WHIBLEY WINS OMA ROUND 3

Round 3 of the OMA series brought warm temperatures (90s/30s) and a faster track than round 2.

It was at this track last year that I won my very first OMA event and started my 7 race winning streak that led to the championship. So I was feeling good about the track and looking forward to a good race. My shoulder was still pretty sore after the crash at the GNCC the previous weekend. I had tried to ride on Thursday but it was too weak so I was relying on the adrenaline to make it all better on race day.

Lining up on the start, the sun was beating down, sweat was already flowing freely. I got another great jump of the line although Jimmy Jarrett beat me to the first turn, he ran wide and I was able to sneak up the inside and take the hole shot. I settled into a good rhythm and soon found myself opening up a lead. By the time we had completed a lap I was out to about a 30 second lead. The track was pretty fun with a good mix of fast open woods and fields with the typical tight technical trails that Gusse just can't help himself including to challenge all. I came around to complete the second lap and Katherine gave me the pit board saying that I was out to about a 50 sec lead. I was enjoying the track and my shoulder wasn't bothering me too much, just when you really have to distort your body to avoid clipping a tree, that sudden movement would send a sharp flash through my shoulder. Maybe it was just my body trying to remind me that tagging a tree is never good.

Gas stop after 3 laps went smooth thanks to Monty, Katherine, Joy and the rest of the JG Off Road crew. On the following lap I had a bit of a moment on one of the creek jumps. A rut was forming where I was landing, from bikes climbing out of the creek. This rut was on an angle and right were I placed my front end. I saw this rut at the last second, it had got a lot worse and tried to pull the front end up to get the front over it and avoid an endo. Instead when I landed on the far side my weight was too far back and I got all out of shape and whiskey throttled it, I almost ended up back in the creek further along the track.

Well I ended up in the creek, my bike managed to stay up on the bank. I got going again pretty quick but this helped Jimmy to close the gap back to about 20 seconds. I saw he was closer on one of the switch back grass tracks and stepped it up, regaining my time buffer over the last couple of laps and crossed the line at the conclusion of the event with over a minute lead.

Jimmy maintained second spot ahead of Thad DuVall who had began to put some pressure on him on the last lap.

Results:
1st: Paul Whibley
2nd: Jimmy Jarrett
3rd: Thad DuVall
4th: Jason Thomas
5th: Scotty Watkins

Thanks to my following sponsors:
GEICO, Kawasaki Monster Energy, Moose Racing, RG3 Suspension, Moto SR, Shoei, Sidi, Smith, CTi, Pirelli, Leo Vince, ProMoto Billet/Fastway, IMS, Vortex Ignitions, G2, P.G. Graphics, Silkolene, EBC Brakes, Tsubaki Chains, No Toil, Renthal, WER, BRP, Rekluse, CV4, Motion Pro, Works Connection, Enduro Engineering