GNCC Racing

KR4 Performance Race Report from Big Buck GNCC

Wednesday, April 16, 2014 | 9:20 AM

The KR4 Arrive-n-Ride Team was thankful to enjoy beautiful weather and FINALLY some dry conditions over the weekend at the Big Buck GNCC. After 3 consecutive wet weekends of GNCC Racing, everyone welcomed the 80-degree temperatures in Union, South Carolina. Although the course was not a muddy quagmire, it went down as the roughest, toughest, and most brutal track of the year so far.

Dylan Brinson had his best finish of the season, an 8th place in the 65 (10-11) class
Dylan Brinson had his best finish of the season, an 8th place in the 65 (10-11) class Photo: Courtesy of KR4

Conditions were perfect for the Youth race Sunday morning. Korie Steede continued her domination of the Girls 8-15 division by taking her 4th consecutive win in 4 races. New to the Arrive-n-Ride family, Dylan Brinson piloted his 65 to a season-best 8th place finish in the 10-11 class. Jamie Baskerville was on a tear in his race. He got a great start and was shredding before a coolant hose failed and forced him to retire. We know he will rebound at the next round!

KR4 Youth Results: 

  • Korie Steede: Girls (8-15)   - 1st
  • Peyton Whipkey: 65cc (10-11)   - 3rd
  • Grant Davis: 65cc (7-9)   - 4th
  • Brian Keegan: 85cc (7-11)   - 5th
  • Dylan Brinson: 65cc (10-11)   - 8th
  • Logan Theakston: 85cc (7-11)   - 12th
  • Brandon Keegan: Supermini (12-13)   - 14th
  • Jamie Baskerville: 85cc (12-13)   - DNF

The 10 O’clock Amateur race kicked off soon after the minis were done, and the course was already starting to get beat. Blisters were a problem for all of the racers. Conner Keegan and Brittan Laird both had HUGE blisters! At one point, Brittan’s hands got so bad that he had to hold on to his handguards as he was riding to give his palms a reprieve. Both riders soldiered through to the finish.

Butch Molnar also had a rough day. After a poor start, Molnar mowed through the pack to take the lead, but the demanding course conditions got the better of him and forced him to retire and get IV fluids from the medics.

KR4 was also excited to host a special guest. Seat Time’s Brian Pierce made the trip to SC all the way from Texas and was treated to the full Arrive-n-Ride experience. Pierce had a great time and scored a 17th in the stacked Sportsman A class. We cannot wait to hear about his exploits on an upcoming episode of Seat Time, so be sure to tune in and check it out:

Korie Steede continued her domination of the Girls (8-15) class by winning her fourth consecutive race
Korie Steede continued her domination of the Girls (8-15) class by winning her fourth consecutive race Photo: Courtesy of KR4

The most exciting battle in the AM race was the Women’s WXC class. KR4 rider Karlynn Beam did not get a good start and went into the woods somewhere around the top 10. She was on the gas though and was very close to the leader’s lap times. The WXC competitors ran almost nose-to-tail, with the top ten women running in a train. Karlynn finished 8th, hot on the heels of 7th and mere seconds behind 6th. It was a great battle!

KR4 Amateur Bike Results:

  • Albert Chuppa: Elite Masters (60+)   - 3rd 
  • Brittan Laird: 200C (12-15)   - 5th
  • Karlynn Beam: WXC   - 8th
  • George Molnar: Super Senior B (45+)   - 8th  
  • Conner Keegan: 200C (12-15)   - 9th  
  • Brian Pierce: Sportsman A   - 17th 

For the Afternoon race, KR4 is fielding three riders in the 250B class now with the addition of Coleman Brinson to the team for the remainder of the GNCC Season. Colin Keegan got off to a top-3 start and rode the race all of us at KR4 knew he had in him. Colin pushed hard for the lead on the first two laps before making the pass for 1st and pulling away. Colin rode awesome, winning by over 3 and-a-half minutes on his KR4 ANR Team Race bike. Arrive-n-Ride manager Fred Andrews said, “I am so proud of Colin today; he rode the wheels off the bike! He was excited at the pit to get back out there. It shows that his hard work is paying off. All our guys never gave up and that’s all we can ask of them.” 

Coleman Brinson and Kurt Palmer were stuck in the dust on lap one and had to wait for the pack to spread out a little to start their charge to the front. Coleman started in 19th on lap 1 and steadily picked off riders with every lap, eventually finishing in 7th place. Kurt had a good ride going only to get a giant blister on his hands from the rough Big Buck racecourse and had to settle for 19th for the day.

Photo: Courtesy of KR4

In A-Class racing action, Hunter Neuwirth was back in the 250A class on his Grass Roots ANR Team-prepped bike. Hunter got off to a fair start as the dust cleared from the grass field. He steered his older Honda 2-smoker to an impressive 11th place finish. Andy France rode the 4 Stroke A Lites class and started 9th off the line. Andy never gave up in the highly competitive class to finish in 5th place at the end of the roughest GNCC to date.

In XC2 Pro Lites, KR4 Rider Shane Hufford got off to a 3rd place start as the pack headed into the woods. With dust kicking up in the open fields, the riders were happy to be in the wooded sections of the course racing in perfect conditions. Shane crashed on lap 2 and could never really get back into the race like we know he can. Shane ended the day a disappointing 8th. Shane said, “I am glad we have 2 weeks off so the team can rest and I can get myself back together. I was off my game today, but will rebound in 2 weeks.”

Once again, Kailub Russell was rollin’ coal and scored the KR4 Fastest Lap award, taking home a sweet $150 check.

KR4 PM Bike Results:

  • Colin Keegan: 250B   - 1st 
  • Andy France: 4 Stroke A Lites   - 5th
  • Coleman Brinson: 250B   - 7th
  • Shane Hufford: XC2 Pro Lites   - 8th
  • Hunter Neuwirth: 250A   - 11th
  • Kurtis Palmer: 250B   - 19th

With Round 4 of the 2014 GNCC Series in the books, the riders and staff of the KR4 Arrive-n-Ride Team have earned a well-deserved break. With 2 weeks to spare before the Limestone 100 at the end of the month, our racing family will take some time to dial in bikes and bodies and will come out swinging at the next round. See you there!