The course at the Donner Ski Ranch up the hill from Truckee, California, offered good variety over its nine-plus miles. It had boulder fields, first-gear woods, wide-open fire roads and lots of silty ruts to challenge even the best Pros vying for the $6000 purse. Oh, and they did all this at nearly 8000 feet. But that suited Hart just fine as he took his time, carefully let the race come to him and then rode steadily away for a comfortable margin of victory after about three hours on the mountain.

“I actually chose [to come down to] this round because I thought it was not like the normal desert ones, which I didn’t do well at,” Hart said. “There was good money, so that helps, too! I finally got into my groove and I picked them off one at a time in the less dusty sections. I finally got Max [Gerston] on the third lap on a sneaky line⏤it was pretty sick; I liked it!

“Honestly, there were four more laps after that and it was racing other people still because there were so many lappers and the dust,” Hart added. “It was a full-on race still; I didn’t get to let off or nothing.”

After ending up in the hospital for almost two days following a crash while practicing at a local motocross track a few weeks ago, Max Gerston was far from his best, but with a six-point lead in the championship standings, he knew he had to at least try to salvage something.

“I came into this thinking, ‘I’m going to do the best I can,” Gerston said. “I’m just going to tell myself I’m a bad dude and I’m going to go as fast as I can and you know what? If all I’ve got’s a fifth, that sucks, but I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.’ I’m too deep [into the series] now, so I gave it everything I had and rode just like I normally would, and came out with a pretty decent result, so I’m definitely happy with it.”

Purvines DA8 Racing Yamaha rider Nick Burson, the defending series champ who’s second in points to Gerston, did not have a banner day at Donner.

“I ate crap up here on the ridge the very first lap in the dust, just silt ruts everywhere,” Burson said. “I battled with some guys and caught back up to [Justin] Bonita and those guys, then that rock hill section they had, a lapper took me out and his bike was on top of mine, and I was stuck there for five minutes.”

Six Five O Racing Gas Gas rider Joey Fiasconaro is one of the D-36 regulars who typically thrives in more technical going, and it showed in his third-place finish.

In the FMF Pro 250 class, SRT Husqvarna rider J.T. Baker picked up his fifth win of the season, though Clayton Gerstner was actually first to physically get the checkered flag. However, officials docked Gerstner five minutes for reportedly speeding in the scoring chute, forcing him to accept second place with EMT Racing KTM’s Cole Conatser third. All three shared stories of their bikes running poorly due to both the altitude and silt-caked air filters, Conatser having to walk his bike up some hills later in the race.

The 10th and final round takes place in November at another Northern California venue noted for its tough trails.

2017 Kenda/SRT AMA West Hare Scrambles Regional Championship Series
Donner Ski Ranch
Truckee, California
For complete results, CLICK HERE

The post Donner West Hare Scrambles Results: Hart Attacks appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

PORTLAND, OR (September 28, 2017)–Off-highway vehicle groups have filed to become parties in a lawsuit involving vehicle access to central Oregon’s Ochoco National Forest. The groups seek to defend the Forest Service’s Summit Trail Project decision, which designates routes for vehicle travel. The case was filed by WildEarth Guardians, Oregon Wild, the Sierra Club, and Great Old Broads for Wilderness, and is assigned to Judge Patricia Sullivan, in the Pendleton Division of the U.S. District of Oregon.

A response to the motion is due in mid-October. It is likely that the merits of the case will be presented to the Court in early 2018.

“This project reflects excruciating analysis and patience by the agency and affected user groups,” said Larry Ulrich, President of the Ochoco Trail Riders. “This decision does not imperil wildlife or threaten new motorized access. It reduces historical trail mileage, and the approved trails are carefully designated to minimize impacts to resources and provide a spectrum of visitor opportunities. This is a state of the art effort by the Forest Service which should be applauded, not overturned.”

The Trail Riders are joined in the motion by the Oregon Motorcycle Riders Association, the Deschutes County 4 Wheelers, the Pacific Northwest Four Wheel Drive Association, and the BlueRibbon Coalition. The vehicle groups are seeking to defend the decision in court alongside the U.S. Forest Service. They are represented by Paul Turcke of Boise, Idaho.

