Race Report: GNCC Final Crawfordsville, IN With the wave of the green flag the final GNCC of 2009 was underway. Off the start I avoided any pile ups in the first turn and was mid pack through the first lap. There was a lot of lead changes with plenty of line options as the track had been churned up by the 500 odd morning race entrants. I began to move up toward the leaders and was in touch with the lead group when I bounced off Thad Duvall pretty hard when our different lines merged. This made me nervous as I didn't want the title chase to end right there with a damaged bike. So I backed it down some more and stopped taking any risks. I found it hard to ride at the reduced pace and ended up riding bad and making a lot of mistakes. The mud holes were getting bad but the spectators and team personnel in their bright yellow GEICO shirts kept me on the straight and narrow. At the fuel stop I was informed I was doing exactly what was needed to take the title and keep it up. Late in the race I ended up riding with Kallib Russell and began to ride better as we pushed each other along. I ended up moving up to 4th in class by the end of the race. Securing the GNCC Championship, Job Done, Mission Accomplished. Crossing the line was an amazing feeling. Lost for words, relieved, excited and so, so happy. Surrounded by the team and supporters and getting a big emotional hug from Katherine. Awesome. Winning the title has been a life long dream of mine but a lot of people have helped me get to the final step. Too many to mention here but I have to thank some of the major ones. Katherine for believing in me and supporting me 100% of the way. The JG Off road team, JT and Gretchen. Mark for all his work behind the scene. My mechanic Scotty and also Monty for their hard work. All the great sponsors, both personal and team. Our two Mums for coming over to see what we do. And the fans at the races for all their support and cheering me on. All the emails of support from freinds, family and fans that have wished me well and kept me motivated. All those that I have forgot to mention I'm sorry, there have been so many in this journey that deserve more thanks than I can give here.
October 25, 2009 – Klotz Ironman GNCC – Crawfordsville, IN Jennifer Albright was amped up ready to go for the final race of the season. After winning the Men’s A class and taking a 2nd overall finish at an FTR race a week ago, her sites were set on a podium finish to end the GNCC season on a high note. Unfortunately for Jennifer, she ran into a few issues on the second lap, breaking a tie rod and ending her day and season. Jennifer takes a 5th place finish in the women’s class for the year. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, Moto Pro Training, and DP Brakes. The green flag flew for the final time this season on Sunday afternoon and the chase for the championship was on. Whibley only had to finish in the top 14 to clinch the championship. He knew what he had to do, and played it safe all day. After taking a mid pack start, he worked his way up through the ranks, but after a small crash with Thad Duvall, he backed it down and played it safe for the rest of the day. Jimmy Jarrett, jockeying for an overall position also knew what he had to do and got a good jump on the start, almost taking the MotorcycleUSA.com holeshot award. Jarrett was 1st into the woods and held onto that lead for the first lap. Jarrett had an awesome battle for most of the day, keeping himself up in the top 5, but was also battling a sore wrist towards the end of the day. Jarrett took a 5th place XC-1 finish – 8th O/A, putting him in the 4th place position in the points for the year. Just like Jarrett, Scott Watkins was racing for an overall position. Although Watkins had the 4th place position in the XC-2 class wrapped up, he was hungry for a top 10 number in overall points. Running all day in the midst of the XC-1 riders, mistake free and smooth, Watkins was headed for an unforeseen mechanical issue. During lap 6, Watkins bike locked up on him. Able to get it back into the pits, where the every ready pit crew was able to find the problem – a leaky o-ring, fix it, get oil back in his bike and send him on his way. Watkins was able to salvage a 4th place XC-2 finish and 9th overall. This finish put Watkins in 10th place overall in points for the season. Whibley ended up taking a 4th place XC-1 finish (5th O/A), and although the finish was just off the podium for the day, he still stood tall atop the podium for the season, hoisting up the #1 plate in front of a pumped up crowd and proud team. "I just can't even believe it," said Whibley, "I don't have the words for this right now. This is my ultimate goal, to win the GNCC Championship in the U.S. It's been an amazing year working with my team and (Team Managers) Gretchen and J.T.," Whibley said. "I couldn't have asked for a better team manager. This is my job, this is what I live for and this is the ultimate payback for all that hard work and training in the rain and the mud. The GNCC is the pinnacle of cross country racing in the world. I came here from Europe and this is my style of racing." Team managers JT and Gretchen Bennett couldn’t be more proud of Paul Whibley and the team. “We’re just so proud of Paul, he’s worked hard for this and deserves it. We also couldn’t be happier for the rest of the team. They all put a lot of time and effort into the season and their results are there to prove it. We’re looking forward to coming back next season just as strong if not stronger.” XC-1: XC-2: The team would like to extend a huge thank you to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Rekluse, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponsors: And of course, thank you to our fans. The GNCC series has concluded for the season. The Klotz Ironman GNCC will air on the VS network November 14th at 4:00 PM (ATV) and November 21st at 4:00 PM (Bikes). For a full listing of the TV schedule, visit: http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/gncc-television.
