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View Full Version : 2005 GNCC "Ironman" Round #13 ATV Racing Coverage



Admin
10-23-2005, 03:23 PM
Crawfordsville, IN - After twelve rounds of racing, it was finally time to head to Indiana for the infamous “Ironman”, which will conclude the 2005 season of GNCC racing. As usual, there is plenty of activities scheduled around the event, and this year Yamaha celebrated there 50th Anniversary by distributing GNCC tickets at surrounding dealership and organizing an GNCC Pro Autograph session at the historic Dreyer’s in Indianapolis on Friday.

Dreyer’s was established in 1926 and is the oldest Honda dealership in business, and they have a mini museum showcasing some of there off-road history. Today, Dreyer’s is a dealer for the all the major off-road manufacturers.

Admin
10-23-2005, 03:32 PM
Ron Moore & his wife setup a small booth selling breast cancer bracelets as October is breast cancer awareness month.

Admin
10-23-2005, 03:43 PM
Shortly After 5PM, Bill Ballance and others began signing autographs as race fans steadily started arriving at Dreyer’s to meet their favorite Factory Yamaha GNCC Pro Riders.

Admin
10-23-2005, 03:57 PM
The Yamaha sponsored autograph session at Dreyer’s was a great idea, and I hope to see more of these next season.

Admin
10-23-2005, 04:10 PM
It was finally time to head to the “Ironman” just 40 miles west of Indianapolis, IN, and the dry race that Racer Production was expecting changed dramatically as rain arrived on Thursday and continued into Friday evening with light showers.

Admin
10-23-2005, 04:20 PM
The rain turned the farm field parking into a mud bog for many as parking became very tricky for anyone arriving with a trailer regardless if you had a 4x4 vehicle, and the farm tractors were kept busy pulling vehicles through the mud to park.

Admin
10-23-2005, 04:22 PM
Check out how deep the ruts are in this photo.

Admin
10-23-2005, 04:24 PM
The Factory Suzuki Rig needed to be towed into position along with many of the other big rigs arriving at the track even in the grass fields.

Admin
10-23-2005, 04:28 PM
The track itself really needed the rain, or it would have been an extremely dusty race this year, but the rain would make the hillclimbs even more difficult to climb as they would become extremely slick.

Admin
10-23-2005, 04:49 PM
I have seen some strange ways of keeping dry from the rain, but I never seen a Maxxis iRazr used as a umbrella/hat. This guy had the right idea though because a new set of rear tires would be vital in getting the most traction possible especially with three big hillclimbs included in the 9-10 mile course

Admin
10-23-2005, 05:31 PM
Speaking of traction, I was informed that yet another exciting tire product that has been available for motorcycles is now available for ATVs. www.tenracing.com is now offering vulcanized studded tires. If you race in the snow or on ice over the winter, these studs should really make a difference, and unlike screwed in studs, these studs that easily pull out and take hours to apply, these studs are going to wear down before they get pulled out.

Just like Tireballs, technology comes at a price, and these aren’t cheap. For a complete set of front and rear tires with the vulcanized studs installed the price is $800 including the tires, and they found the studs work best for the Maxxis Razr II tires, but are willing to install the studs in ITP Holeshot tires or other brands as well.

Admin
10-23-2005, 05:38 PM
Even with rain and mud, the registration line remained active into the night as almost 700 racers signed up including the youth ATV riders for what is normally the largest race of the year.

Admin
10-23-2005, 05:47 PM
Once the sun went down, the showers ended, and some stars began to peak through the clouds, which meant the rain was finally over and hopefully for the remainder of the weekend.

With the temps forecasted to get down in the 30’s, many racers and their family & friends gathered around a warm camp fire to relax and socialize.

Admin
10-23-2005, 05:52 PM
For those not spending the evening at the track, they stayed at one of the local hotels that are only a few miles away. When I checked into my hotel, I almost forgot that I was attending a GNCC and not a GNC MX event because I found both #199 Pat Brown & #13 John Natalie jr playing a round of pool at the hotel.

Admin
10-23-2005, 06:24 PM
It really wasn’t a big surprise to see Natalie, but I was surprised to see Pat Brown.

Pat Brown
“I decided to race this weekend at the Ironman mainly because of boredom. I didn’t have anything else going on, and since I always liked this kind of racing and Yamaha was willing to help me build a YFZ450 for the race, I figured I would give it another try after racing at the Rausch Creek GNCC two years ago.”

Pat definitely had the pool table dialed in as he would go on to win 6 or 7 games in a row and two over John Natalie Jr. Now if he could only win two motos in a row over John Natalie Jr or finish ahead of him at the Ironman, then we would really have a headline story.

