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View Full Version : 2009 GNCC Racing Series - Round#3 - Steele Creek ATV Race Coverage



Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:03 AM
Round # 3 of the Can Am GNCC Series made its way to the Steele Creek Campground located just outside Morganton NC. The weather wasn't quite as warm as the first two rounds, however it still offered many of us a break from the grip winter still holds on us at home.

For the Youth racers, it would be a dark and ominous looking morning however there wouldn't be rain an issue as this round marks 3 in a row that the weather has cut the kids a break! Last season, the youth racers were hammered with wet and nasty conditions so this is a welcome change for all involved.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:06 AM
Sadie Welch would be wearing a new type of boot this round as she dealt with a broken foot:eek2: Sadie fell for the age old challenge of a "Triple dog dare" at school and set sail off a rock wall causing her injury. To protest, later in the week she started a food fight proving that she can compete with her older brother in "Raise Hell " department:p

The pink cast was wrapped in tape and plastic to hopefully prevent it from getting wet and dirty:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:09 AM
The Super-Mini class is a ghost town after 3 rounds of competition with only two entries sitting on the front row. Most of the racers from this class from last year have moved up to the Schoolboy class and hopefully we will see others join the series as we move through the season.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:13 AM
65 entries would find their way to round three as the number of young racers remains consitant in a time where many are losing jobs or having to curtail their spending. I think the only saving grace is the fact that fuel has remained half of what it was in 2008.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:14 AM
It may have not rained, but the temperatures had everyone looking for ways to keep warm!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:18 AM
8 am approached and it wasn't long before the morning serenity was broken by the sound of the Super Mini class as Ryan Early blasted through the first turn!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:21 AM
The Pitster Pro mini quads sure seem to run pretty strong and offer a factory machine capable of competing at a fair price!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:25 AM
90 Mod 12-15 would be next to fire off the line

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:26 AM
90 Limited 12-15 would follow and it would be Jay Shadron out front as he leads the class out of the first turn!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:28 AM
90 Mod 8-11

Wyatt Wilkin would be hard on the gas as he grabs the holeshot!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:29 AM
Tristan Garrett would be the first racer out of turn 1 in 90 Limited 8-11

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:31 AM
70 CVT

Christoper Bishop would have the hammer pegged on his DRR as he battles for the lead

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:33 AM
The racer in the background peers over at Charlie Welch as he screams past. Welch did not have a good start and was going to grab all he could before entering the woods!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:35 AM
Keeping trac of Sadie wouldnt be to hard as long as you where on her right side:p Sadie would suffer mechanical issues and only score one lap as her DRR broke a belt.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:37 AM
Turn two would see a crash that required a check up from the medical staff. I did not hear any reports that the young racer was injured to seriously so hopefully just a scare!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:40 AM
It's getting harder and harder to cut these little rascals off on the 1st lap, and by the time I had made it to my chosen location, Brayden Schick would be one of the first riders to rip past me!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:42 AM
The course was shortened to hopefully prevent problems but was more then enough for these young racers. Steele Creek gets rough, and it doesnt show mercy to anyone:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:43 AM
Charlie Welch in his element:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:45 AM
The rider on the move was 90 Mod's Doug Howarth as he set his sights on the race leaders

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:48 AM
The young racers sure pound those little machines, and in the limited classes, dependabilty means everything! With out the luxury of the aftermarket parts, these kids take a beating and show no mercy to the nearly stock machines!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:49 AM
Micheal Mussi takes a look through the corner as he rolls on the power of his Apex.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:51 AM
I know its early, but napping isn't going to get you more positions:D

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:52 AM
Ryan Earley was holding the race lead, but Howarth was closing in as the white flag came out.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:56 AM
Howarth had Earley in his line of sight and as the pair raced out of my area, I knew we could see Howarth either claim the lead or win the overall based on time

