Mullins Masters Millville OMA

Mark Kariya | August 28, 2006

Am Pro Yamaha’s Charles Mullins recorded his second win in row at the Parts Unlimited Off-Road Motorcycle and ATV Nationals round, presented by CRD, in Millville, Minnesota, yesterday.

After a first-lap crash dropped him from the lead, he went to work and started picking off everyone in front of him again on his Factory Connection/Bridgestone/MSR YZ250. Before long – 53 minutes into the race that he’d ultimately finish in two hours, 25 minutes and 53 seconds – Mullins was back in front, which is where he’d stay. “It was good to win today,” he said. “I felt like I really earned this one today. Everybody out there was riding fast.”

The lead changed often in the early laps with a group of five separating themselves from the rest of the pack. Jason Thomas, Shane Watts and Jimmy Jarrett also took turns at the front before Mullins caught up and got the lead for good.

Justin Williamson, however, proved to be the best of the rest on his Williamsonracing.com YZ250. He would lay claim to the runner-up slot in the final half, though by that time Mullins was too far ahead to catch. Likewise, Williamson had a comfortable margin over those chasing him, and the teenager finished second for the fifth time out of seven rounds so far.

Third place was up for grabs up to the final lap with Watts holding it, as he took the white flag on his KTMHutt.com/Fun Mart Cycles/M2R 200 XC. But he couldn’t hold off the fast-closing Jarrett, who returned to the series after injuring his left knee in a photo shoot prior to round six. Admittedly out of shape due to the layoff, Jarrett successfully charged past Watts to grab the final podium spot on his Andrews Cycles/Maxxis/Moose RM250. In doing so, he held onto his series points lead over Williamson, 166-153. Mullins is now third in points with 106.