Ousley defends title at Bonita Lakes
Published 5:06 pm Wednesday, February 10, 2010
At Bonita Lakes, Miss. on Super Bowl Sunday, the weather was cold and windy, but the bikes were sounding fast and hot.
The adult race began at 12:30 p.m. with 184 contenders in the dirt pit ready to hit the sandy whoops and the more sandy whoops. Ousley, the defending champion, was first into the woods after the maze in the dirt pit followed ever so closely by Tyler Carter, newcomer to the AA class this season and Ousley’s cousin.
These two separated themselves from the rest of the field of racers and were in a league of their own for this event, swapping the lead back and forth for the first three laps with things changing dramatically after that.
Ousley had to make a lengthy pit stop to have his crew change out everything in his rear brake system for him to continue. Carter kept up his pace with Frank Davis now in the second overall position.
Ousley hit the trails again, a few minutes behind Davis, after the repairs were made. On the fourth lap of the six-lap event, Carter had major bike problems and was unable to finish the race.
Ousley caught and passed Davis to win overall by a margin of 5:25. Davis claimed second overall followed by Dustin Stevens, who had a very consistent day to finish in third.
Bryan Petty and Chris McMillan competed very closely all day in the Open A class with Petty claiming first by just 2 seconds over McMillan. They also finished fifth and sixth overall, respectively.
Jonathan Seales was “dead last” off the starting line as his bike would not crank immediately.
By the end of the first 8.9-mile lap, he had passed everyone in his class. He rode hard and went on to win Lites B.
Neal Ousley looks to be the one to fill his brother’s shoes in years to come as he claimed the top spot in the highly competitive Junior Class.
Beau Burnett and Jared White finished second and third, allowing central Alabama to claim the whole podium.
Other competitors from the area were Kevin DeLoach, third Lites A; Phillip McMillan, fourth Golden Masters; Ted Anz, second Super Senior; John Huggins, fourth Vet B; Will Gilbert, sixth Senior; Jonathon Calloway, fourth Open B; Blake Terry, fourth Junior; Brian Lewis, first Lite C; Chris Aultman, fourth Lite C; Michael Caver, eighth Vet B; Adrian Gervais, first Vet A; and Jason Copeland, third Vet B.
Local riders who did not finish the event were: Chad Earl, Jason Brasington, Tommy Cousins, Jack Willis, Jacob Davis, Rolie Barrett, Ryan and Wes Patridge, and Adam Bush.
The next Southern Enduro Riders Association event is a harescramble at Cornerstone Ranch near Gardendale on Feb. 28.
In the Kids Races held earlier that day we had several local children to compete. Grayson Davis brought home 2ne place in the Beginner Pee Wee Class. The Pee Wee Class had Austin Anz, Connor Barrett, Ethan Gregg and Hayden Gilbert finishing 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th respectively. Jackson Davis aced the Intermediate Kids class on his new bike with Kyler Godwin claiming 3rd. Trent Whisenant, Landon Barrett, Harrison Caver, Ryan Gilbert and Colton Castleberry claimed 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th, and 6th respectively in the Vet Kids Class. Kels Duke won the Girls Class. The next SERA event is a harescramble at Cornerstone Ranch near Gardendale, AL on February 28.