I have no doubt that Pat Brown will eventually accomplish winning both Motos at a GNC race because he is still young with plenty years of racing ahead of him, and he has continually improved throughout the 2005 season, and I expect to see him on the Podium atleast once next year.

John Natalie Jr isn’t just a great ATV racer, he is also a pretty good photographer.

Admin
10-23-2005, 06:31 PM
I normally spend Friday night writing a preview report, but I decided to spend the final round of the season having some fun. Ofcourse, I felt guilty, but it was well worth it because I had a blast. Plus, it helped that I was able to end Pat’s winning streak after a marathon game of trying to sink the eight ball.

Admin
10-23-2005, 06:41 PM
Jim Stack was his usual self, and brought out his belt and proclaimed himself the GNCC People's Champ after winning the past two rounds in Utility Modified Class.

When Stack brought out the belt, I think Natalie mouth dropped to the floor, which was hilarious.

After an evening of fun with friends, it was time to call it a night.

Admin
10-23-2005, 09:39 PM
Saturday morning the skies continued to clear and amazingly the ground started soaking up the water and drying out early in the day, which allowed parking without the help of a tractor, but those that were buried would still need a little help before heading home after the race.

The improved weather conditions definitely went over well with Big John as he had one less thing to worry about and was in great spirits, which is a good thing.

Admin
10-23-2005, 09:47 PM
The Ironman is held on the property of Tom’s Marine Polaris, and Indiana is Polaris country, which provided the perfect opportunity for Polaris to show off their Outlaw Predator and even setup a demo course for everyone to feel the benefits of their IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) over a conventional straight axle rear swingarm.

For those that are waiting for its release, I don’t have any good news because it won’t hit showroom floors till early 2006.

Admin
10-23-2005, 09:52 PM
The colder temps had many bundled up, but this little guy didn’t mind as he relaxed drinking a nice warm cup of hot chocolate to take the chill out of his bones.

Admin
10-23-2005, 09:55 PM
It wouldn’t take long for the race fans to start arriving at the track and checking out all the action as vendor’s row remained active all weekend with spectators.

Admin
10-24-2005, 11:08 AM
last year, Racer Productions decided to give Youth ATV racing another chance and just over 30 riders showed up on short notice, and ATVriders.com with the help its members and BK Performance donated a mini ATV to Brandon Boso for winning the 90cc Youth Limited Class with Walker Fowler taking the overall win.

This year the final round of the six race series was attended by 80 riders and the 90cc Production class had 36 entries, which is exciting for the future of Youth ATV racing as the series continues to gain popularity.

The Youth racers would once again have to conquer the mud, and Devon Delucca would claim his first overall win of the season.

Admin
10-24-2005, 11:22 AM
Walker Fowler would experience mechanical issues with his Kasea in the final lap, which sent him from 5th place back to a 12th place finish, but his four previous overall wins were more than enough for him to wrap up the Youth ATV Championship and earn the Youth #1 Plate for 2006.

Congratulations Walker Fowler and all the Youth racers that participated in the GNCC Series this year, and if you couldn’t make it to a race this year, hopefully we will see you next season.

A complete youth race report is coming soon.

Admin
10-24-2005, 11:44 AM
With the youth race wrapped up, it was time for Yamaha to reveal their 50th Anniversary limited Edition lineup of ATVs and motorcycle available in Yamaha’s retro Yellow/Black color scheme.

Admin
10-24-2005, 11:53 AM
The Yamaha Banshee was first produced in 1987 and has remained virtually remained unchanged except for the replacement of the J-arms with A-arms, and it has been produced longer than any other sport ATV with out any major chances.

2006 will mark the final year of a legacy for the Banshee as EPA rulings have forced the end of a era of 2 stroke ATVs and motorcycles, but even in its final year the Banshee still draws looks from ATV enthusiast.

Admin
10-24-2005, 11:59 AM
The all new 2006 Yamaha Raptor 700 with its Fuel Injection System demonstrates the advancements in technology for sport ATVs, and the years of ATVs remaining unchanged for years to come is over as manufacturers like Yamaha are now dedicated constantly improving their products and making various improvements year after year as they showed us this year with the redesigned Raptor and YFZ450.

Admin
10-24-2005, 12:14 PM
In Celebration of Yamaha’s 50th Anniversary, Yamaha Motors USA President, Akira Sano, attended the Ironman GNCC for the unveiling of the limited edition lineup

(Left to Right)
Pak Watanabe, Mike Martinez, Bill Ballance, Akira Sano, Steve Nessl, Jennifer Davie

Admin
10-24-2005, 12:29 PM
Bill Ballance found himself once again surrounding by fans seeking an autograph from the six time GNCC Pro ATV Champion, and if Ballance didn’t have writers cramp after signing all those autographs, I would be surprised.