The post Vehicle Riders Move to Join Ochoco Lawsuit appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

But with his third-place finish, Beta’s Max Gerston remained the points leader after eight of 10 rounds in the 2017 Kenda/SRT AMA West Hare Scrambles Regional Championship Series, though his he lost some ground to reigning champion Burson. Gerston leads Burson, 176-170; Gerston led by 10 points going into the race, which was characterized by dry, dusty, rough conditions.

There was some confusion both during and after the race as round-one winner Joey Fiasconaro came through the scoring chute with a sizable lead, though Pearson got the holeshot and owned an immediate advantage due to the dust. Apparently, one trail didn’t get closed and marked after the C/Women/Masters race, resulting in the Gas Gas rider and several others following it and bypassing a significant portion of the 20-mile loop.

After studying lap charts and AMA rules, officials ruled that Fiasconaro and the others would receive appropriate penalties. Pearson thus took the win⏤his first of the season⏤in a brutal three hours, 14 minutes and 23 seconds. Despite being sick, Burson fought through for second, 1:09 behind, with Gerston at 3:20:15.

“I kind of knew what to expect,” Pearson said afterward, referring to racing the hare & hound Nationals here for the past few years. “It got really rough so at the end of the day, it came down to whoever can pin it through the whoops [best]. Fortunately, I’ve got some good bike setups for this kind of stuff, but it was still brutal⏤it kicked my butt.”

Burson said it was probably the roughest course he has ever ridden.

“The first four miles was three- or four-foot-deep sand whoops,” Burson said. “Everyone’s trying to get off the trail, but there’s branches everywhere. The trees [in one canyon] were awesome [though]. If we could’ve stayed over there most of the time, it would’ve been great.”

Unlike those two, Gerston had no experience at Little Sahara (as well as all the other rounds, for that matter), but he dismissed that as an excuse, declaring he wanted the win and didn’t just ride to salvage points.

“No matter how experienced you are or how inexperienced you are in an area, if you’re not going for the win, I think you’re wasting your time,” Gerston said. “What a torture-fest that was! Man, it was the most clapped-out, silted-out whoops bull crap I’ve ever seen. It was unreal⏤but it was really fun. I didn’t have a very good start again, but I started working my way up. If I could get a start one of these days, that would do me a lot of good.”

Monarch Honda CRF450X-mounted Tuffy Pearson claimed fourth ahead of FMF Pro 250 winner Cole Conatser. After crashing on the last lap, Fiasconaro was deemed the sixth-place finisher ahead of FMF Pro 250 runner-up Clayton Gerstner, Lake Powell Off-road Association CRF450X rider Skyler Howes, FMF Pro 250 points leader J.T. Baker and Vet A winner Logan Cleveland.

2017 Kenda/SRT AMA West Hare Scramble Championship
Sahara Hare Scramble
Sage Rides Motorcycle Club
Jericho, Utah
Results: September 9, 2017 (Round 8 of 10)

Overall
1. Axel Pearson-Yam/3:14:23 (first Pro/AA)
2. Nick Burson-Yam/3:15:32
3. Max Gerston-Bet/3:20:15
4. Tuffy Pearson-KTM/3:26:37
5. Cole Conatser-KTM/3:28:23 (first Pro 250)
6. Joey Fiasconaro-KTM/3:28:24
7. Clayton Gerstner-KTM/3:28:33
8. Skyler Howes-KTM/3:35:51
9. J.T. Baker-Hus/3:42:57
10. Logan Cleveland-Yam/3:50:13 (first A Vet)

For full results, visit www.westharescramble.com.