October 24, 2009 – GEICO EnduroCross – Denver, CO The night program began and the action was moving quickly as the GEICO team was in many different races. First race was the Open 2 stroke main event where Ryan took the win and Eric placed 4th. Next up were the qualifiers for the main expert race. In heat 1 they took the top 2 places, Ryan and Eric placed 3rd and 4th in that heat, moving them to the semi where they would have to race again to qualify for the main event. Wally was in heat 2 and took 6th place, which moved him into the semi as well. In the semi races they only took the 1st place rider to the main expert event. Heat 1 began and Ryan was in second for most of the race and ended up passing the first place rider for the win, qualifying him for the main even. Eric took 5th place in heat 1 moving him to Last Chance Qualifier. Wally was in the second heat and took 3rd place, moving him to the LCQ with Eric. The Dash for Cash leds to much excitement for the GEICO Endurocross team. Moving toward the finish line battling for the $500, Ryan and Eric were determined to perform to their highest potential. When the checkered flag fell, they were in first and second place. Ryan won the first place purse and Eric placed second in the dash for cash. Immediately after the Dash for Cash was the Final Expert Main event. During this quick paced race, Taddy Blazusiak held the lead wrapping up the 2009 series championship followed by Haaker and Huffman. Ryan received 11th place in the Expert Main event. October 4, 2009 – GEICO EnduroCross – Columbus, OH and ITP Powerline Park GNCC – St. Clairsville, OH The track this week was tight and technical, but the crew had slightly more room to work with than in South Carolina, allowing for faster speeds and the opportunities for devastating mistakes and lead swapping. All three riders (Ryan Rodgers, Eric Rodgers, and Wally Palmer) were qualified for the evening program at this week’s event with both Rodgers boys in the Amateur Main Event. After an awesome start, the Rodgers brothers were out in front of the pack, making the track look easy. Ryan (aka R2) took the win, closely followed by Eric. This finish qualified them both for the Dash for Cash, in which R2 led for most of the race, but a small mistake cost him the win, allowing for Eric to cash in on the $500 top of the podium finish. For the Expert heat races, semi’s, and LCQ, all three riders were so close to qualifying positions for the Expert Main, but unfortunately fell slightly short each time. Each race they have shown improvement and are hungry to get into that main before the end of the season. This race gave way to a new winner with Geoff Aaron taking top honors in the center of the podium, Taddy Blazusiak took second and Colton Hakker saw his first podium on the year, rounding out the top 3. The EnduroCross team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Lojaks Yamaha, B&B Yamaha, MSR, Pirelli, Rekluse, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The EnduroCross series will continue on October 24 in Denver, CO.
Now onto the GNCC. The track had seen a lot of rain during the week leading up to the race, giving way to muddy conditions for the quads. Sun and wind on Saturday, as well as over 500 quads roughing it up – the mud tacked up by Sunday, giving the bikes different terrain to take on. Jennifer Albright jumped to a rough start this round, getting behind on the start and having to push her way through the pack all day. Although having multiple issues throughout the day, battling other riders and a muddy, tough track; Albright kept her spirits up and her head down throughout the day. Despite all of her efforts, Jennifer took a 6th place class finish on the day. With one round to go, Jennifer currently sits in 4th place in the points standings. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, Moto Pro Training, and DP Brakes. As previously mentioned, the muddy mess that the quads had to deal with turned into tacky and sometimes slippery mud for the bikes, pair that with a couple big mudholes, and you’ve got yourself some great GNCC racing. Whibley and Jarrett got off to a mid pack start and pulled each other up through the ranks during the first lap. Whibley put on his normal charge and found himself up to 2nd place by the end of the first lap with Jarrett on his tail in 3rd. Throughout the next 4 laps, Whibley exchanged positions with Charlie Mullins, but after a front end wash out and another slip up after jumping a mud hole, Mullins was able to pull away from Whibley, putting him in 3rd for the day. Whibley had the chance to wrap up the Championship this weekend, but his championship rival, Josh Strang wasn’t prepared to give up his hopes taking the battle down to the finale in Crawfordsville, IN. "The title was on my mind early in the day, but once I started riding, I didn't really think about it," said New Zealand's Whibley, who could have clinched the title if he had beaten Strang. "I just didn't have it for those guys today. Josh and Charlie rode awesome and third was the best I could do." This finish allows Whibley to remain in the points lead. Jimmy Jarrett ended up taking a 5th place class finish (8th overall), bumping him back up into 4th place in the points with one round to go. Scotty Watkins was racing what could be considered his home turf – living just an hour and a half away from this track, and had the fan base there to prove it. The mudhole was a sea of yellow GEICO shirts with Watkins fans making sure he didn’t miss a beat (or get stuck) in the thick, deep, Ohio mud. Watkins got off to a good start and held strong for the rest of the race, even taking the lead at one point. Battling with Jason Thomas and Cory Buttrick all day, a slight mistake let Buttrick get the best of him and land Watkins a 3rd place finish on the day (10th overall). This finish bumped Scotty into the top 10 in points with only one race left in the season. XC-1: XC-2: The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponsors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on October 24th and 25th for the Klotz Ironman GNCC in Crawfordsville, IN. The ITP Powerline Park GNCC will air on the VS network October 31st at 4:00 PM (ATV) and November 7th at 4:00 PM (Bikes). For a full listing of the TV schedule, visit: http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/gncc-television.
September 27, 2009 – Moose Yadkin Valley Stomp GNCC – Yadkinville, NC Jennifer Albright headed out to the track Saturday morning in the misty rain and jumped off to a good start. Settling into a comfortable pace and a 4th place position, Jennifer held her ground all day, despite a gas line leak, which left her with a gnarly burn by the end of the race. Jennifer locked in a 4th place finish for the day, holding on to her 4th place points standing with 2 races to go. Stay posted for Jen’s take on the race. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, Moto Pro Training, and DP Brakes. The misty rain during the day on Saturday turned into some heavier rain over night – you know what this means… team manager JT Bennett’s eyes lit up and he got his bike ready to race. Just a few weeks ago, JT injured his finger and had pins put in, and although the pins are still in, he didn’t let that hinder his decision to take on the mud. JT’s wife, Gretchen cut the finger out of his glove, and taped up the finger the best she could to keep his protective brace in place and away JT went. He got a good jump off the start, but was pinched into a hay bale on the first turn when another rider went down in front of him. Going into the woods, JT was almost dead last, but worked his way up through the pack and was up to 5th by the end of the first lap. Having fun and continuing his push, he was up to 2nd place, just 25 seconds out of first going into the last lap. Unfortunately a slight bobble pulled his tape and cover off his finger and bent up one of the pins, slowing JT down slightly. Bennett ended up with a 6th place finish (9th O/A) for the day. The afternoon race started out with Whibley shooting off the line and grabbing the $250 MotorcycleUSA.com Holeshot Award, but had Glenn Kearny close behind and grabbing the lead for a short time. By the end of lap 1, Whibley had regained the lead and put a 50 second lead on the rest of the pack. Not far behind, Jarrett was following in 4th place. Scotty Watkins had jumped to a mid-pack start and came around in 4th place. Whibley was able to hold onto the lead the entire race, but had Josh Strang chasing him down, on a mission to take the win away from him, however he fell short by about 20 seconds. "I set my own pace and came into the lead," Whibley said. "I was pushing hard at the end. There were so many lines down there it was hard to tell which were the fastest ones. I really want to win this year. It would be nice to win it." Whibley currently has a 32 point lead going into the last 2 rounds. Ignoring the pain from a hit to the shoulder on the first lap, Watkins was able to battle his way up to 3rd by the 4th lap and held on strong to it – taking a podium finish and 9th overall. Jarrett, still on the rebound from a broken wrist fell back to a 7th place XC-1 finish and 11th overall. XC-1: XC-2: The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on October 3rd & 4th for the ITP Powerline Park GNCC in St. Clairsville, OH. The Moose Yadkin Valley Stomp GNCC will air on the VS network October 17th at 4:00 PM (ATV) and October 24th at 4:00 PM (Bikes). For a full listing of the TV schedule, visit: http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/gncc-television.