Admin
10-24-2005, 12:31 PM
#1 Bill Ballance also had his Race YFZ450 decked out in Yellow for the Afternoon Pro Race and was also showing off the new 2006 Moose riding gear.

Admin
10-24-2005, 12:52 PM
The Morning ATV racers completed four laps around the 9-10 mile Ironman course the Jeff Russell and Buren Hamrick mapped out, and despite all the rain, the track held up extremely well with no major bottlenecks to disrupt the flow of the race.

In the end, Billy Good would put himself back on top of the Podium for his sixth overall finish of the season with Matt Hanna finishing around a minute behind him in second overall, and for the third consecutive race in a row, Traci Cecco would claim the final podium spot and the Women’s Class Win, which was enough to earn her the Women’s Class Championship over defending champion Stephanie Parton who finished behind her in second place.

Mike Penland earned his first win of the season since switching to the Bombardier Outlander with Ken Robey finishing in second place behind him aboard his Kawasaki, which tied the pair in points for the Utility Stock Championship.

Ken Robey with his four wins this season and one more than Penland would be enough to break the tie and give Robey his first championship.
Jim Stack would live up to his smack and win his third race in a row and finish out the season in third place, and the Utility Modified Champion, Scott Kilby, would have a bad wreck and be transported to the hospital with a reportered broken collarbone, but no details are confirmed.

Kevin Johnston's first win of the season in the Utility Unlimited Class was enough for him to secure the Championship over John Ribley.

Congratulations Traci Cecco on your win and Championship.

A complete morning race report will be posted in the near future.

Admin
10-24-2005, 12:55 PM
It was finally time for the start of the Afternoon Race as racers and fans began making their way to the starting line for the season finale.

Admin
10-24-2005, 12:57 PM
Fans gathered around the perimeter of the track as it weaved its way around hail bails in the corn field.

Admin
10-24-2005, 01:03 PM
#23 Bryan Baker headed to the starting line with a $8,500 price tag posted on the front bumper of his 2005 Honda 450R as he begins to plan for his race machine for 2006.

Baker was less than a few hours away from earning himself a top 10 overall number for 2006 with 7-9th overall still up for grabs amongst Bryan Baker, Andy Lagzdins, and Adam McGill.

Admin
10-24-2005, 01:05 PM
#59 Bryan Hulsey on the other hand already replaced his 2005 race machine with a new TRX450R for the final round of the season.

Admin
10-24-2005, 01:13 PM
#63 Scott Barron made the switch from Pro Am to Pro for the final race of the season, which wasn’t the first time Barron has raced Pro. He raced Pro in 2002 before making the switch to Pro Production mid season.

Admin
10-24-2005, 01:17 PM
#14 Andy Lagzdins was set to put the cap on his best Pro season in GNCC racing as he has consistently finished in the top 10 overall this season, which guaranteed him a top 10 position regardless of his finish this weekend.

Congratulations Andy lagzdins and thanks for all the hard work that you have put into making ATVriders.com an even better site.

Admin
10-24-2005, 01:28 PM
#6 Bryan Cook was back on Pro Row with Bonnie Hamrick once again by his side, and next year when season resumes, they will be husband and wife as this great couple will finally have the opportunity over the winter break to dedicate the rest of their lives to each other.

I would like to thank Bonnie for all her help in making the morning coverage possible this season because without her dedication the coverage couldn’t have been nearly as extensive as it has been this season.

Admin
10-25-2005, 05:19 PM
#4 Matt Smiley has adapted well to the Polaris Predator this year and has put the Predator in the spotlight with several podium appearances and is set to earn the #5 plate for 2006, and he will continue to race for Polaris next season, but then he will have an option of racing either the Predator or the revolutionary Outlaw with its Independent Rear Suspension.

Admin
10-25-2005, 05:20 PM
#2 William Yokley is one of the most outgoing Pro Racers and always gives the fans plenty to cheer about every time he makes his way to the podium, and the Ironman has proved to be one of his favorite tracks as he has repeatedly won the Overall at the Ironman and has been on the Podium the last few years.

Admin
10-25-2005, 05:21 PM
#28 Chris Bithell has really made a name for himself this season by finishing several races this season in the Top 20 Overall and at the young age of 17 he already game within one position of podium at Millfield, OH when fellow Pro Am Rider Adam McGill earned his first podium appearance as has since turned Pro after wrapping up the Pro Am Championship.

