Through Sam’s motos he didn’t drop a heat and came out winning all three. In the semi Sam finished 2nd and was looking forward to meeting rival and friend Denzel in the main. In the final Denzel got out in front and Sam was lining him up for a pass on the final straight when he over manuelled and unfortunately finished a good second place to Denzel. Willoughby commented after the race, “It's always going to be a good race when Denzel and I meet in a main, he came out tops this weekend and it leaves us pretty much Roseville for our last encounter before worlds. That’s at home for me and defending my title I am looking for a solid result which is hard to predict with our sport and all the variables.”
Going into Sundays AA Pro round which was round 10 of the series with another hot humid beautiful day for action packed racing. Willoughby commented, “I am feeling good today and got my goals set on going one better for today and come out with a win.”
Willoughby taking a while to settle into racing with some slow first straights and not attacking the track like his normal self came away from the motos with a 3 – 3 – 2. Before going to the gate for the semi Sam had a little team talk with himself and new what he had to do as he was now up against the fastest and some of the top elite riders in the world. The gate dropped for the semi and Sam rode a strong race to win his semi final leaving him with a confidence boost for the main. In the main the young Australian World Champ had his eye on the first turn and was lazer point focused, when the gate dropped there was nothing between the riders hitting the first jump. Sam got out front where he stayed till the finish line.
A ecstatic Willoughby commented after the race, “after my motos I was a bit worried as it really took me a while to get going. In the semi it all seemed to come together which really helped for the main. When the gate dropped I knew I had to come out the first turn in front otherwise I wouldn’t have won, it all worked out perfectly today.”
Final Results:
AA PRO
1 SAM WILLOUGHBY, Yeti, Australia
2 DAVID HERMAN(THE HERMINATOR), INTENSE BMX/BAWLS/THE, WHEAT RIDGE, CO
3 JEFFERY UPSHAW, ALIENATION, DAYTON, OH
4 RANDY STUMPFHAUSER, GHP FACTORY RACING, SANGER, CA
5 KYLE BENNETT, FREE AGENT, CONROE, TX
6 NIC LONG, INTENSE/PHANTOM/ON TRAC, LAKESIDE, CA
7 MIKE DAY, GT, SANTA CLARITA, CA
8 DONNY ROBINSON, HYPER BICYCLES, NAPA, CA
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.