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Can-Am GNCC ATV Racing Cross Country Series News

Can-Am GNCC Racing Series

Jarrod McClure GNCC Pro ATV Race Report "Snowshoe"
McClure Back on the Podium

GNCC ATV Racing Links
Jarrod McClure - Honda TRX 450R ATV
Jarrod McClure Podiums at Snowshoe GNCC
Snowshoe WV (9/15/2008) - The summer break is now over and it’s time to go GNCC racing once again. I was anxious to see how hard everyone trained over the summer. The Snowshoe GNCC was going to be a tough track, from what everyone was telling me. I think this is one of the coolest races on the circuit just because of the different style of start, and being at a big ski resort like this.

Snowshoe is about seven hours from my home, and I arrived at the track early Friday afternoon. After getting the trailer parked, I took a walk and caught up with some of my fellow GNCC racers. Everyone was really looking forward to this race, and wanted to come on strong the second half of the year. A lot of people had their new bikes built, but some decided to run their old ones just because of how rough this track is on equipment. I built a new Honda over the break, and Bowers Motorcycle Supplies built the engine, and it had so much more power than what I have been running all season, so I just couldn’t wait to put it to use!

Saturday morning I woke to rain outside. Besides the rain outside a bigger issue for the morning races was going to be the fog. I headed over to the starting line for the youth races, and with the thick fog you couldn’t even see the first turn. With the youth racing going on I grabbed some breakfast and headed to the trailer to prep the quad for some mud. I ended up having to re-jet, my quad due to the change in elevation. Once I got the jetting all wrapped up, I put on my bigger handgaurds, and taped up my bumper.

As noon rolled around I began getting ready and headed to the start. For everyone who doesn’t know, the start was “Blackwater” style. By this I mean everyone started in rows of five, on the main street of Snowshoe’s Village. It was a live engine start and the rows were sent every five seconds. It would all be time adjusted at the end. I started in the second row because of my position in the points.

Jarrod McClure - Honda TRX 450R ATV

Jarrod McClure started on the 2nd Row for a Grand Prix style start on the pavement

The first row took off, so my row rolled up to the starting line as awaited the wave of the flag! We took off down the pavement, and I went into the woods in ninth place. I fell in line right behind Ryan Lane with Matt Smiley at my heels. As we hit some of the rougher sections, we caught the first group of five, and we swapped some positions, but at the end of the lap I was still in ninth. The track had some nasty rock sections, hill climbs, and on the ski slope there were drainage ditches that turned into bad kickers.

On the second lap we hit a bottleneck and I got by a few riders. I ended up behind Tyler Lenig, Brandon Sommers, and Taylor Kiser. Around the 8-mile marker or so, the three of them missed a turn coming down one of the ski slopes. I noticed, and was able to jump in front of all of them, and by the time I finished the lap, I was up to third place! I felt good, and the new Honda was really flying. The power was awesome, and my Laeger / Elka suspension was working flawless.
As I made my way through the third lap, I caught Borich and McGill who were both caught in one of the mud holes. I think at that point I was actually in the lead for a little. I arrived at a tough section of the track, and there was a bunch of lappers stuck on the uphill section. I got stuck and backed down. Meanwhile Ballance and Mcgill caught up to me and both got up the hill. I looked back and seen Borich coming, so I gassed it and made it up the hill behind Ballance in third. From there on out, I just rode smart, and had a quick pit stop.

The fourth and final lap came, and I ended up losing my front brakes. Anyone will tell you losing front brakes stinks! I just stayed smooth and out of trouble. I hit the tough uphill section again and it was full of lappers. I made it halfway up the hill and got stuck. Luckily my buddy Ben Hott was there with a rope, and him and another guy hooked up to me and pulled me up the hill. Thanks a lot Ben!! I came through the finish in third. Johnny Gallagher put in a great ride getting fourth, and I had to make sure he didn’t beat me on time adjustment.

Jarrod McClure - Honda TRX 450R ATV

Pro ATV Podium (left to right)
Jarrod McClure, Adam McGill, Bill Ballance

It was official I got third, and I was extremely happy to be on the podium again. McGill was first and Ballance was second. I started the second half of the season exactly how I had hoped, now I just have to keep the ball rolling. Unadilla is one of my favorite tracks. It is close to home, and I have a good history there. I’ll see ya there!

Finally, I’d like to give a shout to my sponsors: Bowers Motorcycle Supplies, ATVriders.com, Motoprotraining.com, Maxxis, Elka, HMF, SHIFT, DWT, Team-Ind, Tag, IMS-Roll, Clarke, DP Brakes, DBR Industrial services, Hinson, Laeger’s, Maier, Rage Atv Racing, 317 Graphics, The Sligo-Press, Leumas enterprises, and my parents.

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