OMA NATIONALS - MXC SERIES

Jarrett takes fourth victory in a row
Article and photos by John Gasso (Captions-Darcy)

The conditions in Memphis, Missouri were not the best for round five of the OMA Nationals.

The Maxxis Moonshine 100 was run in high heat and dust, but everyone said they had fun. Sunday morning started with mini racers on the lower track section. Logan Houzenga ran away with his mini race aboard a little KTM. He said the track was “good.” Tyler Rusk took first place in the trail rider class aboard a 110 pit bike. According to Rusk “the track was pretty fun.” Rusk would like to thank his step-dad Troy. “He’s given me a lot of support.” Texan Ben Otto took third place in the fifty class. According to Otto, “it was bumpy.” Jenna Lewey finished second in her race of the seven year olds and when asked about the track she said, “it’s ok.” The kids don’t have much yet for their interviews, but they all had smiles and collected plaques for racing. Many of their plaques collected pro racer autographs at the noon session with the PRO racers.

himself atop the OMA Nationals podium for the fourth race in a row on Sunday July eighth. The factory backed Suzuki rider pulled off another holeshot and stayed in front of the pack in dusty conditions at the Mid America Motorsports Park near Memphis Missouri. Jarrett said, “I had no choice really. At the beginning I got out front. I knew it was going to be dusty, so I tried to get out front early and let them eat my dust. After that I just kind of put it on cruise control.” The only real problem Jarrett experienced all days was the failure of his camelback on the first lap. “I didn’t have much to drink all day”, he said. “Luckily those guys were giving me drinks.” After two hours and thirty-nine minutes the three time OMA National Champion added another thirty points to his series total with the win.

Second place went to Brian Garrahan (Yamaha / Moose Racing / Maxxis) aboard the big, thumping Yamaha four stroke just

thirty nine seconds later. He said “the big girl, I was wringing her out pretty good. I like this big bike. It works good for me and it flows well.” He had a “mediocre” start, but was “happy it started on the first kick.” Garrahan and Jason Thomas (Fun Mart Yamaha / Moose Racing / Maxxis) had a good battle early in the race. Unfortunately the seat came off of Thomas’ bike and the friendly young gentleman from Wales would leave the event early with a DNF. After Thomas went away, Garrahan “just kind of settled in and just kind of rode around and took second.” The Valli Construction Fun Mart Yamaha performed well with the new Maxxis SX Supercross tire Garrahan mounted to handle the dry terrain.

Traverse City, Michigan rider Aaron Wegner (Yamaha / ONeal / Kenda) picked up the final podium spot aboard a Fastway

Yamaha YZ250. Wegner said, “I had a pretty decent start going in the first corner and then I went down in the second corner. I had a lot of catching up to do. I just worked my way up a little bit each lap.” Wegner and sixth place finisher Adam Bonneur (Yamaha / Moose Racing / Maxxis) battled for most of the race. Bonneur took a spill later in the race and lost his front brake lever. At the end of six laps in ninety five degree heat Wegner was exhausted, but grabbed third place.

The KTM 250XC piloted by Cole Kirkpatrick (KTM / Moose Racing / Maxxis) rolled in under the Moose Racing canopy at the finish line in fourth place. “It went good”, he said. “I got a good jump off the line. I got run into but I didn’t fall. A couple guys fell in the next couple corners and I was able to get around several guys.” The race went longer than Kirkpatrick expected.

He “charged a little bit early in the last lap”, but was able to hold on for the finish. “I was just trying not to make any mistakes and just (be) fast but smooth. I’m just real pleased with my result.”

Ryan Powell (Yamaha / Moose Racing / Scott USA / Leo Vance) picked up fifth place aboard his Mach One Motorsports 07 Yamaha YZ250. “I just tried to learn how to ride, because I’m from California. It took me a while to figure it out. Once I started figuring it out it was fun,” he said. “I loved having the fast grass tracks to open it up on, more like back home for me.” The west coast visitor, who came out to the race with Brian Garrahan, said “The real tight stuff was really fun. I just kept plugging away. Every once in a while I’d catch somebody and pass ‘em. Somehow I managed to make my way all the way to fifth, so I was stoked on that.”

