Photo By: Matt Ware
Will the local holeshot artist be back?
Yup, that first Unadilla GNCC was the biggest one ever, and while we haven't gotten back to that massive 1800 rider count again, we've been close every year, making this the biggest race of the year, each year. Weather does not matter, either. People in upstate NY are a tough bunch and race anyway.
We've seen awesome races here, too, including the original '05 win on bikes for Juha Salminen, and an upset ATV win that year for Bryan Cook, when it seemed like everyone was getting stuck in mud out by the railroad tracks. We've seen Bill Ballance deliver championship-saving performances with a broken leg, we've seen hometown hero Nathan Kanney deliver his first-ever GNCC win in front of friends and family, we saw Chris Bithell deliver a long-awaited first win on a Can-Am, and even last year's races were great, with Paul Whibley winning and old-school style race where five or six riders could have won in the bike ranks.
The track is now weaved right into the fabric of GNCC, and there's no better place to kick of the 'second season' than here. You folks have fun at the races.
By the way, I have only one hope for the weekend. Good weather? Nah. Good racing? That will take care of itself. I just really, really hope some of the great characters of Unadilla come out. I'll settle for either A) The Ghost of Unadilla or B) Bat Man Ben Bouwens, who took the XC1 holeshot last year. Come on out, guys.
The funny guys at OffRoad Junkies sent out a letter to the Ghost of Unadilla. Click here to read it.
Photo By: David Scearce
The Ghost of Unadilla.
Now, here are our reporters, first, Shan Moore.
Thanks, Jason. Looks like we might need raincoats this weekend at Unadilla. But I'm not gonna let it bother me; that's what off-road racing is all about, as far as I'm concerned.
Wow! What a bombshell Roger DeCoster dropped on the Suzuki motocross team this past weekend, jumping to rival KTM to be MX team manager for the next three years. "The Man" has definitely left his mark on the sport as a team manager the last 15 years or so, just as he did as a rider, and it now looks like KTM is looking to become the dominant force in American motocross that it is in off-road racing over here. Kind of strange seeing RD team up with Mike Alessi again, a rider he fired from Suzuki a few years ago.
I really believe KTM has a winner in the new 350 SX-F, which I think will make a perfect off-road machine, with its light weight and new frame. However, that remains to be proven on the racecourse. The rumor is that Cory Buttrick and possibly Nate Kanney will ride the 350s this weekend in New York.
Photo By: Shan Moore
Nate Kanney may be the man to beat this weekend.
Speaking of Mullins, the Ohio native wasn't able to secure a factory deal for the 2010 season, but you can bet he'll be among the most highly sought after riders for 2011.
Also, there is word that KTM (and Husaberg) is asking its factory guys to ride more than one series, which means there is a chance we will see guys like Russell Bobbitt and Michael Lafferty - enduro regulars - also riding GNCC. This will be cool since it will bring a few more top-name guys to the starting line. It will also mean that guys like Nate Kanney - a GNCC specialist - will be riding another series full time, like the national enduro series. Even the factories are doing everything they can to get their money's worth in this tight economy.
As for GNCC guys riding local races, the SETRA hosted the 57th Little Brown Jug Enduro this past weekend in Union, South Carolina, and it drew a pretty good turnout. GNCC-regular Steward Baylor took the overall win in front of fellow KTM rider Jesse Robinson, with A-Pro Yamaha's Paul Whibley finishing third. Glenn Kearney was also a front-runner until he ran out of gas in the last section on his Husky. Whibley, who was filling in for Charlie Mullins, said be decided to ride the LBJ because, "an Enduro would be a fun change of pace. Although, learning the rules and how the event runs took some time with a different system than the World Enduro Format, but by the middle of the day I had a grasp of the basics." Jared Bolton from Offroadjunkies.com sent us this video from the race.
That's all for me. See ya this weekend at Unadilla!
On the cover of the latest AMA Mag.
Now on to GNCC Announcer Rodney Tomblin.
Thanks Jason! Well it is finally almost really here! The return of GNCC Racing with this weekend's Can Am Unadilla GNCC. As I arrived yesterday afternoon the temperatures were noticeably some 30 degrees different from when I left home. I am talking temps only in the fifties as a light rain fell on a dry Unadilla Valley. The forecast is for it to be somewhat cooler than what it has been, so make sure you bring pants, jackets, hoodies, toboggans and such. And as always, even though right now there is not much in the forecast as far as rain, bring your mud boots just in case.
