On The Pegs June 2018 - Volume 3 - Issue 6 | Page 57

On The Pegs
Vol. 3 Issue 3 - June 2018
P 57
Pat Smage continued his domination of the
2018 AMA/NATC US National MotoTrials Se-
ries by sweeping rounds three and four of the
schedule in Texas Creek, Colorado.
As he did the week before in New Mexico,
the Sherco USA-backed Smage easily won both
days of the two-day event, extending his lead
in the championship standings to 28 points
after four rounds.
The Colorado event featured much bigger
and more intimidating obstacles than the rid-
ers faced at the first two rounds. Power-sap-
ping elevation, estimated at around 6500 feet,
was an additional factor keeping the riders on
their toes.
Smage was solid from the start, scatter-
ing four single dabs across 12 sections on his
opening lap.
Smage’s total first-lap total of four might have
been one point less had he not experienced a
problem in section four.
“When I entered section four I knew some-
thing was wrong once I hit the first rock,” said
Smage. “I had to take a dab to keep going and I
noticed that my bike felt like it was starving for
fuel. I had experienced that one time before
and it ended up being that the one-way valve
on the fuel tank overflow had stuck. I reached
down and pulled the vent hose off the gas
tank and that fixed the problem so I was able
to finish out the section. The only problem was
that fuel was now shooting up into my face.
Luckily, I was able to get through the section
with just the single point.”
Gas Gas North America’s Alex Niederer came
next, posting a total of 25 points for the first
lap. Niederer’s teammate, Daniel Blanc-Gonnet,
was 10 points back at 35 points. Niederer and
Blanc-Gonnet traded runner-up finishes the
previous week, and it was clear the two team-
mates were headed for another two-way battle
in Colorado.
PHOTOS COURTESY FUTURE7MEDIA