2025 Taft WORCS Round 2 Results

| February 24, 2025

Racers hit the highway for the second round of the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC WORCS Series at Honolulu Hills Raceway in Taft, California, February 22-23, where Dare DeMartile came away with the win.

Dare DeMartile at 2025 Taft WORCS — **Beta’s Dare DeMartile (24) won round two of the WORCS Championship in Taft, California, and is now tied in points with opening-round winner Tyler Lynn.**

Story & Photos by Connor Moore

With a concrete start behind the moto gates, DeMartile felt right at home on his Liqui Moly Beta machine, charging into the first turn and grabbing the holeshot as the field tightened up early in the 450 Pro class.

Tyler Lynn and Giacomo Redondi engaged in some intense battles, exchanging block passes through the opening chicane on the first lap. Lynn ultimately gained the upper hand and set his sights on the leader.

On the second lap, DeMartile lost the front end coming into a corner after the big doubles, allowing Lynn to capitalize on the mistake and pull ahead, quickly opening up a 10-second gap on the Beta rider. The course was extremely fast, with Lynn setting the fastest lap of the day at 7:01, pushing his Slam Life Racing (SLR) Honda to the limit. However, a slight mistake at the halfway mark resulted in a slower 7:21 lap time, giving DeMartile the opportunity to reclaim the lead.

DeMartile seized the moment, creating a 12-second gap in just one lap. Once back out front, DeMartile remained consistent, clicking off smooth laps and crossing the finish line with nearly a 30-second lead after completing 17 laps.

Mason Semmens at 2025 Taft WORCS — **Mason Semmens ran off with the Pro 250-class win.**

Early in the race, Redondi had his Pro Circuit Precision Concepts Kawasaki in contention for the lead, but a mechanical issue midway through forced him to cruise to the finish line, salvaging valuable championship points while still managing a fourth-place finish.

Meanwhile, Lynn’s teammate, Ryan Surratt, who is still recovering from knee surgery, fought through the pack and found himself in podium contention after Redondi’s issues. He secured third place, one spot better than his fourth-place finish at round one in Blythe the prior week.

Mason Semmens delivered a masterclass performance in the Pro 250 class, leading from start to finish with no one in sight for nearly two hours. He pushed his RPM FMF KTM to the max, crossing the finish line with a commanding lead of just under a minute, while also securing third overall in the Pro ranks.

Though the course was fast, deep silt pockets in the off-road sections posed a challenge, but the riders navigated them seamlessly as they battled for position. The fiercest fights of the day unfolded behind Semmens, where second through fourth place were separated by just seconds, with riders constantly swapping positions while searching for the best lines to shave off precious time.

Sam Pretscherer, aboard the 3Bros Racing/Hatch Racing Husqvarna, found himself trailing fellow Aussie Semmens early, but the competition was relentless. Colton Aeck and Jake Alvarez charged hard, coming through the scoring chute just four seconds apart on the opening lap. On lap two, Aeck put the power down on his Hatch Racing Kawasaki, making a pass on Pretscherer and setting his sights on Semmens. The trio remained within a few bikelengths of each other for the next five laps until Alvarez made a move on Pretscherer on lap six.

Once ahead, Alvarez unleashed the full power of his Perry Concepts Kawasaki in pursuit of Aeck, battling fiercely for the second step on the podium. They approached the step-up jump nearly bar to bar, but Aeck dug deep to fend off Alvarez and secured his first WORCS podium of the season after missing the opening round to compete in the West Hare Scrambles. Pretscherer finished fourth, while Semmens’ teammate, Noah Gordon, rounded out the top five.

Carter Klein at 2025 Taft WORCS — **Carter Klein battled for the win in Pro Am.**

In Pro-Am, Carter Klein was untouchable from start to finish, leading wire to wire on his SLR Honda. He set a blistering pace early, building a steady gap while the riders behind him battled for the remaining podium spots. Early on, Gavin Bentley led the charge in pursuit of Klein aboard his Honda 250, with Racer Fry and Kayden Lynn close behind. However, a small mishap on lap seven resulted in an uncharacteristically slow lap time of just over eight minutes—a stark contrast to his consistent mid-seven-minute laps. This allowed both Fry and Lynn to slip past him into podium positions. Once back in second, Fry put his head down and pushed hard, chipping away at Klein’s nearly 40-second lead. Despite his efforts, he ran out of time, closing the gap to just 11 seconds by the checkered flag.

Meanwhile, Lynn maintained a steady pace on his Purvines Racing/Precision Concepts Honda, securing the final podium spot.

Saturday morning brought the unmistakable sound of two-stroke engines echoing through the hills of Taft, as the Alvarez brothers, Tristun and Jake, and Travis Damon lined up to battle in the 125cc class. Tristun, the reigning two-time 125 Pro Champion, dominated the race from the start, holding the lead throughout. However, this season is shaping up to be an exciting one, as his brother, Jake, is proving to be a serious contender for the title. Jake spent the entire race hunting down his brother, inching closer lap after lap.

On the final lap, with just the logs section remaining before the checkered flag, Jake launched his KTM off the step-down table, sending it into the logs and making an aggressive pass to steal his first win in the class—setting the stage for an intense sibling rivalry in future races.

Travis Damon pushed his Yamaha two-stroke to the limit, rounding out the podium with a third-place finish.

Lauren Woods at 2025 Taft WORCS — **Lauren Woods won again in the Women Pro’s field.**

Later in the afternoon, the Women’s Pro class lined up, with Lauren Woods aiming to back up her victory in Blythe with another dominant performance. Local Bakersfield rider Nicole Madsen stepped up to challenge Woods, while Dana Raynor battled early to stay in contention. However, Woods had her Reezen MX/3Bros Racing Honda dialed in, charging to victory and securing her second straight WORCS win of the season. Madsen finished strong in second, while Raynor claimed the final podium spot in Taft.