Baker Blasts to OMA Arkansas Win

Series newcomer Bryan Baker gave two-time and reigning series champ Rob Zimmerman more than he could handle as he took the Pro-class win at the DP Brakes Wildcat 100, round two of the Parts Unlimited Off-road Motorcycle and ATV Nationals. Todd Krupinsky rounded out the podium finishers at the event near Decatur, Arkansas.

The race started in a huge cloud of dust that covered the entire pit area and reduced visibility in the woods to about zilch, making a good start even more critical than normal. Baker, however, didn't enjoy the best of starts, saying, "I got hung on the inside of the first turn—went from, like, third to, probably, sixth or seventh or something.

"I slowly worked up there, and I was behind Rob and I thought he was leading it, then I realized there was somebody else ahead of him."

Officially, Zimmerman and his Maxxis/Faast Co./GT Thunder Suspension TRX450R led the first lap over Krupinsky and Baker, but Baker got past Krupinsky and was right behind the champ the next time around. It wasn't until the fourth of nine laps that Zimmerman finally surrendered his lead—not too surprising considering his rear brake was basically useless the entire time.

Zimmerman remembered the pass perfectly: "In the woods there's this real deep valley, and right before he tried to make a pass on me, but it looked like he nailed a tree. I was able to hold my line, but the next lap, man, he came down there like lightning—boom! Made me look silly. After that, he checked out."

Baker confirmed Zimmerman's recollection, saying, "The lap before I passed him, I tried to pass him going down this hill, and it turned out it was too tight. I ended up clipping about a two-inch tree. Well, it ripped it out of the ground and I almost rolled it.

"Well, I knew the next lap around, I knew that line was going to be wide-open so I come around that time and he went to the original line he did [the lap before] and it was just an open highway down through [my line] that time. I passed him, and he must've made a mistake or something because immediately I looked back and he wasn't there.

"I pulled a minute or two ahead, and I just pretty much stayed there the rest of the day. I tried to ride smooth and not make a mistake."

And that wasn't easy for the K&K/Lone Star/Maxxis TRX450R-mounted Baker or anyone else. Conditions changed from super-dusty to a light rain to a downpour before letting up again. At the finish, Baker had more than two and a half minutes over Zimmerman, who in turn had about a minute and a half over Krupinsky. Zimmerman's runner-up spot was enough to keep him in the series points lead, however, and he noted, "I'm happy with second; it's always good to be on the podium."

DP Brakes Wildcat 100, Pro ATV Results
1. Bryan Baker, Honda TRX450R
2. Rob Zimmerman, Honda TRX450R
3. Todd Krupinsky, Honda TRX450R
4. Kevin Tinsley, Honda TRX450R
5. Bud Friedrich, Honda TRX450R
6. Kevin O'Laughlin, Yamaha YFZ450
7. Michael Critz, Yamaha YFZ450
8. Mike Taylor, Yamaha YFZ450
9. Jeremy Smith, Yamaha YFZ450
10. Justin Shepard, Honda TRX450R