|
Yamaha's
Walker Fowler is still undefeated after
7 rounds on his Yamaha YFZ450X ATV |
Cypress, CA (6/27/2011) - Fowler,
Cecco Win GNCC ATV Races
Yamaha YFZ450 ATVs enjoyed an incredible day
at the GNCC event in Snowshoe, WV, sweeping
the XC2 Pro Am podium and taking three of the
top four positions in the Women’s class
on Saturday, June 25.
Walker Fowler’s XC2 win was most incredible,
as it’s the seventh consecutive time the
18-year-old has stood atop the GNCC XC2 podium
this year – a perfect record so far. But
Cecco’s victory was no less impressive,
as the seven-time class champion grabbed her
fourth win of the 2011 season. Both she and
Fowler continue to lead the points standings
for their classes. While in the premier XC1
Pro class, it was good to see nine-time champion
Bill Ballance fighting inside the top 10 once
again after being injured last season. He finished
seventh ahead of Yamaha-mounted Kevin Yoho and
Jeffrey Pickens.
The Snowshoe event is one of more unique GNCC
races of the year. Held in a ski resort area,
the course winds through high-altitude ski runs
and even includes a section of road within the
village. In the four-lap Women’s race
on Saturday morning, Cecco was simply unstoppable
here. She put her YFZ450X firmly into the lead
and then built a three-minute gap over rival
Angel Atwell on the first lap, grew the advantage
to nearly five minutes by the midway point,
to nine minutes after three laps, and then finally
cruised to a six-minute win over Angel at the
flag. Yamaha-mounted Kristen Atwell and Kara
Merritt finished third and fourth, respectively,
to give Yamaha a hammerlock on the top four
places.
With six consecutive wins this season, Fowler
understandably felt the pressure as he lined
up for the afternoon’s combined XC1 Pro
and XC2 Pro Am race. Although struggling at
first, he eventually got into a rhythm to take
the lead and win by more than four minutes over
the Yamaha-mounted duo of Gabe Phillips and
Patrick McGuire. McGuire actually led the first
pair of laps, but Fowler turned the tables after
the halfway point, gaining over three minutes
on his rivals on lap three, and then increasing
the advantage further by the end. Fowler was
so strong, that he also finished the combined
race in third overall against the XC1 Pro riders.
"I didn't ride well on the first lap and
the entire second row got around me,”
Fowler later admitted. “After that I just
settled down and started riding like I should
have, started picking off riders, and eventually
found myself up front."
2011
GNCC ATV XC1 Pro Points
|
Position |
Name |
Points |
1 |
Chris Borich |
170 |
2 |
Adam McGill |
163 |
3 |
Chris Bithell
|
141 |
4 |
Taylor
Kiser - Yamaha |
136 |
5 |
Bryan Cook |
103 |
2011
GNCC ATV XC2 Pro Am Points
|
Position |
Name |
Points |
1 |
Walker
Fowler - Yamaha |
210 |
2 |
Gabe
Phillips - Yamaha |
151 |
3 |
Patrick
McGuire - Yamaha |
121 |
4 |
Eric Hoyland |
112 |
5 |
Aarol Bright |
106 |
2011
GNCC ATV Womens Points
|
Position |
Name |
Points |
1 |
Traci
Cecco - Yamaha |
135 |
2 |
Angel Atwell |
124 |
3 |
Lexie Coulter |
111 |
4 |
Kara Merritt |
110 |
5 |
Shanna
Bradshaw |
109 |
About Yamaha Motor
Corp., U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., (YMUS), a
leader in the motorsports market, makes the
toughest, most capable and versatile ATV and
Side-by-Side vehicles. The company’s ever-expanding
product offerings also include motorcycles,
outboard motors, personal watercraft, snowmobiles,
boats, outdoor power equipment, race kart engines,
accessories, apparel and much more. YMUS products
are sold through a nationwide network of dealers
in the United States.
Headquartered in Cypress,
Calif., since its incorporation in 1976, Yamaha
also has facilities in Wisconsin and Georgia,
as well as factory operations in Tennessee and
Georgia. For more information on Yamaha, visit
www.yamaha-motor.com.