Story: Stephanie Hulsey
Photos By: Miller Photography

Round 3 of the OXC Pulls in 131 Racers in Missouri
Kyle Martin Takes 2nd Overall Win

April 5, 2008
Reeds Spring, MO
131 Racers
Mid 60's & Sunny
Wet, rocky & technical 6 Mile Track

PRO Holeshot with Kyle Martin Leading. PRO Polaris Rider Bryan Baker making the pass on Carson Coffman. 3rd Place PRO finisher Matt Olsen. PRO Top Five from Left, Jody Estes 4th, Bryan Baker 2nd, Kyle Martin 1st, Matt Olsen 3rd, Jac Johnson 5th.

Right off the starting line of round three, it was single file with rocks flying, weaving through a couple twists and turns at the edge of the woods, and under the arch where many spectators chose to view the hole shot battle.  It was déjà vu for Missouri’s Kyle Martin, who once again grabbed the hole shot in the Pro Class and held onto the lead for the five lap race.  Martin said that getting through the lappers in the bottlenecks was key to clinching the top spot in the afternoon race and a commanding points lead in the series.  Fourteen Pro’s were among the 131 racers battling it out on the rocky terrain at the Reeds Spring venue of the Ozarks Cross Country ATV Racing series.

This six-mile track was the most challenging so far with its rocky terrain, Ozark hills, creek crossings, and bottlenecks plaguing riders throughout the race.  A section of the track was rerouted before the start of the race when some riders found that bottlenecks can play havoc even during practice.  Recent rains throughout the state left the soil soft and when combined with the loose rocks, and off camber sections, created a struggle for many riders on steep uphill climbs and downhill turns.

Joining Martin on the podium was Bryan Baker and his Polaris Outlaw, placing second after starting from dead last off the start and having a lengthy battle with a rocky ledge in an attempt to work his way around lappers hung up in a bottleneck.  OXC’s emcee, Matt Olson of Illinois, took a different spot on the podium this time, finishing third overall for the day on his Honda and tying with Kentucky’s Jake Yates for third place in series points.  While the bottlenecks were a concern for many, Olson stated they seemed to work in his favor.  After battling with Yates and Zac Johnson, it was Olson who came through for the final podium spot.

Jody Estes, aboard his Gateway Cycles Kawasaki took fourth place honors, while Zac Johnson rounded out the top five at Reeds Spring.  Johnson is now tied with Carson Coffman for second place in series points.

Todd Senger came through the finish line in fourth place after lap two and pressed his way through lappers to hold onto second place, only to drop to sixth overall in the final lap due to mechanical problems.  Two of the Pro-Am racers, Josh Eaton and Frankie Musarra raced their way among the Pro’s to take the seventh and tenth place spots among the top ten overall finishers.  Round three’s top ten all came through for the checkered flag within seven minutes for an exciting finish to a hard fought race.

Thirteen women and youth class racers tackled the southern Missouri terrain in the morning class.  After three rounds, Hannah Payne, Kerri Roberts, and Shellie Robertson are at the top of the Women’s class standings.

With the season half over, point battles are a thought on some racers minds.  In the Pro-Am Class, Jeff Range and Tony Friga are tied for first, with Josh Eaton only one point behind and Tony Shepard nipping at their heels.  Mike Blanton, Rodney House, and Chris Wyatt have raced their way to the top three spots in the A Class, with ten points separating first and third.  Richard Stanley, Patrick O’Neill, and Gaylon Harris, representing their home states of Kentucky, Missouri, and Illinois, are in a hard fought battle for top honors in the +30A class, and well ahead of the remaining six riders in the class.

Round four takes riders to Westphalia, Missouri on May 3 and one stop closer to the end of a tremendous inaugural season of OXC Racing excitement.  Visit www.oxcracing.com for additional information.