Adam Bonneur (Fun Mart Yamaha / Moose Racing / Maxxis) raced with Jason Thomas until the seat incident took Thomas out.

Then Aaron Wegner was on Bonneur, and they “rode a couple good laps together. He was a little bit faster than me, but I was keeping up with him until my front end washed out in a corner and broke my front brake lever”, said the teenager from Morrison Illinois. “I tried sticking it out. You come in to some of those corners a little hot it puts you in the trees awfully quick not having a front brake. It’s pretty difficult to ride like that. I stuck it out and ended up like sixth I think. You know, I just tried to get points and finish up.” Bonneur thanked Scott Goggles, BelRay oils, IMS gas tanks, and Fastway for their support.

Roseville Suzuki rider Bryce Olson finished just seventeen seconds ahead of Indiana racer Chris Bach, who was aboard a KTM, to pick up seventh place.

Olson said, “I think the course was awesome, and the bike worked perfect.” Ninth place overall went to Open A rider Jake Fiddler from Johnny Signs on another KTM, while JD Friebel picked tenth overall aboard his Suzuki. Yamaha mounted 30 to 39 A class rider Matt Stavish captured eleventh overall and Zach Sulzberger picked up twelfth overall, also aboard a Yamaha.

Cody Mastin wrestled his Yamaha YZ450 around to claim thirteenth overall. Mastin said the big bike was a handful for him. The sweat soaked racer said, “I got real tired. It seemed like more than two hours.” Beau Otto also had some issues with his 450. This was Otto’s first ride on the big KTM 450XC, and he “stalled a lot.” Otto had a rough day and finished

in fortieth place overall. He did have a big smile when relating one bright spot in his race. “I think I splashed Billy (Gusse) in the creek”, said the friendly Texan. “I think I got him.”

One more racer to speak of, Amanda Mastin. Currently a member of the Geico Team made her OMA debut along side her father, Randy Mastin (50+ Class) and brother, Cody Mastin (Open A). Pulling up on the starting line, the Mastin Family are all Yamaha mounted chasing the Yamaha Bucks! Amanda rounded up a few girls to run the class, just to take the win away from them. Which is understandable, for Amanda is dominating the Women's class up and down the East Coast and throughout the Mid West. The Mastin Family would wrap up the day with impressive results, Cody 13th Overall, Amanda 45th Overall, and Pops, Randy... 21st Overall. See Amanda's race report at Bell-Ray ~ Click


Cody Mastin - Open A - Shooow Off...

Moonshine Top 20 Overall

1	Jarrett, Jimmy,	PRO MC	02:39:40	Suzuki
2	Garrahan, Brian,	PRO MC	02:40:19	Yamaha
3	Wegner, Aaron,	PRO MC	02:42:02	Yamaha
4	Kirkpatrick, Cole,	PRO MC	02:42:49	KTM
5	Powell, Ryan,	PRO MC	02:43:23	Yamaha
6	Bonneur, Adam,	PRO MC	02:43:32	Yamaha
7	Olson, Bryce,	PRO MC	02:43:44	Suzuki
8	Bach, Chris,	PRO MC	02:44:11	KTM
9	Fiddler, Jake,	Open A	02:48:10	KTM
10	Friebel, JD,	Open A	02:48:47	Suzuki
11	Stavish, Matt,	30-39 A	02:48:57	Yamaha
12	Sulzberger, Zack,	PRO MC	02:49:04	Yamaha
13	Mastin, Cody,	Open A	02:50:55	Yamaha
14	Ashburn, Jordan,	Open B	02:51:23	KTM
15	Coetzer, Devon,	PRO MC	02:52:47	Kawasaki
16	Carr, Clint,	PRO MC	02:53:41	Yamaha
17	Lenth, Ryan,	Lite A	02:55:41	KTM
18	Garetson, Chuck,	30-39 A	02:56:01	Suzuki
19	Ott, Jeremy,	Open A	02:58:33	Kawasaki
20	Statom, Lucas,	Lite A	03:00:01	KTM

50cc Jr Podium

3rd - Tyler Collins

1st - Matthew Harris

2nd - Jenna Lewey

Congratulations Kids!

50cc Sr Podium

3rd - Benjamin Otto

1st - Logan Housenga

2nd - Braden Housenga




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