    |
 |
|
|
|
Race Report: GNCC Round 8, John Penton, Ohio
Rider: Paul Whibley
Team: AmPro Yamaha
Bike: Yamaha WR 450
Result: 3rd
The Penton GNCC has a reputation of being a dust bowl or mud fest. This year was no different. A massive downpour on Saturday as the Quad pro race was in staging delayed their start an hour. On Sunday another huge downpour just before 10 am completely soaked the place.
There was a lot of talk about combining the morning and afternoon race and run a shortened race. In the end the morning race guys got their start delayed until 11:30 and ran for an hour and the afternoon race was to run 2 hours.
I got a good start and rounded turn one in the lead although Cory Buttrick just pipped me to the hole shot line entering turn two. The first few turns were on a mx track then we hit the woods where conditions were pretty wet and the mud was heavy.
The trail technique was mostly get into the rut and stay there. I learned the hard way that the main slot was the fastest as I tried to make a pass on different lines and each time lost a position. I ended up behind Jimmy Jarrett and racing with him for the first lap until we got close to scoring.
Early in the second lap I got wedged in a rut. It took me a long time to get the WR out. A lot of lifting and heaving to pry out my bike that now felt like it weighed a tonne.
I thought my race was done again since I was so far back but I kept going hoping to salvage some points.
As the race progressed I picked up positions as the conditions began to take there toll. At the fuel stop Katherine told me I was up to 5th and that that fourth place was not to far in front.
Over the last two laps some sections of the track were removed as they were getting blocked by bottlenecks and some deep ruts.
On the last lap I came to a blockage with some deep ruts. I could see what looked like Josh Strang, stuck in the rut.
I decided to try go around as many others had tried too but unsure if it was possible. I pinned it up a little bank through the bushes, over a couple of logs and pushed through some vines and I dropped back down to the track, just behind Josh Strang as he emerged from the mud hole.
The track was single track and passing was near impossible so I had to just follow. We came to another rider stuck in the main line, Josh went high I went low, but I stalled my bike and lost some time restarting.
I closed the gap back up by the finish but had to settle for the position I was in. Crossing the line I was surprised to see I was up to third (Josh was running 2nd).
Pretty happy with the result considering I was so far back early in the race.
A little disappointed the race was only 2 hours but I guess the call had to be made with the conditions being what they were.
A big congrats to Cory Buttrick for taking his first overall win. I'm sure the first of many.
1st: Cory Buttrick 2nd: Josh Strang 3rd: Paul Whibley
Paul Whibley is supported by: AmPro Yamaha, Monster Energy, Shoei, Sidi, Smith, Ohlins, G2, CTi, Moto SR, Vortex Ignitions.
The AmPro Yamaha Team is supported by: FMF Kenda Yamalube Asterisk Cannondale CV4 Cycle Gear E-Batt EBC Brakes Factory Connection Fastway Gaerne Boots GYTR IMS Jonny Signs Leatt Brace Matrix Racing Products Motion Pro MSR Pro-Clean Rekluse Scott Shoei Slavens TM Designworks Twin Air Wiseco ZipTy Racing
