"I was very careful to pick good lines so Bill would not sneak around me," Borich said. He later added that he was happy to have started off the season with the best-possible finish. Ballance seemed to be enthusiastic after his second-place finish.
"We must have battled back and forth a dozen times throughout the day," Ballance said. He went on to note that he lost the first round last year but still managed to win the season. Yokley proved he will be a strong contender in '05 after pulling an amazing third-place finish with a flat tire. The Polaris Predator-mounted Smiley will be another strong rider to watch.
"My suspension and handling seemed to be working so much better than many of the other riders I saw," Smiley commented. He was stoked to have stayed in the top five even after the horrible situation he encountered at the start. If everything continues in the manner in which it has begun, we will most likely see a good mix of riders on the podium this season.