2013
Maxxis 27th Annual
Pont de Vaux 12 Hour ATV Race
Pont de Vaux, France
August 30 - September 1, 2013
Story
& Photos By: Bill Lanphier
|
|
2013 Maxxis Pont de
Vaux 12 Hour ATV Endurance Race
27th Annual Pont de Vaux
Endurance Race
| 12
Hour Pont de Vaux Links |
|
|
|
Pont
de Vaux, France (12/27/2013)
– The Maxxis Pont de Vaux 12 Hour race is
unique in the world. No other quad race draws
competitors from so many countries, which include
the USA. Multi-time national champ American Doug
Eichner holds the record number of wins (seven).
But other super-fast Americans, many of them also
national champs, haven't done as well. Success
at the 12 Hours of PDV requires way more than
just talented riding. Race strategy, a bulletproof
quad, and brute strength on the part of the riders
play a huge part.
|
|
One
of the racers from Team Goldspeed Girls
waits for the start of the parade back to
the track. The team finished 12th overall
and were the fastest women at PDV
|
Hundreds of race fans line the parade route though the small village of Pont de Vaux. Each year the Pont de Vaux race helps boost the small businesses in the area |
|
|
|
The
#100 Walsh Racecraft Honda CRF450 Hybrid
was on the best looking quads at the Pont
de Vaux with Joel Hetrick (ATV MX Pro) and
Adam McGill (GNCC Pro) teaming up the biggest
ATV race in Europe
|
For the 2013 PDV, GNCC Pro Adam McGill and Pro
MX Racer Joel Hetrick competed on a Walsh/Honda-CRF
powered quad meticulously prepped by Belgica For
Race (Belgium). It seemed like a winning combination
from the get go, and when Joel Hetrick posted
the fastest qualifying time, the team further
confirmed that.
|
|
It's
one of the most exciting starts in motorsports:
To begin each of the three sessions, up
to 100 riders sprint across the track Lemans
style, fire up the quads, and do battle
in the French countryside |
But, in the end, lack of seat/test time on the quad took them out. Overly soft suspension allowed the muffler to slam down onto the rear brake caliper, snapping if off completely. Then lighting issues and finally engine problems took them out of the race after 10.5 hours.
 |
Adam
McGill airs out their Walsh Racecraft Hybrid
Honda CRF450 ATV |
 |
Midway through the race, Joel Hetrick—like probably every other racer at PDV—was worn out: "I'm beat, but the only thing that's really bothering me is blisters. This just isn't what I'm used to. Riding 1.5 hours at a time on a track this rough is crazy." Joel said that on a Pro MX moto back home he'd be going 30-30 percent faster. |
|
