The Roots MX May 2014 | Page 47

Back Centered Below Collar H ome to some of the fastest riders in the country, the west coast offers up both talent and prime training ground. Free from heavy snow that sends many American riders into hibernation, west coast riders get out and ride year round, making them some of the most diligent, competitive athletes in the sport. This spring in every class one rider will be crowned, proving that he or she is the fastest, most skilled rider in the west. In the race for the AMA King of the West title, there are no runners up. By the time we reached the FMF California Classic, riders had gone head-to-head at four challenging tracks on the Monster Energy Road to Mammoth series. They’ve bombed giant hills at Glen Helen, thrown whips at Comp Edge, dug through tight turns at Porterville, and defied stormy weather at Oatfield. They have won, and they have lost, each race bringing them closer to the title. View KOTW Points theROOTSdigital.com 47