September 13, 2009 – Unadilla GNCC– New Berlin, NY Rider: Paul Whibley
Rider: Scott Watkins The day started off bad for me when my bike did not start when they threw the green flag. I normally do well at this GNCC so I tried to keep calm and just try to pick off guys lap by lap. The slick rocks and open trails made this a fast but dangerous race. I went as fast as I could without riding over my head and eventually made it up to 4th place at around half way. After the pit stop I was down 2:00 minutes but I just kept pushing and began to knock the gap down 10 or 20 seconds each lap. In the end I missed the podium by only 20 seconds! Even though I did not get on the box I still felt like I rode a great race to come all the way from the back to nearly get third. The next GNCC is in North Carolina and I will be practicing my starts from now till then!
Rider: Jennifer Albright Heading to the line after a very long summer break I was confident in both myself and my setup; when the green flag went up my quad misfired which left me nearly last of the line. I quickly did my best to make my way through the riders but had mechanical issues almost immediately which took its toll on me as I was trying to catch the leaders. I continued to push forward hoping that the issues I was experiencing would clear up but lap after lap the gap between myself and the front runners extended and the mechanical troubles continued. I pulled into pit after the third lap and explained to my crew what I was experiencing. My day ended at this point which is very frustrating but makes me want to push harder for the next three rounds! I want to thank God for watching over me, my husband Phil, our great friends the Rickman's and Frazier's for helping me get my quad to New York! And of course I want to send a special thanks out to my sponsors for their continued support: GEICO, MSR, ELKA Suspension, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, and DP Brakes. I will see everyone in Yadkinville!
September 12, 2009 – GEICO EnduroCross – Florence, SC The EnduroCross boys lead the way to an exciting evening in Florence, SC for the 3rd round of the GEICO EnduroCross series. With all three riders in the evening show, the team got the break they’ve been looking for and saw their fair share of podiums. Leading the way for the team, the Rodgers brothers shot out of the gate for the Open Amateur Main Event, grabbing a double hole shot. They kept the momentum going throughout the race, taking a 1 – 2 finish with Eric on top of the podium. Qualifying heats for the Expert Main Event were soon to follow. Eric took a 3rd place finish in his heat, placing him one position out of qualifying and sending him onto the Semi-finals, where he took a first place finish, placing him into the Expert Main Event. Ryan took a 5th place finish, also having to go onto the Semi’s where he placed 2nd. Unfortunately, only the top rider in the semi’s went on to the Main, so Ryan was forced to move on in the Last Chance Qualifier. Wally had a few mechanical issues during his qualifier, taking a DNF but finished a strong 2nd place in the Semi’s. He also went on to the LCQ. Ryan and Eric were both qualified to run the Dash for Cash. During the LCQ, Ryan busted up his water pump cover and had to pull a quick fix in the pits with just minutes between the semi heat and the Dash for Cash, making it to the line right before the gates dropped. Eric got off to a strong start and held the lead until the last lap. Being pushed for most of the race by older brother Ryan, Eric smashed his rear break caliper leaving him to finish the lap and race with locked up rear brakes. Ryan took the win and the $500, but Eric was still able to hold on to a second place finish and also take home some cash. Now it was Eric’s turn to make a quick fix – he had about 3 minutes to make it back to the pits after the Dash for Cash, change his rear brake caliper, and get back to the line in time for the Main Event. With the quick work of his pit crew – his dad Keith and team manager JT Bennett, Eric was back to the track in record time. Eric put in a great ride, but took an 11th place finish. Taddy Blazuiak once again took top honors, followed by Geoff Aaron and Cory Graffunder. Ryan and Eric headed out right after the race to head to and ECEA race in NJ – going for the Ironman. Good luck guys. The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Lojaks Yamaha, B&B Yamaha, MSR, Pirelli, Rekluse, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The EnduroCross series will continue on October 3 for in Columbus, OH.. The GNCC team will conclude the weekend racing, Sunday at 1 pm. Keep an eye out for their take on the race later in the week.
