Warnert
Racing Secures Three Wins & Podium Finish
GNCC Race Report - Round 1
- River Ranch GNCC
 |
Michael
Swift kicks off 2009 season with a Podium
finish at the River Ranch GNCC on his Warnert
Racing / Can-am Outlander
|
River Ranch, FL (3/11/2009) - “It’s
going to be tough to dethrone those Can-Am’s,”
is what was overheard in the pits shortly before
the morning classes were to take to the starting
line; and truer words could not have been spoken.
The Can-Am Warnert Racing team started off the 2009
GNCC season with a bang, claiming three class wins
at the season opener in River ranch, Florida. With
Michael Swift, Cliff Beasley, and newest Can-Am
Warnert team member, Bryan Buckhannon, all defending
their 2008 championships, the competition was intense.
Billowing clouds of dust were stirred up by high
winds and dry conditions, making visibility difficult
at times, but that didn’t stop the team
from putting the hammer down and giving it their
all. Two time 4x4 Limited champion Michael Swift
took no prisoners as he grabbed the holeshot and
checked out on the competition. Swift’s
blistering speed not only claimed him the class
win, but his time of 2:06:48 also earned him third
place overall in the A.M. classes.
“It feels great to start the season off
right like this,” stated Swift, who has
every intension of winning another championship
for the Can-Am Warnert team. “There’s
a lot of competition this year so I started working
with a trainer a little bit because I won’t
let go of the championship!” Swift concluded.
Cliff Beasley, who is also going for his third
consecutive championship in the 4x4Lites class,
also got off to a fantastic start. Beasley shot
off the line in first place and held his position
all the way to the checkered flag. “There’s
a lot of fast riders out there, but if they start
to push me, I’m going to push even harder
to get that win,” said a determined Beasley
whose efforts not only earned him a win, but also
landed him in the top 10 overall with a 7th place
time of 2:14:18.
|
|
Bryan Buckhannon
Wins 4x4 Open Class
|
Cliff
Beasley Claims the 4x4 Lites Win
|
Bryan Buckhannon, who was picked up this year
by the Can-Am Warnert team also, showed he has
what it takes to stay on top. Buckhannon came
off the line in second place, but took the lead
by the fourth turn. Buckhannon began to increase
his lead with every lap and had such a large gap
between him and second place, that he never fell
back even after rolling his quad when he clipped
a tree in the woods section. “I’m
really excited about being a part of the Can-Am
Warnert team this year. It’s really great
to have the support, especially with the competition
being tighter this year,” said Bryan who
claimed fifth overall in the morning classes.
U2 class racer Rick Cecco ran a solid race for
his season opener as well, taking a third place
in his class with a time of 2:23:16.
 |
#13 Chris Bithell |
XC1 Pro class racer Chris Bithell was having
a good day and came on strong. Bithell came off
the line in mid pack and was pushing hard to make
his way to the front. By lap two, Bithell had
made his way up to fourth place and was holding
strong, but a wreck in the fifth lap sent him
back to finish in the top ten in 7th place with
a time of 2:10:22.
With back to back rounds, the Can-Am Warnert
team will be busy getting prepared for The Maxxis
General (round two) which will be held on March
7-8 in Washington, GA where the team will be pushing
hard to be on top of the podium.
www.warnertracing.com
1203 33rd Street South
St. Cloud, Minnesota 56301
(320) 251-9100 - Fax (320) 251-4764
info@warnertracing.com
|
