OXC Season 2, Round 8
September 5th, 2009
Written by: Stephanie Hulsey
For racing fans who love the thrill of down-to-the-wire, final round action, they were on the edge of their seats as the Ozark Cross County ATV Racing series wrapped up its 2009 season.
The chill of the Missouri morning greeted the future of the series, as 18 youth riders took to the rocky terrain in the PeeWee Beginner, Intermediate, and Pro classes. Travis Gromowski beat out 12 other Pro riders to take the final round win, while Brian Wolfe claimed the class Championship with only a five point lead over Gromowski.
The ladies dueled it out in the Women’s class with Hannah Payne, Shellie Robertson, and Kerri Roberts claiming the top three podium spots. With seven class wins on record for Roberts, she claimed the class Championship for 2009.
With the overall championship still up for grabs as the Pro Class took off from the starting line in Eugene, it was Carson Coffman launching out in front of the nine other riders and leading them through the tight twists and turns on the lead lap.
Knocking bark off the trees was easier than getting a good passing line and a good start, a little luck, and bumper-to-grab-bar action was what it took to claim your spot and get out ahead. After getting held up behind a tangle of quads on the approach into the woods, Kyle Martin fought a rough and tumble battle in an attempt to secure his second consecutive OXC title in as many years. With few water crossings or treacherous hills, technical maneuvers and caution met the near one hundred racers throughout the hour and a half battle through the rocky Missouri soil.
Bryan Hulsey was able to swipe the lead from Coffman on the second lap and began a heated battle all the way to the end. Never far behind, and certainly not out of sight, Michael Burrows pushed Hulsey lap after lap, but was not able to get a pass for the lead. DJ Shrum followed only seconds behind after gaining a third place position on the second lap. In the final lap, Hulsey’s quad kicked up a rock that sent Burrows into a tree and gave DJ Shrum second place in the final moments of the race. Shortly after, Shrum stole the lead from Hulsey with a new line and looked to take his first OXC win. But, it was contact with a tree and damage to his quad that would take away Shrum’s hope for the win.
As the checkered flag flew, it was Hulsey claimed his first OXC win. Burrows crossed 35 seconds later for second place. Jake Wyatt moved up from his eighth place run after lap two to take third place overall, while his brother Tucker Wyatt crossed first in the Pro-Am class with a fourth place overall finish. After making his way from 32nd overall, defending champion, Martin, rounded out the top five and clinched the season Championship by a one-point lead over Burrows.
Taking a third place finish in the class in Eugene, Ron Bloodworth took first place overall for the season in the Pro-Am class.
The OXC series will return again for the 2010 season and racers look forward to more great racing action in Missouri.
