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Offroad Motorcycle
and ATV Nationals
2008 OMA Racing Series
Round #8 - Ozark, Arkansas
OMA Ozark XC ATV Race
September 20, 2008 |
Photos and Story
By: John Gasso |
Bryan Hulsey wins OMA Ozark
XC ATV Race
| OMA
ATV Racing Links
Round 8 - Ozark XC ATV
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Water and rocks were
in abundance at the Parts Unlimited OMA
Nationals round eight event near Ozark,
Arkansas. Bryan Hulsey battled with the
elements and other racers including Rob
Zimmerman, Todd Senger, and Shane Gaunt
to achieve his top of the podium finish.
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Ozark, AR - Byrd’s Adventure
near Ozark, Arkansas was home to round eight of
the OMA Nationals Series with co-sanctioning by
the Arkansas Hare Scrambles Championship Series.
Shane Gaunt put his Aupperle Racing Scott Goggles
Honda on the point early and had plans of running
away with this event. Unfortunately for the seventeen
year old from Morton, Illinois he had some troubles,
including a flat tire, which would relegate him
to fourth place. The Moose Racing Duro Tires Honda
of Bryan Hulsey stepped up to the task, and after
a battle with the Fasst Company Scott Goggles Honda
of Rob Zimmerman, the Missouri hare scrambles champion
captured win number two and a lead in the series
points battle. Zimmerman fought hard but slowed
his pace after a broken component left him with
steering that was “squirrely.” A late
race charge by privateer Honda racer Todd Senger
put pressure on Zimmerman, but a single track path
between two trees separated Senger from his machine
when the two attempted to fit through the same hole.
Senger would take third place just seven seconds
behind Zimmerman.
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A late race mechanical
failure slowed former OMA Nationals series
champion Rob Zimmerman on his quest for
victory at the Ozark XC. Loose steering
slowed the Team Honda Research racer on
the final two laps and he had to settle
for second place.
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A Privateer from
St. Louis, Missouri put himself on the
podium on his first trip to an OMA Nationals
event. Todd Senger was ahead of race winner
Bryan Hulsey at this point in the race,
but would end up third behind Rob Zimmerman
at the end of their two hour battle.
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“It was a good ride out there,” said
Hulsey. The Duncan Racing International Dirtworks
Performance racer was pleased with his race and
the outcome. “It was a good, hard fought
race between me and Rob and Todd,” he stated.
“All three of us battled pretty hard. I
found a line around both of them there at the
end. I know Rob was having a little trouble with
his front end. I was able to stretch out the lead
from there. It was a lot of fun.”
Rob Zimmerman was also having fun early in the
race. He said “it was good. The start was
pretty good, but then Shane just blew right in
there and got me on the second corner. Me and
him both got Hulsey and Shane just started checking
out big time. We got to the last crossing, back
right before we come underneath the bridge again,
and Shane was screwed up, bad. We all got him
there.” After the pass it was smooth sailing
until Zimmerman heard a clunk from the front end
of his machine. A broken part in the linkage caused
the steering to be loose and erratic. Some of
the track sections were tight and difficult, so
Zimmerman was forced to slow his pace in order
to not crash. According to Zimmerman “I
ended up just babying it the last lap. Then Todd
caught me in a tight section. He put a hard charge
right on me to pass me, and it was like, one of
us was getting a tree.” The veteran racer
won this bout with the trees, leaving Senger to
collect himself and finish third.
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Shane Gaunt led early
in the race at Byrd's Adventure Center,
but a couple incidents and a flat tire
slowed the Moose Racing GT Thunder Honda.
Fourth place would have to do for the
young racer from Morton, Illinois.
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The A Class was heavily
represented at the OMA Nationals round
eight event that was co-sanctioned with
AHSCS. DJ Shrum won the class and placed
fifth overall with his Honda machine.
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The OMA Nationals newbie from St. Louis, Missouri
picked up third place in his first visit to the
series. “I loved it,” he said. “I
come down with Bryan Hulsey and tried to do something.
I had a great time.” The Honda rider lists
Kenda Tires along with his wife and kids as his
only sponsors. Senger was hesitant to sign up
in the pro class, but his traveling buddies convinced
him it would be worthwhile. It seems they were
correct. His account of the race was delivered
with a huge smile. “I lost my rear skid
plate and I didn’t know it, then I lost
my rear brake,” recalled Senger. “Coming
down a hill I clipped a tree. I wasn’t for
sure what was going off, but I knew my nerf bar
was rattling. So I just kind of settled in and
kept a fairly good pace. I caught Zimmerman on
the last lap. He was having problems. I tried
like heck to get him and we ended up coming together
and I got the short end of the stick. Here I am,
third.”
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