WASHOUGAL — High on the hill overlooking Washougal Motocross Park, a feast for the senses was served.
The sound was muffled for 5-year-old Elijah Wulf, thanks to the large ear protectors he wore. But his eyes were wide.
Moments earlier, dozens of motorcycles had whipped by, each kicking up a trail of dirt.
The sound of revving engines; the sight of riders launching into the air; the smell of motorcycle fuel and cinnamon-covered elephant ears as big as pizzas.
Those sensations once again drew more than 20,000 fans Saturday to the 37th annual Washougal National, Southwest Washington’s largest spectator sporting event.
Elijah left his Federal Way home at 6 a.m. Saturday with his parents Daric and Stephanie and 4-year-old sister Kaycie.
Sitting on a Star Wars-themed camping chair and eating Cheez-Its, Elijah showed no signs of being tired.
“Do you want to be a motocross racer someday?”
Wearing a baggy neon-green motocross jersey, Elijah nodded enthusiastically. He already rides a small 50 cc motorcycle with the encouragement of his father, who began racing motorcycles at age 8.
“I’m more excited for them, to see how they handle it,” Daric Wulf said of his children.
Like many fans on Saturday, Elijah had a favorite rider. Kawasaki 450 cc rider Eli Tomac got the nod, thanks to their common first name.
Down in the pits at the bottom of Washougal Motocross Park, fans got an up close look at their favorite riders.
Dozens, many of them youths in flat-brimmed ballcaps, waited in line for autographs. Adults watched attentively as mechanics turned wrenches and tuned the motorcycles, honing them for the punishment they would take on the hilly Washougal course.
Tomac didn’t disappoint his fans young and old. He beat series leader Ken Roczen to win his second 450 cc event of the season.
Tomac won the second of Saturday’s two races, otherwise known as motos, after finishing second to Roczen in the first moto. Though both riders had a first and second place, Tomac won the overall title by finishing higher in the second moto.
Roczen led the entire way en route to a comfortable win in the first moto. Tomac, a 23-year-old from Colorado, passed Roczen seven minutes second moto. He gradually extended the lead and had opened a 16-second lead by the end of the 30-minute race.
Tomac passed Roczen by taking a wide unconventional line on a sharp corner.
“You’ve got to be searching always and looking for ways to get it done,” Tomac said.
Tomac solidified his second-place spot in the season points standings with three events to go.
Roczen, a 22-year-old from Germany, was trying to become just the fourth international rider to win at Washougal. He had won six of eight events this season, winning 13 of 16 motos.
“I was trying, but (Tomac) had a great run,” Roczen said. “Overall I’m happy. It’s on to the next one.”
Ryan Dungey, who had won five of the past six years at Washougal, didn’t race Saturday. He’s out for the year after breaking a vertebra in the season’s third event.
Alex Martin won his first 250cc title by finishing first and second in Saturday’s races. Austin Forkner finished second by winning the second moto after finishing 10th in the first.
“The shadows made it tough on the second moto,” Martin said. “I couldn’t believe how different it was from the first one. But I love this place. I had chills coming down the final stretch and seeing all these fans cheering.”
After Saturday’s races, the top three overall finishers in each class were presented with a trophy axe and a bottle of champagne, which they sprayed on anyone near the awards podium.
Champagne and axes — not the most common pairing. But in the cacophony that is the Washougal National, it almost seemed fitting.
Top 5 — 450MX
Moto 1 Moto 2
1, Eli Tomac 2 1
2, Ken Roczen 1 2
3, Marvin Musquin 3 3
4, Weston Peick 7 5
5, Justin Barcia 10 4
(Click here for complete 450 results)
Top 5 — 250MX
Moto 1 Moto 2
1, Alex Martin 1 2
2, Austin Forkner 10 1
3, Cooper Webb 3 6
4, Joseph Savatgy 2 11
5, Justin Hill 8 4
