Jason Weigandt
by: Jason Weigandt
Thursday May 13th, 2010
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Welcome to Quick Fill. Things just got interesting.



Photo By: Shan Moore
You know it don't come easy....
A few weeks into this 2010 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series, we were looking at dominance from a pair of Suzuki riders. In fact, as soon as Chris Borich won the season opener in Florida people were talking about the possibility of a perfect season on ATVs, and on the bike side, Josh Strang grabbed the first four rounds on his RM-Z450. Forget about the championship chase, Strang looked to be going for perfection.

Of course both racers denied that they were even thinking of going undefeated-the championship was their only goal, and now we know why. In this series, anything can happen.

The bikes witnessed the biggest shakeup over the weekend. Strang's win streak fell at the hands of Charlie Mullins a few weeks ago at Loretta Lynn's, but he still carried a massive points lead into the Stomp. He and Mullins looked set for another breakaway battle this weekend, until Josh suffered through every GNCC racer's worst fear: he got bounced off of his bike, left hand came off the bar, causing the right hand to grab a handful of 450 power and launch him straight into a tree. Ouch! Good thing Josh is so tough, a lesser man would have been out for the day or even the season, but he managed to pick himself up after about 10 minutes and get going again to salvage points. Still, Mullins was headed to a second-straight win and a major gain in the series, except that pesky 250 four-stroke of Kailub Russell was back in the hunt for the overall.
Mullins eventually held on for another win, and now he's within 19 points of Strang. Mullins hasn't won two in a row ever, so he's riding a major wave of confidence, and most will say that the mental side is all that's missing for Hot Rod-the talent is there. Could he finally become the dominant force many expected him to become? Can Strang fight back? And when the heck is Whibs going to catch fire? Looks like this will be an exciting season afterall.
As for Strang, FMF Makita Suzuki team manager Mike Webb filed this report HERE.


Photo By: Shan Moore
Yamaha? Check. Win streak? Check. This is the Charlie Mullins we expected to see back in 2006.
On ATV's, Taylor Kiser has proven the biggest thorn in the side for Chris Borich, as other contenders haven't had the season they would like. Bill Ballance is out with major injuries, Brandon Sommers is suffering from mono, and Bryan Cook has been close, but just a notch below where he would want to be (victory lane) on his new KTM. The only other challenges have come from the Warnert Can-Am duo of Adam McGill and Chris Bithell, who have been fast all year-and finally that speed paid off when Bithell won over the weekend! Bithell has never been a good starter, but he picked a really bad race to get a bad start in considering how tight the Yadkinville track can be-and yet he came through to the front! Bithell won this race back in 2007, so he likes this place. Now he's headed to familiar turf in Pennsylvania. Can he win some more? Rodney Tomblin talks to him about it in this week's Tuesday Toolbox HERE.

As for Borich, check out this fun and funny interview with him courtesy of ATV Rider Magazine HERE.

Now let's turn this over to Shan Moore.

Thanks, Jason. I'm still amazed at the ride that Chris Bithell put in at Yadkinville. Coming from last place on a track that everyone agrees is tough to pass on, but the Can-Am rider got 'er done to claim his first win of the year.

Even though he's been riding basically the same bike for three years now, Bithell says some recent changes have accounted for some big improvements in their program. "This has been a big step in our evolution," Chris told me. "This year we went with a different engine builder - Motoworks, and we're using Walsh A-arms, and the bike has definitely been working well this year. I just new it would be a matter of time before we got up there. I've been training hard and I came into the season hoping I would do better than I have been doing. I was actually a little disappointed, I was hoping to podium every race."


Photo By: Shan Moore
Atta boy Chris Bithell!
Chris said he likes the Yadkinville track and he felt his bike worked exceptionally well on the tight course. "I was just trying to salvage as many points as I could after I got off to a bad start, and then all of a sudden I started making passes," Bithell said. "Before I knew it I was seeing the top guys and the numbers on my pit board started getting better. The next thing I knew I was working on Bryan Cook and Taylor Kiser. It was really hard to pass, but it was just a matter of putting pressure on the guy in front of you and hope they eventually take a bad line or make a bobble so you can get by. Kiser put up a good fight and I think he was playing it safe in front of me and I was playing it safe too. I was ready to settle for second, just because I knew it was better than hitting a tree and going way back. But I ended up trying a different line from him and it worked out for me. We came out into this field and he had a little bit of an edge on me down this straight but I ended up motoring past him about halfway through. In the next corner before the woods we came in there just about side-by-side and I was outside and it set me up for an inside line in the next turn and I ended up getting him. He was after me after that - bouncing off the rev limiter. But I held him off."

