NATIONALS
VOL. 51 ISSUE 39 SEPTEMBER 30, 2014 P115
Briefly...
of rain fell in just over a week. So,
the grassy start area used last year
remained underwater and forced
the OMA crew to choose a differ-
ent area in the shadow of the High-
way 275 bridge that connects Iowa
and Nebraska. In addition, the park
provided plenty of sand, which was
loved by Whibley and several others
but hated by those who weren't quite
in shape. "You had to have the en-
durance to go through that sand the
whole race!" Cody Bollinger said.
After a run of bike problems that he
believed might've been due to con-
taminated fuel causing fuel-pump
issues, Adam Bonneur switched
back to a stock tank on his KTM
since that was the only one he had
that he was certain was clean. "The
bike ran great and I'm hoping it stays
that way!" he said.
With Whibley untouchable out
front—eventually clicking off eight
laps in two hours, 23 minutes
and 42 seconds—most of the ac-
tion happened behind him and
his FMF/Kenda/Monster Energy
YZ450F. Thomas ran second for
a bit on his Dirt Wise/Kenda/
Klim-backed KTM 200 XC, but
Bonneur soon made his way past
aboard his Woodstock KTM/
Maxxis/Fly Racing 450 XC-F.
"Whibs' was pretty far out there,
but I'm happy with second," Bon-
neur said of his season-best fin-
ish so far. "I kind of tucked in be-
hind Jimmy off the start and was
kind of feeling things out for the
first couple laps. I don't know if Jimmy was fighting arm
pump or having issues, but he pulled over and let me
by. I tried to keep plugging away after that. This type of
track, it was real soft, it deteriorated—I loved it! If there
were two ruts, I wish there would've been three! I loved
(Left) Though it's
been a couple
months since
his huge crash
at Sturgis, Jason
Thomas still isn't
100 percent, though
he was able to
summon enough
strength to run as
high as second and
eventually claim
third place.
(Below) Mark
Heresco (412) and
Cody Bollinger
stayed about this
far apart for most of
the two and a half
hours.
