Bill Ballance on Verge
of Record-Tying Seventh
GNCC Racing Pro ATV Title This Weekend at Powerline
Park
Needs fourth
or better to clinch
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#1
Bill Ballance |
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St. Clairsville, OH (10/6/2006)
– Yamaha’s Bill Ballance wins so
often in the Suzuki Grand National Cross Country Series
that you can almost take his success for granted. Every
year Ballance reels off wins and consistent finishes
in robotic fashion, doing it all with such ease and
professionalism that one could almost forget how hard
he really works. But this weekend at the Power Line
Park GNCC in St. Clairsville, Ohio, his accomplishment
will become very clear. With a fourth-place or better
finish, the Kentucky-based 30-year-old can clinch the
2006 Suzuki GNCC ATV Title, and with that, tie Barry
Hawk on the all-time list with seven-straight ATV crowns.
“I never thought it would come to this,”
Ballance maintains. “There was a time when I was
just a kid and we were on a Banshee just trying to figure
it all out. Every championship is good, but I feel just
as hungry now as I did when I first started this.”
That seems true. With six wins and nine podium finishes
in 11 races this year, Ballance has looked as strong
this year than at any other point in his career.
His ability is obvious considering how much deeper
the competition has gotten in the last few years. When
the GNCC Series switched the pro class over to production
rules in 2004, it opened the door for many talented
racers to compete with equal equipment to the top pros.
The competition has swelled, as there are now ten riders
at each race that can win the event. But while the competition
has stepped up, Ballance continues to exceed it.
Still, the depth means there is a chance he won’t
notch a fourth this weekend and the championship celebration
could wait until the Klotz Ironman GNCC finale in two
weeks. Honda’s Chris Borich is second in the series
and had a win in hand at the last GNCC two weeks ago
at Unadilla in upstate New York, until mechanical troubles
set in. Monster/Yoshimura/Suzuki’s William Yokley
is always a threat, as well as newcomers Chris Bithell,
Duane Johnson and Adam McGill. The field is deeper than
ever, and yet Ballance remains the man to beat, just
like always.
The facility is located at Exit 213 off Ohio I-70
to Route 331 N. Roughly 15 miles from Wheeling, WV.
About
Suzuki GNCC Racing Series:
The
AMA-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 1800 riders through tracks ranging
from eight to twelve miles in length. With varied
terrain including hills, trees, 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 $2.8 million in series prizes and contingency
money. Associate sponsors include Moose Utility
Division, Scott, Acerbis, Alpinestars, Cometic,
Outerwears, Twin Air, Polisport Plastics, Thor,
Motion Pro, Hyper Wheels, Elka Suspension, MotoTee's,
Weekend Warrior, Owens Motorsports, Tom's Marina
Polaris, EK Chain and Laeger's. Media Sponsors
include Dirt Rider Magazine, ATV Sport Magazine,
www.ATVRiders.com
and Racer X Illustrated. For more information
log on to www.GNCCRacing.com.
www.gnccracing.com
122 Vista Del Rio Drive,
Morgantown, WV 26508
304-284-0084
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