Missouri riders, with help from OCCRA teams, riders from Banned at ATV News.com along with regulars from across the nation united to break a Maxxis 6 Hours of ATV America team attendance record! A total of 51 teams signed up to officially beat the old 49 team record set at the 2005 6 Hours in Greenville, Texas.
Friday Night
The Friday night bon fire held in the middle of pit row shed light on the many rigs squeezed into their fifteen foot parking spots that formed the mini neighborhood of 6 Hours of ATV America regulars. As the cool September night progressed additional teams arrived and pulled into their awaiting parking spots. Before you knew it a happening neighborhood block party was underway on Pit Row Lane.
As the night went on, much to the approval of the 6 Hours neighborhood, new teams kept arriving on the block. Several teams made their way to the Team RX Boys residents where their new white trailer was being used as a Halo 3 and Guitar Hero video game backdrop. In short, good times were had by all, no one was banned and we’re imagining that several were thrilled that Saturday’s start wouldn’t happen until 11am.
The Track
”Anytime there’s a competition I want to win,” said track owner, Mike Burkhart. “I wanted the most teams all year and wanted to give them the coolest track they’ve seen all year.” Burkhart, with many years of cross country moto experience, certainly delivered a gem of a track to the many appreciative riders found west of the Mississippi River. The near 6 mile loop featured several miles of virgin territory, several river bottom sections, plenty of speedy fields, but we have to admit — not much of his impressive natural motocross track was used. “It will be a big part of next year’s layout. I promise,” says Mike.
The Race for the Overall
Over the years Team Shrum Racing youngsters Devon Jarrett and DJ Shrum have cut their national quad racing teeth with the Maxxis 6 Hours of America tour. This year Team Shrum shinned brighter than ever winning the Kentucky and Wisconsin round. They also scored a runner up at New York – only 33 seconds behind GNCC Pros Team XC Bob.com. But this, the biggest turnout of any 6 Hours of America event in history, featured several Missouri top guns; Dave Hicks, (overall MHSC ATV champ the last two years), Bryan Hulsey (GNCC Pro), the Robbins Bothers (Pro motocrossers) and other top Missouri riders Jeff Range, Todd Senger and Gaylon Harris to name just a few. Winning this one wouldn’t be easy.
In preparation for the Maxxis 12 Hours of ATV America Team Shrum added their regular ace in the hole, Ronnie Bloodworth. The all-Illinois team proved that they’re ready for the big show after completely dominating the beautifully prepared Kahoka, Missouri course. The Shrum Racing trio won the race with a whopping ten minutes to spare! They’re combined season points won them the free pro class entry to this year’s Maxxis 12 Hours of ATV America .
“This track is awesome! We had to tap into our second quad,” exclaimed Shrum Racing’s Devon Jarrett with two hours remaining. “If it holds together I think we can win another one. Regardless, we’ve had a great year at the 6 Hours. They’re a ton of fun. If they’re going to continue next year we’ll be at all of them.” Wide Open’s Zac Johnson and Derrick Schrock took home the runner up spot while Team HHR’s David Hicks, Gaylon Harris and Jeff Range rounded out the final spot on the overall podium.
A Class Shenanigans
Team Dirt Works turned heads once again in the A class. The Missouri-based team finished ahead of most pro team securing an impressive fourth overall. In fact the Dirt Works trio of Tim Miller, Stephen Miller and Josh Roberts put together 23 consistent laps, which put them over ten minutes and an entire lap ahead of the rest of the A class competitors! Team Dirt Works has been dominating the 6 Hours of America A class events with an extremely well prepped and well maintained Yamaha YFZ put together by Dirt Works Motorsports out of Willow Springs, MO. [Look for a multi-part feature on the Dirt Works 12 Hours of America YFZ in the near future.]
Runner up in the A class went to one of many “Banned” teams. No, no one banned them from the venue or black flagged them, they’re called banned because they represent the posse of say-it-like-it is Internet forum contributors at bannedatatvnews.com. Team Banned Legends were followed by another banned team called Banned Young Guns. The two banned teams locked on to one another and scored an official A class second and third place position respectively, — a job well done especially considering all the energy they devoted to the neighborhood block party the night prior.
Other Scene-Worthy Notables
There’s something about this Dirt Works Motorsports organization…. Team J&R Dirt Works kicked B class butt and finished up with an incredible fifth place overall out of a whopping 20 teams! Riders John Pitts, Chris Wyatt and Pat O’Neill weren’t partial to anyone but their tried and true sponsor Dirt Works Motorsports, (led by endurance ATV race savvy pit crew members Josh and Randy Owens). The Missouri trio used a Honda, Suzuki and a Yamaha to bank over ten minutes on their B class competition.
In the Plus 30 ranks another banned team found common ground in front of their classmates. Team Banned Cheese of Shawn Hohneke, Jerry Costello and Kohn Kellison took the win and locked down the top nine spot overall with a sharp black Honda 450R and an equally sharp black and white Kawie KFX450.
In the Lunatic class, otherwise known as Ironman, Nick Vitale made the trip from Southern Missouri (St. Mary) to Northern Missouri worthwhile by beating up on the record-breaking ten Ironman competitors. Like many Ironman 6 Hours of America competitors, 21 year old Nick made it all happen for himself – including putting his quad together, driving to the event and not sharing his ride with anyone. We’re told it’s not a matter of being selfish – it’s an Ironman thing we assume. After lapping more than half the solo riders, Nick turned some heads and kept an impressive pace throughout the long race. Equally impressive and definitely worth mentioning was the lone IronWOMAN rider of Kim Muzzarelli who finished fourth in class and nearly defeated half the entire field finishing 27th of 51! We imagine Kim would probably be a top choice for many teams needing a teammate but doesn’t go that route, “that’s too easy,” she says.
Only one team entered the Youth (13-15) class. They called themselves Team Next Generation Racing (Missouri’s Taylor Chance, Jessica Zuklin and Skyler Moran). After finishing only five laps shy of overall winners and 33rd overall, maybe their team name is indeed appropriate.
Only one team entered the Utility Expert class, proving that 4×4 Utility racing isn’t as hot west of the Mississippi. Nonetheless the seniors of Team Arthritis put the test to their Yamaha Kodiak and bettered five teams along the way.
Summing it up…
In late 2001 Fast-Trak Promo introduced the ATV industry to something special in the Maxxis 12 Hours of ATV America. Many debated on where it should be held. Some argued there are more riders and more events east of the Mississippi River – “it should be there.” Others said there are not many big events west of the Mississippi and in the middle of the country, — “it will be more valuable there.”
Over the last five years Maxxis 6 and 12 Hours of ATV America events have been held in the following states; Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New York, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Texas, Iowa and Missouri. Thanks to Iowa, Texas and now Missouri the highest attended 6 and 12 Hours of ATV America events have been west of the Mississippi. It looks like the Show Me State riders have showed us whose boss of this unique series. With this said, it goes without saying, if there is a Maxxis 6 Hours of ATV America Tour in 2008, you better believe Mike Burkhart’s Midwest Motosports venue in Kahoka, MO will once again have the season grand finale stop.
Thanks!
Props go out to Mike Burkhart for providing his masterpiece of a race course, Jason Lawson and the entire OCCRA group for rising to the cause and assisting with scoring details, Dirt Works Motorsports for bringing out an entourage of Missouri based teams, the many teams behind the Banned at ATV News.com name and all the other teams that came out and supported this 6 Hours of Missouri record-breaking event. But most of all we want to thank “Teams Big Nuts” and “Dick’s Honda” for finishing 43rd and 44th overall and making us laugh like Beavis and Butthead.
