OMA Nationals Round Wrap Up June 20& 21, Rio Mesick, Michigan Proudly Co-Sanctioning with Twin Bay Trail Riders Rd 4 Results Race Reports and Article Links Posted Below Wallpaper 1024x768 / Widescreen Wallpaper 1024x768 / Widescreen **Click on "Listen" below images to hear the racers interviewed by John Gasso. Names missing to be filled in asap. ATV Podium Interviews Pro's "Listen" Click on images to view larger. Kyle Martin - Pro - Overall - Honda 450 R - Maxxis / Dirtworks Motorsports (Willow Springs, MO) / Fly Racing / Scott / HMF "Listen" Bryan Hulsey - Pro - 2nd Place - Honda / Duncan Racing / Moose Racing / Dirt Works "Listen" John Pitts - Pro - 3rd Place - Vee Rubber / Rekluse /Moose Racing / DR "Listen" Shawn Hess - Hess Motorsports / Honda / Full Factory Elk Suspension sponsored / Maxxis / Tucker Rocky / Answer Racing / Houser Racing "Listen" Shane Gaunt - Gaunt Motorsports / Maxxis / Torc / Streamline Breaklines / Scott Goggles "Listen" Chris Wanstead - A Class - 1st Place -- 3rd Overall Chris Blough -- A Class - 2nd Place -- 5th Overall Glenn Hess - Plus 30 - 1st Place "Listen" Chris Lockhart -- B Class - 1st Place Tryce Hathcock -- A Class - 3rd Place Garrett Arthur -- B Class -- 2nd Place Michael Novak -- Plus 30 -- 2nd Place Terry Wanstead -- Plus 30 -- 3rd Place Ryan Barness -- A Class -- 4th Place Trevor Johnson -- B Class -- 4th Place "Listen" Tyler Curtis -- C Class -- 3rd Place "Listen" Onto the Motorcycle Main Event... Posted below is a few pictures taken by John Gasso click on images to enlarge.   M/C Podium Interviews "Listen" 2008 OMA Champ Paul Whibley - Team JG Offroad / Geico / /Monster Energy / Moose Racing / Sidi "Listen"-- Race Report ~Click Scott Watkins - Team JG Offroad / Geico / Monster Energy / Moose Racing "Listen" Aaron Wegner - Pro - 3rd - Pro Moto Billet / Rekluse / Johnny Signs / Works Enduro Rider / IMS / Dirt Tricks "Listen" Adam Bonneur - Gieson Motorsports / Sidi boots / Scott goggles / Shoei Helmets / Moose Racing / Pro Moto Billet Fastway "Listen" Jeff Melik - Pro Moto Billet / Fastway / MSR / G2 - "Listen" Jimmy Jarrett - Team JG Offroad / Geico / Monster Energy / Moose Racing / Sidi "Listen" Dustin Gibson - Pro - "Listen" Shane Klimek - Pro - Chris Bach - Open A - 1st Place - 4th Overall Spastic Designs / Shift Racing / FMF / Fastway "Listen" Chase Bishop - Lite A - 1st Place "Listen" Tyler Tischler - Lite A - 2nd Place - Frazier Motorsports / Naarden.biz / Fastway TylerTischler.com Zach Klamfoth - Open A - 2nd Place Steve Leivan - 30-39 A - 1st Dunlop / Race Tech / Answer / Silkolene "Listen" Race Report Below Website Tyson Emery - Open A - 3rd Place "Listen" Ron Scharphorn - 30-39 A - 2nd Place Andy Brannon - 30-39 A - Smith / MSR 3rd Place Brian Kidner - Lite A David Stickel - 30-39 A - Geison Motorsports / Moose Racing / Smith / G2 "Listen" Jeremy Ott - Open A Cody Emery - Open A "Listen" Mark Becker - 40-49 A - 1st Place Tom Farris - 40-49 A - Rekluse / Smith / FMF 3rd Place John Biagi - Open B - 3rd Place Keith Zaagman - Open A - Moose Racing / Maxxis / Smith "Listen" David Vandecar - 30-39 C Craig Benson - 40-49 B David Lambert - 30-39 C - 1st Place Barry Elliott - 50-57 OMA would like to thank Parts Unlimited / Moose Racing - Maxxis - Yamaha - Kawasaki - KTM - DP Brakes - Rekluse - SIDI - Motion Pro - Johnny Signs - Cycra - Kal Gard - ProMoto Billet/Fastway - Wiseco - Fun Mart Cycle Center - Scott Goggles - Moto Comm Helmet Cams Thanks to the Publications for their support of our racers and sponsors Cycle News - Dirt Bike Magazine - Dust Magazine - ATV Riders.com - ATV Action - Trail Rider - Parts Magazine - Off Road Champions - and new online supporter Dirt Rider and ATV Rider! A Special Thanks to the LANDOWNERS, we thank them for their Great Hospitality! We would like to thank everyone for supporting us on Father's Day Weekend !!!