Pappy
03-23-2009, 08:58 AM
Jay Shadron was flying! Shown here getting out of shape as the rough terrain had his rear end swapping around like mad! It would be checkers or wreckers as he ripped out of sight.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:01 AM
Blake Chirdon found his spot on the podium at round 2, but wouldnt be able to stomp his way back there this round. He would however finish a solid 3rd in 90 Mod 11-15 and will no doubt be on that podium again. He has improved greatly and will be one to watch thoughout the season!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:03 AM
Kameren Bobb would also find the 3rd spot but in 90 Limited 12-15. All that pink sure is easy to follow in the dark woods!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:06 AM
Charlie Welch would once again find himself out front in the 70 CVT class, taking another class win!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:09 AM
I had intended on shooting the last lap in the field sections but missed my mark and before I knew it, I was running towards the podium:p That first hour just fly's by:scary:

Jay Shadron would claim the second overall position and take his class win!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:11 AM
Ryan Earley would provide Pitster Pro with another podium appearence with his first in class and 3rd overall finish. Great run Ryan!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:12 AM
For Doug Howarth, this was a solid battle and he emerged victorious as he claims the overall win!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:14 AM
I love a good tight battle, and you boys gave me one heck of a show out there! Congrats to all of you and to all the youth racers...you guys are the best!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:18 AM
The 10 am Amatuer race would soon follow the youth, and that dark and dreary sky remained, but thankfully no rain would fall this day.

The Josey family hangs out before the start as do many families that travel to be at the series. Making all 13 rounds is a task, and for most, the support they recieve from their family is the only way it can be done.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:32 AM
Traci Cecco holds up her sticker signifying that she had been blessed before the race. Cecco isn't having the season she would have hoped for, so calling on the man upstairs can't hurt! Traci has been close this season but the level of competition has grown and its anyones game in 2009!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:34 AM
The Can Am crew huddled together after returning from cutting wires and adding sugar to the gas tanks of team Polaris:eek: :devil:

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:36 AM
John Gallagher Sr takes a good hard stare at the first turn. John stated the past several years he wanted some competition and brother has he ever got it this year in the form of Glen Pritchard!

John stated it was about time, and now that he has to spot the class 12 years in age he doesnt intend to show them any mercy:p Good luck in 2009 John, no matter how you finish we wish you well!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:37 AM
Race face?

I heard that the Geico lizard kept them up all night:o :D

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:41 AM
The morning race kicked off with the Super Senior class as they would be the first to attack the North Carolina course.

John Gallagher told me he needed some good crisp shots of him out front. I told him he had to be out front and the man didn't waste anytime getting the job done:D

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:42 AM
The ladies of the Womens class turned loose! Cecco, Atwell and Verkade all battle for position as they enter turn 1

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:44 AM
Lexie Coulter needed a good race under her belt and she seemed focused prior to the start. She swung wide through the first turn and had two hours ahead of her to make things happen!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:46 AM
4x4 Open

Scott Kilby grabs the holeshot as Bryan Buckhannon and Daryl Rath shadow him as the leaders exit the first turn!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:47 AM
4x4 Limited

Micheal Swift charges out front to take the holeshot!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:49 AM
U2

Mike Benson drops the hammer on his V-Force as he leads the field out of turn one. Benson would only score a lap before his day ended.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:51 AM
Sportsman A/B

Richard Reynolds would be the holeshot winner and Reynolds would ride to a 2nd place class finish!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:52 AM
XC1 Pro racer Brandon Sommers had the best vantage point there was for the start:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:57 AM
Steele Creek is a rough round, and knowing it can be hard on equipment, I decided to vacate the starts and do my best to cut off the leaders to try and get a few shots of everyone before fate might prevent that chance as the race wore on.