The post Pearson, Burson 1-2 at Sahara AMA West Hare Scramble appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

Cody Barnes and his privateer Mom and Dad-sponsored Yamaha took the FMF holeshot, leading the dust storm to the woods. Barnes held on for three laps, but he could not hold off the charge of veteran racer Chris Bach. After two and a half hours of racing, Bach and his FMF/RPM Racing KTM 450XCF took the OMA checkered flag first. Mike Witkowski captured second place aboard his FMF/RPM Racing KTM 250F, followed by Barnes. Pro 2 winner Logan Lowrey collected his second consecutive OMA Nationals Pro 2 win aboard the FMF/O’Neal Bone Cutter Beta, earning fourth place overall in the process. Fifth place overall and fourth place in the Pro class went to Fun Mart/Fly Racing Suzuki-mounted Adam Bonneur.

Given the length of the trail and a fast race pace, the Pro riders reached the scoring tent two minutes shy of the one hour and 50-minute white flag mark, pushing the flag up a lap and ensuring a longer race. This one turned in to a two-and-a-half-hour run.

“I thought these things were supposed to be two hours, but the last three we have done have been pushing two and a half every single one,” commented race winner Bach. “It keeps happening. We just barely beat the clock to get the flag. But that’s good. That means we are pushing the pace and everybody is riding good.”

According to Bach, the trail was “super dusty, but luckily today it was not super-hot.”

Barnes controlled the race for the first three laps.

“I got off to a good start, and Chris ended up running me down,” Barnes said. “I believe on the third lap, when we both pitted, Chris got in front of me. A little while after that, Mike was able to catch me. I tried riding with him, but, with the dust, it made it really difficult to not make mistakes. The track was really good. It was a little dusty, but I think the layout was really good. Everything flowed very well.”

Bach added that he and teammate Mike Witkowski both got off to terrible starts.

“On that whole first lap, you are riding, and you can’t really see the ground underneath you,” Bach said. “It’s hard to make quick moves and get up front when you need to. Especially at a single-track race like the OMAs, you need to get up front and make your moves around people and space yourself out. If you get stuck behind the wrong guy at the wrong time it can really ruin your day. It took us both a little bit to get up front. I thought once I got past everybody I was going good, then I caught dust twice, thinking it was Cody [Barnes] up front, and it was two guys I didn’t even know. We must have been really far back.”

It was a quick pit stop by Bach that sealed the deal for the OMA Nationals win.

“He was riding really well,” Bach said of Barnes. “I got him when we both got fuel here in the pits. Then I knew, as long as I was in front of him, I would dust him out, and he’d have to lay up a little bit. Once I got around Cody, I used the dust to my advantage. I even knew with Mike, even if he was pushing it and he caught me, I could use the dust and form a nice little buffer behind me and just control the race from there. Luckily, he didn’t catch me, and I was able to keep the pace up, and actually put a little time in to him at the end there, the last two laps, and come away with the win. The kid beat me last race, and I couldn’t let that happen twice in a row. It was a great track, again. I’m not in the hunt for this championship, but I’m having a blast riding these courses. It was a super fun time. I’m glad that Mike’s doing well. He may have wrapped it up, I don’t know, on the points, but I know he was close. It was a pretty good day for us.”

Witkowski was also able to get past Barnes to take the second spot on the OMA podium.

“It was a good result,” Witkowski said. “I got a terrible start–pretty close to last–and then I was trying to pass and catch up to everyone. Cody kind of checked out in no dust. It was really dusty and tight, so I just tried to make the best of it.”

2017 OMA Nationals
FAMMX Grouch XC
Brueggeman Family Farm
Plainview, Illinois
Results: August 5, 2017

Overall
1. Chris Bach-KTM (first Pro)
2. Mike Witkowski-KTM
3. Cody Barnes-Yam
4. Logan Lowrey-Bet (first Pro 2)
5. Adam Bonneur-Suz
6. Cody Bollinger-Yam
7. Drake Lineback-KTM
8. Mark Heresco-KTM
9. Steve Leivan-KTM
10. Tommy Fortune Jr.-Yam (first B Class)

The post Bach Blazes at OMA FAMMX Design Grouch XC appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

The Pro race started with a wave of the green flag by Monty Gusse, and Cody Barnes rocketed his Fly Racing G2 Mom and Dad-sponsored YZ250 to the head of the pack, collecting the FMF holeshot award. After just over two hours, seven laps of the grueling eight-mile course, Mike Witkowski and his RPM Racing St. Lawrence Radiology KTM crossed through the finish line banner to take the checkered flag first. Chris Bach followed just 12 seconds later aboard his RPM Racing FMF KTM. Barnes rounded out the Pro podium, followed by the Bone Cutter Beta of Pro 2 winner and fourth place overall finisher Logan Lowrey. Adam Bonneur, aboard his Fun Mart Fly Racing Suzuki, took fourth place in the Pro class and fifth overall.