Admin
10-25-2005, 05:40 PM
#19 Rob Hertz has come on strong the last two rounds finishing 12th and 14th overall after struggling with quad issues for most of the season.

Admin
10-25-2005, 05:43 PM
#218 Tyler Lenig is yet another young talented rider has quickly moved up through the ranks as he is now racing in the ProAm Class after a short stay in A Class after wrapping up a second place finish in 4 Stroke B.

For those new to GNCC racing, the Women’s Class Champion Traci Cecco is Tyler’s cousin, and Tyler’s brother Tim Lenig finished on the podium several times this season even though he only could attend a handful of races.

Admin
10-25-2005, 05:43 PM
#56 Cory Vickerd headed to the line with Houser’s newest design A-arm with balljoint caster adjustment.

Admin
10-25-2005, 05:48 PM
The Sport Class looked to be fading out early in the year as only a few riders were attending, but the past two rounds their has been atleast 10 riders at each event.

Since it is one of the smaller classes, the racers that compete in it are all friends and can usualy be found socializing amongst themselves on the back row before the race.

Admin
10-25-2005, 06:03 PM
Johnny Gallagher made a bet with Laz Sommers at the beginning of the season that if he didn't finish Top 10 Overall this year, he would have to wear a pink skirt at the Opening Round of the 2006 Season, but if Johnny accomplished the task, Laz would have to wear a pink skirt in the pits for the race.

Bill Ballance caught wind of the bet between them, and also knew that Johnny had second thoughts about racing next season, so he took it upon himself to make sure that Johnny wore the dress at the Ironman instead, so Ballance arranged some time at the microphone to make the announcement of Johnny's additional riding attire.

Ballance waiting for Gallagher to head on over and accept his pink dress for the race.

Admin
10-25-2005, 06:04 PM
Adam McGill a jokester himself found the pink dress extremely humorous along with everyone else including Johnny Gallagher’s father in the background with the red shirt.

Admin
10-25-2005, 06:13 PM
Ballance gladly helped Gallagher put on his pink dress, and the Pink Dress bet wasn't the only bet that Johnny lost. He also bet Youth Racer, Jesi Stracham, that if she won a race and he didn't finish in the Top 10, she could paint his nails pink, so Johnny also had on Pink Nail Polish for the start of the race to go with his pink dress.

Johnny Gallagher
"I learned one thing, no more bets on racing"

Admin
10-25-2005, 06:48 PM
After Johnny was outfitted with his pink dress, it was officially announced that #5 Chad Duvall was retiring from GNCC racing and is now going to focus his attention on the future of his son Thad Duvall’s motorcycle racing career.

Chad Duvall
“I have always told every that I would be doing this as long as I am competitive at it, and I just don’t have the competitive edge anymore since I have started receiving treatments for Leukemia.”

“My body is telling me it is time to hang this up and let the young guns do it, but I have plans to continue to be involved in the sport and may be at the track next year representing some products, which I am really excited about”

“If anybody ever has any questions about racing, I will always be available to help anyone out even though I may not be racing myself anymore.”

Admin
10-25-2005, 06:59 PM
Chad's Son, Thad Duvall, wrapped up the 200 B Class this year with nine wins in a row, so he moved up to race 200 A for three rounds and took the win at Unadilla.

For the final round of the series, he made yet another move to the 250A Class, and finished 3rd in the Class and 12th Overall, which is an incredible accomplishment for such a young rider at one of the most difficult tracks in the series.

With the retirement ATV legend Chad Duvall, his son Thad is well on his way to starting a new Duvall legacy in GNCC racing aboard a motorcyle.

Admin
10-25-2005, 07:10 PM
With the singing of the National Anthem, the start of the race was only a few minutes away, and the "Ironman" John Natalie Jr had his game face on.

Admin
10-25-2005, 07:51 PM
Gallagher was definitely the prettiest guy on Pro Row:devil:

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:03 PM
Pro Class Start

It was finally time for the start of the race, and the Ballance brother's side by side aboard their Yamaha's launched off the line with front wheels in the air.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:07 PM
Bill Ballance was able to pull his YFZ450 into the lead with Santo Derisi aboard the Honda on outside given Bill a run for his money to the first turn.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:10 PM
Heading into turn one, Bill Ballance was able to carve the inside corner while Derisi railed around the outside trying to keep pace with Ballance while Yokley, Borich, Natalie, and Jenks charged in behind them.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:11 PM
The Drag race remained on between Derisi and Ballance as they charged in a virtual tie to the second turn with Ballance giving Santo the look over.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:13 PM
Bill Ballance was able to outrun Derisi and take over sole control of the lead with Derisi, Borich, Yokley, and Natalie Jr rounding out the top 5.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:16 PM
Meanwhile, Chris Jenks went from near the front to the back of the pack when his front wheel clipped the round bail and stopped his forward momentum, which sent him to the rear of the pack with Hulsey, Gallagher, Kuhnle, Br Ballance, and Lagzdins.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:21 PM
#10 Greg Trew first race back since the summer break didn't start off much better than his first half of the season as he was left sitting on the line unable to get this his machine started, so Carrie gave him a push to get him off the track before the start of the Pro Am Class.