The bridge crossing is always chatted about as one of the biggest feature of this round and in years past I have not taken pictures there simply because its so well covered by most with a camera:p However this season, we decided to add some video into the mix and I wanted to capture it so we shoe leather expressed it to the spot and set up.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 09:59 AM
The creek itself is seperated by a man made dike or dam of sorts and the section itself isn't difficult for most. Its the act of ducking the bridge that sets it apart for the racers and makes an excellent vantage point for fans to catch the action

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:00 AM
The section after the bridge is the issue and has the laps wear on the soil, it can become a huge obstacle as ruts, mud and rocks cause some issues.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:02 AM
The video footage we have will be edited and posted in the coming days. I have my oldest son Cody to thank for running the camera and from what I saw, he has some great footage for everyone!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:07 AM
While there is plenty of room under the bridge, its the thought of it that has riders hunkered down as the pass underneath it:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:09 AM
Clean riders would soon face the water and the following mudhole that would make everyone that nice creamy dirt color:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:12 AM
The last few riders had barely passed my position when the race leaders came under the bridge. Angel Atwell had the lead and Traci Cecco would be running in 2nd.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:13 AM
John Gallagher was having a good run as he powers his Polaris under the bridge

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:15 AM
Buckhannon had the lead in 4x4 Open with Scott Kilby running right behind him in second.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:16 AM
4x4 Lites Cliffton Beasley ducks hard as he pilots his big Utility through the creek bed. The entries in 4x4 Lites are way down, with only 3 this round!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:18 AM
Robert Smith had taken over the lead in the U2 class as the front runners now were bunching up

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:19 AM
Rick Cecco was in 2nd in U2 at this point, and had a few 4x4 Open riders between him and the class leader.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:22 AM
Traci Cecco had taken the lead as Atwell rides her grab bar! This is some killer racing folks, and if you get a chance, attend one and see first hand how hard these ladies battle!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:25 AM
Coulter had battled her way into the 3rd spot, and would be right on Cecco as she pulled away from a pitstop.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:26 AM
Jesi Stracham would run into problems and only complete 4 laps. Tough break for her but expect her to be back swinging at Big Buck!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:28 AM
Super Senior rider Don Merritt rode to an 8th place finish at todays event!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:29 AM
4x4 Open's Daryl Rath would have some issues this round and for the first time this season would find himself finishing outside of the top 3 in his class.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:30 AM
Jeremie Dudding knew this track would get rough and he was looking forward to it!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:37 AM
Greg Condon loves XC racing, and he has adapted to the 4x4 side of things pretty well. If you could break it, he probably has and spent more time wrenching in 2008 on his Grizzly then he would have liked.

Greg had the Yamaha pretty much figured out as we started this season but did not have the free time in the off season to train like he wanted. Thats what happens when you decide to start planning a wedding and build a house! We would like to wish Greg good luck and best wishes for his pending doom that will add a ball and chain to the things he has to pack up for the races:devil: :blah:

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:39 AM
If your not going up, your going down at Steele Creek...and if there is a spot that doesnt have an arm wrenching turn in it, I failed to locate it:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:41 AM
Ruts get deep and they sure do wear on a rider!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:43 AM
One thing you will hear from racers after the event is usually "I couldnt make up any time" or " There just wasn't any place to pass".

If your a fast rider, getting hung in a train can hurt bad!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:46 AM
Cody Parmerter would ride to victory in the Schoolboy class. Parmerter is really starting to shine and will be a rider to watch as his career progresses!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:47 AM
Following Parmerter in was Kyle Riley. Riley lunched an engine at round #2 and wanted to get back in the mix here at round 3. Riley finished 2nd in teh Schoolboy class and you can bet he will be battling hard to get his share fo wins this season!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:49 AM
David Hunsacker working his 450R through the rutted hillside.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:50 AM
Cecco had swapped for the lead once again as another lap was completed