“It was good,” Witkowski said. “Luckily, I got a pretty good start behind Cody (Barnes) and kind of rode behind him until he made a mistake. It was super dusty if you were back in the pack, so I tried to lead as much as I could. When Chris (Bach) did get by me, I tried to make sure I stayed right with him, and actually made a pass back.”

While conditions were rough, Witkowski made the best of what the field was given.

“It was actually a really fun course,” Witkowski said. “I was kind of surprised. A few years ago, I came here and kind of got my butt handed to me. I definitely figured it out today, and it was fun. It’s super exciting to win against good competition. It was a long day, and Chris made it interesting.”

While second place was not the original plan for Chris Bach, the winner of the previous round, the Buck Run XC, said that the event was super fun.

“It was a good day.” Said Bach, who also rides for the RPM Racing team and was happy for his teammate, Witkowski. “It would have been a lot better if I was standing over here [on the winner’s step of the podium]. I obviously would have liked to win, but, from a team aspect, I am super happy with the way Mike rode. He managed the race like a professional today, not like an XC2 guy.”

Recalling his own race, Bach said “it was super hot, for sure. Good course today. Super single track. Real old school enduro or even old school hare scramble. If someone asked you to describe a Bill Gusse course, today would have been it. It was a really good course. I was real happy with it, and I was super happy with my bike. I got a bad start, rode my way up to second, caught Mike and he was riding really well. I tried to make a couple moves on him and couldn’t do it. There were only a couple places on the whole track where you could pass, and he [Witkowski] pretty much had it covered. There really wasn’t a whole lot I could do. I got fuel and lost a bunch of time. I caught back up with him, but I just couldn’t make the move without being really dirty, and there is no need for that. We had a really good battle, and I think we both pushed the pace at the end. I don’t know if I want to go much faster than that.”

Third place Pro rider Cody Barnes said, ”I lead for a little. Then Mike and Chris got around me. They were both riding really good. It was dusty and a little rough. There was a lot of little tree stumps. Once you got out of the dust a little, out on your own, you were able to ride. It had a lot of kind of tight corners around the trees and stuff. I lead for a little. I couldn’t really run with Mike or Bach. It was just so dusty it was hard to follow and not hit stuff and make mistakes.”

Fourth place overall went to hard charging Pro 2 winner Logan Lowrey and his FMF Beta. Lowrey caught a bit of a break on the final lap, as he had been battling the entire race with Pro 2 series leader Mark Heresco. Unfortunately for Heresco, a tough uphill on the last lap was the final push for his machine, and Heresco found himself unable to complete the lap.

“Me and Mark [Heresco] had a really good battle all day,” Lowrey said. “I had a horrible start, and I passed him and built a gap. Then we got in to really nasty lappers, and he got a good line and got me back. I was just kind of hovering there. It was hard to catch him because of all the lappers and dust. I ran him down, and I was right there on him. He went to go up a hill climb, and something just went wrong. I thought, man, a little luck just went our way.”

Round 7 of the 2017 OMA Nationals is scheduled to take place in Plainview, Illinois, August 5.

2017 OMA Nationals
OMA Rekluse Cyclone XC
Iowa Enduro Riders Association
Dayton, Iowa
Results: July 16, 2017 (Round 4 of 6)
Overall
1. Mike Witkowski-KTM
2. Chris Bach-KTM
3. Cody Barnes-Yam
4. Logan Lowrey-Bet (first Pro 2)
5. Adam Bonneur-Suz
6. Tanner Whipple-KTM (first A Class)
7. Steve Leivan- KTM
8. Brandon Farnum-Yam
9. Colten Zuidema-KTM
10. Tristin Melgoza-Yam

The post OMA Nationals Cyclone XC to Mike Witkowski appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

Enough of this bull!!!