Congratulations to Paul Whibley on his second consecutive OMA Championship. Paul has gone 8 for 8 so far this season, crowning him champion. The OMA series has 2 races left in the season. Round 8 of the OMA's saw a new venue in Bedford Indiana. Also with the GNCC's about to resume after the summer break, brought about an influx in Pro riders making the start line. With little rain at the venue over the last week found the soil dry and loose. After the Quads had torn up their track it was obvious that dust was going to be a feature of the race. I scored an important hole shot and led the way around the 15 minute loop. Thad Duvall was riding strong and even in the dusty conditions hung with me and a battle for the lead began. As we began the second lap we encountered lapped traffic. There was a powdery hill just off the start that was giving riders fits. There were still riders trying to fight their way up as we came around for our second shot at the hill. Lappers began to play a part in the racing with neither Thad nor myself able to go a couple of minutes before we were back into dirty air or fighting our way through the numerous bottlenecks that occurred throughout the first half of the race. The traffic jams created most of the lead changes as we bounced our way past the blockages. Unfortunately for Thad he crashed hard in a fast section of the track mid race. I didn't realize he was no longer on my tail until I came around the following lap and got a pit board from Katherine. Our battle had pushed me clear from other racers and I had a good lead. After the fuel stop, thanks to Nick for the help, I backed down the pace a little to stay safe and not risk a crash in the tough conditions. In tough racing conditions like these, it makes me happy to have some great support from companies that really can stand behind their product that truly works. Two of these that stood out in this race were Smith goggles, for keeping that blinding dust on the outside and allowing me to see the safe lines. Also No Toil air filters and lube, without their quality product keeping the dust out of the lungs of my KXF I would never have been able to finish. Plenty of other bikes ingested dirt and expired in this race so a big thanks to No Toil. After two and a half hours the flag came out, taking win number 8 from 8, this also gave me the 2009 OMA title for the second year in a row. Results: Thanks to my Sponsors:
Oklahoma morning / afternoon program results:
Vegas morning / afternoon program results:
June 28, 2009 – MotorcycleUSA.com Snowshoe GNCC – Snowshoe, WV Jennifer Albright was on the first line of this weekend’s modified start which was a live engine start on blacktop and a maximum of 5 riders per line. Albright was came through the first lap in 2nd place and held a comfortable pace for the first 3 laps. In the midst of the 3rd lap she ran into some issues with her rear shock and battled her machine for the final lap, salvaging a 4th place finish (16th O/A) for the day. Going into the summer break, Jennifer is sitting in 3rd place in the points race. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, Moto Pro Training, and DP Brakes. JT Bennett got off to a quick start on the 13 mile morning race track, after starting on the 20th row, he was the 4th bike through the finish line putting him in the overall lead (time adjusted) on the first lap. Bennett, enjoying the track kept a consistent lap time through the 3 lap race finishing 3rd overall. JT commented after the race, “It was an awesome course, probably the best one we’ve had in a while – I want to thank Racer Productions for that.” The riders of the afternoon pro race were challenged with the toughest track of the season. A double loop that totaled almost 27 miles was filled with mud bogs and exhilarating up hills. Whibley and Jarrett lined up on the first row and Watkins was slightly behind them on the 3rd row. Whibley, who had fallen all the way back to 7th place at one point of the race after battling some suspension problems and running into some bad luck on the track, was able to put his head down and live up to his reputation as “The Badger” working his way up to a 2nd place overall finish and a $5,000 MotorcycleUSA.com bonus. "It was a long day for me," Whibley said. "I couldn't get up with them today. I managed to come in second and get some points. Jarrett and I got stuck in a mud hole for awhile and Josh passed us by. I never saw him again." This finish keeps Paul in the points lead with just 4 races to go. Jimmy Jarrett was running in 3rd place for most of the day, fell down to 6th after getting hung up in a mud hole. Working hard to gain back some time and positions, Jarrett almost caught up to Charlie Mullins for the 4th place finish but just fell short and captured a 5th place finish on the day. Jarrett’s finish moves him up to 4th place in the points going into the summer break. Scott Watkins worked hard all day, with positions in the XC-2 class swapping all day. Watkins found himself down to 6th place at one point and up to 4th by the end. In the last few turns of the race, Scott went for the pass on 3rd but unfortunately went down, slightly injuring his wrist and knee. Scott said after a few days rest he should be good as new. This finish keeps Watkins in the 4th place spot in the points standings. The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Rekluse, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponsors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series is now on summer break and will continue on September 12th & 13th for the Can Am Unadilla in New Berlin, NY. The Snowshoe GNCC will air on the VS network August 8th at 2:30PM (ATV) and August 15th at 2:30PM (Bikes). For a full listing of the TV schedule, visit: http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/gncc-television. June 7, 2009 – Wiseco John Penton GNCC – Millfield, OH Jennifer Albright headed out onto the just about perfect track Saturday morning on a mission for a podium finish and got what she was looking for. Albright had a good start, going into the woods in the top 5. By the end of lap 1 she muscled her way up to 4th. Her husband Phil and team manager JT Bennett pulled her in on lap 2 for a splash of gas and had learned that Jennifer’s brakes were fading on her. Hoping they were just a little hot, they sent her back out and on her way. Gretchen assured Phil that “brakes just slow you down” and that Jen would be fine. And fine she was, making up yet another position and finishing the day in 3rd place (14th O/A). Jennifer has moved into the top 3 in the points standings for the year. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, Moto Pro Training, and DP Brakes. Team manager JT Bennett took to the track first on Sunday morning, racing the Sportsman class. JT was 4th into the woods. By the end of the second lap JT had found himself up to 3rd place and moving up quickly. Having fun on the technical course, Bennett made his way up to 2nd place and settled in for the rest of the race, finishing in 2nd in the class and overall. Once the green flag flew in the afternoon, the GEICO Kawasakis took off and they weren’t looking back. As announcer Rodney Tomlin stated, starter, Ricky Towery barely had time to get out of Paul Whibley’s way once he threw the flag. Taking the $250 MotorcycleUSA,com holeshot award for the day, Whibley got out front and stayed there for the entire day. Jarrett, getting a mid-pack start, put his head down and was on Whibley’s tail before the end of lap one. "I got a decent start and worked my way up to third couple miles into it," Jarrett said. "Glenn was actually in front of us and he crashed and then Paul and I slowly pulled away from everybody. Maybe a few miles to the end I crashed with a lapper and crashed again and I settled for second. I didn't do anything to throw the race away and I'm happy with second." After a wheel to wheel battle all day between the teammates, Whibley and Jarrett took 1st and 2nd respectively, putting a couple of minutes on 3rd place, Suzuki’s Josh Strang. This finish puts Whibs back on top of the points lead. "It was pretty cool to win," Whibley said. "It's been a tough year. I've had a few problems this year with some bad luck so this was a good race. I feel pretty good about taking the win. It's good to be back on the top again." Jarrett’s finish bumps him up into 4th place in the standings. Scotty Watkins also got a good jump off the start and headed into the woods with the lead pack. For the first 3 laps, the top 4 riders swapped positions back and forth, but the KTM duo of Kailub Russell and Cory Buttrick seemed to have found a higher gear and made it hard to chase down. This left Watkins and Jason Thomas battling for the 3rd place position, leaving Thomas the winner of that duel. Scotty took a 4th place class finish and 9th overall. This finish holds Watkins steady in 11th place overall in the points standings. The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Rekluse, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponsors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on June 27th and 28th for the MotorcycleUSA.com Snowshoe GNCC in Snowshoe, WV. The Millfield GNCC will air on the VS network July 25th at 2:00PM (ATV) and August 1st at 2:30PM (Bikes). For a full listing of the TV schedule, visit: http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/gncc-television.