It would take Trew several minutes to get his machine started, but he never gave up and completed four laps. Hopefully, Trew will have some better luck next season.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:24 PM
Pro Am Class Start
The race was one between Shawn Beavers and Duane Johnson as the pair took off with the early lead in the dash to the first turn.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:26 PM
Beavers and Johnson both drifted to the outside, which allowed James wahl to cut to the inside and challenge Johnson for the lead.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:27 PM
Andy Klingworth followed by Jeff Miller and Dan Yocabet aboard his new Polaris ride were in chase behind the leaders.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:29 PM
Brain Schmid was also off to a descent start, but a high speed get off half way through the race left his Honda trashed and with front fenders in hand, he walked back to his truck to call it a day, but fortunately he wasn't injuried.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:33 PM
Rob Hertz run would also unfortunately come to an end as he was forced to push his 450R off the to the side of the track and would drop over fourteen minutes behind his class before returning to the race, but he still managed to complete all five laps and squeeze out a 73rd Overall which wasn't bad considering the circumstance.

Rob seems to have a bad luck year every other season, so look out for him in 2006 :macho

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:35 PM
James Wahl was able to claim the lead from Johnson, but it would be short lived as both Johnson and Chris Bithell would pass him by the end of the first lap with Wahl dropping to third and Tyler Lenig moving past Beaver into the fourth spot.

Admin
10-25-2005, 08:57 PM
4 Stroke A Class Start

The race was one between class newcomers Darrell Bozarth & Brandon Sommers as they jumped out to the early lead with Todd Rothermel charging hard on his Honda in chase.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:35 PM
Todd Rothermel attemptded to reel in Tom Collins down the straight away, but Collins was able to maintain the position.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:36 PM
Ryan Morphen started near the back of the pack, but by the end of the 1st lap, he worked himself up to midpack in 15th.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:38 PM
Sommers would out run Bozarth and take sole control of the lead with Collins moving into behind them in third, but by the end of the first lap, Collins dropped back to 24th.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:39 PM
Open A Class Start

Cliff Kling blasted his YFZ450 off the line with the Holeshot

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:40 PM
Anthony Hill would once again get off to a great start battling with Mike Benson and Brian Shaw for the second spot.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:42 PM
Ryan Lane was midpack with Mike Knight, and by the end of the the first lap, Lane would leap up into 5th place while Knight would drop back to 16th.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:45 PM
Cliff King would maintain the lead for the first lap with Craig Reed working his way up behind him in second place, which was incredible because Reed was riding with only one foot peg because his shifter peg came off at the start of the race.

Reed would take over the lead by the end of lap two and maintain the lead until the last lap.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:47 PM
2 Stroke A/B - Senior Class Start

Wayne Edwards was back at it again grabbing the Holeshot and giving me the look to say "You better get a Photo of my Holeshot"

I thought that Edwards was on his way to yet another win, but he would never complete the first lap.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:49 PM
Edwards, Smith, and Harris would lead the way into turn two.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:51 PM
Kevin Smith would hook his front tire on the bail and partially spin out, but it wouldn’t take him long to charge back up to the front behind Lynn Smith in the lead

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:52 PM
Vet Class Start

Kevin Wall would grab the Holeshot in the Vet Class

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:54 PM
Scott Hash started near the back and would only manage to complete two laps :(

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:56 PM
Meanwhile, Kevin Wall maintained his lead into turn two with Sean DeLaney pulling in beside him. John Rowling was also off to a great start until he clipped the round bail, which sent him bailing off his 450R.

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:57 PM
Rowling's 450R would flip over on its top with him landing on his bottom, but he would jump back up and return to the race in last place, and by the end of the lap, he was back up to 7th place

Admin
10-26-2005, 08:59 PM
Junior Class Start

With the "10 Second Call" the riders were all in position waiting for the signal.

Admin
10-26-2005, 09:00 PM
Jeffrey Vensel would get the early jump with Kevan Logston and Pete Stadtmueller on the charge.

Admin
10-26-2005, 09:03 PM
Vensel would take sole control of the lead with Stadtmueller eating plenty of roost off his rear tires as they headed into the first turn.

