STURGIS - Arizona rider Bill McMaster made the long trip to South Dakota a fruitful one, claiming the Open Pro class final at Sunday's Ryan Waterland Memorial Motocross.

McMaster, of Phoenix, powered past early leader Michael Koch of Rapid City at the end of a long downhill charge on the second lap, then pulled away to win the final race of the day by a solid margin.

"I just stayed on it a little longer and braked a little later and went around him," McMaster said of the winning move.

McMaster said he races mostly in the Southwest, and was making his first trip to the Sturgis rally.

"This is the furthest I've ever ventured from home," he said. "There are some tough riders here."

Koch, who had gotten the all-important jump at the start for the early lead of the six-lap finale, settled for second.

Jeremy Millard of Rapid City was third with Tanner Reidman of Bismarck, N.D., moving from seventh to fourth.

Reidman won both 125A motos (heats) to win that class and turned the tables on McMaster to win the 250A class.

McMaster rode away with the first 250A moto win, but Reidman got the better jump at the start of the second moto.

"We packed the (starting line) gate a little better and got the hole shot at the start," Reidman said. "Then it was just a matter of staying up and hitting the lines."

Reidman kept the lead in the same key downhill run, denying McMaster the lead by keeping the preferred inside line on a tight right-hand corner at the bottom of the hill.

"He came down faster on the outside, but the inside was the better line. I just shot right by him on the inside," Reidman said.

McMaster followed Reidman to reverse the finishing order of the first motos, but the second moto finish carries more weight, giving Reidman the overall 250A win.

Another double winner for the day was Curt Hyde in the Vet A and 40-Plus divisions.

The Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club event, which kicks off a full week of motorcycle racing at the Sturgis rally, is named for Ryan Waterland, a Sturgis native who died at age 20 in the crash of a private plane near Phoenix in May, 2004.

Waterland was a licensed aircraft instructor, an active member of the Gypsies and rode a No. 818 Yamaha in pro class motocross events.

Racing continues today at the Gypsies' club grounds with the Amateur Hillclimb at 11 a.m., and the Pearl Hoel Memorial Pro-Am at the J.C. "Pappy" Hoel Short Track at 7 p.m.

The inaugural Outlaw Pro-Am is set for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the short track.

Other events include qualifying for the All Harley Drag Racing Association's Race at the Rally, set for 1 p.m. at Sturgis Dragway.