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STEVE LEIVAN   2009 RACE REPORT THE BATTLEGROUNDS: Round 4 OMA Nationals; Mesick, MI; June 21 WHICH YAMAHA I CHOSE: WR450 WHERE I FINISHED: 1 st +30 “A” – 10 th OVERALL GETTING READY: After feeling good on the bike again last week, I was really looking forward to heading up north for the Michigan round of the OMA series. I hadn’t ever raced in Michigan, but I did ride up there a couple of years ago on the way back from the World Enduro round, and it was really sandy and whooped out where we went. The temperature was supposed to be in the 70’s; which sounded way better than the mid-90’s at home. Dad and I picked up Chad Vaught in Springfield on Friday evening and we headed to St. Louis to grab Steve Akers. That almost went bad since he thought we were leaving Saturday morning instead of Friday night. Fortunately he works a second job and got off just as we got into town and luckily he answered his phone. It was around midnight and we were up and rolling again by 1:00 a.m. We decided the best way to keep this from happening again – military time! Dad will be so happy. Did I mention that Kole “my wife didn’t tell me no” Henslee didn’t go with us? 900 miles after we left home we landed in Mesick. Somewhere around Chi-town during the night, Dad managed to get the entire van off the ground in an attempt to double through some road construction. It woke us all up, but he managed to save it. Another crazy thing was that many of the trees had no leaves. It looked like early March up there. Come to find out, there is a gazillion of those worms that hang on the trees and eat all the leaves. Gusse says you can shoot a rabbit in those woods from 200 hundred yards. Uh, okay… It had rained Friday night, which made for ideal looking conditions. The pits were situated in the middle of some sand pits so the spectators would have plenty to see. We rode practice and it was TIGHT – even for a Gusse race. There were lots of pine trees and many different degrees of sand. I didn’t feel that great but figured the track would open up a bit during the race and get more, “racey”. I made a few changes to the bike and called it a night. Well, kind of. There were a bunch of us sitting around talking about race stuff when someone glanced at the clock. It was still daylight out – and it was almost 10:30! I figured it was about 8:30. There were several people talking about that the next day. “GO TIME”: I was on row three and didn’t get a very good start. In the sand pits I got around a couple of guys and then we funneled down into some single track and it was follow the leader. There was a really fast straight with some big roller jumps in it early in the lap and I pinned it through there and passed a few guys. I got in behind Andy Brannon; who beat me at the Kentucky round; and he had a whole stack of guys in front of him. Some were from our row and some from row two. We were just picking them off when we could. Then I hit a slick tree root and wedged the bike into a tree headed down hill with the fender on one side of it and the wheel on the other. I probably lost 30 seconds and six or eight positions getting going and then I realized the “supposed to be in the 70’s” deal was more like the 90’s. It was hot – way too hot to be picking the bike up. We got to an option section through some big rocks. On Saturday, the way around was to the left and seemed just as fast as the hard way so that’s where I headed. Then I found out the track had changed and I was “in” the hard section – with no momentum. So I was stuck and flailed around for what seemed like an eternity – losing precious time and more positions. I got going again and just tried to pass guys when I could. Some places it was basically impossible so I tried to be patient. On lap three, I caught Brannon again and tried to find a way past. I finally took a shot at him in a really rough open section and he backed off as we went back into the woods. I had the panic rev going and that probably assisted in me making the pass. We got to the rock section and I went around and he went through them and passed me back. That was good though, since I now knew the rock section was probably 10 seconds quicker. Just before the end of lap three he grabbed for a drink and I slipped by him. Dad let me know I was in second – and quite a ways back. I had a pretty clear track on lap four and I tried to pick up the pace. But it was hot and I could tell it in the tight stuff. There seemed to be no air in there and taking a full breath was quite a task. I kept after it and got within sight of the leader (Scharphorn) coming into the pits. He stopped for gas, I rode past, I stopped for gas, and he went back by. Dad said, “that’s him” and then it was “on”. I got on him before the long straight section and took the lead at a high rate of speed. Then we got into the tight stuff and he was all over me. I couldn’t get away from him but I was taking the good lines and he couldn’t pass me. We stayed together the whole fifth lap and I kept trying to get a gap but it wasn’t happening. Sometime during lap six I couldn’t hear him but I kept charging, also hoping to stay on the lead lap. The white flag came out at the start of lap seven and I saw him in the sand pit and I probably had 45 seconds, so I knew that I couldn’t back off. The final lap went pretty good and I got by a couple of guys from row two and that helped me out in the overall. I finally got done and got the class win and 10 th overall. The overall really surprised me considering how the day started and the mistakes that I made. But I rode solid after that and feel good about the result. OTHER STUFF: Akers had a really good ride to get 5 th in the Open”A” class. He started around 12 th or 15 th so he worked for it. That is a tough class and the winner; Chris Bach; got fourth overall so top five in there is awesome. Let’s see, Chad, well, uh, he got 9th in the Lite”A”. I haven’t been around him enough to know exactly how much fun I can make of him yet or how fragile his ego is, but I’ll say this. He was going to get the holeshot – for sure – and when they came into turn three, he was in last. I don’t think he got it. I passed him at the start of lap two and he seemed to be looking for something. I think it was his ego. But he finished; which I told him he had to do. Dad said he stopped after two laps and wanted some kind of sandwich. I think he had fun though. I wore my new lid compliments of Jerry B and Black Rainbow. It’s bitchin” and I won in my first attempt with it. John Gasso took some killer pics and I’ll have those soon – maybe by the time you read this. My nephew Colton raced a TORN/TORCS co-sanction race at Freestone where the National MX was a couple of weeks ago. Steph said he was on the gas and got second in the 50 Intermediate class – with a flat rear tire! Never quit! I think she might be proud of him. Whibley just keeps rolling. He’s 4 for 4 in the OMA series – but he didn’t lap me this time. It is tough to stay on the lead lap, so I figure if I don’t see Whibs then I’ve had a good day. Cole Kirkpatrick had a good day at the National Enduro in Wyoming. He got his best result of 09 – 4 th overall – and he said it was a really good “woodsy” event. I know he is hoping for more this coming weekend in Montana. My bike was really good again this week. The changes I made after practice helped out and I feel like I used to. Everything has come around these last two weeks. TODAYS “3 FASTEST”: 1. LEIVAN (YAMAHA); 2. Scharphorn (KTM); 3. Brannon (YAMAHA) THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! SPONSOR LIST - THOSE THAT MAKE IT HAPPEN

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