By lap end, Greg Lott would take over the lead with Vensel dropping back into second place and Jim Pinkston moving into third.

Admin
10-26-2005, 09:04 PM
4 Stroke B Class Start

With a full row of 37 riders launching off the line.

Admin
10-26-2005, 09:06 PM
The Holeshot would go to Brentz Foltz, but he would drop back to 10th by the end of the first lap with Paul Schulte taking over the lead followed by Donald Ockerman andMichael Howell.

Garrett Wheat was also off to a great start before he snapped a chain in the first lap, which ended his day

Admin
10-26-2005, 09:08 PM
Ralph Johnson was the last rider off the line as he kicked and kicked to get his 450R to finally fire up, but not until the rest of his class was completely out of sight.

Admin
10-26-2005, 09:08 PM
Open B Class Start

Gabe Phillips once again had his 450R throwing up the roost in an attempt to snag the Holeshot.

Admin
10-26-2005, 09:09 PM
Sport Class Start

The battle for the lead was on between Travis Bell and Jacob Jones down the stretch.

Admin
10-26-2005, 09:10 PM
Jacob Jones would win the battle and take over the lead before Steven Mitchell reeled him in and took over the lead on his Warrior.

Admin
10-28-2005, 11:25 AM
By the end of the lap One, #1 Bill Ballance remained in the lead, but the GNCC Champion was feeling the pressure from GNC MX Champion, “Ironman” John Natalie Jr.

Admin
10-28-2005, 11:27 AM
It was simply amazing to watch Natalie Jr race around the track on one of Chris Borich’s machines like he raced the entire GNCC series.

Admin
10-28-2005, 11:29 AM
Chris Borich wasn’t given Natalie Jr any slack as he kept him in sights back in the third spot.

Admin
10-28-2005, 11:31 AM
Yokley was back in the fourth spot, but less than few seconds out of the lead and pulling away from Smiley back in fifth aboard his Polaris Predator.

Admin
10-28-2005, 11:33 AM
#6 Bryan Cook held down the 6th spot with Gallagher lurking in the shadows behind him as he moved his way up through the pack.

Admin
10-28-2005, 11:37 AM
#18 Johnny Gallagher was a man on a mission the first lap as he picked off rider after rider with his pink skirt waving in the wind. Unfortunately for Gallagher, his foot would slip off the footpeg in the second lap and get drug under his rear axle, which flared up a previous knee injury and slowed down his valiant charge as his focused changed to just trying to complete the current lap.

Admin
10-28-2005, 11:40 AM
#16 Santo Derisi was also off to a great start running in the 8th place ahead of #23 Bryan Baker and #7 Chris Jenks, but he too would run into some bad luck and dropped back to near the rear of the pack early in the second lap

Admin
10-28-2005, 11:44 AM
#199 Pat Brown was running strong in his first GNCC race in two years as he tried to hold of the hard charging GNCC Pro Rookie Adam McGill.

Admin
10-28-2005, 11:49 AM
By the end of the lap, Jenks would work his way from the rear of the pack to the front into the top 10 ahead of Andy Lagzdins and Adam McGill. Jeremy Rice would drop back to 13th ahead of Rhett Bulter, and Pat Brown would come for the checkpoint in 15th place and no longer had any rear brakes since he forgot one very valuable component in GNCC racing and that is a rear skid plate because unlike MX, there are plenty of rocks and roots to bend rotors and derail a chain.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:00 PM
Pro Am Rider, #28 Chris Bithell lead the way followed by #706 Duane Johnson and both of them were hard on the gas as they worked their way up to 7th and 8th Overall with adjusted time just ahead of Pro Rider Johnny Gallagher in 9th followed by Pro Am Rider #15 James Wahl rounding out the Top 10 Overall.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:04 PM
Unfortunately, #5 Chad Duvall’s last Pro Race of his career would end after only one lap :(

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:06 PM
By the end of the second lap, the pit crews kept an eye on the corner of pit row watching for their rider to emerge around the turn

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:08 PM
Bill Ballance would be the first rider through the pits with Natalie Jr remaining right behind him. Ballance would surprise Natalie by pulling into his pits for fuel and goggles, which put Natalie Jr into the Overall lead.

