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Offroad Motorcycle
and ATV Nationals
2008 OMA Racing Series
Round #2 - Millerstown,
KY
Indian Bluff XC
April 5, 2008 |
By: Andy Lagzdins |
Andy Lagzdins OMA Pro
ATV Race Report
| OMA
ATV Racing Links
Round 2 - Indian Bluff XC
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Brandon
Sommers waits on the starting line at the
OMA Nationals Sidi Indian Bluff XC held
near Millerstown, Kentucky |
Millerstown, Kentucky - The 2008
OMA Nationals Series continued this weekend in Millerstown,
Kentucky with the Indian Bluff XC, round two of
the 10-race cross country championship. The tight
and technical terrain was made that much more challenging
by the heavy rains that soaked the area right up
until race morning. The race was a co-sanctioned
event with Kentucky Off Road Riders, and attracted
quite a bit of talent including GNCC front runners
and Factory Yamaha teammates Bill Ballance and Brandon
Sommers.
After having my truck and trailer towed into
the track by the OMA ringleader himself, Bill
Gusse, it was obvious that this was going to be
a survival test. During the practice session,
I expected to find the course a quagmire, but
the UORR crew had the track well laid out and
ready to go. Some of the low lying areas were
sure to become rutted, and the multiple stream
crossings had the potential to bottleneck more
than when they first open the doors at a general
admission Metallica concert, but there were plenty
of alternate trails and line choices that would
help keep things flowing.
The OMA Series is attracting more and more talent,
with cameo appearances by many top riders from
various series. In addition to GNCC contenders
Ballance, Sommers, and David Crane; series regulars
Bryan Hulsey, Matt Lindle, and Rob Zimmerman were
on hand to make for some great racing. As we lined
up for the start, the sun was shining and the
temperatures were mild, which would make splashing
through the water and mud much more enjoyable.
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| 8-Time
GNCC Champ, Bill Ballance grabbed the Holeshot
ahead of Brandon Sommers |
Yamaha’s Bill Ballance grabbed the Holeshot
in front of Brandon Sommers and Chris Moore. Rob
Zimmerman and I battled through the fast start area
and we entered the woods mid pack. The first lap
was cautious, as no one wanted to get hung up and
fall behind. Some of the stream crossings were tight
and rocky, where you had to make sharp turns and
shoot up rock faces and steep banks. One of the
crossings had slick logs piled at the bottom of
a stream bank, making it tough to get any kind of
momentum. The first lap had the leaders still fairly
close together coming through the checkpoint, after
taking it easy the opening lap.
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KTM
rider David Crane was in the thick of the
pack until a broken ball joint sidelined
him after seven laps of the punishing terrain
at Royal ATV Trails. Crane managed two sub
fourteen second laps aboard his Rekluse
Maxxis KTM at the Indian Bluff XC. The only
racer with more laps at that speed was race
winner Brandon Sommers. |
The
course in Millerstown, Kentucky was predominantly
mud. However, there were still some high
speed sections that dried out during the
race. Third place finisher Brian Hulsey
motored his Duncan Racing Dirtworks Honda
around the course for nine laps in two hours,
nineteen minutes, and seven seconds |
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