| Ozarks
Cross Country Racing Series
Round #1 - Mountain View, MO
February 2nd, 2008 |
 By:
Stephanie Hulsey |
New OXC ATV Racing
Series Kicks Off Round 1 in Missouri
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Giving a
thumbs up to the crowd, first place overall
winner, Donald Ockerman does a burn out
on the podium.
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Needless to say, nothing runs flawlessly, and a late
arrival of the ambulance set the start time back
about 10 minutes, then the OXC Trophy Girls dropped
the 15 second card and the Pro Class rocketed
off the start, mud flying and the snow a mere
memory. As they blazed into the first turn, it
was a last second battle between two Missouri
riders as Bryan Baker inched ahead of Carson Coffman
to clinch the hole shot award on his Polaris Outlaw
and continued to lead the pack the first two of
the five lap event.
Pro riders were running 18-19 minute lap times
on the 6 mile track for most of the race. As the
mercury climbed into the 50s, the snow melted
considerably and the made the loose dirt and rocks
on the hill climb more challenging as the race
went on. Keeping your momentum was the key to
winning this battle. The hill climb also drew
the attention of race fans wanting to cheer, snap
a photo, or lend a hand when the going got tough.
Ockerman, running fourth after the first lap
and only 5 seconds behind the leader, maneuvered
around Devon Jarrett and Duane Johnson in the
second lap and still in a battle with Baker for
the lead. It was Ockerman who took over first
place as he came through the scoring lane after
three laps, seven seconds ahead of second place
Jarrett. Baker had fallen to third and Johnson,
now in sixth, was pushing hard to make up time
after getting tangled with a lapper and falling
to ninth.
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Left to right,
2nd Place, Jody Estes; 1st Place, Donald
Ockerman; and 3rd Place, Kyle Martin.
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At the checkered flag, Illinois’ Donald
Ockerman on his GT Thunder built Yamaha YFZ450
took the overall victory, as 11 of the 16 Pro
racers came through the finish line on the final
lap. It was Jody Estes of Kentucky aboard his
Gateway Cycles Kawasaki KFX450 taking second place
after racing his way around Martin and Baker in
the fourth lap, to come from fifth place. In third,
Missourian Kyle Martin, on his Dirt Works Motorsports
prepped Honda TRX450R, motored past Baker in the
final lap. Rounding out the top five overall finishers
were Missouri racers, Baker on his Polaris Outlaw
placing fourth and Johnson in fifth on his Looney
Tuned Can-Am DS450.
The top five overall finishers represented three
states and five different ATV manufacturers, proving
the OXC series will be a great six-race battle
of man and machine – now that’s what
I call awesome!
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