GNCC Racing Series Heads
to Famous Unadilla Valley Sports Center
Round 11 - New Berlin, NY
New Berlin, NY (9/21/2006) –
Last year the world famous Unadilla Valley Sports Center
hosted the biggest Suzuki Grand National Cross Country
event ever, as over 1800 individual racers lined up
to challenge the woods, hills and motocross track in
New York. But this year’s race will make more
history, as some of the nation’s top motocross
talent will challenge the field, creating a start-studded
motocross verses off-road test.
Broc Hepler a three-time winner in this year’s
AMA/Toyota Motocross Championship, and AMA Supercross
Champion John Dowd will race the event with help from
the factory FMF/Suzuki off-road team. Hepler’s
appearance marks the first time a rider has ever won
an AMA Motocross National and raced a GNCC in the same
season.
Make no mistake, GNCC regulars like 2006 Champion Juha
Salminen, Barry Hawk, Rodney Smith and Charlie Mullins
will be ready for the challenge. The entire pack has
elevated their game this year in pursuit of Salminen,
the Finnish World Champion that just clinched his second-straight
GNCC title.
But reports say that Hepler is no slouch in the woods.
“I know what it’s about,” says Hepler.
“I ride in the woods at home, I grew up in it.
I watch it on TV every week and I like it. It looks
fun.”
Dowd raced the Parts Unlimited Wisp GNCC in June and
finished an impressive fourth in his first GNCC ever.
“That had to be the hardest race I’ve ever
done in my life!” said Dowd, who also finished
second at the Maxxis EnduroCross in Las Vegas. “It
was good. I put in a couple of good laps and a couple
of bad ones. I had fun though. I’d really like
to try a dry one!”
In addition, word is out that top New York pro motocrosser
Bobby Kiniry will race the event after finishing an
impressive 17th there last year.
Unadilla is the perfect place for such a race, as it’s
arguably the most historic motocross track in the country.
The track has hosted races for almost 40 years, and
every top racer in the sport from around the world has
raced there. Both the original Unadilla track and the
U2 amateur track will be integrated into the rugged
off-road course, which will also feature mud, hills,
rocks and trails.
Last year’s race was a classic, with Salminen
falling early and mounting a comeback. Mullins, Hawk
and New York’s own Nathan Kanney battled up front,
but Juha’s tremendous charge eventually got him
the win in an exciting race.
The race also features a full schedule of ATV racing
on Saturday. Yamaha’s Bill Ballance wants to collect
his record-tying seventh GNCC ATV title, but the Kentucky
rider is locked in a battle with Sunbury, PA’s
Chris Borich. It’s still anyone’s championship
in the battle between the Killer B’s. Veteran
favorite William Yokley is a threat every weekend on
his Yoshimura/Monster Suzuki, plus, a host of young
riders are staking their claim to victory lane, including
Chris Jenks, Chris Bithell, Adam McGill and last year’s
Unadilla winner, Bryan Cook.
The Unadilla GNCC begins Saturday, September 23, with
four-wheeled ATV racing. Pro racing begins at 1 p.m.
Bikes race on Sunday, with the pro race beginning at
1 p.m. Weekend passes run $12 and children six and under
are free. All passes include pro pit admission and autographs.
Located on State Highway #8, five miles north of New
Berlin, New York. From the north take NYS Thruway (Rt.
#90) to exit 31 (Utica). After the tollbooth, begin
following signs for Route #8 SOUTH. Turn right after
the tollbooth and make another right at the first light.
You will go about 50 feet and exit to your right. Continue
about 1 ½ miles and you will exit again at Route
#8 south/ Route 5/12. Approximately 4 miles later you
will exit one more time at “Route #8 South-New
Hartford”. Once you exit here, you will stay on
this road right to the racetrack. From the south, take
Rt. #81 north to Rt. I-88 east. Exit at exit #9- Sidney.
At the top of the ramp, turn left onto Route #8 NORTH.
Do not go to the Town of Unadilla.
About
Suzuki GNCC Racing Series:
The
AMA-sanctioned Suzuki Grand National Cross Country
series is America's premier off-road racing series.
The 13-round series is produced exclusively by
Racer Productions. Cross-country racing is one
of the most physically demanding sports in the
world. The nearly three-hour long GNCC races lead
as many as 1800 riders through tracks ranging
from eight to twelve miles in length. With varied
terrain including hills, trees, mud, dirt, rocks
and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests
of both survival and speed. GNCC featured sponsors
include Parts Unlimited, Moose, Maxxis, Pirelli,
Wiseco, Klotz, FMF and ITP, and riders compete
for over $2.8 million in series prizes and contingency
money. Associate sponsors include Moose Utility
Division, Scott, Acerbis, Alpinestars, Cometic,
Outerwears, Twin Air, Polisport Plastics, Thor,
Motion Pro, Hyper Wheels, Elka Suspension, MotoTee's,
Weekend Warrior, Owens Motorsports, Tom's Marina
Polaris, EK Chain and Laeger's. Media Sponsors
include Dirt Rider Magazine, ATV Sport Magazine,
www.ATVRiders.com
and Racer X Illustrated. For more information
log on to www.GNCCRacing.com.
www.gnccracing.com
122 Vista Del Rio Drive,
Morgantown, WV 26508
304-284-0084
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