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Pappy
12-30-2007, 07:51 PM
Usually when a promoter schedules a race this time of year, there is a very good possibility that the weather will screw things up so bad that it gets cancelled. In years past this has happened but not this year! While it was cold and spitting rain and sleet at the start, 29 racers braved the December weather to attend the last race for 2007.

I had a two fold reason for slipping out of my nice,cozy home to brave the elements to cover the race. For one, my son needed seat time prior to the 2008 season and GNCC Pro rider, Brent Sturdivant would be putting his factory backed Can Am DS450 through it's paces.

Photo Gallery (http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/thumbpage.aspx?e=3411236)

Pappy
12-30-2007, 07:54 PM
Koontz series youth sensation Kyle Riley was sidelined after a slight mishap last night left him with stitches that prevented him from racing the event. Get better soon Kyle!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 07:58 PM
Call me a sissy, but folks, I was a bit chilled. Temps stayed in the 30's and without gloves, holding my camera was akin to latching onto a cold beer which usually sets me right:p Paul Koontz is well known for setting up a course that will challenge man and machine and today was no different. The wet weather in the area had every rut and hole full to the brim, and after watching the youth bike race competitors drop out due to being so cold they could not ride, I knew the afternoon race would face some serious conditions on their own.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:01 PM
Duct tape and a garbage bag were added to Cody Hill's riding gear to keep as much water out as possible.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:05 PM
The start is set up tight, and although there is a killer angle to capture the start from, I chickened out! With the ground so slick, the chances of a few quads getting out of shape and plowing through that spot were great, and the possibilty that my traction would leave me running in place as I was mowed down even greater! So I went to turn two and awaited the start.

A Class was first off the line, and it wasn't the shiney new DS of Sturdivant charging hard with the lead!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:07 PM
The mighty Can Am finally fired to life and Sturdivant was playing catch up already. This was not a surprise to him, as a pre race interview eluded to the fact that so far, the biggest draw back to his new machine is it's ability to start fast. This issue is being addressed ofcourse, but for now the riders talent and machines speed would have to make up for a slow start.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:09 PM
B Class was next off the line and a rw of sparkling clean riders would soon face the muck that lay ahead of them.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:11 PM
Several of the KTM's newest machine were competing today

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:13 PM
C Class was last off the line, with the addition of Youth Production. Rider #161 Joshua Dains had his 300ex off the line and out front of the 450 class machines as they head out of the first turn.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:15 PM
Cody Hill aboard the Yamaha Raptor 250 goes wheel to wheel through turn two. This would be a hard test on this new machine as the course was brutal.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:25 PM
With a shortened course, it was in no time that the leader found his way back to the scoring area. From my vantage point, i could see riders as they diced in and out of trees across a large open marsh and the yellow DS of Sturdivant was no where to be seen! I figured he would be riding the wheels off the thing as he made up time, but it wasn;t looking good as the seconds ticked away. the leader ripped past me and was gone!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:27 PM
The riders were covered in a wet coating of water and mud as they completed lap 1

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:28 PM
By the end of the end of the first lap, Joshua Dains had placed his 300ex solidly nto the top 10!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:30 PM
Easily 2 minutes down, Sturdivant was finally in sight and charging hard!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:31 PM
The laps were being run in the 12 to 15 minute range by most, and it looked like the track was really running in as the quads ripped apart the soft top layer of muck.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:33 PM
After the second lap, whatever had Sturdivant held up was a memory as he was riding in top form, cutting through lappers and surpassing the leaders overtaking the lead!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:34 PM
The mostly stock DS 450 was now in charge and out front as it clawed it's way around the course.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:36 PM
Goggles were being tossed as they were more of a hinderence then helpful as they became caked with mud and then drowned in a milky brown coating.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:38 PM
Back in the woods, the riders had some seriously rutted and whooped out track to contend with, and the hillclimbs were so slick you could barely walk up them!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:40 PM
As long as you kept up the momentum, getting to the top wasn't that bad

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:41 PM
Cody Hill pulled over and told me he had lost his chain every lap:(

I asked him if he wanted to call it a day and he replied..."Hell No!" and sped off:D

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:43 PM
Sturdivant was in the zone and on fire!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:46 PM
Riders started showing the signs of the severe conditions and the brutality of the course was taking it's toll

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:47 PM
In years past, we raced up this rock face!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:49 PM
Dains was riding like a man on a mission as he pulled himself to the 8th overall position when the checkered flag came out! Anyone looking to add a super talented youth rider to their XC program should be hunting this kid down!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:50 PM
I finally made it back to the scoring area as the white flag came out

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:52 PM
Hill sure had a rough day, with his chain coming off every lap except the first:p He commented after the race that it caused him to get stuck in the mud or hung up on the steepest hills as it derailed at the most inopportune times and places.

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:53 PM
Sturdivant ended his day at work by securing the win after battling with issues the first two laps. I am happy to report that other then the starting issue, the DS 450 handled everything Brent threw at it with out a hitch!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:56 PM
A huge fan of atv racing in general, and a bigger fan of Brent Sturdivant poses for a picture with his number one rider! Grizzly Jennings may have to face the world with some problems in his life, but he does so with a smile!

Brent gave Grizzly his first place trophy as thanks for just being such a great fan!

Pappy
12-30-2007, 08:58 PM
Hill smiles as he checks out his chain after one long race:p


Thats all I have for you folks, and be sure to check out www.koontzadventures.com for some of the best old school type XC racing on the east coast!

cannibal67
12-31-2007, 10:34 AM
Awesome pics pappy, good write up too.

161xchonda
01-01-2008, 03:40 PM
Awesome pics pappy. Good coverage too.