| November 2, 2021
The OMA Nationals season finale, an event that began in 1976 as the Illinois Cross Country Championship, is now simply called, The Race. Held this year over the Halloween weekend, October 30-31, the event is unique in its scope and challenge. A 40-mile loop of trails in and around Fenton, Illinois, was full of all manner of tricks and treats, of course.
Tanner Whipple won the OMA’s The Race, formerly known as the Illinois Cross-County Championship.
Story and Photos by John Gasso
At 10 a.m. Sunday morning, a shotgun blast signaled the start of the premier race. Tanner Whipple (Kawasaki/Fly Racing) led the pack across a giant corn field to take the holeshot. Whipple, Buddy Fortune and Cody Barnes all swapped the lead a few times. However, both Fortune and Barnes eventually suffered equipment failures, putting an end to their day prematurely.
Jayson Crawford (Yamaha/Moose Racing) battled his way through the pack to collect second place and cement the 2021 OMA Series Championship.
Third place went to TJ Nees aboard his FunMart Cycles KTM.
“It couldn’t be better,” said Whipple after the race. “It was a good day. I got the holeshot, led through the bike barn, through Mills, through Rock Creek, and then a little bit after that, Buddy [Tommy Fortune Jr.] passed me.
“I was okay with him leading,” Whipple added. “The first lap is always pretty hectic, with a lot of logs, a lot of down arrows, a lot of down trees, whatever may be. So I was fine with him leading. Then Cody [Barnes] got by me, too, so I was just following those two,” before grabbing the lead and taking off for the win.
“It is super cool to get my name on this race,” Whipple said.
Second place and the 2021 OMA Series Championship went to a youngster who put his head down and charged through the pack to make things happen. Jayson Crawford had his Yamaha YZ250X running strong and steady through all the challenges he faced.
“I was having a good race,” said Crawford. “I had a mid-pack start, came through one of the creeks like seventh, eighth. By the end of the first lap, I made it in to third place. Then I passed TJ Nees on the motocross track.”
Jayson Crawford was second on the day and but took the 2021 OMA Championship.
After passing Nees near the beginning of the second lap, Crawford kept a strong pace to the finish saying, “I could hear him, but he never passed me back. I was having a good flow.”
TJ Nees battled with Crawford for most of the day, and he was able to collect third place for his efforts. Nees said, “It went pretty good. I got a mid-pack start and I tried to hang with the front group. I crashed on the first section out here by the Bike Barn, and I had to catch back up. I think I was running eighth, then a couple guys got stuck and crashed, and that put me in fourth. I just knew I had to push from there. Me and Jayson Crawford hung with each other all day. I had to gas on the second lap, and he kind of got away from me a little bit. I just couldn’t seem to catch him.”
2021 OMA Nationals Finale Results
- Tanner Whipple (Kaw)
- Jayson Crawford (Yam)
- TJ Nees (KTM)
- Jarrett Ruchotzke (KTM)
- David Stickel (KTM)
- Barry Sulzberger (KTM)
- Bryan Johnson (Kaw)
- Logan Housenga (KTM)
- Easton Morgan (Hon)
- Cody Barnes (Hon)