What in the pluperfect hell is so wrong with getting wasted on the night before a race and then going out the next day and still enjoying it as much as your protesting body will allow? Who says that every racer should be Jack Armstrong?

Sometimes, I think that the only riders with common sense are the Old Timers Club and the Over-the-Hill Gang. These fine fellow racers don’t take things quite so seriously and actually have fun at what they’re doing. They have also been known to have a cool tall one in between motos on a particularly hot day. Are they any less the man for giving in to the natural urge to have a beer when the call demands? No. A thou­sand times no.

There is a place in this world for the beer gut. Twenty pounds of padding makes falling down easier to deal with.

Does every rider have to weigh in at 130 pounds and look like Eli Tomac of Kenny Roczen? Can these lean young riders ever experience the thrill of eating an entire bucket of fried chicken right before a moto? No. They’re so caught up in the seriousness of their approach that they stave off enjoyment in the pursuit of enjoyment.

Wait until after the race to have that Big Mac or pepperoni pizza, they say. It’ll slow you down. Oh, really now? How many tenths of a second will a ham sandwich take off your lap times? And for that matter, who cares? Aren’t most of us in this for the pure fun of it anyways? It gets me sick just to think about the extreme examples of dedication and so-called training that have made the fun of racing a mockery of itself. Let’s get back to those days of old, when the beer cooler was the first thing put in the back of the truck, rather than the toolbox.

And another thing. All this emphasis on equipment and maintenance. Hah! My method of motorcycle maintenance is to buy the cheapest bike I can and never touch it. Then, when it falls apart some time later, I merely get another cheap bike.

Having ridden both good and average equipment on various tracks tinder many conditions, I have yet to see much difference in the actual results. Clean a filter? Never! Buy a new one when the old one gets so clogged up it won’t pass air. This may seem like an expensive way to handle things, but I can assure you, that at the end of the year, I will have spent no more money than the average rider in my class who spends much time and money, only to have the same miserable record of finishes and placings that I do.

Ride, yes. But work? No. Enjoy. Let yourself relax. Leave the tuning and wrench raising to those who are paranoid about such things.

Those of us who have finally matured enough to under­stand and accept mediocrity can see the wisdom of this approach.Those who demand winning and perfection may never get it anyway. Isn’t it far better to not even try that hard, and be even more pleased the occasional times in life when everything works out fine by accident?

Again, face it. The best laid plans of most of us, most of the time, never work out. So why try so hard? Relax. Enjoy your racing, like our Creator intended us to do.

Sure, try as hard as you feel like during the actual race, but don’t get all bent out of shape by trying to get in shape. After all, life is far too short to spend all of your time working at your playing.

And one more thing. I promise not to pass you if you embrace my philosophy. Cross my heart.

Heh heh.

The post Rick Sieman Column: Get Out of Shape Quick! appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

We’re not sure where this race video was actually shot, only that it comes courtesy of Sowman Films. But wherever it is, it appears to be pretty fun-looking scramble course, with wide open pasture seconds splitting up tight and technical woods sections.

But what’s more impressive about this video is that it portrays just how hard rider Josh Donald has to work in order to come from last place to finish second in the race. Donald starts off by, well, not starting, as he struggles to get his Honda CRF fired up after the dead-engine start gets underway. Donald passes riders like a madman, but stalls the bike a few times along the way. Crashes also begin to take their toll, and you can hear Donald’s voice as he begins to cramp and lose feeling in his hands.

The fatigue becomes even more obvious when Donald begins to wipe out the banners that mark the course sections. Even so, at one point Donald manages to find his way into the lead, pretty impressive, considering what he has gone through, and he ultimately finishes second in the race.