Chris Borich would also pit, which allowed Yokley to leap up into second place after passing both Ballance and Borich in the pits.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:10 PM
Natalie Jr was prepared to lead the overall, so early in the race because, so he pulled over and waved William Yokley past him to set the tempo with Natalie Jr in chase.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:12 PM
Ballance and Borich would take off from the pits back to back with Matt Smiley, Bryan Cook, and Chris Jenks in pursuit separated by only a few seconds.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:16 PM
Gallagher dropped back to 8th and began feeling the pressure from Adam McGill with Jeremy Rice and Bryan Baker battling for the 10th spot.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:19 PM
#28 Chris Bithell wasn’t letting up as he continued to work his way up through the Pro Class and into the Top 5 Overall.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:21 PM
Meanwhile, #20 Michael Houston was recovering from a rough first lap which sent him back to 19th and was gradually working his up in positions to 14th by the end of lap two.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:23 PM
#16 Santo Derisi also began his charge from the near the rear of the pack.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:25 PM
#218 Tyler Lenig was making his presence known in the Pro Am Class by passing both Johnson and Wahl to move into second place behind Chris Bithell.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:26 PM
By the third lap, James Wahl cut the gap between him and Lenig in half by moving within 11 seconds of Tyler Lenig

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:32 PM
In the final laps of the race, the battle for the lead was intense as William Yokley and Bill Ballance would swap positions back and forth.

Natalie Jr would clip a tree and lose a tooth of his front sprocket, which put a stop to his early charge as he dropped back out of the lead pack.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:33 PM
William Yokley was determined to keep Ballance within striking distance as the pair launched over logs through the trees.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:35 PM
Only a couple seconds would seperate the pair until the final lap, when Bill Ballance would end up getting stuck behind a lapped rider stalled out, which allowed William to pull away from Bill.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:37 PM
Just under a minute back was Chris Borich in third place

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:39 PM
Matt Smiley and Bryan Cook were going back an forth early in the race, but race end Smiley pulled away from Cook and was up behind Chris Borich.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:41 PM
Bryan Cook would run into his share of problems on the last lap with a rider tumbling into his quad and snapping his nerfbar, which set him over two minutes back behind Smiley in 4th place and Brandon Ballance to move in behind him.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:45 PM
Chris Jenks settled himself into the eight spot after he passed Natalie Jr on the final lap.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:46 PM
Andy Lagzdins was also having an off day especially after the found himself stuck at the top of the hill climb, but luckily the fans were able to pull him to the top without him tumbling down the hill like many others.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:48 PM
Derisi worked his way back up to finish out the race in 13th, and you could tell that he couldn't wait till this race was over.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:53 PM
On the final lap, #28 Chris Bithell charge continued as he worked his way into contingency to win the Overall with adjusted time, and it was brought to Yokley’s attention, so he put his head down to give it everything he had, but only a few hundred yards from the finish line he made a costly mistake, which sent him over the bars on a down hill, but with the help of fans, he jumped back on his Suzuki and sprinted to the Checkered flag in hopes it wouldn’t cost him the Overall.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:55 PM
Sixteen seconds later, Bill Ballance crossed the finish line in second place in the Pro Class, but all eyes remained on the woods as everyone was counting down the seconds for Chris Bithell to emerge.

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:56 PM
Just under a minute later, It would be #3 Chris Borich crossing the finish line in third place and enough time had passed for William to begin celebrating his Overall Victory!!!

Admin
10-28-2005, 12:59 PM
just a few seconds later, Bithell would emerge from the trees and race to the scoring tent, and he would end up in the 2nd Overall position over Bill Ballance by two seconds.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:01 PM
Excitement filled the air for the young Bithell as his mom Cheryl and Stephanie Parton rushed in to congratulate him on his incredible race.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:03 PM
Bonnie Hamrick would greet Bryan Cook as the finish line smiling ear to ear as Cook finished 6th in the Pro Class and 7th Overall behind Matt Smiley.

Check out his Nerf Bar Damage

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:05 PM
#23 Bryan Baker would cross the finish in 8th Place behind Brandon Ballance, which was enough to move him past Lagzdins to claim the #7 Plate for next season.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:07 PM
Jeremy Rice would work his way through traffic to finish in 10th and 11th Overall behind John Natalie Jr.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:09 PM
#24 Rhett Butlers 12th Overall Finish was enough to earn him #19 for next season.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:09 PM
Michael Houston would finish out the race in 13th Overall and will run the #13 Plate next season as well.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:10 PM
Santo Derisi's will sport the #12 Plate next Season

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:12 PM
#66 Adam McGill race would once again be cut short in the Pro Class as his front wheel bearing gave out on him, but he will he is still the Pro Am Champion and will be #9 next year on Pro Row.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:15 PM
Andy Lagzdins final race of the season didn’t go quite as planned, but the long drive home from Indiana to conclude his best season of his career, which earned him the #8 Plate gave him plenty to smile about

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:16 PM
Gallagher wasn't able to complete the race, but the good news is that he hasn't lost his drive to race and will be back next season :)

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:18 PM
Pat Brown had a blast racing at the Ironman, and he we will most likely see him again next year, but I am certain he will have a skidplate for the next race.