Race: AWRCS Round 4, Clintonville PA
Race Report: OMA Round 3, Rio Grande OH
May 17, 2009 – Mountain Ridge GNCC – Somerset, PA Jennifer was the first to hit the Somerset PA course Saturday morning. As the green flag went up her quad misfired which placed her in the back of the pack early. As the girls left the starting area and headed back to the pits we knew she would make up the lost ground she received from the start. As Jen came by us after lap one she had moved her way into the top four. She was able to make the needed passes early which placed her in a good spot for a top 3 finish. Jennifer pitted for a splash of gas in lap two but declined goggles as she headed back out onto the course. As she tried to make a pass on a line of lap traffic she took a muddy line and ruined her goggles, losing visibility. She got them off and continued to push forward but due to the extremely dusty conditions it would be a long last lap as she took the white flag in third place. During the last lap Jen fought hard to maintain a top three finish but would fall to fourth for the day. This finish keeps Jennifer in 4th place in the points race. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, Moto Pro Training, and DP Brakes. JT Bennett jumped onto the track Sunday morning in the Sportsman class, ready to have some fun on what would be considered his home track. Unfortunately for JT, his day ended early when just a few miles into the first lap he completely lost his rear brakes. He pulled into the pits looking for a quick fix, when it was found that the master cylinder was completely shot. Bennett said the track was beautiful and a ton of fun and was bummed out to not be able to head back out for the remainder of the race. Whibs, Jarrett, and Watkins were ready to roll and were hungry for some more podiums when the green flag flew. Off to a great start, Paul and Jimmy went around the first turn side by side. As the guys entered the woods and the fabled Mountain Ridge rocks came out to greet them and Whibley came around on the first lap with a comfortable 30+ second lead on the rest of the field. Then on the second lap the problems started… Whibley went down hard on his shoulder, but was able to quickly recover. Once he was back in the chase he ran into some more issues with 2 laps to go - disaster struck again when a small slip in the rock garden resulted in a massive hole smashed into the water pump cover. Paul said he saw all the coolant pour out and could see his chances of a good result evaporating. He nursed the bike back to the pits and after some frantic swapping of parts the crew had him back in the race but down a lot of positions. He didn’t make it far before steam was pouring out of his bike, so he quickly spun the bike around and came back into the pits – It seemed like there was a hole in the radiator somewhere, and what better way to fix that then to pour pepper – yes pepper into the radiator to block the hole. Although disappointed, with a 7th place (10th O/A) finish, Paul was happy to gain some valuable points that allow him to keep a hold of the points lead. Jarrett battling an illness for the past week was able to stay strong and battle throughout the race. Jimmy took an 8th place – 13th O/A finish for the day. Jimmy is looking forward to feeling better and redeeming himself in Millfield, OH for Round 8. This finish keeps Jimmy in 5th place in the points standings with 6 races to go. Scotty Watkins got off to a mid-pack start and settled in for the day. With a few rough laps that dropped him down to 6th place at one point, Watkins was able to rally back to a 4th place finish (11th O/A) for the day. Scotty remains in 11th place in the points standings. The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Rekluse, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponsors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on June 6th and 7th for the Wiseco John Penton GNCC in Millfield, OH. The Somerset GNCC will air on the VS network July 11th at 2:00PM (ATV) and July 18th at 2:00PM (Bikes). For a full listing of the TV schedule, visit: http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/gncc-television. To learn more about JG Off Road Racing, please visit www.GEICOgarage.com.