Naturally, the viewer comments on the Facebook page range from ridicule to respect. Some say that Donald can’t ride a lick, while others give him a lot of respect for his speed and tenacity. No matter. The video is extremely entertaining and worth a look. It’s a glimpse into the beauty and the challenge that off-road racers of all skill levels experience at events around the world every weekend.

Extreme is what you make it.

The post Video: The Race from Hell Displays Rider Fatigue appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

The event was also co-sanctioned with the folks from the IERA, and a large crowd of bikes lined for this Missouri mud fest. After two hours and twenty-two minutes, Chris Bach and his RPM KTM FMF Klim 450 XC-F crossed the OMA Nationals finish line with a five-minute gap over second place, his RPM KTM teammate Mike Witkowski. Cody Barnes and his Mom and Dad sponsored Peterson Chiropractic Fly Racing G2 Yamaha followed, one minute later, to complete the Pro podium.

Pro 2 class winner Mark Heresco put his SRT Offroad KTM through the finish line next, collecting fourth place overall with a time that was eleven minutes longer than Chris Bach’s two hour and twenty-two-minute mark. Heresco was followed by the Fun Mart Cycles Fly Racing Suzuki of Adam Bonneur, who claimed fourth place in the Pro class, and was the last rider to complete seven laps of the course. Bonneur’s time was two hours and forty-four minutes.

Cody Bollinger and the Lakewood Electric backed Yamaha were one lap down from the leaders, taking second place in the Pro 2 class, while Yamaha mounted Brandon Forrster completed the Pro 2 podium just seconds behind Bollinger. As a side note, nearly half of the riders who started this race were many laps down at the end. Of the nearly ninety starters, only fifty managed more than one lap of the gnarly and technically challenging trail.

After the race, Chris Bach jokingly remarked that the trail was “moist.”

“It was definitely a bit wet,” Bach said. “It actually wasn’t that bad though. It was super tacky, single track, one rut stuff. The bottoms were a little nasty, but it was pretty good.” After a back and forth battle with his RPM Racing teammate Mike Witkowski, Bach indicated that a mistake by the younger racer was the turning point in their race. “Just after half way he (Witkowski) made a pretty big mistake on one of the more technical hill climbs, and had to give it another go. He had to go back to the bottom, turn around, and come back up. So, once I didn’t hear him behind me, I was able to put my head down, and I pushed a little bit and got myself a pretty comfortable gap.” Bach said “it was definitely challenging. I was actually quite surprised that the other guys were out there circulating on the last lap. It was not an easy course and not an easy day for racing, that’s for sure. I really want to thank you guys for putting on an awesome track. It’s been a few years since I’ve been out. I had a blast today. I know it was challenging, but I had a lot of fun riding my motorcycle, so I thank you for that.”

While second place was not what Mike Witkowski was shooting for, the series points leader was happy with his day.

“The first half was pretty good,” recalled Witkowski. “Me and Chris (Bach) hooked up and rode together. Then I made a mistake on a hill and had to go back down. He got away, so that was kind of how my day went. After that I just struggled. It was tough. It was really one line, and I really wore myself out towards the end.  But, it was fun. It was challenging, for sure.”

Cody Barnes also had a good day except for an incident mid-race.

“Around the fourth lap, once Mike and them got pulled away, I was still feeling good,” recalled the young privateer from Illinois. “But, I ended up crushing my pinkie. It really hurt to hold on, and the vibration of the bike really bothered me. But, after that lap, it kind of felt a little better. It got numb and I was able to ride a little better. That one lap it really messed with me.” Barnes said “the course was good. It was slippery, but once we found ourselves in the ruts and stuff, it was good. You could really get in some of the spots and go pretty fast. But, there was also some technical hills and stuff. It was a good day. I think the OMA did a good job setting up the track for what they had and the conditions that they had.”

Pro 2 winner, Mark Heresco prides himself on his ability to keep a clear head and think about race strategy. The Pennsylvania racer rode smart all race, minimizing mistakes and continually moving forward in the pack.

