Oshweken 2.0

They say that lightning doesn’t strike twice. Well, I don’t know who they are, but I think that they’re wrong. Oshweken was another mud bog of a race, with a huge thunderstorm setting the afternoon classes back by almost two hours, with the skies opening up just before the two hour mark came up in the morning.
The early morning Youth classes got off scot free with slightly slippery clay but no deep, sticky mud. Kyle Bichard of Georgetown, Ontario, took home the win in the Mini Junior classes, with Tyler Wicks taking home the second place trophy. Cookstown native Porsche Reynolds took the last spot on the podium in the little-little bike class.
In the Mini Senior class it was another win for Connor Brogan, who now has a commanding 31 point lead over second seated rider Tyler Maenz. Nathan Playford of Elmira put his #577 KTM up on the podium for the third time in a row, taking a solid second place. Ryder Heacock, son of the big #13 Pro Dustin Heacock, finished the podium off in third on his #551 Suzuki.
As the morning riders took to the line the skies all around the land cut deep into the back of a farm on the Oshweken Reserve were dark and filled with doom and gloom. The morning riders were praying that the rains would hold off until they were finished, while the afternoon riders, with a few exceptions (*cough*Wojo*cough*), were praying that the skies would open up and dump on the morning and dry up for the afternoon.
It was a hot, humid and sticky race for the morning riders, with the Ladies, Novice B and A, Vet and SuperVet riders taking off in 30 degree weather with a humidex pushing the temperature almost into the 40s! Yeah, it was hot.
2008 Ladies Champion Ainsley Farr is working her way towards a repeat with another victory. She’s now so far ahead of second place Kate Knight that the only way Knight can take the #1 is by winning the next two rounds, while Farr scores no points. OCMC member Rachel Chomiskey took home the second place trophy in her third race of the year with local lady Ginny Carson taking home the final podium spot on her RM 125.
David Cockayne, of the #7 on the KTM Cockaynes, took home another win in the Legends Class, with a solid 60 points to put him out front. Brad Kitto of Coruuna, Ontario finished second, sitting now in second with 51 points.

Novice A was another Jesse Grummett show, but the Kid Champ wasn’t without challengers. Local rider and Steel City member Rick Boughner had an awesome start, pushing that big 470 YZ 250 out into second through the first corner. Jed Franko, the second place finisher and second seated rider in points, took home the hole shot in true KTM style, reminiscent of Hole Shot Hero Aaron Wilkins. Jessie Grummett took home another victory, setting up a 23 point gap between himself in first place and Franko in second. Jeff Lee of Welland, Ontario took home a third place to finish the podium.
Another win from Jim Clayton of St. Thomas set him into first in front of fellow KTM rider Guido Knieling in the hotly contested Veteran class. Chris Taylor of Ancaster, Ontario pushed his #961 Honda into second while the Kohlwessen (that’s in Germany) had to settle for third place. Clayton sits in first, a single skinny point separating him from second seated rider Knieling.

In Super Vet action Brian Holloway took home a second win in as many races, stretching his lead over second seated rider Greg Bradnam. Bradnam finished second on his #910 Husaberg. Bond Head native Steven Hart pushed that #616 Yamaha into third, making his presence known on the track.
As the last riders from the morning classes were pulling off the track the skies were opening up pouring heavy rain, punctuated with lightning streaking across the sky and thunder loud enough to shake the fifth wheel trailers of the Linton, Van Hove and Marshall camps. The heavy rain and thunder lasted for the better part of an hour, and when it was all over several trees had fallen throughout the woods. Steel City stepped up and cleared a path for riders, while the riders were thinking “Not again,” with few exceptions.

The Intermediate class saw Steven Bond take a win away from Greg Filer. Filer, who took home second, is now 23 points ahead of second place Dmitry Tsvetkov. Robert King of Burlington, Ontario, took home his first podium position with a third place.
In Vet Expert action Roger Messier had to settle for second behind the Husquavarna of Paul Andratis of Simcoe, Ontario. While the mud took away Messier’s perfect season, he remains 24 points ahead of Andratis. Chris Donald, on the big bad #330 Machine Racing Honda finished in third.

The Millson/Jonker show continued in Oshweken as the #77 and #88 bikes took off ahead of the rest of the line. They traded off the lead before Jonker finally managed to do what he had been trying to do since Port Colborne. Millson’s perfect season, much like Messiers, went down in Oshweken, with Jonker finally taking the win. Congrats, Michael! Local boy Drew Slikker of Caledonia, Ontario took home the last spot on the podium.
And last but not least, the Pros.
They’re fast. They’re smooth. They have pretty red and white number plates.

Wojo is on a quest for speed, hungry to build on his momentum from Vienna. He and Aaron Wilkins had quite the battle going on from the start. The Hole Shot Hero, however, ended up on the top spot of the box at the end of the day, with Wojo taking a satisfied second. Tyler Linton took home a confusing third. As with all mud races, figuring out who finished where was a trick of the time keepers.
Chris Van Hove’s Husquavarna quit well before the young gun was ready to give up, but with a dog bite filled with sweat and gas on his leg, and a 450 that didn’t want to run, the rider was forced out early once again. The former champion is now a heart breaking 19 points back from Wojo who sits in first.

Wojo’s 64 points aren’t keeping him safe, however, as after two wins, one third, one second and one fourth place finish, Aaron Wilkins is only four points back with 60. Van Hove remains in third place with 45 points. Four points back from him sits Tyler Linton in fourth, tied with Wilkins’ Mission Cycle team mate Kevin Cockayne. Back in sixth sits Dustin Heacock, who has re-entered the game after a year of taking it easy. Jeff Pillon proves that consistency is key, sitting in seventh. Pro Rookie Chad Burford is at home in eighth place, while Michael Bond sits in ninth. Rounding out the top ten is one time finisher, former Champion and runner up in the points race for the WEC National Enduro, Jake Stapleton. With a fifteen point victory in Burnt River, Stapleton has managed to put himself in front of Bryan Marshall (eleventh) and Mike Vandenhoek (twelfth).
This weekend the series heads to St. Thomas for the second to last round of the series. Hosted by the Lynn Valley Dirt riders, sponsored by Husaberg, Husquavarna and Ross Rocher Sales, the race is a favourite among riders and spectators.
For more information check out the CMA Website, otherwise I’ll see you in the woods.
As always, photos are available here. Please do not steal them. Photo CDs are available for sale, contact me for details either through email or at the races.