Offroad Motorcycle and ATV Nationals 2009 OMA Racing Series Round #7 - Festus, Missouri Mizzu XC August 15-16, 2009

Photos and Story By: John Gasso

OMA ATV Racing Links Round 7 - Mizzu XC Race Results

Race winner Kyle Martin had his Roll Design suspension working hard at the Festus Missouri installment of the OMA Nationals Series. Martin collected win number four in a row at the hot and Sidi Mizzu XC.

It was a hot day in Festus, Missouri for the Parts Unlimited OMA Nationals Sidi Mizzu XC. Approximately five miles of virgin trail awaited the racers at a location that has never seen a race before this weekend. Bill Gusse and his crew spent days in the timber, cutting trails and searching for connections to make this course work. In the end, it was a good mix of tight trails and open fields with a downhill tossed in that would test the mettle of these racers. Many hesitated at the top, and an unfortunate few managed to tumble or flop their way to the bottom. According to race winner Kyle Martin the downhill “was a little gnarly, but that’s what makes it pretty fun.” Martin managed to get his Dirtworks Motorsports Rekluse Honda down the hill and over the course eight times during his two hour and five minutes of racing, capturing win number four in a row. John Pitts ran his Duncan Racing ODI Honda through the Moose Racing scoring tent three minutes and five seconds later to collect second place. Donnye Shrum showed up about three minutes later to claim third place with his Moose Racing Dirtworks Motorsports Honda. Fourth through sixth place overall were earned by A Class racers Jake Yates, Dan Schaefer, and Jeff Range aboard Honda’s. Meanwhile, Bryan Hulsey came up one lap short, due to a foot peg failure on his Dirtworks Motorsports Duncan Racing Honda. The reigning series champion would settle for seventh overall and fourth place in the pro class. Shane Gaunt rounded out the top five pro racers after spending some quality time in a ravine. A missed corner put the Aupperle Racing Rekluse Honda over a ridge and stuck on some trees. One hour and twelve minutes spent on lap three did not leave the Morton, Illinois teenager in a very good race position.

Kyle Martin was on the gas again in Festus, Missouri. The Dirtworks Motorsports Rekluse Honda took the holeshot and finished with a three minute and five second margin of victory.

“It was just rough,” said Kyle Martin after his victory at the Sidi Mizzu XC. “The track held up pretty well. The rocks got pretty rough.” Martin indicated some concern for fellow riders on the big downhill section. “The downhill was very interesting’” he stated. “I come up on some lapped riders and they were a little scared of it. I was too coming down. I mean, there’s no stopping. Wherever you were going, that’s where you were going. I was kind of scared for them. I didn’t know where they were going to end up.” Everyone did survive the downhill, along with some other sections of the track that became more challenging as the day went on. According to Martin “the field sections were real smooth and open. That was a lot of fun. Up on the hilltops, with the rock ledges and stuff, that was gnarly.” Martin praised the performance of his Hot Cams Wiseco Performance Honda and was thankful the machine was ready for the event. Round six in Millville ended with what Martin referred to as “a meltdown.” But, quick work by his mechanics made the machine race ready again. “The bike held up real well,” he said. “Dirtworks got my motor together real quick and I was able to have a good machine for this round.”

John Pitts also had a well prepared machine from the folks at Dirtworks Motorsports and, along with a little luck, the Missouri racer found himself second on the OMA Nationals Sidi podium. “I’ll take it,” said the smiling Moose Racing Vee Rubber Honda rider. “I was happy with the start I got,” he recalled. And, as far as Hulsey’s late race mechanical failure goes, Pitts said “I’ll take luck any day.” While luck did play a part in the outcome, Pitts ran a string of respectable laps aboard the Rekluse Powermadd EBC Brakes machine. Pitts stated “it was dusty. You didn’t want to be behind anybody.” But, despite the dust, Pitts said “I liked it a lot. It was a blast. A good Missouri course; rocks and tight trails.”

John Pitts rode a steady race in Festus, Missouri and collected second place for his efforts. The Dirtworks Motorsports Moose Racing Honda picked up the slack when Bryan Hulsey dropped out on lap seven of the eight lap event.	Third place went to the Mom And Dad backed Granite City, Illinois based racer. DJ Shrum put his Moose Racing Dirtworks Motorsports on the podium at the OMA Nationals round seven event in Festus, Missouri.

Donnye Shrum took the final spot on the podium after battling through the course on a steady pace for eight grueling laps. The Granite City, Illinois racer said he “got a little hot.” It was a fairly uneventful day for Shrum aboard his Dirtworks Motorsports Shrum Racing Honda. He said “the track was pretty rough right there near the end, that rock garden and that downhill.” Shrum thanked Mom and Dad for being major sponsors of his racing efforts.

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