Oklahoma National Trials - Dirt Rider Magazine

Cody Webb and Patrick Smage served notice that the 2010 season is not going to be a runaway by any single rider after trading wins at the opening two rounds of the AMA/NATC National Trials Series in Tishomingo, Oklahoma, this weekend.Smage was fresh off of a big win at the Portuguese round of the Junior World Championships heading into the Oklahoma event, however, it was Webb who was the dominant rider on Saturday, riding his 300 Pro Racing Gas Gas to a 19-point margin of victory over Smage on the tough and intimidating course. The Oklahoma sections consisted of enormous ups and large, spectacular gaps over grippy, sandstone rocks that jutted out of the hilly landscape. Smage, on the other hand, started off the event by fiving the opening section. Uncharacteristically, the defending champ claimed a total of five fives over the 36-section course, leaving Webb to take the easy victory."This was definitely what I was hoping for," said Webb. "After seeing the results from last week's Portugal round, I knew Pat would be on his game. But I feel I was ready and the bike was working well. Honestly, nothing went wrong for me and everyone else seemed to be making mistakes. So I'm super-stoked to come out on top."Colorado's Keith Wineland finished third with 70 points, while fellow Gas Gas USA rider Ron Commo III was fourth with 146.

After making a few set-up changes to his Sherco 2.9 on Saturday evening, Smage seemed to return to the form that won him three-straight titles. The Wisconsin native dropped a total of four points in the creek section that opened Sunday's event, and then cleaned every other section, en route to a four-point day. Webb again started strong, but struggled in the ninth section, logging a total of 10 points in the section. Webb finished the event with a total of 13 marks to finish second behind Smage.Wineland rounded out the podium again after posting a 58-point card, while Sherco rider Karl Davis Jr. finished fourth on 130 points.The Texhoma Trials Club changed up the format for the event to give spectators a better chance at seeing the action. Sections 1 through 6 were ridden three times each by the Pros to start the event, and then, after a 30 minute break, riders and spectators moved down the loop for three laps of sections 7 through 12.