Pat styling for the camera :D

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:20 PM
Back on the Podium, William Yokley, Chris Bithell, and Bill Ballance receive applause from the crowd for conquering the Ironman.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:22 PM
The spray of the Champagne for the last time this year concluded the end of an incredible season of racing, and I am thankful that I have been able to share my stories from the GNCC events with all the members of ATVRiders.com.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:22 PM
Chris Bithell shared the Podium with his biggest sponsor and supporter his mom, Cheryl Bithell.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:23 PM
Once Again, Bill Ballance was busy signing autographs and throwing prizes to the fans gathered around the podium.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:25 PM
Back to some of the Amateur Action

#15 James Wahl finished out the season with second place finish and in 15th Overall.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:27 PM
Duane Johnson claimed the 3rd Spot and 17th Overall and finished out the year in second place in the Pro Am Class behind Adam McGill.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:30 PM
#784 Brandon Sommers rounded out the Top 20 overall for the second race in a row and claimed the 4 Stroke A Win in the process.

Will this talented rider make the move to Pro Am next season with Tyler Lenig or will he go for the 4 stroke A Championship before making the move to Pro Am? I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:32 PM
Dave Simmons once again shined at the Ironman with his 24th Overall finish which wasn't his best this season, but not bad for an old guy:devil:

Also, I am proud to announce that Dave has been nominated by the AMA Sports for ATVA Senior Rider of the Year!!!!

Admin
10-28-2005, 01:33 PM
Well Folks, I hope you enjoyed the coverage, and I will post a photo gallery from the Afternoon race once I return home from the 12 hours of ATV America.

Stay tuned for the Morning and Youth Coverage!!! I haven't forgot, but there are only so many hours in a day.

gpd005
10-28-2005, 01:50 PM
Thank you for all of the hard work you putt into making all of this possible. I look forward to reading the coverage from everyrace that i'm not able to attend. I saw you at the Ironman running around like crazy trying to get pictures of all that was going on. He works like crazy to do this. A big thanks from all of us!!

Nikkiann
10-29-2005, 09:05 PM
Where are the rest of the pics from Friday night?! I know that you (and other people) took more that!! Hehe....;)

Karizz
10-30-2005, 06:14 AM
shhhh....nikki:devil:


great pics. I always enjoy them!

Nikkiann
10-30-2005, 08:56 AM
Haha.....ok.... ;)

Mum is the word! :devil:

450Redrider5
10-30-2005, 07:20 PM
Great pics i always look foward to seeing them

racerxxgncc
10-30-2005, 09:16 PM
O.K. if theres pics of nikki I got to see them, I think she is smoking hot. Nikki can I see them that way I can stop dreaming. lol.....

markk
10-31-2005, 07:34 PM
Originally posted by Admin
#784 Brandon Sommers rounded out the Top 20 overall for the second race in a row and claimed the 4 Stroke A Win in the process.

Will this talented rider make the move to Pro Am next season with Tyler Lenig or will he go for the 4 stroke A Championship before making the move to Pro Am? I guess we will just have to wait and see.





Brandon, has already stated his goals in another thread that i read somewhere. It said that he won the 4-stroke C Chap. Would like to become the 4-stroke B-champ, Then become the the 4-stroke A-champ. I forget what it said after that about pro-am and pro class but I think the boy has it.

cheryl bithell
11-01-2005, 11:04 AM
Originally posted by Admin
Well Folks, I hope you enjoyed the coverage, and I will post a photo gallery from the Afternoon race once I return home from the 12 hours of ATV America.

Stay tuned for the Morning and Youth Coverage!!! I haven't forgot, but there are only so many hours in a day.


I just want to thank ATVRIDERS, Harlen, and all of the wonderful people who are dedicated to making this wildly insane sport, with all it's wild and crazy people....(I mean that in a VERY GOOD WAY) so very visable!!!!!! Those of us at home, in the pits and watching in the woods, along hills climbs, swamps and every other obsticle you can imagine..... truely appreciate all that YOU DO!!!! Thank you ALL!!!

honda920
11-01-2005, 06:18 PM
great pics. #082 Mike Knight is my cousin.:rolleyes: :D

big bad beny
11-01-2005, 06:32 PM
Hay Harlen did you get eny sport class pics besides the start?
If you did can you post them. Thanks

woodsZrider
11-15-2005, 07:46 PM
thanks for great race updates..all year long...