Saint Croix Falls, WI (4/20/2016) – Bikeman Performance / rOtation Motorsports’ drivers Jason Luburgh, Treavis Poynter and Mitch Guthrie, Jr. all experienced their own share of bad luck as the GNCC XC1 Pro SXS Class took on Big Buck in Union, SC.
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Bikeman
Performance / rOtation Motorsports’
Team setup at the Big Buck GNCC, which
included Treavis Poynter, Jason Luburgh
& Mitch Guthrie Jr. filling in
for Colten Moore
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Jason Luburgh took the holeshot from the front row and was running in the top three when he has a belt issue. After having to change a drive belt on the fourth lap, Luburgh coasted it home to an 18th place finish. Luburgh finished second in the first round of the season and currently sits second in points.
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After
finishing second at the season opener,
Luburgh was going for a repeat performance
at the Big Buck GNCC. However, a blown
belt would take him out of contention
for another podium finish
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“We were in third for a long time, but we started having problems,” said Luburgh. “We broke a belt, and after replacing it, we nursed it home. The track was really fun, but the dust made it really hard. I’m just glad I finished after all of that.”
Treavis Poynter was running strong when he encountered a lapped car stopped in the middle of the course. The crash took out his radiator and he finished 22nd.
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Treavis
Poynter encountered some lap traffic
during the race, which put him back
in the rear of the pack finishing
22nd
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“The Bikeman RZR 1000S was dialed in,” said Poynter. “We did a lot of testing in between the first and second round and this was definitely the best side by side I’ve been in during my professional career. We got behind a bunch of other drivers in the dust. We were trying to work our way through, when a lapped car decided to stop in the fastest and dustiest section, which ended our day. It’s unfortunate, but I’m feeling really good about the car and the team. We’ll be back for Round 3, that’s for sure.”
Mitch Guthrie Jr, an accomplished desert racer, made his GNCC debut at Big Buck, filling in for Colten Moore. With little seat time, Guthrie made the best of it, but fell out of the race with a ball joint issue.
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Mitch
Guthrie Jr. made his GNCC Racing debute
at the Big Buck GNCC. Guthrie Jr.
would also run into some bad luck,
but he hopes to get to another GNCC
in the future
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“It was a last-minute thing,” said Guthrie. “I never really raced in anything like this. The car was new, the course was new, so basically the only seat time I had was when I drove the car to tech and to staging. After taking easy lap one, I decided to go for it in the second lap, but on the third lap a ball joint popped on us.”
Guthrie Jr liked racing in the woods and hopes to be able to return to GNCC competition some day. “When I walked the track, I didn’t think it would be all that tight,” said Guthrie. “When I got out in the race, I realized how much I had to use the nerf bars to sideswipe the trees. I had to pick my lines and really take my time. It was a lot more than I expected, getting through the trees. I was looking for a finish, so hopefully I can do some more and see what we can do with a little more seat time.”
The Bikeman Performance/ rOtation Motorsports’ team will be back in contention when GNCC heads to the next round April 30th at Moree's Sportsman's Preserve in Society Hill, SC.