WHAT/WHERE/WHEN: Round 6 OMA Nationals; Millville, MN; August 1

STEVE LEIVAN

2010 RACE REPORT

MY BIKE: WR450

HOW IT ENDED: 1st +30 “A” – 9th OVERALL

BEFORE THE START: M-I-L-L-V-I-L-L-E! Without a doubt, this is one of the “most looked forward to” races of my season. Even when I wasn’t racing all of the OMA Nationals, I always tried to find a way to get to the Spring Creek round. It isn’t often that the opportunity presents itself for a woods guy to get to race on a National MX track, and then throw in the fact that the dirt in Minnesota is among the finest I have ever laid a Dunlop on, and that makes this race a “must do” every year.

It’s been tough to find travel partners this year but Kole Henslee went with me last year and he called a couple of weeks in advance and wanted to do it again. Zach Ingram got in touch with me and wanted to go, so he came up from Arkansas and Friday night around dark we were on our way.

Dad had us at the race site by 11:00 Saturday morning so we decided to ride the Pro-Am fun race at 1:30 to get some time on the moto track. I gave a stern warning to the kids that they were to “do nothing stupid” or try any of the jumps on the first lap. So we pretty much rode together for the opening lap and when we came back on the moto track to end the lap, Kole waved me by and I decided I need to jump the finish line jump. BAD IDEA!

I don’t know how far I needed to jump to clear the gap, but I over did it by 30 or 40 or 50 feet. It was bad. I had the full panic rev going on and when I saw the landing disappear beneath me, I knew I was in trouble. So, I just held on and braced myself. I finally dropped back to Earth and buckled both of my wrists but I rode it out. There was no way to make the next turn and luckily there was an open gate in the direction I was headed so I just rode through it and back on to the track – just like I had planned it out. My hands and wrists tingled for the next 15 minutes and I can believe I didn’t break one or two of them. Kato had his camera out the next time through but I declined the invitation to make an ass of myself – again.

I got third, Zach was fourth, and Kole lost his footpeg. We headed back out for practice and Gusse had found lots of new trail for us and 976 logs to cross. The dirt was amazing and the track was much different than any previous Millville that I can remember. I did two laps and I was diggin’ it. THE RACE: Race time came and after taping my tender wrists, I took my spot in the middle of the +30/+40 row. Matt Stavish was there and I always look forward to battling with him. We are in different classes but that doesn’t matter. We still always seem to end up racing head-to-head and beating on each other. My ole buddy Walker Luedtke was there as well and he had been running his mouth about holeshots and uphill triples, so the trash talk was going before we ever left the line.

I got going good and was fourth or fifth to the corner and then got up to second while we bounced through the famous Millville whoops. Stavish was in front and I followed him until we exited the MX portion and I got passed by a guy on a 570 Berg. I was content to follow and we rolled pretty good until we got to the first tight section and there were guys from the Open class hung up on the logs. It seemed like we were stopped forever before the trail cleared enough to get through.

The Berg rider missed a corner and I passed him and set out after Stavish. We weren’t going that fast since we were in traffic most of the time and our first lap time wasn’t all that impressive. I was 25th O/A at that time. The second and third lap were much better and I followed Stavish the entire time (we were a minute faster those laps than the opening one). At the end of three, he looked down at his rear wheel and I rode past him and hucked that damn finish line jump; although this time I did it properly.

I knew I was leading the class so I tried to ride hard and work my way up into the overall. As I passed riders from the rows ahead of me, I figured I was making progress but I hadn’t seen Precious and Princess (Kole and Zach). I figured they must be having solid rides. At the start of the fifth lap, I saw them both on the moto track so I pushed it a bit harder to see if I could cut into the gap. I gassed after five and it must have been the fastest pit ever. I don’t think I even put my feet down.

Just over a mile into lap six I caught up to Kole and he was poking along looking for a place to relieve himself. I kept on it and at the end of the lap I caught Zach and he let me go. I took the white flag and despite not having any water to drink, I pounded out one final solid lap. I must say I was a bit tired when I got done but I was happy with my ride and hoped that I got into the top 10. We did some quick math and I guessed I was 9th. I was right.

THOUGHTS & OBSERVATIONS: What a bitchin’ race. The woods were so good it was amazing. Just soft enough to get rutty but not so soft that it was mush. The downhill at the end was gnarly!

Big thanks to Randy at Ozark Foam Insealators for helping out with his trip. Kole and I both truly appreciate it!

Zach ended up third in Open “A” and 12th O/A. He said that he hit the wall about the time that I caught him, but next time he’ll be top 10. He rode really good and it was fun to take him on a trip with us. Kole was fourth Open “A’ and 15th O/A. He was toast. Said he felt bad at the end and kind of floated along until Whibs lapped him so he wouldn’t have to go again.

After five laps our times were – Steve 1:46:52; Kole 1:46:59; Zach 1:47:04. How is that for close?

Caleb Haynes went to his first OMA and he won the “B” Lites class by 12 seconds and was already talking about going to the next round.

Dad rode my EX bike on Sunday morning and was styling through the whoops. He even had time to wave as he swapped through them.

This weekend is an off one and that is good since the next one I’ll be doing double duty. EX in Oklahoma on Saturday and OMA in Missouri on Sunday. It’s about eight hours from race site to race site. Hope I can sleep the whole way!

QUICKEST ON THE DAY: 1. LEIVAN (YAMAHA); 2. Johnson (Kaw); 3. Luedtke (KTM)

THE NEXT WHAT/WHERE/WHEN: Round 2 National Endurocross; Guthrie, OK; August 14 (Saturday) Round 7 OMA Nationals; Newark, MO; August 15 (Sunday)

THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT!

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