“It was a good time,” he said “I enjoyed it. You’ve got to hang back and figure out what you are doing. Each mistake is a big one, so you try to make less mistakes.” Heresco said the track was “good, fun, muddy, a little dangerous, but a good time.”

Rounding out the top five, Morrison, Illinois based Adam Bonneur and his Fly Racing Fun Mart G2 Suzuki started well, then had a mishap on the trail.

“I followed these clowns for about a lap and a half,” said Bonneur, referring to his racing friends in the lead pack. “Then my front tire caught a log laying the wrong way and put me in to about a twelve-inch maple tree out there. I got real up close and personal – kissed it with the front of my helmet. I broke a handguard and kind of gathered myself and took a few deep breathes. This humidity and heat kind of zaps it out of you. I was just trying to have a fun day, and I haven’t struggled that bad in a long time. I really did struggle today. Mainly the dirt, with it being hard and slick and then some of it being sticky and tacky, it definitely kept you on your toes.”

2017 OMA Nationals
OMA DP Brakes Buck Run
Results: June 18, 2017

Overall

1. Chris Bach-KTM
2. Mike Witkowski-KTM
3. Cody Barnes Yam
4. Mark Heresco KTM (first Pro 2)
5. Adam Bonneur-Suz
6. Cody Bollinger-Yam
7. Brandon Forrster-Yam
8. Colten Zuidema-KTM (first A Class)
9. Bryan Johnson-Kaw
10. Andrew Smith-KTM

The post Chris Bach Tops Slick OMA Buck Run XC appeared first on Dirt Bikes.

However, the word cancel does not exist in the Bill Gusse vocabulary, so, as they say, the show must go on. Come Saturday morning, race day, the track was wet and sloppy, but the sun was out, and conditions were good. This would not be an easy race. The technically challenging, old-school trails were now also very wet and sloppy with Missouri mud, making the roots and rocks a challenge for even the best of riders.

Monty Gusse dropped the green flag, and the combined Pro 1 and Pro 2 front row shot downhill towards the American Flag corner, then uphill to the FMF holeshot line behind Pro 2 racer Cody Bollinger and his Lakewood Electric Yamaha. In to the woods and off on their adventure, numerous battles throughout the classes developed in the slick conditions. Jason Thomas ripped his nimble little Husqvarna 125 two-stroke machine to the lead with the KTM of Mike Witkowski hot on his rear wheel early in the first lap. It was an intense battle for the entire two hours. While Witkowski briefly took the lead after Thomas stopped for gas, the scrappy rider from England re-established his lead and held off the young racer from Indiana for the win.

When the mud settled, after a two-hour battle, it was Jason Thomas and his Power Motorsports Moose Racing Husqvarna 125 edging out the RPM Racing KTM of Mike Witkowski, with a gap of just one second. They were literally shoulder to shoulder after passing the finish line. Witkowski put forth a huge effort, clocking the fastest lap of the day on his final lap, but it was just not enough. Adam Bonneur rounded out the Pro 1 Podium aboard a Fun Mart Cycles Fly Racing Suzuki RM-Z450.

Thomas, who was at the waterlogged GNCC event, decided to hop in the truck with fellow racer and friend Duell Murphy, and have a go at the OMA Nationals “instead of sitting there all day in the rain.” According to Thomas, “Duell Murphy wanted to ride over and carpool, so I decided to come over. It turned out good. The track kind of suited the bike.” He said “I got a good start, went in to the lead, and battled with Mikey (Witkowski) there a little bit, and was able to hold on to the finish there. It was good.”

Mike Witkowski was “super bummed about it” after the race. “I know I could have probably got him somewhere at the end,” said Witkowski, “because I felt like I was riding better. I was kind of cruising. It is just really frustrating, but it is good. It was good practice, and it was fun.”