The series is headed north from Yadkinville, and Bithell has mixed emotions on that. "Those tracks are a lot rockier and usually muddy, and that's something that I don't normally look forward to. But they are also more wide-open and I can sometimes hold it open longer and make some moves. It's also closer to home and it's what I grew up riding so I'm excited about that aspect of it. I especially love the Ohio race."

On the bike side of things, Glenn Kearney had a great ride in Yadkinville on the little Husky, grabbing his best finish of the year with a third. It was an especially impressive ride considering he was still sore from a get-off at Loretta Lynn's, and he had just come off of a hectic few days after his brother, Ben, broke his femur while the two were out testing suspension on that Thursday. According to Glenn, his brother is at home and doing fine.


Photo By: David Scearce
GK is pushing his 250F to the limits.
The doctors put a titanium rod in his femur, and they said healing time was about four months. But Glenn says as soon as Ben can stand the pain he'll be up walking around.

For this season, Husqvarna North America has Glenn riding the new TXC 250, which according to Glenn is a great handling and lightweight bike, but there's no doubt he's giving up a bit of power to the 450s running on the circuit. However, Glenn got a great start at Yadkinville - even though that is an uphill start - and rode his butt off to his best finish in a long time. According to Glenn, the conditions were perfect for him and his bike: dry and dusty. "I grew up in Australia riding dry and dusty conditions," says Kearney. "So that's what I do best in. But I prefer to ride in races with good traction."

As far as riding a smaller bike, Kearney admits that, "the horsepower has been more of a disadvantage than I thought it would be - it's been a long time since I raced a 250F. I think the way the GNCCs are laid out there can be a disadvantage, but I think there is an advantage with the lighter weight, because at the end of three hours of racing I'm not nearly as tired as I would be on a 450. Plus, this particular bike turns so well and handles so well that I can overcome some of the displacement handicap."

Kearney also has mixed emotions about heading north. "I always look forward to the first six races of the season because they are in the south," he said. "Originally, when I started this series six years ago, I had my worst finishes in muddy conditions, and most of those were up north, but I've come a long way with muddy results and I feel if conditions are right I can get a good results. I think also the 250 might be an advantage in the mud, since the bikes get so heavy."

It will be interesting to see how Bithell and Kearney fare as the series moves north for the rest of the series. See ya at the track.

Thanks, Shan. Now onto Jason "Digital Off-Road.com" Hooper.


Photo By: Shan Moore
Digital Dave was back at the races...and apparently looking for a Vendor's Row Challenge big check to put in those hands. At least he got some real money to help Cheyenne.
The Yadkin Valley Stomp marked the 4th running of the now annual Vendor Row Challenge. "Digital" Dave Smith has been the main man behind the event over the years, and we all know that he and his family have been going through a rather huge ordeal since his 6-year-old daughter Cheyenne was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. All proceeds from this year's VRC went directly to the Smith family to help with their growing medical bills, and I'd really like to thank all 14 participants for the $600 that they were able to raise. An even bigger thanks goes out to Rita Coombs for adding in her own $400 to bring the donation to an even $1000. "Digital" Dave was on hand to shoot photos at the race, the first even he's been able to make it to since Georgia, and was obviously overwhelmed by the support shown to his real family by his GNCC family. Dave posted on his Facebook yesterday that Cheyenne will finally get to go home in a mere 13 days! Awesome news for the Smith family for sure, and we can't wait to see them back at the races.

While Charlie Mullins, Glenn Kearney, and Kailub Russell aren't North Carolina natives (two Ohioans and one Aussie), all three now call the Tarheel State home, and I guess given that it shouldn't be too big of a surprise that they took up 3/4 of the top-4 overall positions at the Yadkin Valley Stomp. Although I'm not too sure if living in NC had much to do with their finishes, as I've seen all three riders out practicing a bunch lately, and they've all been hitting up the motocross tracks, and not the woods. Russell went as far as to mention in his podium speech on Sunday that he really doesn't enjoy woods riding, it's just his job, and when he has the choice on where to ride, he picks a motocross track. This is a pretty common theme in the GNCCs these days as Josh Strang has moved to California and rides exclusively with the top motocross racers in the world on the plethora of motocross tracks out there. Down here in the South, it's pretty common to see some huge names in GNCC at the local motocross track. For instance, last Thursday evening Charlie Mullins, Kailub Russell, Cory Buttrick, and Chris Bach were all at a local motocross track spinning laps. Considering all those riders results this year, the motocross track might just be the place to get in your GNCC training!

