Welcome to Quick Fill. Before we get started, we would like to honor the men and women that have served and are serving in our U.S. Armed Forces. Wednesday was Veteran's Day, and everyone involved in the GNCC Family owes a hearty debt of gratitude to our troops-these are the real heroes.
Yes, GNCC Racing is tough and takes sacrifice, but it's not even in the same realm of those fighting for our freedoms. And we all know what is on the line-what we do for recreation (and for a few of us, for a living) is uniquely American. We roam the open roads in our big trucks and big rigs to race on a big piece of open land. This is hot rodding, an American-style event as natural as baseball, hot dogs and apple pie. We're able to do it our way because our troops did what they had to do for us. So, thanks from everyone here.
Now onto what is usually the most anticipated news of the year: the posting of GNCC National Numbers! We also have the final class top ten standings tallied up, as well. For more info, go HERE
And yes, these are tentative, but they will all be official by next Monday. So if you spot an error, such as a name being misspelled, please email our GNCC Scoring Master (Mind) Dan Reinhart, Dan@gnccracing.com or call him at 304-284-0084.
News is starting to break on the silly season front this week, starting with FRE KTM's big announcement of a new lead XC1 rider-Bryan Cook! Awesome for Cook, no one deserves a factory shot more than him. But where does this leave Adam McGill? From what I've heard, he is about to land on his feet with another team.
Photo By: David Scearce
The time is now for Cory B in the big bike class.
Kailub Russell will defend the XC2 Title next year, hoping to do a better job than our last defending XC2 Champ, Justin Williamson, who has now almost completely fallen off the map. J-Dub was doing a lot of testing for Gas Gas in Minnesota this year, and also went through a collarbone injury. But it's been a rough few years for J-Dub, who won the first XC2 Title back in 2007 but has struggled to find that form again. We should catch up with him one of these weeks.
Hey check out this link to a local newspaper story on our Youth ATV overall champion, Doug Howarth. CLICK HERE.
And remember, we chatted with Doug a few weeks ago for Tuesday Toolbox:
http://www.gnccracing.com/articles/1709_tuesday-toolbox-doug-howarth
Here's a cool offer for you Paul Whibley fans:
Hi Everyone!
Paul Whibley Championship t-shirts are now available through the JG Off Road website. Get yours today!!
Small - XL available for $20 + $5 shipping, XXL available for $25 + $5 shipping.
- Team JG Racing
As for silly season, I don't believe Whibley has a bike brand set yet for 2010. He should be back with the JG Racing team, but Paul is still out looking to see what brand of bike he will ride. Yes it may end up being Kawasaki again. Obviously that bike works.
Now let's turn this over to our GNCC live announcer, Rodney Tomblin:
This is such an exciting time of year for me. Not because of the winter break, but because so many things are going on and whatever you thought may be, isn't. And what you thought isn't, is. Well you get the picture. I guess that is why it has been deemed "Silly Season". And the announcements have started rolling in. Congratulations go out to Bryan Cook and FRE KTM and their efforts for the ATV GNCC Championship. That should be one whale of a team there. With that announcement, I am sure it has left others wondering what is going on for 2010.
Photo By: Krista Shaw
We run this photo again of Chris Meadows, who is now thinking 200 A class for 2010.
I had the opportunity to talk to a few folks I haven't seen in a lot of years. One of those included newly crowned National Enduro Open A Champion and former GNCC up and comer, Josh Gaitten. He said he finished like 14th OA this season in Enduro and is going AA next year. Josh Gaitten will officially be a pro. And well, congratulations, because one of his first pro races wields him a "Team Harescramble Championship of the World" championship. He won along with District 11 fast guy and new father Zak Walton. But the most impressive ride of the day for me was GNCC Youth Overall Champ, Chris Meadows and 200C Schoolboy class 2nd place Chase Kilbarger. They rode and won the lightweight bike class and finished 2nd Overall. I spoke with them and both are leaning toward riding the 200A class next year. I know a lot will hinge on sponsorship deals and so forth, but looks like they are ready from a riding standpoint anyways.
Should be exciting to watch their progress over the next few years to see how it all goes for them. And if you happen to be in South Eastern Ohio this weekend, Action Sports will be hosting the last GP race of the D-11 season this Saturday and Sunday. Check out www.actionsportsracing.com for more information.
I have been talking to a few folks in the last week or so and got to know GNCC Top Overall Amateur, Chris Bach. What a good story there. Kind of wish that Track Smack Live was a weekly program so you could hear it all from him. But since it isn't, I will "Quick Fill" you in on him and more next week. And I can't wait to see what other big announcements will be coming next week on the silly season. Till then, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs.
Thanks, Rodney. Now let's turn this over to our own GNCC Gossip Girl, Rachel "I just walked out the door and Hannah called me and told me I had to come back" Fluharty.
