2016 GBC Heartland Challenge
SxS / UTV Endurance Racing
Carlisle, Iowa
August 19, 2016
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GBC Heartland Challenge
UTV Race Report
Cody Miller Takes GBC Heartland
Challenge UTV Overall Win
2016
GBC Heartland Challenge Links |
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Carlisle, IA (8/28/2016) -Maxxis
/ Can-Am’s Cody Miller carried over the spectacular
success he’s experienced in the GNCC series this
season by claiming the overall UTV win in the GBC
Heartland Challenge. It marked Miller’s first victory
in the grueling four-hour endurance event, driving
a Can-Am Maverick Turbo. Jason Luburgh drove his
Bikeman Performance Polaris RZR to a second-place
finish, ahead of former X Games Supermoto racer
Matt Burton and his RZR. Hunter Miller was fourth,
followed by Michael Swift and Kevin Trantham in
a Polaris.
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GBC
Heartland Challenge 4 Hour UTV 1000 Class
Podium (left to right)
Jason Luburugh (2nd), Cody Miller (1st),
Matt Burton (3rd)
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The GBC Heartland Challenge has always been a
showcase of the top SXS racers in the country,
and this year’s ninth annual race didn’t disappoint.
With 69 total entries, and 44 cars in the top
UTV 1000 class, the race also featured a $3,000
check for the overall winner, as well as $500
bonus for each class winner from RT Pro (formerly
RacerTech). The track featured a typical cross
country course as in year’s past, as well as the
RT Pro Challenge section, which shortened the
course, but challenged riders with broken concrete,
tires, telephone poles and a huge dirt mound.
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The
2016 GBC Heartland Challenge had 69 Team
entries in the UTV competition, which was
just one more than the ATV teams |
With heavy rain in the forecast, the organizers
pushed up the start time by two hours, but the
race still featured a good mix of daytime and
night time racing. Starting in a three row Grand
Prix style start, Kyle Chaney took the holeshot
and appeared well on his way to the win. Meanwhile
Hunter Miller began reeling in Chaney and took
the lead with Luburgh, and Cody Miller in tow.
After a stunning five-lap shootout, Cody Miller
took the lead for good on the final lap.
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Can-Am's
Cody Miler charging past his pits during
the 4 Hour GBC Heartland Challenge |
“My Can-Am Maverick Turbo was running strong
and my Maxxis Tires were hooking up,” said Miller.
“Jason Luburgh and I had a couple of good battles.
We caught up to Kyle Chaney and the battle was
on with Jason, Kyle and my brother all within
seconds of each other. After five laps of hard
battling, I came out in the lead on the last lap.
The car held up great. I clipped a couple of trees
out there that would have ripped the front off
of any other car. But with the Houser products,
Elka Shocks, DWT Wheels and Maxxis Tires, it really
held up. I can’t say enough about Can-Am. They
put out a great product. This is my third time
coming out to the Heartland Challenge and we were
finally able to pull it off.”
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Maxxis'
Cody Miller saved time each lap by taking
the RT Pro Challenge section |
Miller had a test of his forearm strength during
the first half of the race after his car suffered
electrical gremlins that short-circuited his power
steering. However, once he solved that issue,
he was virtually unstoppable.
“It made it very difficult to drive,” explained
Miller. “I changed the fuse and it only lasted
a few seconds. So I kept pulling into the pits
to try to find out what was wrong. About two hours
in, I cut the wires to the rear taillights and
taped on a couple of glow sticks. That ended up
fixing the problem. After that, I put in a hard
charge. I found the best lines without power steering.
Eventually it came around.”
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Houser
Racing's Cody Miller is having a career
best year of UTV racing by taking the GBC
Heartland Challenge Win & leading the
GNCC UTV Points heading into the final 2
rounds |
Miller said the Heartland victory is part of
one of his greatest seasons on record. Miller
is currently dominating GNCC XC1 UTV competition
with two wins, two additional podiums and a 31-point
lead going into the final two races of the season.
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SSi
Decal's Cody Miller took home $3,000 for
his Open UTV Win along with an extra $500
Gift Certificate from RT Pro |
“This season has really been a golden one for
me,” said Miller. “My brother and I went all in
to GNCC. We put everything we had to prove we
could go out and win some championships. This
is icing on the cake for what we’re doing over
in GNCC. I’m going to do my best to win the GNCC
championship. If I do, it will be the biggest
accomplishment of my racing career.”
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