Coldwater, MI (3/15/2017)
- William Yokley made his return to GNCC competition
a celebration as he drove from the back of
the field in his RT Pro-equipped Polaris RZR
to finish fifth in the XC1 Pro UTV race in
Palatka, FL. Michael Swift finished seventh
in XC1 Pro and Joe Krcelich was fourth in
the XC2 Pro Sport UTV race. Jesi Stracham,
driving an RT Pro-built Polaris Ace XC900,
snagged the holeshot in the Single Seat race,
but contact with a tree ended her day early.
Yokley debuted a brand new Polaris RZR XP1000
in the race. Though the multi-time GNCC UTV
Champion, didn’t race last season, he showed
his veteran chops in the rough and difficult
race. After starting on the fourth row, Yokley
was off and running and drove his way through
the field to record the top five.
|
| William
Yokley drove from the back of the field
in his RT Pro-equipped Polaris RZR to
finish fifth in the XC1 Pro UTV race |
“It feels good to be back,” said Yokley.
“The Polaris RZR XP1000 ran really well even
though it only had three miles on it before
the race. The first time we even tested it
was in practice, so we’re happy with fifth.”
Combining tight woods sections with wide-open
fields, the track was rough and difficult.
Yokley relied on his RT Pro components to
survive the race.
“It was a rough track, but the RT Pro suspension
components and bumpers really helped me get
through the track and run with everyone,”
said Yokley. “It was hectic for those first
few laps, but then we got out there on our
own and ran consistent lap times. I’m looking
forward to starting on the front row at the
next race.”
Swift started on the third row in the event.
His Polaris S 1000 was on rails during the
race due to the RT Pro suspension components.
While RT Pro’s superior bumpers and nerf bars
get the headlines, Swift also relies on a
lot of its other suspension and steering parts.
|
| Michael
Swift finished seventh in XC1 Pro after
starting on the third row in his Polaris
RZR S 1000 |
“We’re running RT Pro cage, door systems
and nerf bars, but they also make a lot of
other stuff people may not be familiar with,”
said Swift. “We’re running their swaybar systems,
frame braces and I really like the way they
build it. I like the way they sell their parts.
For example, if you bend one part of your
bumper, you can just purchase that part and
not have to purchase a whole new kit. We like
the quality and the way it performs.”
Swift has run UTV races in the past basically
for the enjoyment. This year, he is more focused,
a fact that was shown in his race result.
“During the last few years, we really did
the UTV racing because we were there and it
looked like a lot of fun,” said Swift. “We’re
focused more on the RZR stuff this year so
we can be more competitive. We’re training
and testing much more this year.”
In the XC2 Pro Sport UTV class, RT Pro’s
Joe Krcelich started off the season with a
solid fourth place finish. Krcelich just missed
the class championship last year by nine points,
so he is looking to make it happen this year,
and he is off to a great start.
|
| RT
Pro’s Joe Krcelich started off the season
with a solid fourth place finish in
the XC2 Pro Sport UTV class |
Stracham is running her single seat effort
out of Swift’s UXC tent. Her RT Pro Polaris
ACE is specially built with hand controls
because she doesn’t have the use of her legs.
Unfortunately, the track was a little too
narrow for Polaris’ new wider XC900 single
seat machines and she had trouble navigating
between the trees.
|
| RT
Pro’s Jesi Stracham is back for 2017
racing the Polaris ACE for RT Pro with
the UXC Racing Team |
“Jesi Stracham got the holeshot, came into
a corner too hot, sideswiped a tire and it
damaged something in the steering rack,” said
Swift. “So she stopped and there wasn’t anything
we could do. She went out, turned another
lap and got some points.”
These RT Pro drivers will be back in action
as the series heads to Moree’s Sportsman’s
Preserve in Society Hill, SC April 22-23.