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:51 AM
Atwell was just seconds behind, and by the blue shop towel still on her grip, I could tell she had pitted and would now be reeling Cecco in.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:52 AM
Jennifer Albright (Yellow YFZ) would have to clear a few lappers if she wanted to get a shot at the top two!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:55 AM
Shanna Bradshaw has been training hard, and made quite a few changes to her 450R before the race.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 10:59 AM
Robert Smith ws running hard, and was still leading the US class. With Benson out, it would be a clean run to a win if he could hold Rick Cecco off.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:02 AM
Rick Cecco was coming thats for sure, but from what I could see he was more controlled as he dodged in and out of the trees. Quite possibly they have finally dialed in his Renegade and Rick can now concentrate on doing what needs to be done instead of running like a mad man to play catch up.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:04 AM
Ground clearence is a good thing, thankfully this track isnt as rocky as others!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:07 AM
Cody Anderson pulls over to let a few riders pass him by. Anderson had done something to the right front and his machine was hurt. No sense in wading it up he stated as we chatted trackside, just finish for the points!

The Rath team still has alot to learn but they all seem very open minded. I explained to Anderson that not only are they facing a new machine that has to be sorted out, but they are competing against riders that have spent most of their lives racing in the woods.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:11 AM
The field sections werent going to allow much smooth running to rest tired arms. With passing in short supply in the woods, racers stayed hard on the gas to make things happen in the field section.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:12 AM
There was some intense action in the fields, with some serious rubbinga nd racing going on:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:15 AM
I geuss no one told him about my rule:o

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:16 AM
The new 3 wheel Utility class:eek2:

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:17 AM
Atwell just 3 turns away from the white flag, and it would be Lexie Coulter holding the second spot as only 1 lap remained to get things done!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:20 AM
The womens class was tight! Atwell had just entered the last stretch before scoring and behind here was 2nd through 5th as Coulter, Albright and Kristen Atwell all remained virtually nose to tail! Traci Cecco was out of my sight but only because of the brush in the turn.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:22 AM
There would be no easy last lap, or cushion of safety. The last lap was going to be an all out war!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:26 AM
The battle was on full burn in other classes as well. In U2, Rick Cecco remained 1 turn behind class leader Rob Smith, and the last lap would be the place to crash or burn if something was going to happen!

Cecco glances over at Smith who was going the opposite way through the scoring area. Time to go get him Rick!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:27 AM
Greg Condon would put in a solid ride and found himself finishing in the 3rd spot! Great run Greg!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:32 AM
The war was far from over and in my opinion, the last lap of this race was one of the best i've had the pleasure to watch!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:35 AM
BJ Naugle rips in to score his lap. BJ had a great run at florida, skipped georgia and was back in action here at round 3

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:37 AM
Super Senior racer Glen Pritchard marks his 3rd straight class win! Pritchard is on fire this year and topped his day with a 5th place overall finish as well!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:40 AM
The war that took place in the woods was coming to an end, and it would be Angel Atwell claiming the win! This win makes 3 in a row for Atwell !

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:42 AM
Lexie Coulter would claim the 2nd spot as she works the last few turns

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:43 AM
Traci Cecco would reign in the last podium spot with her 3rd place finish.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:46 AM
The season is still young but the battles yet to come will be fierce! We have seen some great racing from the ladies and the U2 class looks to be stellar as well. Rick Cecco was able to get the lead from Smith and claimed the U2 class win setting Cecco at the top of the points lead. It will be interesting to watch this class and see if Smith can bounce back and get in the groove to claim a few wins of his own!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 11:52 AM
The sunshine had finally decided to show itself as the last few shots of champagne were sent skyward. The course had already shown how rough it was, and how fast it was for those out front. The stage was now set for the afternoon race!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 01:46 PM
For the XC1 Pro riders, keeping in good standings with the fans is a priority. The companies backing these riders want a personable attitude and a willingness to promote the sport and the sponsors in a good way. For Adam McGill, working with the fans is all in a days work and he is fast becoming a fan favorite with a growing base of supporters!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 01:50 PM
It seems that time hits full tilt as the days activities unfold, and with just enough time to scarf down some french fries, rehydrate and get batteries changed, the afternoon race was all but started as I made my way to the starting line.

