2007 GNCC series Round #9-Mountain Ridge - Somerset, PA-Morning Race Coverage

[Pappy]

With the summer break over, the series returned for round#9 of the Can Am GNCC Series at the Mountain Ridge Trails Resort in Somerset PA. The 12 mile+ course made it's way up and down and all around the vast facility and would be challenging for every racer.

[Pappy]

The weather for the morning race was superb, with plenty of sunshine temperatures barely breaking the high 60's, the stage was being set for the 345 morning entries to do battle with some serious terrain.

[Pappy]

Jeremy Rice was onhand and would be piloting the new KTM in the Sport class. There is alot of buzz about this new quad and for good reason.

[Pappy]

In an attempt to get a good shot of Chuck D, Traci kept trying to get into the action:ermm:

[Pappy]

Traci has been putting in the time during the break, knowing she needed to get back upfront after a stumble at the Snowshoe round. This wasn't going to be an easy race and several of her competitors were going to do everything within thier power to keep her from stealing the show as she has done so many times this year.

[Pappy]

Kristen Atwell had a great showing, her best so far this year, at round #8 finishing 3rd. She looked eager to get out there and prove she can run upfront.

[Pappy]

Angel Atwell was poised to get herself a win this round, finishing second at 6 previous rounds this season. Angel has stepped it up this year and is sitting in a position to challenge Cecco for the title.

[Pappy]

Mike Penland sits aboard his trusty mount awaiting the start. Penland has been riding excellent this season, and is currently sitting 3rd in 4x4 Limited points

[Pappy]

Richard Cecco started off this season with nothing but bad luck as the Warnert Racing rider worked hard to get his machine dialed in. At round #4, Cecco's season started coming together as he posted a 4th place finish and hasn't looked back. 3 class wins and a 2nd in the last 4 rounds shows Cecco has found the groove and this track should be right up his alley to post another great finish.

[Pappy]

Micheal Benson started the 2007 season out with a win, and liked it so much followed it up with 5 more class wins and two second place finishes in the first 8 rounds of racing. Benson stated before the race that he would like to wrap up the championship at this round and with his record, it wasn't wishful thinking.

[Pappy]

Youth Production rider Walker Fowler had won every event he had entered leading into this round, marking 7 straight class wins and that is just on his quad. Walker also runs the Bike races on sunday in the Big Wheel 14/15 class and can add 5 more class wins and an overall to his resume!!!

[Pappy]

Riders started getting set to kick off this event as the 10 am start time neared.

[Pappy]

A few last minute words and some silent thoughts as this 2 hours would be a real test on man and machine

[Pappy]

Jennifer Albright was out front coming around the first turn, leading the Womens class out onto the course. Albright has been a consistant top 5 rider in class this season.

HF Photo

[Pappy]

I took a position at turn 4 and Albright was clean and free from everyone behind here as she raced out of sight

[Pappy]

Super Senior followed the ladies out, and it was John Gallagher narrowly edging out his fellow riders through the first turn.

HF Photo

[Pappy]

By turn 4, the lead had changed and the Super Senior class was now dicing it up as they raced into the fields

[Pappy]

Micheal Benson charges hard out of the first turn as he leads the U2 class heading for turn two

HF Photo

[Pappy]

Hoyt Penland did some slicing and dicing and was up front as the riders cleared turn four

[Pappy]

4x4 Open was clearing the first turn and it was anybody's geuss as to who would win this fight as they headed for turn two

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[Pappy]

Scott Kilby heads through turn 4 with Bryan Buckhannon and Rick Cecco giving chase

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[Pappy]

Cliffton Beasley and the 4x4 Lites class get thier turn to assualt the first turn

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[Pappy]

Jerime Dudding did not get the best start, but as the riders cleared turn 4, he was opening up his can Am and heading to the front

[Pappy]

James Brown grabs the holeshot in the Sportsman class

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[Pappy]

Jeremy Rice was riding the new KTM in the Sportsman class and was absolutley on fire as he passed my position

[Pappy]

Not every class was with out incident however

HF Photo

[Pappy]

From my position, I just knew sooner or later a bottleneck would occur, and as I snapped this shot, i could see trouble brewing

[Pappy]

Things got busy in a hurry!

[Pappy]

All I could do was watch and hope for the best

[Pappy]

Thankfully no one was injured and the riders were soon back on the track

For Micheal Benson, his day would end on the first lap as he snapped his swing arm in half!

HF Photo

[Pappy]

The rocks were claiming many victims

[Pappy]

Bottlenecks were forming and anyone caught in them wuld be stuck...others however found a way around and were off and running!

HF Photo

[Pappy]

Traci Cecco picks her way through the mess, but unfortunatley a large rock bent her rear brake pedal causing her major issues. Traci went on to finish the day in the 5th spot

HF Photo

[Pappy]

Once free of the bottoms, riders had field sections mixed with wood lots to contend with. As for myself, I spent the first 30 minutes of the race standing at the most perfect spot in the world for pictures only to realize the arrows I had followed (backwards) were blue:ermm:

[Pappy]

Now I am no Joe Borich (see coverage of the Penton round for his snake catch exploits) but I found me one:scary: Ofcoure I am no steve Irwin so i let the little guy go on his way:p

[Pappy]

By the time I had found the race again:ermm: I figured I was at the tail end of the pack and had missed the front runners

[Pappy]

When I saw Greg Condon coming through, I felt a litte bad, Greg had switched over the break to running a Utility and this was his first national event on it. No sooner then he had passed, I saw several other top riders and realized that Condon wasn't near the back of the pack but was running upfront!!! Greg was man handling that UTE and running insode the top 10!

[Pappy]

Spectators were asking me where the mud hole was and if I knew anything and I couldnt tell them a thing. The area was so large that trying to cut off the leaders was pointless on foot!

[Pappy]

Once I reached the scoring area i found out that Angel Atwell had the lead and was putting distance between herself and Cecco

[Pappy]

Walker Fowler gets new goggles and heads back out


CH Photo

[Pappy]

After two hours of racing, Jeremy Rice pulled his KTM across the finish line securing an unofficial overall!

CH Photo

[Pappy]

Being that the Sportsman class doesnt count points or qualify for the overall, Rice had to rejoice in the fact that he did win this race but wouldn't recieve the accolades that usually follow. It was agreat ride for him and he showed the racing industry that the KTM is a contender!

[Pappy]

Angel Atwell had secured a class win, her first of the season!

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[Pappy]

Can Am riders swept the podium as Swift, Beasley and Kilby took 1, 2 and 3rd respectively.

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[Pappy]

As for Greg condon, he finished 8th overall and 3rd in 4x4 Open! An amazing ride that we hope can be repeated! Imagine what he may be able to do if he could secure a ride on a prepped quad! A big old Congrats from all of us here Greg, you earned it!

That wraps it up from me, I hope to see everyone soon at the next round!

[QIKLTR]

Nice write up Pappy, i just rode the new KTM 525, it is absolutely the best stock quad i have ever ridden and jeremy Rice just proved how good it is in stock trim.