| BEST
IN THE DESERT
Parker 250 ATV Race
January 7, 2017
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Best in the Desert - Parker
250 - ATV Race Report
::Continued::
It’s been nearly four years since Buckhannon
raced a quad in BITD competition. He enjoyed trading
trees for speed on the open desert course.
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| Can-Am's
Bryan Buckhannon is semi-retiring from GNCC
racing, so he will only attend select events
this year, and he is going to focus on going
after the BITD Pro Quad Chamnpionship with
Don Higbee |
“This was kind of like a vacation for me,” said
Buckhannon. “I get to switch it up and go a little
faster. We had a good run today. We definitely
could have won. I’m just glad Don is OK. He took
a hard hit today.”
Jeremy Gray and Robbie Cockrell’s race almost
ended before it started. Lack of funding had Gray’s
local shops come to the rescue, kicking in money
to pay his entry fees. He rewarded them with a
podium finish, despite a broken axle, on the #Q66
GMZ Tires/Cryo-Heat/TTR Racing/Joe’s ATV/Barstow
Towing Honda.
|
| Jeremy
Gray & Robbie Cockrell over came issues
to finish 3rd |
“A couple of the race shops helped us get here
for the race,” said Gray. “With growing entry
fees, it was key to have these sponsors help us
out this round. Right at mile four, I caught fourth
and third place. I knew I had a really fast bike,
so I put my head down and took the lead. Then
I settled into a groove. Robbie got on it and
he had a rear axle break. He had to limp it into
the pits and just made that last lap.”
Cody Mitchell made half a lap on the #Q1 CT Racing
Honda before engine trouble slowed his charge.
His team changed the engine and he made the finish
to save points position.
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| Q1's
David Scott & Cody Mitchell finished
4th at the BITD Parker 250 |
“It was going well until we had some engine issues
on the first lap,” said Mitchell. “We swapped
the engine and salvaged some points.”
In the Expert Class, the #411 Thumper Racing/Vital
Signs KTM with Howard Tande, Shawn Riley, and
Ben Matheson won, ahead of Christopher Peatross
on #413 Kawasaki. Scott Viers, Robby Sibold, John
Casano, and Mike Rusnak on the #410 Goldspeed/Roll
Design/Elka Yamaha finished third.
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| #411
Howard Tande Won the Expert ATV Class |
Eric Toohey on the #615 ITP/IMS/Hinson Suzuki
won the Ironman Class.
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| #615
Eric Toohey Claimed the Ironman ATV Win |
The next race for the ATV classes is scheduled
for April 14-15th during the UTV World Championship
in Laughlin, NV.
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