Saturday, July 21, Moto One at 10:15 am and Moto Two at 5:15 pm after the men's timed qualifying. You won't be disappointed.