Whibley Wraps Up Fifth OMA Title
Whibley has been unbeatable in eight rounds of OMA competition this year, going head to head against the likes of four-time national enduro champ Russell Bobbitt and factory Husaberg rider Nick Fahringer. And in Iowa, Whibley held off a constant challenge from Bobbitt for the duration of the tight and sandy, seven-lap race, before finally pulling away to a somewhat safe 27-second advantage at the finish.
Whibley’s win gave the Am Pro Yamaha rider an insurmountable lead in the series standings and it also afforded the New Zealand off-road star the luxury of mentally focusing the rest of the season on the GNCC series, which he is hoping to win for a second time.
The GNCC series resumes on September 16th at the famed Unadilla race facility in New Berlin, New York, and Whibley carries a six-point lead over KTM’s Kailub Russell into that race. With just four rounds remaining on the GNCC schedule, Whibs is intent on being fully prepared when the series picks up again after the summer break.
Q: Congratulations on winning another OMA title. How does it feel?
A: It feels good. It’s been a good series for us this year, and it’s always good to see your hard work pay off.
Q: Did you get your usual quick start?
A: Kind of. Bobbitt and Fahringer beat me to the first turn, but they took each other wide and I was able to sneak by on the inside, so technically I won the holeshot.
Q: Were you able to pull away right away?
A: No, actually Russell pushed pretty hard for most of the race and I think even at the gas stop I was only about five seconds ahead of him.
Q: What was the course like this time?
A: It was pretty much all single-track, like an enduro, but not nearly as tight. It was sort of a sandy silt, and a bit dry. I was happy to be leading all day, because it would have been difficult to pass since there was only one line; you just couldn’t get off the main line and make any time.
Q: I guess it’s a relief to wrap up the title early?
A: Well, it is one less thing to be concerned about. And when the GNCC series starts up again in about a month, I won’t have to worry about the OMA title. So, yeah, it’s nice to get it out of the way.
Q: What’s on the calendar for next weekend, another local race?
A: Actually, we are traveling out west to Montana for the Big Sky race. I’ve never raced out west so I am looking forward to that. Then the next week we will come back east to Tennessee for the Tennessee Knockout, an extreme off-road race at the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie.
