Derron Oakley Puts in Strong Run at Camp Coker GNCC
Derron Oakley's Camp Coker GNCC UXC1 UTV Race Report

Middletown, OH (4/27/2018) - Middletown Cycle’s Derron Oakley ran as high as third in his new Can-Am Maverick X3 before a front end issue put him ninth at the finish during the Camp Coker GNCC in Society Hill, SC. Oakley was running the UXC1 Turbo class.

Oakley started on the second row and was immediately competitive on the brutal course. He made it all the way up into third before he had a front end issue that slowed his charge. Oakley said it was a minor setback.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way the car was performing before that,” said Oakley. “It’s a little frustrating, but we’ll go back, fix it and get a bunch of testing on it. We were bouncing back between third and fourth. I just have to get a bunch of seat time in it to get used to this new X3 because it’s so much faster than the Maverick we used to run. We’ll be ready for John Penton. We’ll see if we can put this Can-Am on the podium where it belongs.”

The track was super rough with deep sand and mud holes throughout. The Maxxis Big Horn 2.0 tires were perfect in the sand, and Oakley’s G-Force Suspension helped iron out the bumps. With the higher horsepower of the turbocharged engine, Oakley appreciated the stopping power of his DP Brakes.

“The G-Force suspension was crucial today,” said Oakley. “The track was just so brutal and the suspension worked great everywhere. Braking was important today because the track was super fast with these turbos, so the DP brakes gave us superior stopping power. The Maxxis tires always perform well and do exactly what we need them to do. The Tire Balls helped us avoid any flats. The car was set up and working well.”

Oakley also unveiled a new wrap on his Can-Am here. The colorful vinyl highlighted his relationship with Middletown Cycle, his primary sponsor.

After nearly missing the season due to a company a contracted to build his cars fell short, Oakley built his current X3 after borrowing a car for the season opener. Though he’s had little time to test, the car has performed well.

“We’ve had a few good runs,” said Oakley, who now sits eighth in points. “We’re going to do a lot more testing before the next race so we can give the top boys a run for their money in the second half of the season.”

Oakley and his team are now busy preparing for the next race: The John Penton GNCC at Sunday Creek Raceway in Millfield, OH. That race is scheduled for May 26-27.

Derron Oakley 2018 Sponsors:
Can-Am Offroad, Maxxis, DWT Racing, DP Brakes, Factory UTV, SSi Decals, GFORCE Suspension