Jason Weigandt
by: Jason Weigandt
Thursday February 18th, 2010
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Welcome to Quick Fill. Hard to believe we're going to go racing. Soon. Almost now, really. The Racer Productions crew has spent the winter rebuilding equipment, scouting tracks and planning for another busy season. But all of that time is over. Now it's time to go. On Monday the team started packing the trucks up, and on Friday morning, they will head out. Mike Rowe's Dirty Jobs show really should get on board, because the GNCC crew is as tough, down and dirty as any other out there. And the grind begins again, tomorrow morning.

Rodney Tomblin will be joining the guys for the drive down. I'll let him take it from here:

Thanks Jason! Things are getting busy. The GNCC team will hit the road running on Friday morning, and actually some of it has already has guess. As I write this weeks screed, Buren Hamrick and the boys are laying everything out this years track at Anonia Pass for the Maxxis General GNCC. The rest of the team will arrive on Friday and begin the rest of the preparations for round 2. This is a must since the first two rounds are so close together.


Photo By: Dean V
Now more than ever, Florida or bust.
Tommy, Jeff and Dean are snowed in the parking lot at HQ in Morgantown trying to get things loaded. I am headed out the door with my snow shovel and going to start at the top of the hill and meet them in the middle. Good luck boys!! See you in the morning.

I know the south is roaring with the sounds of GNCC hopefuls working out the bugs as Bike Week and Florida begin to heat up (at least, hopefully!!!). The weather has been rather cool this winter down south, too, and I hear some snow has been falling in places that it normally does not.

The only things I am hearing from the racing front are: Johnny G and several others are doing a lot of testing and tuning at Croom. Also visiting Croom was Jimmy Jarrett as he continues his pre season prep for the JG Off-Road team. Speaking of which, I have not heard of a baby Bennett as of yet, but sure sounds like it may be close. Good luck to Gretchen and JT (Team JG) on the new Baby Bennett, which I believe is due in early March.

Eric Hoyland and Adam McGill are working out together in the gym and on the trail. I heard Hoyland got a holeshot at an FTR race and then kind of laid back. Said he didn't want to show everything he had. That is kind of exciting, could mean he is trying to be stealth till River Ranch.

The report from XC2 Pro Lites bike Champ Kailub Russell's mechanic, "Hollywood" David Cripe, is that the race bikes are prepped and ready and waiting for round 1. I cannot wait to see what this year will bring for the XC2 Pro Lites class. I am sure that Russell is going to be hard to beat, but he did set a bar last year and there are many that are working to achieve and exceed that level. I am going to say to folks right now, do not be surprised if someone from he second row wins an overall at some point in both bikes and ATVs this season. I am not taking anything away from the guys in the XC 1 by no means. I just believe that the XC2 riders may push each other that hard. No matter, it will be exciting racing all year to watch.


Photo By: Dean V
This is the last time our work ATVs will be this clean.
I got a message on Facebook from one of the smiling faces you may know from sign up, Donna Macan. Looks like efforts are already underway to ensure the Rich Casselli Memorial ISDE Medical Support Team has funding for this year's ISDE. Read and help out if you will.

Hey Rodney! I see you became a friend of the ISDE Team USA page, thanks! So since you're a fan, you know that I have Doc and Spook entered in a sponsorship contest with Prilosec OTC. It would take a lot of worry off of me to win that sponsorship to cover Doc and Spook's expenses for Mexico, as well as Dr. Keith Taulbee DC, a fellow GNCC racer's expenses also. He is now an official member of the ISDE medical team.


Anyways, please encourage everyone to go to this link: http://www.officialsponsor.com/applications/view/1688 and vote for Doc and Spook. There's no cost and it only take a few minutes of time (which is sincerely appreciated). You will have to log in (register) but no worries, I have not received one advertisement email from them. Hey, they are even offering free samples!

Voting closes Monday Feb 22nd and we are currently in 5th place. That's 4th loser! The way I figured it if everyone goes to the site and votes once we will definitely blast by everyone on the final lap! I know everyone understands how hard it is to get sponsorship these days so please brrrrppppppp THE VOTE!

Thank you, Donna and thanks to all that help out.

That's it. Next weeks report will come from hopefully a Sunny F-L-A....till then, God Bless Your Hearts and All Your Vital Organs!

