Jason Weigandt
by: Jason Weigandt
Thursday January 7th, 2010
Print
Welcome to Quick Fill. We'll be racing sooner than you think.

Yes, it's just past New Year's and yes, it's really, really cold just about everywhere, but if you're not working on your 2010 racing program by now, you're already behind. We'll be racing in less than two months.

Some bike racers have already been racing, and some of them on new machines. Let's turn this over to Jason "Digital Off-Road.com" Hooper for an update:

My "undercover reporter" and GNCC's former tech geek, Tim Boryk, sent me an update from Round 7 of the Florida Trail Rider series where a certain Charlie Mullins made an appearance... on a Yamaha! There's no word yet on what team Charlie will be riding for, but from what I've heard it's not the existing Am-Pro Yamaha team, or the oft-rumored Rock River Yamaha team. That doesn't leave a whole lot of options left. Anyway, Charlie is riding Yamaha's right now. Check out the story and pics here.


Photo By: Tim Boryk
Mullins on a Yamaha again!
One of the first races of 2010 took place last Sunday just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, and it wasn't just any normal race. The Battle of Atlanta was an 8-hour race that could be done as a team or solo. Quite a few GNCC superstars showed up and raced as teams, including Russell Bobbitt and Cory Buttrick as a team, Kailub Russell and Steward Baylor on another team, and a Yamaha team of Thad DuVall, Barry Hawk, and Ryan Belue. The temperatures were frigid-with the thermometer reportedly reading 17° at the race's start-but the racing was hot as the two KTM teams and the Yamaha teams battled throughout the race. Heading into the final three hours of racing the team of Buttrick and Bobbitt had pulled out a 6-minute lead, but Kailub Russell went to work and was able to secure the win. Check out more photos from Kendra DuPont and David "Hollywood" Cripe here: http://www.digitaloffroad.com/2010/01/04/battle-of-atlanta-team-race-photo-gallery/

Former motocross star and part-time off-road racer Josh Summey was spotted at the aforementioned 8-hour race aboard a Husaberg. This started up some serious silly season rumors on the KTM Talk message boards, where reported "insiders" are saying that Jesse Robinson has lost his factory Husaberg ride and it was given to Summey. There are various reports, from Robinson being downgraded to a more regional support ride to him not even having a bike to practice on. If anyone knows anything about this let us know.

James Stewart and Red Bull put on a "Design James' Buttpatch Contest" and I just spotted on Stewart's Twitter account that the winner was none other than GNCC's own Charkie Huegel. I'm not exactly sure what the design is, but if you tune into the Anaheim 1 Supercross on Saturday night live on Speed there's a good chance you'll see it!

Thanks, Hoop.

We spotted some off-season scoops on Dirt Bike magazine's site. Check it out here.

Now let's turn this over to Rachel Fluharty:


Photo By: Hollywood
Check out the mountain bike jump! Kailub Russell demonstrates.
Happy New Year everyone! With the beginning of a new year, and a new season fast approaching, we're beginning to see a lot of changes. Whibs might go to Yamaha, Mullins will be on a Yamaha and Borich still doesn't have a ride.

But one person who we thought would be out in 2010 will arrive back in the States on Friday. Jason Thomas will return once again to ride with Freddy Andrews on a Yamaha 250 two stroke. While Thomas won't be living in his motorhome for the 2010 season, he'll be living with a yet undisclosed teammate.

This week for Tuesday Toolbox Jim Kimball, a Racer X contributor, checked in with Maria Forsberg. Forsberg has raced pretty much every form of off-road racing there is and signed with KTM to race the entire 2010 GNCC season. You go girl. Check out that interview here.

Next week we'll talk to Bob Santheson, a privateer in the bike XC2 ranks. Santheson makes the long drive from Plymouth, Mass., to every race with his wife and daughter in tow. Santheson's dad raced and Bob grew up working in his bike shop. Bob has an interesting story and it's always cool to hear his New England accent. It definitely threw me when I heard it the first time. Make sure you check that out Tuesday morning.

Have any ideas about who we should interview for Tuesday Toolbox? Email me at RachelF@gnccracing.com and tell me why you think this person should be interviewed.

We also have contingencies rolling in. Can-Am, Polaris and GBC have posted their payouts for the 2010 season and KTM has their ATV payout out. Fellow PR girl Christy Lacurelle said the bike portion should be up soon. So keep checking back.

http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/2010-gncc-contingency-programs

Good stuff, Rachel. Now on to Rodney Tomblin:


Photo By: Kendra DuPont
Kailub Russel and Thad DuVall wait for their teammates at The Battle of Atanta.
It is cold, the snow is falling and I am in my "Happy Place" right now.  Where I am, it is sunny and warm; I just wish I could convince the elements around me to feel the same way!  I hear though that a number of the GNCC faithful have headed south.  For those that are not, they have some cold and not so favorable conditions to practice in. It is funny how much things have changed in the last decade or so of racing the GNCC.  It used to be that the "True Factory Rider" was far and few between in our sport.  Heck the closest thing you had was Scott Summers on the Honda and Scott Plessinger on the KTM, and even then it was nothing like what we witnessed over the last few years. They were given a few bikes and a box van or graphics for their box van and off to the races they went.   Nowadays you see a full factory team with mechanics, team managers, drivers and all the bells and whistles. No more "racing into shape" as they used to say.

