Location: Millfield, OH
Race Report: To say this weekend was exciting would be a total understatement. Team riders Paul Whibley (XC1 Class) and Jordan Ashburn (XC2 Class) both dominated their respective classes, marking the first time in team history that we've won both the XC1 and XC2 classes in the same race!
As AmPro Yamaha's Paul Whibley starred into the first corner, it was clear that he was on a mission to win. When the green flag dropped, Paul gave his 2011 Yamaha YZ450F one kick and it roared to life, blasting him into the first corner ahead of the XC1 pack. Whibley used his momentum from the holeshot to keep him going throughout the day, as he held the lead for the majority of the three hour race.
However, some of the best racing came towards the end of the race when KTM's Kailub Russell made a last minute charge for the lead, starting a battle that would end in the final section of the course. As both riders closed in on the final jump of the motocross section, Whibley made the commitment to jump the large double as Russell decided to back it off, giving Whibley his 3rd win of the season.
"I felt really comfortable out there today," said Whibley. "We couldn't have had better conditions for the Penton. Normally, this race is either a dust bowl or a mud fest and today it was perfect. It came right down to the last jump and that definitely made it pretty exciting. I'd really like to thank the team for all their hard work. The YZ450F ran amazing and Scotty did a great job getting it all set up. I'd also like to thank the guys at Vortex and Works Connection. The combination of the Vortex Ignition System and the Works Connection Holeshot device, makes getting out front much easier. Overall, it was a great day in Ohio and I'm so excited to get another win for myself and the team."
AmPro / Obermeyer Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn got his first taste of GNCC victory after a hard fought battle for the XC2 Class win. With a less than perfect start, Jordan quickly worked his way up into the third place position behind FAR Husky Rider Jason Thomas. Once the two riders hit the motocross track, Ashburn pushed hard and made his move, getting around Thomas and setting his sights on the leader.
For the first time all year luck seemed to be on Jordan's side, as he rounded the corner and saw Jesse Robinson stuck on a rutted hill climb. Jordan carefully picked the right line getting around Jesse and moving into the lead. Jordan and Jesse battled for the next several laps until Jordan finally made a pass for the win only a mile from the finish.
"This race was a lot of fun," said Ashburn. "There was literally no dust, which made line selection and passing way easier. The GYTR YZ250F worked awesome all day and it was nice to have some good luck
for a change. This is my first win in the XC2 class and I'd really like to thank the people that made it possible. First off, I'd like to thank my mom and dad. They're at every race, right by my side, encouraging me to achieve all of my goals. I'd also like thank Randy Hawkins and Keith Obermeyer. This is my first official year riding for a Factory Race Team and they have encouraged me through the good races and the bad. I'd also like to thank Yamaha and the rest of my sponsors for all the help this year. I'm going to train hard through the break and hopefully come back into the series with some more wins!"
AmPro Yamaha's Thad Duvall started out the race strong and battled throughout the day for a top 5 position. Unfortunately, on the last lap Thad got stuck in a mud hole, setting him off the pace of the leading pack. After regaining his composure, Duvall kept charging and finished the day only seconds out of the top five.
"Today was a little rough for me," said Thad. "I just wasn't in the zone. I was pretty happy to salvage a 6th place after getting stuck. The track itself was perfect, which is pretty rare for The Penton. Overall, I think there are a couple things I need to work on over the break to get back into the points race. I'd like to thank Yamaha and all of my sponsors. In the tight Penton woods section, my Cycra Handguards worked amazing and served their purpose!"
Click Here to Watch the Battle for the Win, Brought to by the Fine Folks at www.DigitalOffroad.com.
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