Finally we get to hear the stories of what the off time has been able to write. Who was training? Who was lounging? Who was training but portraying being a lounger? Who is ready and who can take the pressure?
That's a good question right now for both the XC1 and XC2 bike class points' leaders. XC1 Pro point's leader FMF/Makita/Suzuki's Josh Strang had a phenomenal start to the season winning the first four rounds of the season. Josh tagged a tree at the Acerbis Loretta Lynn's GNCC and kind of derailed his momentum, but never count out Josh Strang. Remember he came here with one thing on his mind and that was to win the world's most prestigious off road racing championship. He also has in his corner the wisdom of 5 Time GNCC Champ Rodney Smith and his wife Lori who is one to the best trainers out there. Even though Josh has yet to win a championship, he must ride as though he is defending a championship.
Photo By: Shan Moore
Charlie Mullins is just 17 points behind Strang.
Charlie Mullins and Nate Kanney have both been on fire during the misfortunes of Strang. And with Mullins' 3 straight GNCC Racing wins and National Enduro Title race, Mullins feels with all his recent success that he is a serious contender for a championship many folks had expected to see him win already. As far as FMF/KTM's Nate Kanney is concerned, he is on a roll after the recent win at Snowshoe. He may not be a championship hopeful, but he could sure play spoiler.
In the XC2 Pro Lites class, defending champion FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell also found himself seeing an early points lead start to dwindle. The amazing thing is that Russell has not really had a horrible day. He opened the season with a 3rd and then 5 straight wins. Russell then scored a 2nd and when he went home to Ohio he scored an impressive 10th on the day after some really dumb luck in the the muddiest race of the year. Then at Snowshoe, Kailub escaped another close call after he broke off his shifter lever on a rock on the rough and rugged near 25 mile loop of the toughest trail the GNCC has seen in some time. Russell said all in all he had a good ride that day and was happy it did not turn out as badly as possible. The flip side to Kailub's coin is that Jason Thomas and Jesse Robinson have both been posting consistently strong podium finishes that has chipped away at the points lead narrowing the lead to just 8 points over second place Thomas and only 13 total points ahead of 3rd place point's holder Jesse Robinson. I feel this is only heating up. Russell is defending the National Title but here is opportunity for maturity along with true grit to pull out the goods in the end.
One thing I heard last week is that F.A.R Andrews/Monster Yamaha rider Morgan Moss is back in the saddle. This is exciting news for Moss. He injured himself heading into the season and has not been able to ride all summer. This is a true bummer for Moss considering he was plucked straight from the amateur ranks by Fred Andrews to ride his XC2 Pro Lites team for 2010. The good news for Moss though is that Freddy really believes in the talent and abilities of Morgan and I don't feel we have seen the last of this young man. Check out a recent feature article covered by Lucas Comeaux of Acadian racing HERE. Looks like Freddy may be onto something, he beat a lot of fast guys in a recent journey out west. I for one cannot wait to if he can be a factor in the XC2 Pro Lites championship.
On the ATV side of things Chris Borich seems to have the championship all but won. The only thing is that Bill Balance Racing/Yamaha rider Taylor Kiser is well within striking distance and the only one that seems to have a chance at stopping Borich's second championship. Kiser has kept Borich as honest as anyone on the track and as they say, it aint over yet.
XC2 Pro Am is 10-point dog fight between Brian Wolf and Walker Fowler. Unfortunately the Defending Champion Josh Kirkland will not be back to race this one out after the accident during the break, but one cannot also count out 4th place rider Kevin Yoho. It has been so much fun to see it all build to where it is now and it will for sure be exciting to watch right down to the wire in Indiana to see who will be crowned champ there.
Don't forget the Non-Denominational Chapel Services on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 8:30a.m. each day. Services are hosted by Team Faith Ministries' Chuck Lemaster a fellow GNCC racer. Service lasts 20 minutes or so and is a great way to start your day and weekend. You can also stop by the Team Faith booth on vendor row and talk to Church or anyone there any time during the day.
That's it for me. Till next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs!
Photo By: Matt Ware
Last year's 'Dilla podium.
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