The GNCC Staff is here with some cool mid-season reports to wet your appetite for racing, and remember, we'll be back in just three weeks with GNCC action from Unadilla.
Here's Shan Moore:
Photo By: Shan Moore
Kanney on the 350.
Mullins came into the race with a 29-point lead in the series standings and a chance to wrap up the title early. He didn't, but he will have an easy time of it at the series finale in Indiana, needing only to finish eighth to wrap up his first national enduro championship. Charlie told me he struggled in the New England rocks, which were dry and slippery, but he said it was good practice for Unadilla, which is in just over two weeks. "I've been putting my focus on the enduro series for the past several weeks, so I need to start getting ready for the GNCC series again. I need to get ready physically and mentally for Unadilla," said Mullins. "I just need to keep working hard and hopefully I'll be ready to go come September."
Buttick told me before the race that he's been testing the new KTM 350 SX-F for the past few weeks and he is hoping to be able to ride it at Unadilla. "So far, the 350 testing has been going really well and I really like the bike," said Buttrick. "Right now, we are working with the suspension and keeping testing. I'm going to do some local races with it this weekend, so hopefully we'll have it dialed in so we can race it at Unadilla," Buttrick said. "Right now I like the feel of it better than the 450, so I'm hoping we can debut it at Unadilla."
Buttrick rode his 250 two-stroke in Maine, but Nate Kanney, who was making a rare enduro appearance, rode a 350 to a solid fourth place finish. "I really wanted to get on the podium but I got fourth, but I really rode well and it was good to make a competitive effort at a national enduro and debut the new 350," said Kanney. "The bike was really good, actually. Especially in the second half when other guys were getting tired I was able to keep pushing. It didn't beat me up quite as much as the 450. But of course, it doesn't have the bottom end of the 450. But it is lighter and all together I think it's going to be a great bike for off-road racing."
Photo By: Shan Moore
GK and his new, old, ride.
Glenn got the new 310cc Husky engine from the factory, but he didn't get all the parts he needed to fit it into his frame. He's still hoping to get the goods in time for the Unadilla round. Glenn has been riding Husky's 250 TXC and there's no doubt he's giving up a lot of horses to the 450s.
Just over a week before Unadilla and I've got my travel plans all set. Hopefully, JR has the XR100 and my open face helmet loaded up and ready to go!
That's Shan Moore, now on to Rodney Tomblin.
Thanks Jason! The return to GNCC Racing gets closer and more and more folks are starting to pop out of the wood work as we get set to head to The Can Am Unadilla GNCC in only a matter of weeks. I have been so far out of the loop with things that it is finally nice to be hearing GNCC related racing topics begin.I start off with "Hearty" congratulations to Ballance Racing's Taylor Kiser and Walker Fowler on the big win in the Heartland Challenge, a 10 hour team race in Iowa that seems to be becoming a great warm up for the return to GNCC. Also congratulations go out to team GT Thunder's squad of Brandon Sommers, Donnie Ockerman and Brian Wolf, as they took the 2nd in this brutal endurance race. I know how rough a GNCC can get in two hours of ATV racing, I cannot imagine what course conditions would be after 10 hours. To ride the final laps, one would think be the biggest challenge of it all.Looks like Brandon Sommers is well rested and ready to tackle the last four rounds. He may be gunning for a podium spot soon as it really seems like he may be getting fired up again.
Photo By: Shan Moore
Taylor Kiser got a win at the 10 Hour, but can he beat this man for two?
Speaking of the Pont de Vaux race, Josh's team went on to compete in the race. Looks like Josh's FRE KTM Teammate, XC1 Pro Brian Cook, made the journey in Kirkland's place. The team consisted of top five AMA Pro ATV Racer Josh Upperman from Baldwin Motorsports, Cook and former GNC (MX and TT) ATV Champion Shane Hitt. Team Manager Tim Farr was to going race, but a mid season crash at an ATV MX National at Steel City in the 25 Plus class left Farr far from being able to compete.
The good news to report is that The USA team won practice and qualifying. And USA's Josh Upperman pulled the hole shots in each of the three sessions. The bad news is that, we didn't win again! After talking to Bill Ballance and hearing of his experiences there last year, it was an uphill battle. Bill basically stated that with the language barrier being in France and all, and some of the rules made it a challenge for Americans to win, no matter how fast they are. Thing is, once we finally do figure out what is going on over there, the U.S. team should be considered a threat year after year. They finished eighth in the end and I cannot wait to hear the stories from that one. I don't know if Digital Dave is reading this, but sounds like a good topic for a Friday night Track Smack Live!
Other things from the ATV side of GNCC include some good news for XC2 Pro Am ATV contender Eric "Hurricane" Hoyland. It looks like he is featured in a full page ad for Houser Racing in the September issue of Dirt Wheels Magazine. I think that HMF has ads feature Johnny G and Donnie Ockerman as well.
As far as Eric Hoyland and 2010, it seems like things may finally be meshing with his new program. I hear he has made some changes with suspension that should put him back into contention for podium spots soon. Hoyland recently took a local race win by well more than two minutes and his confidence is beginning to soar again.
On the bike side of things I have not heard a whole lot there. I spoke with he GNCC XC2 Pro Lites contender F.A.R./ Montster Energy's Jason Thomas this morning, though, and he said he is back in Canada this week where he should wrap up the Canadian title at the FMSQ Cross-Country Championship, this Sunday at Ormstown, Quebec. Here's a headline I read: Team Duroy Racing/KTM Canada/LRP/Monster Energy's Jason Thomas (GNCC's UK-7) made it 7 victories from 7 starts in this season's FMSQ Cross-Country Championship. That's funny, 7 for 7 for UK 7! Jason also told me that he got to spend some time at home in the United Kingdom where he continued to race while vacationing. It looks like an old supporter offered him a guest ride for couple of races on a KTM250XC by Richard Baker of V.C. Racing, and his long-time friend and supporter Rudy Austin. He said he had a great time and was super pumped to win a couple of races including a Fast Eddy Cross Country round and especially the British Cross-Country Championship round at Canada Height's last weekend. Jason said he won them by a lap over the competition.
And in other UK-7 news: Thomas was spotted racing a local Ohio CRA race on a, get this, a Husky! Could we maybe see Kearney and Thomas as teammates in 2011? That has not been said or anything, but it does make sense for a move like that. Furthermore, the comment from Thomas that he really liked the bike may be a big positive for both Husqvarna and Thomas in 2011. I hate to beat the Jason Thomas drum so loudly this week, but remember I have been starved for information as of late and my conversation with Jason was a buffet of bench racing that has left me wanting more and Unadilla may be the only thing that satisfies this appetite!
Photo By: Shan Moore
This is just an awesome shot of Adam McGill so we're running it.
That'll do it for me; I am headed out in the morning to Southwick for the Lucas Oil AMA Pro MX. (Maybe Weege can buy dinner one night for Shan and me and talk GNCC, after all we are really hooking him up for this column.) Until next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs!
Good stuff from Rodney, we have an announcement here from Shane Watts, could be good gig for an ex pro out there:
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