May 3, 2009 – Weekend Warrior Titan GNCC – Lafayette, TN Jennifer had a good jump off the start, heading into the woods in the top five and by the end of the first lap had moved into the 2nd place position. On the 2nd lap Albright came in for a splash of gas and to get new gloves and goggles and was quickly back out on the track to charge for the lead. Throughout the course of the day, Albright, Cecco, and Atwell swapped positions, but midway through the last lap, Atwell ran into some mechanical issues, leaving the battle between Jennifer and Traci. At one point, Jennifer was able to take the lead, but got hung up with only a few miles to go. Albright took the checkers in 2nd place for the day (4th O/A). This finish moves Jennifer up to 4th in the point’s standings, just a mere 2 points out of 3rd. Sunday morning came around and so did rumors of squeezing 2 races into one. As the rain continued to pour down in buckets, Racer Productions considered combining the morning 2 hour race and the afternoon 3 hour race into one, 2 hour race; instead they kept the normal schedule but shortened both races by one hour in fear that the track just would not hold up. JT Bennett was smiling from ear to ear again when he saw the mud and was back out on the track for what we were calling Mudfest Round 2. Bennett aboard his trusty Lojak Yamaha YZ250, grabbed the hole shot and settled into a good pace for the remainder of the race. As he came around each lap he would just shake off the goggles that Gretchen was offering and laugh as he went past. On the podium he was asked why he fell off pace a bit on the last lap – JT laughed and said that Cory (McDonald) was riding well and didn’t think he could catch him, so when he saw trail boss Jeff Russell out on the trail looking lonely he stopped and chatted with him for a minute. He also took a moment to thank his sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojaks, EBC Brakes, Rekluse, his wife Gretchen, and everyone else in the pits. Bennett ended up 2nd overall for the day. The flag flew for the afternoon race and so did the GEICO boys. Jimmy Jarrett grabbed the $250 motorcyceUSA.com hole shot with Paul Whibley and Josh Strang right on his rear wheel. The three swapped positions back and forth for the first couple of laps, but during lap 3, Whibley regained the lead and wasn’t letting go of it and Jimmy Jarrett wasn’t about to let Paul out of his sights. The GEICO pit crew was ready for the guys on lap 3 as they pulled them in for clean goggles and gloves, a shot of gas and a quick spray from the pressure washer to keep the radiators clean. The GEICO teammates put on a hard charge for the last two laps and took the top 2 spots on the podium. Whibley taking the top spot on the box also regains the points lead with 7 races left. Jarrett hold on to a 5th place spot in the point’s standings. Scotty Watkins got off the line in and into the woods in the 3rd spot, but by the end of the first lap was in the overall lead, giving a thumbs up as he rode past the pits. Watkins battled with Kailub Russell for a good portion of the day and ended up taking a 2nd place finish in the XC2 class, and 5th overall. Scotty currently stands in 3rd place in the class and 11th overall in the point’s race. Team manager JT Bennett couldn’t be more proud of the team commenting, “I cannot thank the guys enough for their hard work on and off the track. They’ve been working really hard and it’s paying off.” Gretchen added “Although we’re all working hard and putting a lot of time in, we’re all still having a lot of fun, which is what the races are all about.” JT also wanted to thank the Racer Productions crew for the outstanding job they did maintaining all the races throughout the day and getting them started on time. For anyone who wasn’t there, it’s hard to describe how bad the conditions were. The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Rekluse, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponsors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on May 16th & 17th for the GEICO Mountain Ridge GNCC in Somerset, PA. The Weekend Warrior Titan GNCC will air on the VS network June 27th at 2:30PM (ATV) and July 4th at 2:00PM (Bikes). For a full listing of the TV schedule, visit: http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/gncc-television.
Team: JG Offroad, GEICO, Kawasaki Monster Energy With a weekend away from the GNCC and OMA series I fitted in a Mid East Hare Scramble. 1st: Paul Whibley Thanks to my following sponsors: April 19, 2009 – Acerbis Loretta Lynn’s GNCC – Hurricane Mills, TN Jennifer was off to a good start coming through in 3rd place at the end of lap one and with one great battle ahead of her. Throughout the course of the next 3 laps, 2nd through 5th freight trained around the course. Midway through lap 4 Jennifer had found herself in a turn by turn, position swapping contention with Angel Atwell for 2nd place. Unfortunately for Albright, she had a slight run in with a lapped rider, which cost her a few positions. Jennifer finished 5th (7th O/A) for the day. This finish keeps Jennifer in the 5th place position in the points standings, just 3 points out of the Top 3. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, Moto Pro Training, and DP Brakes. Sunday morning brought with it heavy rain in the morning… could it be because mud rider JT Bennett was up all night doing his rain dance? It must have been because low and behold, the beloved #33 showed up on the starting line of the morning race. When rumors of rain started on Saturday, JT said that if it rained, he would be racing and he kept his word. Bennett raced the Sportsmans class and by the end of lap one had settled in to a 2nd place spot. JT had to take goggles every lap, which was his only complaint, as he smiled his way around the track all 5 laps to take a 2nd place overall finish at the checkers. By the start of the afternoon race the rain had ended, but the damage was already done. The mud was soupy, slimy, and everywhere. All three of the GEICO riders got off the line without a hitch and the race was on. The end of lap one had Jimmy and Paul up in the Top 5 and who was that was just announced as the OVERALL leader… none other than the #15 of Scotty Watkins. Watkins, Whibley, and Jarrett are all strong mud riders and had the chance to prove it. As the day wore on, the guys all seemed to get stronger, however during lap 4 Whibley found a bit of bad luck when his master link broke and he lost his chain. He had to push his bike back a little over a half mile to get back to the pits. Luckily the crew caught wind of Whibley’s misfortune and had a chain ready to go. Although he lost some time between going back to the pits, getting fixed up, and going back to the point of the track he left, he was able to battle his way back up through the ranks and pull out a 7th place (11th O/A) finish. In the midst of all of the happenings in the GEICO pits, Jimmy Jarrett stepped up his pace. Jarrett who was down to 5th place at one point in the race, kicked into high gear in the last lap chasing down Strang and Mullins. Before the checkers flew, Jimmy was able to catch Mullins and take a 2nd place overall finish. Scotty Watkins had a strong ride the entire day, enjoying the mud and making no mistakes, Watkins took a 1st place XC-2 finish and an astonishing 4th place overall. The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Rekluse, Moose, Pirelli, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowersportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on May 2nd & 3rd for the Weekend Warrior GNCC in Lafayette, TN. The Acerbis Loretta Lynn’s GNCC will air on the VS network June 13th at 2:30PM (ATV) and June 20th at 2:30PM (Bikes). For a full listing of the TV schedule, visit: http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/gncc-television.
Team: JG Offroad, GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki
April 5, 2009 – Pirelli Big Buck GNCC – Union, SC Jennifer Albright had a misfire at the start, but once she got her machine running she was mid-pack heading into the woods. Jennifer put on a strong first lap, but ran into some trouble from there. Albright was a little shaken after she took on a hard hit from a nasty crash and then started having some over-heating issues with her quad. Jennifer took an 11th place class finish for the day. This finish holds Albright in 4th place in the points standings – just 2 points out of 3rd. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, Moto Pro Training, and DP Brakes. The XC1 boys got a good jump on the start and stayed strong throughout the course of the day. Whibley had found his way up to 2nd place by the end of the first lap and battled all day with Strang (who went down in the first turn and battled hard to the front) and Mullins. The track was a one line fast lane through the trees which made it hard on the guys to find places to pass. Jimmy Jarrett was off to a good start, in 5th place, less than 30 seconds behind the leader. Jarrett battled some mid-race arm pump that dropped him back to 11th place, but he was able to push through it and salvage a 10th place finish (18th O/A). After Round 4, Paul remains in the points lead. Jimmy Jarrett sits in 6th place, just 2 points out of the Top 5. Scotty Watkins had a rough day from the get go, going down in the second turn off the start, he worked his way up to 5th place. Throughout the day, Watkins struggled with his suspension, which wore him down, placing him in 8th place (31st O/A) for the day. This race drops Scotty down to 5th place in the points standings, just a few points shy of cracking into the Top 3. The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowesportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on April 18 & 19 for the Loretta Lynn GNCC in Hurricane Mills, TN. The Pirelli Big Buck GNCC will air on the VS network May 30th at 2:30PM (ATV) and June 6th at 2:30PM (Bikes). For a full listing of the TV schedule, visit: http://www.gnccracing.com/pages/gncc-television.
