Thrills, Drama, and Triumph: The 2024 AMA West Hare Scrambles Round 6 Recap!

2024 AMA West Hare Scrambles Round 6: Ricky Russell Clinches Victory at Wilseyville

The 2024 AMA West Hare Scrambles (WHS) Regional Championship Series came to a thrilling conclusion with the 71st annual Wilseyville Hare Scramble, hosted by the NorCal Motorcycle Club. This final round featured some exciting battles and unexpected twists, with several prominent GNCC riders making the trip to the West Coast to challenge for the top spots.

Ricky Russell, representing AmPro Yamaha, made a stellar debut at Wilseyville, claiming the victory by a slim margin of 19 seconds ahead of Gus Riordan of FMF KTM Factory Racing. Riordan also made an impressive debut, securing the win in the Pro 250 class in his first-ever Wilseyville WHS appearance. Mateo Oliveira, another member of the FMF KTM Factory Racing Off-Road Team, rounded out the overall podium, preventing a clean sweep by the East Coast riders.

The race also served as the final showdown for the Pro/AA title between Dante Oliveira (FMF KTM) and Giacomo Redondi (3Bros/Hatch Racing GasGas). With only five points separating them going into the event, the championship was still up for grabs. Oliveira, who was recovering from a wrist injury, had a tough start, falling behind in the early laps. Meanwhile, Redondi took the holeshot on his Maxxis/Givi/Seven EX 450F but suffered a setback when he hit a branch, leading to a facial injury. He eventually had to surrender the lead to Russell.

Russell took full advantage of the opportunity, with Riordan pushing hard behind him. Despite Oliveira’s battle to recover from his poor start, he fought back to claim fifth overall, ensuring he had enough points to retain the championship. In an unexpected turn, Redondi earned the Pro/AA number-one plate over Oliveira with a narrow 140-138 points lead.

Meanwhile, Layton Smail, the new Pro 250 champ, finished the day in seventh overall, reflecting on his ride, “I just rode my own race, found my lines, and tried to stay smooth.” However, Jaden Dahners of FMF RPM Racing KTM saw his chance at the Pro 250 title slip away after a crash early in the race.

In Pro Vet 35+, Eric Stevenson claimed his fifth straight win, solidifying his dominance in the class. The Pro Women class saw Ava Silvestri finish the season undefeated with her win at Wilseyville, riding her FMF/Dunlop/Troy Lee Designs EX 250F.

As the final points were tallied, the 2024 AMA West Hare Scrambles came to a close with Ricky Russell’s victory, the Pro/AA title secured by Giacomo Redondi, and Dante Oliveira managing to hold on to the overall championship despite the challenges. The event showcased the resilience and skill of top riders and concluded a highly competitive season in the AMA West Hare Scrambles series.