Chris Bithell getting some top secret advice :chinese:

Pappy
03-23-2009, 01:52 PM
Joe Borich awaits the start as he gets ready for two hours of intense racing action. Joe is a mighty fine racer in his own right and at several rounds we can usually find him running in the morning race!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 01:56 PM
The National Anthem brings everyone to their feet as we were just minutes away from the start

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:00 PM
Fans flock to the starting area to watch their favorite riders

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:01 PM
ATVrider magazine editor Thad Josey had competed in the AM race, and was now making last minute checks to capture the action for an upcoming issue!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:09 PM
The seconds were ticking away

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:11 PM
Don Ockerman would be wheel to wheel with Brandon Sommers as the XC1 class attacks the first turn!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:13 PM
The pair of Yamaha's would soon be in a drag race to turn two, but it would be Ockerman claiming the holeshot!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:15 PM
Jeff Pickens would shoot out of the turn and be running hard towards turn two as the class was now full throttle and charging hard again!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:16 PM
Jockeying for position and getting a good spot going into the woods means a ton to these guys.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:22 PM
XC2 would fire off the line next and Josh Kirkland would put his KTM out front!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:25 PM
The drive to turn two is pure excitement. The first turn has its own set of rules regarding just how big your manhood is, but turn two can get just plain crazy as now even more adrenaline is added to the mix and the speeds climb!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:29 PM
Justin Petroff slides out front in Vet 30+

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:31 PM
Glenn McConnell hits turn one a little hot allowing Dave Simmons to slide to the inside and take the lead!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:35 PM
Ronnie Mills heads into the first turn with a fast approaching pack of College A riders on his heels!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:37 PM
Walker Fowler and Patrick Burch battle as they exit turn 1

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:44 PM
The layout at this race is pretty cool, but for me it meant leaving the starting area early again to head off to catch the action. Rob Oakley would be forced to bring things to a halt as the single line track in front of him stacked up as racers made the decent to the bridge crossing

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:46 PM
The section after the bridge that ran along the creek bank was whooped out and offered plenty of thick mud for the riders to deal with

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:49 PM
Passes were made at the risk of getting pulled off course by the thick mud.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:53 PM
For those unfortunate enough to either catch a kicker or have the front end hit hard, a quick trip into the bars would tweak plenty of wrists:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:55 PM
Rush hour :p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:57 PM
Passes were made at the risk of getting pulled off course by the thick mud.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 02:58 PM
Dave Burton would run into some problems and only finish 2 laps.

Dave stated after the race:

"Steele Creek started out well for me, I had a great holeshot and went into the woods around 4th, a couple behind my teammate Tyler Moore. The first lap went real well and I ended up taking over the lead and leading the first lap and part of the 2nd before things started to head South. I got stuck in the creek and lost some positions, then got held up on a hill behind someone. I was running about 6th when I bent a tie rod. I was riding and feeling good, just a fluke thing to happen. I'll be ready for South Carolina."

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:08 PM
The creek crossing was fast becoming a mess:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:09 PM
Fans lining the course usually means something cool:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:11 PM
The fastest way that I saw was straight through the middle......:chinese:

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:14 PM
I said I wasn't getting muddy this round:ermm:

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:16 PM
Atleast getting stuck here you had some helping hands!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:18 PM
Plans were to run the Pro's right where I was standing so my time here was cut short as I wasn't intending on being used as traction:scary:

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:20 PM
Ockerman came blazing into view with Adam McGill now holding the number two spot!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:21 PM
The top 5 were very close as they came through this section

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:23 PM
Chris Borich ducks a blast of roost from Taylor Kiser