March 22, 2009 – FMF Steele Creek GNCC – Morganton, NC North Carolina had experienced some heavy rain in the week leading up to the race, but skies cleared by the weekend, leading to perfect track conditions. Jennifer Albright was off to a good start when the flag went up. Going into the first corner she lost a couple spots but as the Womens Quad A class rounded corner two she settled in behind Traci Cecco and Angel Atwell. She hit the woods in 5th and anxiously tried to get to the front. By the end of the second lap, Albright was able to make up some time and found her way into second place. Positions swapped back and forth once lap riders were brought into the mix and with one lap to go, the top 5 in the class came through the scoring tent like a freight train. Unfortunately for Jennifer, she was in the heat of battle and decided to pass by her pit stop, causing her to run out of gas. Luckily Phil was able to get to her and get her gas before losing too much time and she was able to pull off a 5th place (7th O/A) finish. After 3 rounds, Jennifer is sitting in 4th place in points, just a mere 2 points out of 2nd place. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, and DP Brakes. The boys took to the course on Sunday afternoon, and after a 3 hour, 7 lap wheel to wheel battle, Whibley found himself back in a familiar place – on the podium. Although Paul battled suspension problems throughout the race, even falling to 4th place at one point, he was able to rally during the final lap and gain some time on the leaders. "I was a little uncomfortable out there," Whibley said. "Third is still good. I'm happy to be up on the podium. It's still a good day." Whibley ended up taking the number 3 spot on the podium for the day and was able to retain his points lead. Scott Watkins had a great battle on his hands all day in the XC2 class. Making his was up from 6th place to 3rd throughout the day. Watkins rode strong through the first 6 laps of the race, but dehydration took its toll on the 7th lap, wearing Scott down and dropping him off the podium. Scotty finished 5th (16th O/A) for the day. Watkins is hungry for another podium finish and is looking forward to the Big Buck in Union, SC. Scott is currently sitting in 3rd place in the points standings. The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowesportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on April 4 & 5 for the Pirelli Big Buck GNCC in Union, SC.
Race Report: GNCC Round 3, Steele Creek Morganton
Race Report: Mid East Harescramble Series
March 8, 2009 – Maxxis General GNCC – Washington, GA The weather in GA was much like what you would expect for the FL round with warm breezes and sunny skies, but maybe that heat was coming from the fire that was burning from the GEICO camp. After the podium finishes from Paul Whibley and Jennifer Albright at round 1, the rest of the team was amped up and ready to join them this weekend. Whibley and Jarrett set the pace as soon as the green flag flew – even after Jimmy went down after the second turn. Paul grabbed the MotorcycleUSA.com holeshot award and battled with Jimmy Jarrett and Josh Strang for most of the race. Jarrett, almost last into the woods off the start, charged hard and was already up to 5th place by the end of lap 1. In typical Whibley style, he continued to stay strong through the end of the race and was able to pull a 2 minute lead through the checkers. Jarrett and Strang had an awesome battle all the way to the finish. Strang, putting in one more hard charge to try to get second ended up colliding with Jarrett. Strang felt bad for making the move, so he actually waved Jarrett back past him to give up second at the finish. "Maybe it was a mistake, but Jimmy is a good friend and I didn't mean to run into him like that," said Strang. "It was awesome battling like we did for the first few laps," said Whibley, "I was just trying to pick out lines. After the first gas, I think everyone picked up the pace. I didn't think I could go faster, but then I was able to do it. To finish one-two like that in our second race together, this is great." Scotty Watkins, coming off an illness in Round 1, proved that he’s going to be a contender in for the 2009 season. Going into the woods in 4th place, Watkins was able to push hard and stay strong throughout the race. Scotty was up to 3rd and quickly gaining ground by the 3rd lap, but ran into some lap traffic mid race and lost some of that valuable time. Watkins held on to his 3rd place position, putting him on the podium as well and placing him in the Top 10 (8th) overall for the day. "I haven't felt the best the last two weeks, so I'll take the points," said Watkins. After 2 rounds of racing, Whibley sits in the points lead and Jarrett not far behind in 3rd. Watkins has climbed up to 4th place in the XC2 Lites class. JT and Gretchen Bennett couldn’t be more proud of the team and how all 4 riders rode this weekend. “I’m so happy for all of the riders this weekend. To take 1st and 2nd overall and get a podium in the Lites Class is just amazing,” commented Gretchen. “We’re really proud of Jennifer too. She rode hard on Saturday, even after a nasty crash.” The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Monster Energy Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowesportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on March 21 & 22 for the Steele Creek GNCC in Morganton, NC.
