It was just a matter of time that off-road racing would see the development of a Women's Professional Class and WORCS racing is setting the standard in 2008. With the success of the Women's Motocross Association (WMA) and the increase in both sales and competition in women's off-road motorcycling, the stage was set to take women's racing to the next level. Malcolm Smith Motorsports/Zip Ty Racing has come onboard as the sponsor for this new and exciting group of racers and will provide the purse money for all ten rounds. WORCS will also have a Pro payback from race entry fees along with contingencies from selected factories in 2008.

With the wave of the flag it was Kawasaki rider Penni Cyrus taking the pack of riders into the first turn only to have Sherri Cruse (above, l) drive her Suzuki RMZ250 under Cyrus and take the lead, which she would hold for the duration of the race. With the riders heading into the challenging off-road sections not one of the riders was backing off. "We started to catch the "A" riders, who started in front of us and the guys were holding us back," said Cruse. Behind the Suzuki rider was a battle between KTM's Maria Forsberg (above, r) and Kawasaki's Meika Cornelius, as they moved pass Cyrus. As Penni tried to stay close to the top three she felt the pressure from AMA Dist. 36 rider Brooke Hodges closing in on her, along with Texas racer Ashton Pope and Kacy Martinez.

At the half way point Cruse, on her Malcolm Smith Motorsports/ Zip Ty Racing Suzuki, was in control, but behind her Cornelius and Forsberg were changing positions every lap. "I was better in the off-road" said Maria and "I would pass her on the motocross track," commented Meika, "so we just raced each other as hard as we could." With two laps to go Cornelius would suffer a flat front tire dropping her to fifth letting Forsberg off the hook and into a comfortable second place. The final spot on the podium was a true "cat fight" with Cyrus, the motocross racer, and Hodges, the off-road racer, taking it to the limit. Both riders fought their way around and passed a number of "A" riders with Cyrus taking 3rd place with Hodges just a few bike lengths behind at the checkered flag.

With history in the making it was only fitting that Sherry Cruse would take the check from her sponsor Malcolm Smith Motorsports/ Zip Ty Racing and WORCS by topping the field on her RMZ250, followed by RPM/KTM rider Maria Forsberg and Penni Cyrus taking a well deserved third on her Kawasaki. With nine rounds left 2008 will see a new era in women's racing and the first ever WORCS Women's Pro Champion in off-road racing. Congratulations to WORCS Racing "Home of the Fastest Men and Women Racers on the Planet."