"Yadkin Valley Stomp"
GNCC ATV Pro Race Report
Chris Jenks Breaks Through for First
Career GNCC Win
Yadkinville, NC (09/11/05)
–When Team Yamaha's defending GNCC Champion Bill
Ballance went down with an injury over the summer, the
door was open for the field to break through and get
some wins. Ballance's championship rival Chris Borich
was hoping to take advantage, but in the end it was
Four-Stroke Tech's Chris Jenks who emerged with his
first-ever Suzuki Grand National Cross Country victory.
"I always wondered what it would
be like up here," said Jenks, who raced the Pro-Am
class last year but has broken through with several
solid rides this season. "Any time it's hot and
dusty like this, and tight, at this level, everyone
has a chance. You can't just jump into this and do super-well.
You need to have knowledge around you and people helping
you out. And the fans, they were great for cheering
us on."
On a tight track where passing would be
at a premium, Borich was able to work his way into second
but couldn't get Jenks at the end. "It was hard
back there, it was hard to pass," said Borich.
"It was pretty nuts there in the creek section,
if you wanted to banzaii through you could make a pass
there, but I wanted to keep my hands dry. Chris was
trying to step it up, and I was trying to pass him but
I was afraid to hit a tree or something and lose some
points. I'm just happy to finish second."
With Bill Ballance out, his younger brother
Brandon was left to carry the flag for the Ballance
Racing team. Brandon did all he could to keep Borich
behind him and steal some points, but he was passed
while gassing in the pits. Still, he held on for third.
"Bill called me before the race even started, and
he told me to get out there and get a holeshot. I knew
after the first lap if I could just stay with William
(Yokley) I would be good, and then when he pitted I
took the lead. Chris (Jenks) got past me in the creek.
I wanted to get up here and hold Chris back for the
points. I bet when I call Bill he's going to be calling
me a, well, a blank, blank, blank, but these guys are
good."
Yoshimura Suzuki's William Yokley got
the holeshot and led early, but he was suffering from
a pulled hamstring and dropped back to fifth. Meanwhile,
Jenks' Four-Stroke Tech teammate Bryan Cook was on the
gas and moved to fourth.
The next GNCC event promises to be a good
one, with the first-ever Unadilla GNCC in New Berlin,
New York. Both the amateur and pro motocross tracks
will be run as part of the course, as well as miles
of fresh trail. Unadilla has never hosted an off-road
race before, so it promises to be a historic event.
The Yadkin Valley Stomp GNCC was taped
for an airing on the Outdoor Life Network. The series
resumes on television on October 18, and the GNCC races
air Tuesdays at 5 p.m., Thursdays at 11 a.m. and Saturdays
at 2 p.m. EST.
The ATVA-sanctioned Suzuki Grand National
Cross Country series is America's premier off-road racing
series. The 13-round series is produced exclusively
by Racer Productions. Cross-country racing is one of
the most physically demanding sports in the world. The
nearly three-hour long GNCC races lead as many as 1500
riders through tracks ranging from eight to twelve miles
in length. With varied terrain including hills, mud,
dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are
tests of both survival and speed. GNCC featured sponsors
include Parts Unlimited, Moose, Maxxis, Pirelli, Wiseco,
Klotz, FMF and ITP, and riders compete for over $1.5
million in series prizes and contingency money. Associate
sponsors include Moose Utility Division, Scott, Alpinestars,
Öhlins, Cometic, Outerwears, Race Tools, Twin Air,
SFB Racing, Thor, Motion Pro, MotoTee's, Warrior and
Laeger's. Media Sponsors include Dirt Rider Magazine,
ATV Sport Magazine and Racer X Illustrated. For more
information log on to GNCCRacing.com.
Suzuki GNCC Series ATV Racing
Results
Round #10 - "Yadkin Valley Stomp"
ATV
Top Twenty Overall |
1.
Chris Jenks Washington, WV HON 01:59:57
2. Chris M Borich Sunbury, PA HON 02:00:08
3. Brandon Ballance Oakland, KY YAM 02:00:49
4. Bryan Cook Casar, NC YAM 02:01:42
5. William Yokley Tompkinsville, KY SUZ 02:01:57
6. Michael S Houston Hickory, NC HON 02:01:59
7. Matt J Smiley Kunkletown, PA POL 02:03:10
8. Santo Derisi Casar, NC HON 02:04:55
9. Rhett M Butler Oak Grove, MO HON 02:05:02
10. Todd Knippenberg Cumberland, MD HON 02:05:07
11. Jeremy Rice Fombell, PA HON 02:05:12
12. Andris Lagzdins Baltimore, MD ROL 02:05:16
13. Bryan Baker Knob Noster, MO HON 02:05:19
14. Adam Mcgill West Union, WV HON 02:05:28
15. Duane Johnson Trenton, MO HON 02:05:30
16. Brent Sturdivant Montrose, WV HON 02:05:51
17. Chris Bithell Irwin, PA HON 02:05:56
18. Michael Burrows Gilman City, MO HON 02:05:59
19. Brandon Sturdivant Montrose, WV HON 02:06:46
20. Jason LaRusso Graham, NC HON 02:07:14 |
2005
Suzuki GNCC ATV Pro Point Standings
(After 10 of 13 rounds)
|
|
1.
Bill Ballance (237/5 wins)
2. Chris Borich (203/3 wins)
3. William Yokley (178/1 win)
4 . Chris Jenks (163/1 win)
5. Matt Smiley (146)
6. Brandon Ballance (131)
7. Adam McGill (118)
8. Andris Lagzdins (104)
9. Bryan Baker (86)
10. Jeremy Rice (83) |
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