VOL. 51 ISSUE 45 NOVEMBER 11, 2014 P71
Having ridden this event twice
before, Bobbitt was prepared
for what is typically a cold, wet
and brutal early November day
in northern Illinois. "It was really
good," said Bobbitt. "It was defi-
nitely the best one that I have rid-
den. It was perfect dirt and the
weather was nice. I think we got
lucky."
Bobbitt was also very pleased
with the way his Husqvarna
FE350 managed in the high
speed, wide-open fields, saying:
"The bike was awesome. I would
just leave it wound out and wait-
ing for the rev limiter [to kick in].
That thing revs so far it felt like
sometimes it wasn't going to."
After a fast start across nearly
a half-mile of corn field, Whibley
pulled off the FMF holeshot and
entered the motocross section
in the lead. However, it is not al-
ways good to lead the first lap of
the Moose Run, as you are pre-
sented with miles of fresh trail to
read. It is typical for the lead spot
to swap out frequently as the
pack makes its first pass around
the massive trail loop. This year
things started out the same, with
everyone content to stay in a
pack and swap the lead.
"It was pretty leafy the first lap,"
said Whibley. "Russell and Nick
both go pretty quick in that fresh
stuff."
Unfortunately for Whibley and
the others, what really set the
tone for this race was Bobbitt's
unique refueling strategy. "At the
first fuel stop, Russell didn't stop,
and he got a gap on us," Whibley
said. "Once I couldn't see him
I couldn't key off of him in the
woods. He's real good at reading
that stuff blind. Russell got away
and we could just never reel him
in."
Unable to find the pace to close
in on Bobbitt, Whibley finished
out his season, and his American
career, with second place at the
Moose Run to go along
with his sixth OMA Na-
tionals Championship.
In this inaugural year
of the Pro 2 class, there
were 17 competitors on
the line, and when it
was all over, it was new-
comer Duell Murphy, on
the Fly Racing/Maxxis
Yamaha, winning the
hotly contested class.
Murphy passed first-
time Moose Run par-
ticipant Scott Grills (JJR
KTM/Moose Racing/
Sidi) after the last wa-
ter crossing when Grills'
loaner KTM from Jimmy Jarrett
Racing developed a misfire due
to a failing injector.
Rounding out the Pro 2 podium
was local rider Cody Bollinger
(Fun Mart Cycle Yamaha/G2),
winning this installment of his sea-
son-long battle with the new Pro
2 Champion Mark Heresco (SRT
KTM/Fly Racing/Kenda), who
took fourth place. CN
PRO 1
1. Russell Bobbitt (Hus)
2. Paul Whibley (Yam)
3. Nick Fahringer (Hus)
4. Jimmy Jarrett (KTM)
5. Adam Bonneur (KTM)
PRO 2
1. Duell Murphy (Yam)
2. Scott Grills (KTM)
3. Cody Bollinger (Yam)
4. Mark Heresco (KTM)
5. Keith Zaagman (KTM)