March 3, 2009 – Parts Unlimited River Ranch GNCC – River Ranch, FL Jennifer Albright was the first of the JG Off Road crew to take on the FL sand. Albright, a FL native felt very comfortable in the sand and set her pace early. Going into the woods in third place, Jennifer put on her charge early and quickly moved up to 2nd place behind KTM rider, Angel Atwell. Jennifer and Angel swapped places a few times throughout the race, allowing Jennifer to be in the lead for 2 laps. Jennifer found herself tangled up behind some lap riders, where Atwell was able to regain and hold the lead. Jennifer took a 2nd place class and overall finish for the day. Jennifer would like to thank of her sponsors: GEICO, MSR, Lojak Yamaha, MAXXIS, HMF, HiPer Technology, Rekluse, GT Thunder, Spider Grips, Precision, XFR, Cycle Gear, Scott, Flexx, CV4, IMS, ProGraph-X, Triple X Motorsports, PowerMadd, and DP Brakes. With a day to practice and check out course conditions, the JG Off Road bike gang consisting of Paul Whibley (XC1 - #2), Jimmy Jarrett (XC1 - #6), and Scotty Watkins (XC2 - #15), prepped for a long, grueling 3 hour race. On the eve of the race, the first “Mechanics’ Challenge” was held. Jimmy Jarrett along with his trusty mechanic Jimmy Woodford entered and were quick on the draw – getting the rear tire on and off the bike in under 2 minutes. “Team Jimmy” as they were being called took an astounding 2nd place finish in the Challenge behind Kurt Caselli and his mechanic Charlie. Jarrett had a great start, heading into the woods in 3rd place. Whibley however didn’t start with luck on his side, getting a late start after having to kick the bike a couple of times. Once his KX450F was started the race was on and he quickly gained ground settling in to 5th for the first few laps of the race. As the race went on, Jimmy fell back a few spots to 6th place (7th O/A) and settled in there through the finish. Whibley did just the opposite and put on his usual late race charge. He had the crowd, his new wife Katherine and his team holding their breath as he battled his way to the front. The radio was filled with talk of the top three and the position changes going on as Whibley moved up one by one. Whibs ended his day taking the #2 spot on the podium behind Suzuki pilot Charlie Mullins. Nate Kanney rounded out the overall podium. XC2 Rider, Scotty Watkins jumped to a mid-pack started and worked his way up to 3rd place. Scotty held his 3rd place position strong through most of the race. Watkins ignored the cold and congestion he had been fighting for a week or more as long as he could but it eventually caught up with him. By the end of the 3 hour dust catastrophe, Scotty had only been able to hold on to a 5th place (16 O/A) finish for the day. All things considered, a fine start to the season. JT and Gretchen Bennett are thrilled with the way their new team has started off the season. Team Manager/Owner, JT Bennett commented, “We couldn’t be happier with how everyone did. Florida is never an easy start for anyone, but everyone hung in there very well… and to for 2 of our 4 riders to podium is an added bonus.” The team would like to extend a special thanks to all of their sponsors: GEICO, Kawasaki, Moose, Pirelli, Tsubaki, IMS, Works Connection, EBC Brakes, Silkolene, Renthal, Pro Moto Billet, Enduro Engineer, PowesportGrafx, and Acerbis. In addition, the guys would like to thank the following sponors: And of course a huge thank you to our fans. The GNCC series will continue on March 7 & 8 for the Maxxis General GNCC in Washington, GA.
Race Report: FTR XC I lined up on the start confident my Kawasaki would get me a good start. I didn't get the holeshot but was a close second round turn one and quickly took the lead and control of the race. Charlie Mullins moved into second behind me and we set out on our own private race. I led the first two laps and was feeling comfortable aboard my new GEICO sponsored steed. Mid way round the third lap a couple of lapers blocked the track and Charlie capatalized on this and snuck past and into the lead. I gave chase and managed to put a move on Charlie at the end of a 5th gear straight, outbreaking him into the corner. At the end of the lap we dove into the pits for a quick splash of gas. I stalled my bike while being fueled and Charlie left the pits leading the way. He made a small mistake in the sand and I was able to retake the lead. We raced hard and pushed each other all the way to the finish. I was able to pull about ten seconds over the last lap and took the win.
Race Report: Woodville MX River Race
Race Report:Belray XC series JG Off Road / GEICO Powersports 2009 Line-up “We are really excited about our new line-up for 2009.” Said JT Bennett, manager, JG Off Road / GEICO Powersports. “We’ve been working extremely hard over the past 2 years to build a team of this caliber. With this team, I feel we have a solid chance to capture the championship plate in several different off road classes and events.” Paul Whibley, will be chasing down the GNCC championship on his #2 KXF450 in the XC1-Pro class and defending his OMA Championship. Paul is currently back home in New Zealand racing his KXF450 and has won every race he’s entered so far. Paul will also attend select Endurocross races. Paul will be starting his US race season February 28-March 3 at the River Ranch GNCC. Congratulations to Paul and Katherine on their upcoming wedding! Jimmy Jarrett, also contending the GNCC XC-1 Pro class will be aboard the #6. After taking a 2nd place finish in the OMA Series in 2008 will be chasing down Paul for that 2009 championship. You will also be able to find Jimmy and his GEICO KXF450 at the National Enduro Series and select Endurocrosses. Jimmy will be kicking off his season on January 25 in Wedgefield, SC. Scott Watkins will focus his efforts in the GNCC series in the XC2-Pro Lites class aboard a KXF250. After a rough start to the 2008 season due to an injury, Scott was able to redeem himself with a 4th place class finish and a #15 overall. Scott will also be contending a select Endurocross races. Team manager JT Bennett will be racing select GNCC with his main focus on the Endurocrosses and National East Harescrambles. JT will remain on Yamaha’s for the 2009 season. Jennifer Albright will be re-joining the team for 2009 in the Women’s Quad A class. Jennifer took a 5th place finish in 2009 and is training hard to break into that top 3 in ’09. Chasing down more 2 Stroke Open podiums and the championship, The Rodgers Brothers – Ryan and Eric will also be back on the team for the Endurocross Series. They will also be contending the Expert class and looking to improve their qualifier finishes for more appearances in the Main Event. Team manager, JT Bennett also added, “Just being in our 3rd year as a team, I am very proud to have GEICO as a sponsor and thrilled to announce that we recently signed a 3 year contract extension. GEICO and JG Off Road have committed to a strong relationship and a dedication to off road racing. We would also like to thank all of our new associate sponsors and the ones that have stuck behind us from day one; we’re looking forward to a successful 2009 season.”
Race Report: Rnd 2 Bush Riders XC Series Race Report: NZ GNCC (Sat), Belray XC (Sun)
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