The close battles also reached in to the Pro 2 class, where Mark Heresco snuck past the Beta 250RR of Alex Witkowski just two laps from the end of the race, and poured it on to finish at the top of Pro 2 and fourth place overall. Heresco said “I stayed back early, then I worked my way to the front later in the race.” According to Heresco, the best race plan is “just take it easy and ride like you know how to.” Witkowski, who finished second in class, did not realize Heresco was passing in class for the lead until it was too late. “When I came through scoring on the white flag lap it said second. I tried to push as hard as I could,” said Witkowski, “and I actually started making more mistakes that last lap instead of going faster.” Duell Murphy, Thomas’ carpool buddy, finished with sixth place overall, completing the Pro 2 podium.

2017 OMA Nationals
Sidi Beaman Monster XC
Patrick O’Neill Property
Results: May 21, 2017

Overall
1. Jason Thomas-Hus/Pro 1
2. Mike Witkowski-KTM/Pro 1
3. Adam Bonneur-Suz/Pro 1
4. Mark Heresco-KTM/Pro 2
5. Alex Witkowski-Bet/Pro 2
6. Duell Murphy-KTM/Pro 2
7. Logan Lowrey-Bet/Pro 2
8. Colten Zuidema-KTM/A
9. Steve Leivan-KTM/Pro 1
10. Cody Bollinger-Yam/Pro 2

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What is this all about?
The next time you get to this hill, you try to go a little faster and find that you are going too fast for comfort. So you squeeze the front brake and the front wheel skids the bike sideways. A fraction of a second later, you find yourself on your back in the dirt staring at the sky. You have just Endoed.

The reason most beginning riders fear down hills is because they have crashed their brains out on them. It doesn’t have to be this way.

You have to learn to accept the fact that 90% of the crashes on down hlls are caused by improper braking, or going too slow.  Yup, going too slow will prevent your bike from skimming across the normal ruts and bumps in any downhill. Combine that with improper braking and you have all the makings of a classic Endo.

When you’re riding a dirt bike on level ground, all you have to deal with is the force of gravity on the bike. When you’re going on a downhill, you’re dealing with gravity plus.  On level ground, you can often go a bit faster to smooth things out. On a downhill, if you go faster your fear level rises.

Never, Ever Lock Up Either Wheel on Downills

Don’t ever attempt to do any sort of a turn on a downhill  when using the front brake. Not even a little bit. You’re just about guaranteed a washout  with the front end.  Don’t even touch that front brake when you make the turn. Sure, you can use the front brake right before the turn and immediately after completing the turn, but going to the turn itself… No way.

Always keep your body weight as far to the rear of the machine as you can. Consider, when the bike is pointed down, most of the weight is on the front and very little is on the rear. By keeping your butt back,  you tend to even out the forces.

Keep your feet on the pegs. You’ll find it virtually impossible keep your weight to the rear of the bike if you have your feet off the pegs; this means that the further you slide for on the tank, the closer you are to falling on the ground.

Different Kinds of Downhills

Fast downhills are very tempting, especially if you are doing well in the race. Whether a downhill can be taken quickly or not, depends mainly on what is at the bottom of the downhill. If the bottom of the hill has a relatively smooth straight run to slowdown in, the hill could be taken at greater speed. One thing to keep in mind;  the heavier your bike is the harder it is to slowdown.

On slow down hills, just remember that the more speed you ride the rough, the smoother your bike rides.  And as long as you can make the curves, that’ll do the trick.

The Biggest Problem with Downhills

The only real obstacle you have left to overcome is in your mind. The average rider will never want to descend a hill  that he can’t stop on. You will probably never  have gotten over the fear of going down a hill, especially a fast rough downhill.  So forget it and ignore the fact that that it is a downhill.  It’s nothing more than a straight pointed down and if you have a smooth run at the bottom, you’re home free. There, gravity will let you stop easily.

Sometimes You Can’t Ride a Downhill
Here is we have to resort to a technique called bulldogging.  First, you kill the engine and leave the transmission in first gear. Get off the machine and lock the tank of the machine under your right arm.   You have the front brake and the dead engine will act as a rear brake.  You can control how this works by engaging or disengaging the clutch. Put both feet wide apart and skid down the hill with your feet near the front axle. Remember, bulldogging a bike down a hill is sort of a last resort.

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