2011 GBC Heartland Challenge Presented by SAFRS UTV Endurance Racing Carlisle, Iowa August 19, 2011

The weather was good for Friday evening’s races and track conditions were good as racers took off for what would be a grueling four hours of night racing. Nineteen teams in three different classes took to the starting line and there was plenty of action to be had over the course of the race.

After a tough four hours of racing, it was the 850 Modified class’s Team Elia who would take the overall win. Consistency is what paid off for the team. As they left the line, they were doing well, but were still off the lead by several minutes. The team kept a steady pace for a good part of the race, but in the final half, they began to pick up the pace and started to close in on leader Team Yokely. With each lap, Team Elia made up time and just a couple of laps before the finish, took over the lead. The team held their position all the way to the checkered flag, giving them their class win and the overall win with 21 laps in a time of 04:06:05.

National Guard / Yokley Racing UTV Race Team lead for most of the 4 hour race, but lost pace & fell back to second overall before the finish. Yokley Racing took the win in the Open UTV Class in their Polaris RZR XP 900 SxS

Open class racers, Team Yokely were the first off the start and took an early lead, followed by fellow open class team, Jack’s Excavating. Yokely would eventually pull away from the other team and hold the lead for most of the race, but the Yokely team began to fall off the pace a bit late in the race, and fell back to second place overall. The team tried to remount a charge and got close to retaking the lead, but ran out of time, forcing the Yokely team to settle for second overall with a time of 04:06:11. Fortunately, the team’s time was more than adequate to take the Open class win by over five minutes.

Team Elia followed Team Coastal / Yokley Racing down to the last few laps & then made the pass into first position to take the overall win

Fellow Open class racers, Team Xtreme put in a strong effort finishing 21 laps in a time of 04:11:37 that would put them in second in their class, but also give them the number three spot on the overall podium.

I <3 Hooters UTV Race Team finished first in the 850 limited class aboard their Polaris RZR 800 SxS with a time of 04:11:50

850 Limited class racers, Team Hooters took the 850 Limited class win with 21 laps in a time of 04:11:50 that would put them in an impressive fourth overall while Open class team, Team Donkey, would round out the top five overall and take third in their class.