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:26 PM
Duane Johnson leads Jarrod McClure with 1 lap complete.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:36 PM
Kirkland had already started working his way into the XC1 class and was off and running!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:38 PM
Eric Hoyland and Bian Wolf battle just behind Kirkland.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:41 PM
Parker Jones trying to keep it straight as he approaches the creek section

Parker had this to say after the race:

"After spending all day thursday at C.A.W. testing the EXIT shocks with Mike Hallock, I was confident that I was ready and had them dialed in. With a few adjustments they were ready and I was off. Well not really, I had a bad start and was last off the line. Battling threw the nasty mud and tall hills, I worked my way back up to check in 9th on lap two. I battled hard with Gabe back and forth but could not hold him back after getting crossed up in a rut, he got back by me. I worked hard but could not make up enough time to catch the top five, but checked in at the checkeres in the 6th spot.

Parker Jones XC2 Pro-Am

Thanks to my 2009 Sponsors
Moto X Perts, Moto X Nutrition, Dreyer Honda, HMF, ARS-FX, ASV, Tire Balls, Fasst Company, Rath Racing, Rekluse, Precision-RP, Quadtech, MSR"

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:43 PM
Gabe Phillips was having a solid run!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:49 PM
Mark Notman isnt having the success this season that he had in 2008. Hopefully he can get things sorted out and get back into the mix!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:53 PM
With a slight break in the action, we made our way to another spot to see if we could cut off the leaders

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:55 PM
I dont know about you, but thats a bit close:eek2:

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:58 PM
Cody Javens would end up finishing 10th in College B. Cody had a great run at the opening round where he finished 2nd

Pappy
03-23-2009, 03:59 PM
McGill would obtain the lead and looked to be checking out!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:01 PM
Kiser , Cook and Borich were next through this section and thats about how the race started shaping up. Groups of racers unable to pass would train up and roll on!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:03 PM
Duane Johnson keeping things real

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:05 PM
The group of XC1 Pro riders was so close that I did not even have time to turn around to catch Johnsons and Ballances approach

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:06 PM
Chris Bithell came in so hard he looked like a pinball bouncing from side to side!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:08 PM
Derisi, Pickens and McClure were next as the party kept going:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:10 PM
Sommers wasn't wasting any time but just doesnt look as smooth as he did in 08. I havent spoken to him about the new machine, just an observation I have.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:12 PM
Brent Sturdivant and I chatted friday evening about his DS450. Before he could tell me how it was doing I explained that from now on he had to tell me it was terrible and runs like crap:eek2: He always seems to be positive and I felt that mught be hurting him:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:15 PM
Johnny Gallagher rolling on! If Sommers could point a finger at his machine, Johnny Gallagher could negate it because he is doing quite well on the new ride! Im not looking to bash the new Yammy, heck its probably just how things go...its racing after all:p


Or maybe JG is just good enough the ride dont matter:D

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:18 PM
Brian Wolf leads Josh Kirkland as the XC2 class remained very close!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:21 PM
William Yokely making the new Polaris look pretty mean!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:22 PM
Tyler Lenig working his way up the ladder in XC1

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:24 PM
AJ Koontz and Walker Fowler work their way through the creek bottom

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:25 PM
Ockerman stalled it right in front of me:p It can happen to the best of them!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:27 PM
Jamie Bithell had a terrible start but was riding the wheels off his Can Am. By the 2nd lap he had worked his way to the top 5 of his class and was looking for more!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:29 PM
The bridge crossings were getting pretty hashed and several riders almost took a bath

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:31 PM
McGill making a pass on the bridge!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 04:32 PM
Bryan Cook was charging hard after McGill.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:05 PM
Bill Ballance is far from being 100%, and he didnt seem to be pushing things early on in the race. Its just not the same to not see him charging a million miles an hour but it was great seeing him slide quietly into the 3rd spot:D

