The season finals of the Jettribe Best of the West series went down August 12th and 13th at Lake Perris in Southern California, and what a way to wrap it up. This was the last opportunity for racers to qualify for the IJSBA Blowsion World Finals and it showed with some stacked classes and 114 entries. Racers traveled from all over the western United States including Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and even Canada to participate in the race and defend and add to their season points in hopes of earning the coveted season title.
The Junior Ski 13-15 Lites and Amateur Ski Lites classes are always exciting with young talent like Tallon Chambers and Brady Courson battling every moto. Tallon won every moto on Saturday and Sunday in Junior Ski 13-15 Lites with Brady not quite able to make the move. But in Amateur Ski Lites, Brady made an amazing inside line pass on Tallon and checked out going 1-1 on Saturday. Tallon redeemed himself on Sunday with first overall in Amateur Ski Lites. Junior Ski 10-12 Lites had some great racing between Revin Harris and rookie Coy Curtis. It’s truly amazing how fast these little prodigies can go around the track…it must be their low center of gravity, at least we’d all like to think that. Coy stands in the tray not much above the handlepole and can really make his SuperJet scream! On Saturday, Revin went 2-1 for first overall while Coy went 1-3 for second overall. Sunday showed Revin’s dominance once again by taking the top spot with a 1-1 performance while Coy took second overall.
Multi-time world champion Tommy Bonacci showed up and, no surprise, put on a clinic, winning every moto on Saturday in the Sport Spec and ‘Blaster Spec classes. Battles pursued behind him as Tony Martinez, Nanette Sanchez and Hunter Dunn fought for the remaining two podium positions in Sport Spec, and Annie Sims, Ron Henderson and Hunter Dunn were at it tooth and nail in the ‘Blaster Spec class, Hunter taking the top spot on Sunday.
The biggest class of the weekend was Vintage 550 Ski with 15 entries! Competition was stacked and brought several veterans of the sport back to their beginnings in the 1980’s. Tommy Bonacci tried his hand at the class which also included Rob Flores, Charles Sims and Lake Elsinore’s own, 13-year-old 550 superstar Wyland Reden. Wyland showed he is a force to be reckoned with as he came from behind and ran down the two previous world champions, Rob Flores and Tommy Bonacci. Wyland has brought new blood to this class, he is spectacular to watch and is sure to be making a big name for himself in the sport. The top spots on Saturday went to Wyland Reden on top of the box, Payton Hill finishing second, Charles Sims third, with Tommy Bonacci and Rob Flores rounding out the Top 5, respectively. Sunday’s results were similar with Wyland getting first overall, Charles Sims a very close second, and Rob Flores rounding out the podium.
Over the course of the season, there were 292 entries over 8 rounds. A few other notable items from the series, Mr. Consistent Jesse Dirnberger from New Mexico won every race this season except one in Amateur Ski Modified and is sure to be a title contender at this year’s World Finals. This season had a great Women’s Ski turnout with 17 different women competing in 3 different classes. Keep an eye out for Women’s Ski Novice Lites champion Alyssa Musselman at the World Final this year, along with runner up Angie Carlton and third place champ Stevie Bascom who won 5 of the 8 rounds of the series.
The Series Champions were crowned Sunday afternoon, and as the curtains came to a close on the season, there was one last treat for the racers. Series sponsor JetLift donated and raffled off two beach totes to racers who competed in every round of the series. Hunter Dunn who won the series titles in both Sport Spec and ‘Blaster Spec walked away with the first tote, and Revin Harris, series champion in Junior Ski Stock and Lites, made out and captured the second tote, along with a set of JCRacing ‘Blaster Sponsons that were raffled to all ‘Blaster racers.
Congratulations to all the competitors and champions of the 2017 Jettribe Best of the West series and thank you to all the staff who puts on these wonderful events. The 2018 Best of the West season is sure to be another exciting and highly anticipated series.
All images provided by Ally Emig and unaltered originals can be purchased by emailing HERE.
