The Mountain Ridge
GNCC ATV Race Report by William Yokley
William Yokley finished 13th overall today after
experiencing suspension problems in the rock infested
mountains of Pennsylvania. There were 252 total
entries with 24 XC1 Pro Riders. Team Rider Mark
Notman finished on the podium in 16th Overall
and 2nd in the 29 rider XC2 Pro Am Class.
We arrived in the scenic Pennsylvania mountains
on Friday after a 9 hour trip. It had been raining
all day and looked like it may be pretty messy
for the race. This was going to be a busy weekend
with the Pro ATV race and the UTV race running
back to back on Saturday, but I was pumped and
feeling well prepared. Mark Notman and his family
had a shorter trip since he lives a couple of
hours from here, and is sort of used to this type
of terrain. This track is in the high country
with lots of varied track conditions – tight
rocky sections, lots of elevation changes, and
some high speed open areas. The rock garden sections
can be pretty brutal, but at least there will
be no dust!
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William rearranging
some Mountain Ridge rocks
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The rain ended on Saturday morning and the temp
was in the low 70’s, so the conditions were
looking ideal. It was good seeing my friend Mike
Cafro from California; he was here taking a break
from the desert racing scene to try to dodge some
trees. Mike and I were teammates and competed
in several Baja 1000s in Mexico. The Pennsylvania
National Guard set up their recruiting display
featuring their Mobile Recruiting motor coach
and a Humvee. We headed over to the starting area
to have some fun for the next couple of hours.
The flag dropped and my National Guard Honda
fired immediately, and I arrived in the woods
in 4th place. The first lap went very well, I
moved into 2nd right behind Bill Ballance as we
headed into Lap 2. I began to have some serious
problems with my suspension, causing me to bounce
all over everywhere and not able to maintain a
competitive pace. I also got some arm pump trying
to hold on so tight so I wouldn’t get bucked
off the bike. I went from a strong 2nd to a fading
12th on Lap 2. I stopped at my pit area to refuel
and see if there was anything I could do about
the shocks; I jumped off the bike and tried adjusting
the external settings, all while losing more time.
Lap 3 and 4 were not much better as I tried to
salvage a decent finish; I ended up 13th overall
which was a disappointment. But hey, we all have
those types of days occasionally and you just
have to do your best and accept the results.
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Mark Notman
on the Mountain Ridge Podium
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My National Guard teammate Mark Notman had a
great race, finishing 2nd in the very competitive
Pro Am Class. This is his 3rd podium finish of
the year. His Honda fired quickly and was 3rd
in the first corner, and made a pass for 2nd in
the first 2 miles. Mark stayed in sight of the
leader throughout Lap 1, and on Lap 2, there was
a 5 way battle for the lead. They swapped positions
constantly, but he was able to take the lead as
they headed into Lap 3. Mark stopped for fuel
and fresh goggles, and found himself in 3rd. He
passed the current points leader Don Ockerman
for 2nd and charged hard for the leader. The leader’s
bike quit as they were in a nasty rock section,
and Mark was back in the lead. Ockerman got around
him and on Lap 4 and while passing lappers, was
able to get away from him a bit. He finished in
2nd, and sits 3rd in points heading into the summer
break.
So, I’m proud of Mark and his finish, but
for me, it was not the result I was hoping for.
I am currently 6th in National points in the Pro
Class as the GNCC Series takes their summer break.
Our next GNCC Event is at the Snowshoe West Virginia
Ski Resort on September 13. This is a really cool
location where you get to run right through the
town on pavement and also up and down the ski
slopes and adjoining woods.
I also raced in the UTV race today and I’ll
give you the low down on a separate report, but
I can tell you it was wild!
Yokley Racing Team Sponsors:
The Army National Guard, Rocky Mountain
ATV, Polaris Industries, ITP Tires, Elka Suspension,
Roll Design, HMF Exhaust Systems, IMS/Roll, Tire
Balls, Andrews Cycle, Douglas Wheel Technology,
Baldwin Motorsports, CGR, O’Neal Clothing,
Panolin Lubricants, IMS, Hinson, 317 Graphics,
Intense Fabrication & Design, Tsubaki Chains,
Hardkor, Shoei Helmets, Axcalibar Axles, Streamline,
Powermadd, Moto Pro Training, and KG Clutch Factory.
www.YokleyRacing.com
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