I'm not sure how many of you saw this awesome YouTube video from last year's Steele Creek GNCC produced by NASCAR Media cinematographer, Brent Buntyn. If you haven't it's worth taking a look at, it's cool to see the GNCCs from a very different point of view. The reason I mention this is Brent actually came to the Yadkin Valley Stomp on Sunday and shot even more footage for another video he wants to put together. I took Brent with me on my Can-Am Outlander to as many spots as we could hit, and I'll be sure to keep you all up-to-date on when the video is put together. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7daEhoF3MQ

Okay, Hoops, now onto GNCC Announcer Rodney Tomblin.

Now on to Rodney Tomblin.

Thanks Jason! It was another barn burner weekend at The Yadkin Valley Stomp GNCC presented by Motorcycle USA this past weekend. We have had some good weather weekends (I think?) in amongst the seemingly prevailing muddy weekends, but this past weekend offered the most perfect conditions yet in my opinion. The fields along with the edge of the tree lines were quite dusty and the woods were absolutely perfect. I know it sounds crazy, but there were nearly 50,000 gallons of water that was actually dumped on many of the high dust areas we expected around the pits and such before anyone even showed up. And again as expected, it really didn't help much by the time the sun and wind had dried it up, but it did help keep dust down on Friday while everyone was rolling in.

The Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce once again offered shuttles to several of the local vineyards for tours and wine tasting. As always the red carpet was rolled out and even the mayor of Yadkinville was on hand to welcome the GNCC Racing Nation and to congratulate newly elected county commissioner, Marion Wellborn who is also the landowner for the Stomp. Mr. Wellborn on behalf to the State of North Carolina presented the American Flag to fly in the parade at the ISDE in Mexico this fall.

While conditions with sunshine and temperatures around 70 seemed perfect, the winds of change did gust a little this weekend as far as the racing is concerned. I am obviously referring to the pro class results from both days.

Now I am not saying that Rockstar/Suzuki's Chris Borich or FMF/Suzuki's Josh Strang are in any trouble as far as their championship races are concerned, but we did see confidence levels of at least two pro riders just sky rocket. I am talking of course of Warnert Can Am's Chris Bithell who finally won the GNCC ATV overall for the first time since late 2008 at the Unadilla GNCC. And I am also talking of Obermeyer/AM Pro Yamaha's Charlie Mullins who just captured his second straight GNCC win. Add to that a National Enduro win and a win at the Sunday Creek Raceway Area Qualifier for Loretta Lynn's, Charlie has had 4 straight winning weekends.

Chris Borich is calmly still in control of the ATV championship points race right now. He has come short of winning only twice this season and both times he finished on the podium. Borich appears to be unshakeable right now and unless something mechanical or something crazy takes him out of the race, you can count on him being in the end.

Josh Strang is still holding onto a healthy points lead after his second straight loss. Josh too is still in control, but things sure tightened up after this past race. The points lead now just 19 between him and Charlie Mullins.

I would like to tip my hat to Charlie Mullins though. I am not sure how many noticed what happened after the crash that Strang had, but Mullins literally stopped and made sure he was okay. Then as he was heading through the Pro Pits, his team cheering and waving him on, he quickly halted at the Suzuki pits, put his bike in neutral and proceeded to tell Shane Nalley and Mike Webb what happened and where. I must say that was most definitely a great show of sportsmanship. Way to roll "Hot Rod"!!

How about the 10:00 a.m. race on Sunday for the bikes? Congratulations to Tyler Macdonald for the Overall win and to a couple of North Carolina boys who have seen limited action in the GNCC in the last couple of seasons and rode well this weekend. Robby Austell who is from Grover, NC finished 2nd and Matthew "Garrett" Wellborn finished 6th. Both these boys are fast and could be top GNCC contenders today.


All American spirit at the races.
As good as it is to see these guys back in action; the excitement for me lies in what has been happening from our new GNCC Women's class contender and FMF KTM rider Maria Forsberg. She has seen results starting out barely in the top 50 Overall to top 20 to now top 10 the last two rounds. Maria finished 5th at Loretta Lynn's GNCC and backed it up with 9th at Yadkin Valley.

I remember speaking with Mandi Mastin, defending Women's class champion, and she told me how excited she was to see that KTM had noticed the women's class and was bringing in a rider to compete for the title. Mandi said it would be good for the class all around. She felt it would give her the competition she strives for in the class and should bring in more talent to make the class a little more exciting and competitive. I think it has also inspired several to strive harder. Looks like some of the other ladies are stepping things up too. Leann Bange, Ashley Crouch and Kelley Hall have also seen notable improvements since the start of the season which could signal a possible revolution of women's class riders working their way into contention for consistent top 10 finishes and maybe some podiums even. It usually only takes a spark to start a fire and the way I am seeing it, someone is beating the flint stone right now and smoke is starting to roll. The fire is soon to follow.

Till next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs!

Thanks, Rodney. That's it from here, we'll have more amatuer and youth updates next week, for now, enjoy your weekend!

 

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