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:10 PM
Kiser gets showered with roost from Ballance as he followed the champ across the bridge.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:13 PM
Bithell had his DS in the wind as he gives chase to the leaders, and by the looks of that bumper has seen some action somewhere along the course!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:15 PM
Sturdivant found that staying above the ground was the smoothest line:p

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:18 PM
The white flag would be out signaling one more lap to get the job done as soon as the leader checked in....and the leader would be Bryan Cook! Cook drops the hammer and goes to the inside to clear a lapper as he now had just one lap to let it all hang out if he wanted the win!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:21 PM
McGill stands on the brakes as he comes up to the corner and the lapper that seperates him from Cook!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:23 PM
Cook rails the last turn before scoring

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:24 PM
A split second later McGill fills my lens as now only a few feet seperate the pair

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:26 PM
A quick turn to my left just in time to catch Bill Ballance exiting the turn with Kiser, Bithell and Borich all now entering the last few turns before heading out for the final lap!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:27 PM
Kiser now has a straight run to Ballance as Bithell and Borich file in behind him and Johnson now comes into view.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:29 PM
Borich dives to the inside and pours on the power but it wouldnt be enough to make a pass

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:30 PM
Bithell and Borich were putting on one hell of a show as they battled into scoring. It was some killer action and you could tell it was going to be a war as they hit the field heading back to the woods!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:32 PM
It was a full throttle drag race across the field and as the pair raced out of site, Bithell held his position!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:33 PM
Sommers and Ryan Lane would be next, however Lane would run into problems and never score the final lap.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:35 PM
Sturdivant was now just one lap away from a solid race!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:38 PM
William Yokely had been running strong but after a tangle with Chris Bithell fell into the mid pack and remained there, finishing out the race in 11th

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:48 PM
Gabe Phillips slides around the last turn before heading out for the final lap.

Gabe reported after the race:

"Well I got a decent start but I got tangled up with another rider and was dead last. I just tried to stay calm and put my head down and rode smart. I came through the finish line in 19th on lap one and as each lap went by I started picking 3 or 4 guys off a lap and ended up 5th and 18th overall, but from where I started from it was ok with me. I just need to practice my starts more so I can get out front. I hope I can get that at South Carolina and pull off a podium!

2009 sponsers:

R.G.Honda, MXN, Fox Shocks, Laegers, Teixeira-Tech, ONEAL, HMF, Douglas Wheels, IMS, Finelines Grafix,Prines Powdercoating, All Terrain Racing Performance, Quad-Tech, Spy, Rekcluse, Precision "

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:50 PM
After getting the holeshot and leading the first few laps, Don Ockerman would run into some issues and drop back, finishing the day in the 13th position.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:53 PM
Walker Fowler would claim the win in College A making it 3 in a row for this insanley talented young racer! Not only has he been the highest placing amatuer in the first 3 rounds, he has finished inside the top 20 overall at the last two rounds!

Rock on Walker!!!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:56 PM
Dave Simmons would make it two in a row as he rode to the Senior A 40+ class win!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 06:58 PM
Jamie Bithell would finish second behind Fowler in College A, but from his almost dead last start to 2nd shows he too knows how to drop the hammer!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:00 PM
The FRE/KTM Team was all eyes and ears as they awaited for any word from the track on how McGill was doing.

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:06 PM
Jonathan Shaff would score a 6th in Junior A

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:08 PM
When the leaders emerged, it was Bryan Cook holding the lead!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:10 PM
I can pretty much garuntee you McGill was looking everywhere for a good line to make the pass, however his strategy of getting on the podium at every round may have kept him from the "checkers or wreckers" attitude that we saw a few times last year.

