Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 racer Jeremie Warnia won the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) Pro-class Championship with a second-place finish at the finale in Surprise, Ariz.
Teammate Josh Frederick, who was tied with Warnia for the Pro class points lead heading into the final race, finished third and only two points behind Warnia in the chase for the series title. Collins Webster won the WORCS Pro-Am Championship by winning the final race aboard his Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450.
“I couldn’t be happier for Jeremie Warnia and for the Motoworks / Can-Am team’s outstanding effort in 2011,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Both Jeremie and Josh Frederick were extremely competitive and very consistent all season long, which is the mark of both a top-notch program and a professional approach from a riders’ perspective. They only missed one Pro class podium the entire season and notched six victories in nine races. While they both deserved to win, Jeremie prevailed and I’m thrilled that he could earn his first WORCS title.”
The WORCS finale was held at Speed World MX and featured wet, muddy conditions due to heavy and steady rains throughout the night. The poor conditions early on made the start of the race even more important.
Warnia got a good start as he rocketed off the line and tucked into second place behind the race leader. Frederick was less fortunate than his teammate but still was in the top five at the start.
However, the 2010 WORCS Champion fell to seventh after the first lap and had to play catch up the remainder of the race. By lap six, he had passed his way into third place, but could not catch the top-two racers.
Warnia took the lead on lap six and he was aggressively pursuing his first WORCS title. Two laps later he fell back to second and made the decision to ride in control and finish the race in his current position.
He crossed the finish line in second place, earning his eighth Pro class podium of the year, and ahead of Frederick to capture his first WORCS Pro Championship.
Frederick ended the day in third place in the Pro class after his inspiring comeback at round nine. In 2011, he finished on the podium in every round and earned second overall in the Pro class points standings.
“It has been a pleasure for me to ride in the U.S. for the last couple of years and getting a championship here has made me very happy,” said Warnia. “Today was great for me. I got a good start and I just tried to ride my best. I have been training hard, trying to do my best and I finally got a championship.”
“I am disappointed I didn’t get the championship, but I am really happy for Jeremie and his winning the championship is good for our team,” said Frederick.
Fellow Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 Pro Dillon Zimmerman matched a season best with a fifth-place finish at the final event in Arizona. He finished sixth overall for the year in the Pro class. Can-Am DS 450 pro racers finished first, second and sixth in the Pro class.
Pro-Am competitor Collins Webster capped his season with a dominating ride aboard his Motoworks-prepped Can-Am DS 450. He moved from second into first on lap two and never looked back as he posted the fastest lap of the race on lap 10 and won his class by more than 30 seconds.
The racer, from Las Vegas, Nevada, won four overalls in 2011 and finished 22 points ahead of second place during his championship-winning season.
“It feels great to take two championships this year,” said Johnny Leach, Motoworks owner. “The Can-Am DS450 is a very solid machine and it has been great for us this year.”
In the UTV Class 1 race, Mark Holz finished third in his Motoworks / Holz Racing Can-Am Commander 1000 X to capture second place in the class championship points.
