SEASON STARTS WELL | Bikesportnz

Pahiatua’s Paul Whibley has made a cracking start to his off-road motorcycle racing campaign in the United States this season.

The 35-year-old former Manawatu forestry worker, affectionately dubbed “The Axeman” on the motorcycling scene, won two major cross-country titles in the US in 2012, clinching the Grand National Cross-country Championships (GNCC) and the Off-Road Motorcycle and ATV (OMA) crown as well, although a succession of injuries ruined his hopes of defending those titles last season.

But his 2014 campaign is now well underway and it’s already starting to bear fruit.

The Yamaha ace is among the top five in the GNCC series after four rounds thus far and he has now kicked off the OMA series with a convincing win at round one in Missouri at the weekend.

“It was a brand new venue with woods that have not seen dirt bike wheels is something you don’t get every day,” said Whibley (Yamaha YZ450F).

“The soil looked good from the pits and with riders not allowed to pre-walk the track, we would have to wait till the race to get a true gauge.

“I grabbed the holeshot and led the first lap around the 6.5-mile track. The trail turned out to be everything most dirt bike riders dream of. The soil was tacky loam in the woods with lines forming quickly.

“Jason Thomas moved into the lead just after we began the second lap and started a battle that would last till the chequered flag. We pushed each other and passes occurred frequently, although Jason was in front most of the time when we passed through the scoring section.

“Nick Farhringer at one point passed me and got between Jason and myself but I soon moved back by him and resumed the battle with Jason.

“After the fuel stop, the race continued. I think it was the third-to-last lap that Stu Baylor joined us at the front. On the penultimate lap, at one of the mud holes, I caught a good line pointed out by Jimmy Jarrett and got into the lead and was able to put my head down and make a break. Over the last lap, I extended the lead and when I took the flag at the end it was the biggest lead anyone had all day.

“It was a fun race and some close racing and a good start to the OMA season.”

Whibley is supported by Yamaha Motor New Zealand, AmPro Yamaha, Monster Energy, Shoei, Sidi, Smith, MSR G2, Asterisk, Moto SR, Vortex Ignitions, EC3D, Bush Riders MCC, Spectro, Acerbis, DID, JT sprockets, Leatt, Kenda, Sargent Motorcycles, Yamaha NZ, Bikesportnz.com, Unibiker and Tire balls.

Results:

1. Paul Whibley;

2. Jason Thomas;

3. Stu Baylor;

4. Adam Bonneur;

5. Mark Heresco.

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