McGill shadows Cook through one last turn

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:13 PM
Bryan Cook would claim the win as mcGill settles in for 2nd as the pair crosses the finish line!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:15 PM
After dealing with a pre season surgery and suffering the pain from his injury and illness, Bill Ballance would find the podium here at Steele Creek as he claimed the final podium spot!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:16 PM
Kiser would narrowly miss another visit to the podium as he claimed the 4th spot. Chris Borich would round out the top 5!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:18 PM
It's another solid round for Chris Bithell! His tangle with Yokely may have kept him from bettering his finish, its hard to say, but Bithell seems to be back and ready to run!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:20 PM
Duane Johnson betters Sommers by one position as another privateer throws his name in the ring amongst all the factory supported teams!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:23 PM
The man that has nothing to prove just wont quit. It was great seeing you back in the mix Bill!!!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:24 PM
If McGill keeps this up, he will be showing everyone the number 1 at Ironman!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:26 PM
Ballance with a hard fought position. This has to feel good to him!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:29 PM
Cook tells the crowd about his race as the days events wind down. Cook winning on his home turf....me thinks some beer drinkin' was in order!!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:30 PM
A mud flea taking it all in!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:32 PM
XC2 racer Eric Hoyland finds he likes the podium and intends on being up there each round!

Hoyland finished 3rd in Xc2 and had this to report after the race:

"Coming into Steele Creek, I had a game plan. I wanted to hit the gym hard every day until I left on Friday for the race. But unfortunately, I came down with a cold. So I left the bike maintenance to my dad, and I laid on the couch sick, trying to recover. It was hard to mentally prepare myself, not knowing what my stamina would be like. So once again, I just gave it all I had, and I found myself in second place on the first lap. Then halfway through that lap, I got stuck in the creek crossing and lost a position to Brian Wolf. I stayed in third and held it there until the checkers. It's only my second podium finish, but I have a lot of confidence that I will be back up there after they wave the flag in South Carolina at the Big Buck.

I would like to thank my 2009 sponsors:

Spider Grips, ARS FX, Exit Shocks, Fasst Flexx Bars, Maxxis, HMF, HiPer, O'Neal, Quad Tech, Rekluse, REM Performance, Precision, Prines Powdercoating, Baldwin Motorsports, R.G. Honda, Spy Optic"

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:33 PM
Brian Wolf would claim the 2nd spot in XC2!

Pappy
03-23-2009, 07:36 PM
And it would be Josh Kirkland winning the XC2 class!

A big congrats to all the winners and to the racers for providing us with an excellent race! The two weeks will fly by as we get prepped for round #4, "The Big Buck" in Union SC. Will McGill see his goal repeated? Will Cook bring it? Can Borich get back in the mix? With two weeks more rest, can Ballance show us he has a few more wins left?

Hell if I know, but I will be there to capture it all!

Galleries, Results and More! (http://www.atvriders.com/atvracing/gncc-xc-atv-racing-2009.html)

RaptorRacer45
03-24-2009, 08:43 AM
Awesome Job Pappy!....I know the kid who rolled over in the feild and i couldnt help but laugh at that pic since that is my old Quad. Im gonna have to rely on the innernet for the next couple rounds till Mountain Ridge but from then on im goin all out!

Keep up the Awesome Work:D

Pappy
03-24-2009, 09:23 PM
Originally posted by RaptorRacer45
Awesome Job Pappy!....I know the kid who rolled over in the feild and i couldnt help but laugh at that pic since that is my old Quad. Im gonna have to rely on the innernet for the next couple rounds till Mountain Ridge but from then on im goin all out!

Keep up the Awesome Work:D

That dude got SLAMMED!!! Check teh galleries because I got the entire thing, from him hooking the rut to his face getting planted...to him sitting dazed on the sidelines:p Glad he was ok...

Sucks you wont be racing....but see ya at some point in the woods somewhere:p

RaptorRacer45
03-25-2009, 08:14 AM
Yeah he was all excited because of the sequence of pics, He about rolled off the top of the mountain in front of me also, he had an eventfull day.....lol, Im just using my 4 throwaway races for the long trips from home. From Mountain Ridge through Ironman i hope to make the rest and end up with 9 total so i can finally earn a number. thats the plan atleast:D