But what seems to be out of the norm is the reduced number of folks that still have that kind of support.  Riders that win a championship have even seen the support fade away.   It amazes me how faithful a GNCC racer is to this sport regardless of support or even the time to it takes to make it to the races.  Racers have up-rooted themselves from family and friends and moved across the country or even the world to race13 GNCC rounds. People have built a life around this series.  So when times get tough one would think they would lose interest and their hearts would not be into it any longer. . You would think that it would become more about the money than the love, but that just does not seem to be the case.  I know of some riders right now scrambling to put a program together in hopes of chasing that dream one more time.  Riding in 12 degree temperatures just to get seat time and trying to decide which two or three-year old bike they will run. There are riders that at one time were in it for money, and now they're digging deep and proving to themselves and everyone else why they made the commitment to do what they love.  I am impressed with this dedication and hope the best for all.

As far as juice goes, I don't have a lot to offer in that department today. I talked to Youth ATV Racer Charlie Welch who lives in Indiana and is watching the snow today wishing he could ride.  He is super pumped about getting things rolling this year.  And he is still trying to decide what he will be riding.  He knows it will most likely be the 90 Mod 8-11, but not sure which machine.  He rode the DRR last year, but right now he is looking at the APEX.  What will he choose?  I suppose we will find out soon enough.

UK JT (Jason Thomas) a.k.a. "Bad Boy" is on his way back to Ohio to the FAR compound to begin his preparation for 2010.  Jason plans to once again ride the XC2 Pro Lites Class and will be joined by Morgan Moss from what I have been told.  It is nice to see Moss get the support from Freddy.  We saw it coming late last year.  I remember making a comment about Morgan during a race and his Dad came to me after the race and asked, "Do you know something we don't?"  Evidently someone else noticed the same thing I did and the next race Morgan was riding for Fred Andrews Racing and he was headed right where I said he was.  Did I know it would go down like that?  No!  I just got lucky I guess.


Photo By: David Scearce
Amanda Mastin is ready to get ready for 2010.
I heard Thad Duvall has been riding some moto and SX at Palmetto Motosports down south this week.  He was home being Thad this winter, but now he's back to the bike and training in "Bad Thad" mode.  Look out! Looking even further south, I hear Hot Rod Charlie is singing the blues as I thought he may be, but the Rocky part of things have yet to develop. I will say he does look good on the Yamaha though.  I know people are thinking that Josh Strang and Whibley are going to be hard to beat this year, but the fire that Charlie has burning right now may be hard for even those two to contain.  Charlie is mad and should be!  I feel he may just prove something to some people this year.  Also I see Mandi Mastin decided to chill at least for one day on New Year's Day (as she put it "Lazing", hey,  welcome to my world btw), but she is well aware that it won't last long. She will be facing her stiffest competition since Heidi Landon and Heather Wilson in 2010. Welcome to the GNCC Racing Nation goes out to Maria Forsberg who will be flying the KTM flag in the Women's class.  This should be a good battle to watch in the morning races. And as far as KTM ATV Rider Bryan Cook, he has been down south training and came home to see the new baby and wife.  Talk about being on top of the world!!! Congratulations on everything!!!

That's it for now.  God Bless Your Heart and all Your Vital Organs!!!

Thanks, Rodney.We just got an update from 2000 GNCC Champion Shane Watts, who is recovering from some serious back injuries.

Shane Watts is back on the gas in 2010!

View the following video to see Wattsy back in action following his recent injury and surgery to fuse together 6 vertebrae (T3-T8) in his spine, as he prepares for another year of racing and conducting his hugely popular DirtWise Academy of Offroad Riding schools, that are conducted nationwide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTQbE3PZG4

We have also just launched our new DirtWiseRidingSchool channel on YouTube.com, and now you will be able to find heaps of sweet videos to view. These will include highlights videos from our DirtWise Riding schools, top level Pro Riders in action, and much more offroad action. Plus, once a month we will be loading a free, yes a FREE DirtWise Riding tip for you guys to learn from. No more need to pay $20 a month to receive the same service from some other operators out there. How awesome is that! One of the above types of video will be loaded every week so be sure to subscribe and be the first to view them. Check out some of the action here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0TosDcGVZU

http://www.youtube.com/user/DirtWiseRidingSchool

We wish everyone an awesome year of roosting and hopefully we'll get to see you out on the trails soon!

Cheers,

Wattsy

 

Here was have a message from Endurace book author/photographer, Theresa Ortolani:

Hey all....

Happy New Year!

Can you tweet, facebook, and otherwise share this info with your friends, subscribers, press contacts and booksellers - specifically those in Canada?

Endurance Author/Photographer, Theresa Ortolani will be signing books and participating in photography seminars at the:

North American International Motorcycle Supershow 2010
January 15, 16, 17
International Centre
6900 Airport Road
Toronto, Ontario
Canada

http://www.theresaortolani.com

http://www.supershowevents.com/super/ss10-guests.html#top

As always, thank you for your support!

Theresa

No problem, Theresa. If you didn't order that book for Christmas you blew it. Go get one now.

As for me I'm in California right now far, far away from the cold weather. I even went for a run this morning wearing shorts and a t-shirt-even people in Florida can't do that right now. I'll be announcing the opening round of Monster Energy Supercross this Saturday night, and I can tell you, the whole atmosphere in the pits right now is more exciting than usual. After months of hearing doom and gloom, cut budgets and economic woes, the racing season has finally begun. People are really relieved. I'm going to try to track down some Suzuki and Yamaha honchos this weekend to see if I can get some official news on Whibs, Mullins and Borich. Or maybe I'll just work on my tan.

Anyway, see you right here again next week!

Share