Let's turn this over to Rachel "Travis Pastrana Just Came Right Over and Said, What's Up?" Fluharty:

After looking outside and seeing well over 10 inches of snow for several weeks, it's still hard to believe that the Racer Productions crew will leave in less than a week to head to Florida. I've been checking out the Weather Channel website, hoping that I'll be rewarded with warm temperature. As it stands now, we might get up to the 60s. Here's hoping, right?


Photo By: Rachel Fluharty
Open 4x4 Champion Bryan Buckhannon signed some autographs for us at Indy.
This weekend was my first Indy Trade Show experience. Indy made Morgantown feel balmy by comparison, but it was awesome hanging out in Indianapolis and seeing all kinds of GNCC'ers. It really got me pumped for the start of the season. So far it seems like all of our riders are healthy (knock on wood) and that's something to be thankful for. The trade show also gave me a lot of opportunity to talk to our sponsors and get to know some of our riders better.
Racer Productions owes a hearty thanks to 4x4 Open Champ Bryan Buckhannon who graciously stopped by the booth on Saturday and Sunday to sign autographs. We really appreciate that Bryan took time out for us, especially with race season so close! Buckhannon and I both went to Marshall University and West Virginia University (not at the same time) so I've always liked the guy for that simple fact. After this weekend though, I have even more respect for the West Virginia native. Buckhannon spent all weekend making the rounds promoting both Can-Am and the Grand National Cross Country Series. Back in the day, Scott Summers was the first off-road rider to take advantage of the opportunities the trade show provided to reach out to fans and to sponsors and would come in and stand by his bike all weekend long signing autographs. He did a great job promoting himself, and as a result, was one of the first GNCC riders to get full factory support. That kind of promotion pays off.

This week for Tuesday Toolbox I interviewed Defending GNCC Champion Paul Whibley. Whibs is always good for a solid interview. He's back to square one with a new team, new bike and new teammates, but he's done it before and still took home a championship. Whibley has a great attitude for the coming season, although I was surprised that he doesn't look to this year as defending his championship. In his mind, all the riders are on an even keel with the same amount of points going into the season so it's just like starting over. 
To read the interview,
http://www.gnccracing.com/articles/1932_tuesday-toolbox-paul-whibley


Photo By: Courtesy JNCC
Takeshi Koikeda
Masami Hoshino, the Japan National Cross Country (JNCC) President, e-mailed this week to tell me a little bit about the three top JNCC riders who will be traveling to River Ranch to compete. These talented riders are coming as part of a tradition of JNCC riders competing in the GNCC opener in exchange for GNCC riders competing in the JNCC finale in November. Josh Strang and Kailub Russell competed in the JNCC finale in November and now Takeshi Koikeda, Masahiro Kobayashi and Kousuke Mori will compete in our opener. These guys are all experienced racers. Koikeda is the Defending JNCC Champion and Kobayashi is number two in the series and Mori is the 2009 A Class Champion. It's an awesome tradition to continue and I'm happy these guys will be with us in Florida.


Photo By: Rachel Fluharty
Here's the Racer Productions booth from Indy.
David and Heather Smith of Raceday Pix will offer a Racedaypix Membership to help with cost throughout the year. Their website has been updated with all kinds of new information and they've added a few new options to their memberships. Membership prices will only be valid if purchased in advance of the Steele Creek Race GNCC. If you purchase a membership from now until the 1st Day of the River Ranch GNCC, you will receive 10 percent off. 
Email Racedaypix@hotmail.com or call 770-841-1422 to order.

Also, David will be doing photos shoots in Florida on Saturday and Monday before and after practice. If you wanted to be added to the list contact Raceday Pix!
 http://www.racedaypix.com

Thanks, Rachel. Buckhannon had quite a battle last year with Scott Kilby, and there will be another great one in Open 4x4 this year, as 2007 Open 4x4 Champion and 2009 U2 Champion Rick Cecco heads back to the Open class. Cecco versus Buckhannon is going to be epic!

Mayday mayday, I was afraid we had lost Jason Hooper last week, when he took a last minute tour of California with Shane Watts. He has indeed resurfaced, and put together this cool video of Paul Whibley and Thad DuVall testing on their 2010 Yamahas. Check out the terrain in this video, which took place on a sand track in South Carolina. With all the snow we have here, I wish I was down there right now! http://www.digitaloffroad.com/2010/02/16/ampro-yamaha-team-video/

Hoops had some scoops from out West, supposedly Glenn Kearney feels like he's far ahead of where he was last year, and Josh Strang is rumored to be flying out there, too. In two weeks, we'll see if it pays off!

Folks, we've got a race coming up next weekend. Next weekend! See you there!




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