Epic Racing's John Pitts Wins Two at the Third Round of the Missouri OXC Race

Pitt's second priority for the year is to win the Missouri OXC Series for the first time.
Pitt's second priority for the year is to win the Missouri OXC Series for the first time.
Epic Racing's John Pitts and Bryan Hulsey have been bumping elbows since round one of the Missouri State OXC Series. Hulsey took first in that one and Pitts was right behind with second. The two act like a speed-muse for each other, constantly pushing and nudging to pick up the pace. One makes the other faster and it doesn't matter if it's the Missouri Off-Road Cross-country (OXC) Series, or the Off-Road Motorcycle and ATV (OMA) Nationals, the odds are when the dust settles, one or both will be in front.
John Pitts says his first goal this year is to win the OMA National Championship once again.
John Pitts says his first goal this year is to win the OMA National Championship once again.


The third round of the Missouri OXC Series went pretty much according to the Washington, Missouri based Epic Racing script, with Pitts taking the win this time and Hulsey recovering from being pinned to a tree by another rider, and still taking third on the podium. It was an ideal day for racing, not too much mud, and not too much dust, with the temperature topping out at 65 degrees.

"The Missouri OXC races are very tough, rough, and rocky with lots of elevation changes, said the K&N backed racer. "OXC races also put lots of physical demand on your body and machine, it's tough to stay together for the entire two hour race. Also, you need to pay very close attention to your surroundings and be careful not to hit anything, or you'll risk tearing up your bike. But with the OXC Series, even if there is tons of rain before a race, the tracks hold up very well cause of all the rock."
This is the view most competitors have had of Epic Racing's Bryan Hulsey in 2011.
This is the view most competitors have had of Epic Racing's Bryan Hulsey in 2011.


"Hulsey and I race each other hard," Pitts continues. "We are both there for one thing - to win. But we do realize if we take each other out neither of us can win. We always have good battles, from beating on each other in the first turn, to hitting each other going for every pass, or just a bump in a corner, as if to say hey pick it up I'm still right behind you."

"I have to say it is a blast to ride with Hulsey, he is very fast and a very good rider who has taught me a lot, and he has won many races and championships of his own. We are good friends on and off the track. And we both know we can race hard and not worry about being getting taken out by each other."

Pitts says he primarily races the Missouri OXC Series and the OMA Nationals, along with hitting some races close to home, such as the Illinois District 17 Series. So Sunday after getting the win in the OXC Series, Pitts drove to Taylorville, Illinois for the District 17 cross-country race, which he won by a ridiculous ten minute margin ahead of second place.

"The District 17 races are less demanding on body and machine," Pitts remarked. "With most the tracks being dirt, and very few rocks that cause flats. Also, without too many rocks, tracks tend to be either very dusty or really muddy. The OMA races are a wide range of all different types of terrain, from dense woods, to wide open field runs, to mud and creeks and sand tracks, and even some motocross mixed in with them. They are a lot of fun, but they require a little more traveling, with races being in ten different states throughout the season."

Pitts says his number one goal this year is to win the OMA National Championship again. His second goal is to win the OXC Series for the first time, something he's wanted to do "really bad."

Says Pitts, "But It takes good finishes every weekend, so I just race for a win every race and hope at the end of the year it puts me on top. I am currently leading the OXC Series, and I'm in close second behind Hulsey in the OMA Nationals. We would like to thank K&N and all our sponsors for stepping up to help us out this year. We hope to go one and two in both series this year."

Epic Racing's John Pitts and Bryan Hulsey next OMA race is May 7, and their next OXC race is the following weekend of May 14.

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