Woods Earns First WORCS Title

Shan Moore | November 1, 2004

Montclair Yamaha’s Nathan Woods nabbed the overall win at round 13 of the World Off-Road Championship Series in Decatur, Texas, October 31, and in doing so, wrapped up the 2004 title with one round remaining on the schedule. No less than five riders took a turn at the lead position before Woods finally took control of the race about the midway point and maintained a strong pace to the finish, topping Team Green Kawasaki’s Bobby Bonds by 30 seconds for the win.

WORCS newcomer, Matt Karlsen, from Colorado, finished a strong third on his Sun Honda (Thornton, Colorado) after leading early in the race, while Lance Smail, also an early leader, suffered severe arm pump which forced the Team Green rider to back off the pace and settle into fourth.

“It’s a big weight off my shoulders,” Woods said after the win. “I am really happy for Yamaha and Zip Ty Racing. I want to thank Ty Davis, Kenny Parry, my wife and everybody else; they all put forth a big effort towards my program this year. I especially want to thank Ty and his wife, they used some of their own sponsorship money towards my program and I wouldn’t be here without them. There is one other person I would like to thank and that is my wife. She is there through thick and thin and she is the one who gets me up in the morning to go train.”

The series will wrap up with the final round in Idaho on November 19-21, where defending champ Davis and Russ Pearson will decide the runner up position in the championship. After the Texas event, Davis holds a 16-point margin over Pearson.