Weege will have to give me another weird nickname somewhere else now in Quick Fill! (Editor's note: he did). This week for Tuesday Toolbox Dave Simmons took some time out from work to talk for a while. It's incredible what guys will go through to race and Dave is no exception. The guy told me that during the winter he will drive 12 hours just to find a place to ride for practice and then drive home in time to get to work on Monday morning! That's dedication and one of the reasons I've come to love GNCC racing so much.
Photo By: David Scearce
Before long Glenn Kearney will be racing with a wedding band on.
Jason Thomas has been hanging out at Thad Duvall's just watching people ride until he gets signed and a ride of his own. Thomas finished 7th overall for the year and third in XC2 and is sure to cause a ruckus next year if he gets signed by someone. Thomas can move up to XC1 but can opt to stay back in XC2 and take on Russell again.
I even get the hottest "relationship status" news. Congrats to one of the cutest couples in GNCC, Krystle Muzevic and Glenn Kearney, on their recent engagement!
And now to Bryan Cook. I was so pumped to see that FRE KTM has signed one of the nicest guys I've ever interviewed. Cook works full-time while racing and has always been right in the battles with the top riders. Now, we will get to see what kind of damage he can do with full support. With Ballance back and Borich defending his title, 2010 is already set-up to be full of excitement on the ATV side.
For the bike side, YES I realize Strang is from Australia, not in fact, from New Zealand. When I wrote the press release announcing the JNCC event with Strang and Russell, somehow I wrote that Strang was a Kiwi. I've written Australia hundreds of times by his name and the one time I screw it up it was on a high-profile press release. So my sincere apologies to Strang!
OK. Let's see how many people have "de-friended" me now that I can broadcast their news from facebook. Rachel "Gossip Girl" Fluharty is watching!
Thanks, Rachel. And I proofed that JNCC release and also didn't catch the Strang/New Zealand thing. Ooops.
Now we turn this over to our last reporter, Jason Hooper.
I'm not sure about most of you, but the past few weeks since Ironman have been wide open for me! At the last minute I decided to tag along with my buddies, and GNCC pros, Josh Strang and Kailub Russell to the final round of the Japanese Cross Country Series, which means I would need to work non-stop to finish all of the Racer TV shows for Versus. The work is finally done, and hopefully I'll get to relax a little bit next week in Tokyo. Stay tuned to GNCCRacing.com and www.digitaloffroad.com for updates all week from the JNCC.
Things here in Hickory, NC-the Mecca of GNCC-have slowed down as of late. Glenn Kearney and his new fiancee Krystle flew back to Australia a few days after Ironman and Josh Strang just flew back home as well. Word on the streets is that Strang will be moving to California when he gets back in the beginning of 2010. With the Aussies gone that leaves Charlie Mullins and Jesse Robinson as the last of the GNCC contingent. Mullins is still unsure of what the 2010 season holds for him, but in the mean time he's going to head to the Winter Olympics in Florida to get in some motocross racing. I haven't talked to Jesse, but from what I've heard he'll be back on the Factory Husaberg next year.
The day after KTM sent out a press release listing their 2010 team-which is way larger than I think most people expected-I got to sit down and talk to Nate Kanney. Natedogg talks about his struggles early in the season fighting injuries and maybe over training, to finally getting a win at the Ironman. Kanney also talks a bit about the book Endurance that Theresa Ortolani has been working on for the past 4 years. I got an advance copy of the book over the weekend, and it was well worth the wait. If you're coming to the banquet, Ortolani will be there selling signed copies. Check out the interview with Kanney here: http://www.digitaloffroad.com/2009/11/10/racechat-with-nate-kanney/
Photo By: David Scearce
What color will McGill be on next year?
In social networking news, Powersport Grafx has jumped on the Twitter and Facebook bandwagons, so if you're into either of those sites definitely check them out. They just posted a pretty cool behind-the-scenes video (filmed by Knighter's girlfriend and pro women's motocross Tara Geiger) of David Knight testing for the Snowshoe GNCC. Check them out at: http://twitter.com/ridepg and http://www.facebook.com/business/dashboard/?ref=sb#/pages/North-Wilkesboro-NC/Powersport-Grafx/306427505525
That's it from Hooper. Good job, guys. And as always, we encourage all of you to send us scoops if you have them, just email me jasonw@racerxonline.com if you have some news you'd like to share. I think this worked out real well when you sent us championship stories coming into the Ironman so we'll continue that all here if you have other info. We don't want the news here on Quick Fill to turn cold along with the weather.
Oh, and on the silly season front, I have heard Yamaha is setting up Taylor Kiser and Walker Fowler as Bill Ballance's factory understudies. And Brandon Sommers will also be back in blue, as well as Traci Cecco and Johnny Gallagher, looks like everyone's deals are just about final there. Not sure on Donnie Ockerman. Still waiting on official "Chris Borich" is re-signed with Suzuki news, too.
That's what we have this week, look for more from me, our reporter staff, and maybe even you, next week. And don't forget to double-check those class awards and national numbers, we want to make sure everything is accurate before the banquet.
See ya' next week!
Share