Welcome to Quick Fill. Just like that we're only two weeks away from racing again!
But first, we start with a public service announcement. Again, for you folks with DirecTV, Vesus has been dropped from your channel lineup. Follow our instructions to help contact DirecTV and get the network back on--of you're going to go GNCC TV-less. CLICK HERE.
Unadilla greets us on September 12 and 13, and we expect that to be a great event. Moving the date forward two weeks may just help with the weather (we've had plenty of mud and rain at 'Dilla for the past few years), and we know we'll get a good crowd. I was just there at the track a few weeks ago for the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross round, and the place looked awesome as it celebrated a retro motocross weekend.
We hope it's just as cool for us. As part of the celebration, Parts Unlimited will put together another of their trackside dinners on Saturday night. If you're an ATV rider, stick around and grab a meal before you head out, and if you're a bike rider, fuel up before
Photo By: David Scearce
Bad Thad has been trying to up end Whibley, and he'll get another shot at Unadilla.
While we're waiting to get back to the track, other off-road series are going strong. But the strongest of the strong may be current GNCC bike points leader Paul Whibley, who wrapped up the OMA Championship for the second-straight year with a win in Bedford, Indiana. Whibs has won all eight OMA rounds this year-8 for 8-and this time he overcame another challenge from Thad DuVall to get the win.
Thad hung with Paul for most of the race until he crashed on the hard, dusty track. Other GNCC regulars, Monster Energy/FAR Yamaha's Jason Thomas and Monster Kawasaki Team Green's Jordan Ashburn, took second and third. Barry Hawk competed, too, but he started last and was only able to make it up to fourth on what he said was, "probably the dustiest race I've seen in 16 years."
Kawasaki's pretty proud of Whibley's riding this year, what with the OMA Title and the GNCC points lead. Check out their interview with the Kiwi below.
http://www.kawasaki.com/Racing_news/Article.aspx?id=1291
Of course, Whibs knows the competition is only going to get stiffer come Unadilla, as you know Josh Strang is just going to be fired up after losing major points at Snowshoe-at the hands of a deer. And Unadilla is Nate Kanney country. He's made the podium every time he's raced there, including his breakthrough first-career win in 2006. He'll be a contender for sure. And Thad has been giving Whibley fits at some races over the summer, Charlie Mullins is always solid, the Hawkster will be looking for a win...should be good.
Here's some good news on the injury front. Joe "Dirt" Scherer is on the mend after his massive, massive crash and injuries sustained during pre-season training. Here's a letter from Dirt's dad.
Just wanted to let every know that Joe (Dirt) Scherer is able to ride after 7 months the doctor released him 8/27 he went riding with Shawn Remington the day he got released. Hope to see everyone at the races someday.
Cool! Dirt was last year's Open A Champion.
Photo By: Jonty Edmunds
Knighter returned to the series he left a few months ago, and even battled Juha for a bit.
David Knight Media Service 2009
For immediate release - 30.8.2009
Podium result for Knight on WEC return
Kawasaki Superbike Racing Team rider David Knight made a return to the World Enduro Championship podium at the penultimate round of the '09 series staged in Serres, Greece - his first ever WEC event aboard Kawasaki machinery. In unfamiliar dry and dusty conditions Knight took an early lead in the E2 class on day one before his progress was halted when he broke a foot peg on the first timed enduro test. Ending the day fourth Knight won each of the four extreme special tests. On day two a three-rider fight for the E2 top spot saw David battle against Juha Salminen and Cristobal Guerrero. Dominating the extreme test once again David missed out on the runner-up position by less than half a second and placed just 18 seconds behind eventual winner Salminen.
David Knight: "The main thing for me is that I really enjoyed the event. It was tough with the heat but generally I'm pleased with the way it went. Returning to the WEC was never going to be easy, but I've improved throughout the weekend and know where improvements can be made. Day one started really well and I managed to open up about an 18 second lead, which was good, but then I broke a footpeg in the first enduro test. That cost me a lot of time. On the extreme test my bike was perfect, but it was too soft on the enduro test. I was pleased enough with the way the first day went though. I had many more good tests than I did bad. The second day was really good. Things were really close between myself, Salminen and Guerrero early on. I made some mistakes on a few tests, caught a few slower riders on some others, and at the same time Juha was riding really well. The extreme test always went well. It was on the faster going where I was losing out a little. I'm pleased that I was competitive, but a little disappointed that I missed out on second by next to nothing. I feel like I've improved a lot during the weekend and that I really started getting back into it. Like I said I know where I can improve the bike and myself so I'm looking forward to the French Enduro Championship event next weekend and the WEC final the week after. I have to thank my team for doing a great job all weekend."
Results - '09 WEC Rnd 7, GP of Greece
Enduro 2 class, Day 1
1. Johnny Aubert (KTM) 55:42.12; 2. Juha Salminen (BMW) 56:09.19; 3. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 56:19.35; 4. David Knight (Kawasaki Superbike Racing Team) 56:48.58
Enduro 2 class, Day 2
1. Juha Salminen (BMW) 51:13.10; 2. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) 51:31.91; 3. David Knight (Kawasaki Superbike Racing Team) 51:32.28
On the ATV front, check out Rachel "my head feels like it has TV static in it" Fluharty's Tuesday Toolbox interview with Brandon Sommers. Brando just returned from a trip to France that he evidently didn't like all that much. It's a pretty funny interview with him. We'll see what the Yamaha boys like Sommers, Bill Ballance, Donnie Ockerman and Johnny Gallagher are able to bring to the table in these final four races-the 2009 YFZ 450 has had a few months to get dialed in now, so we'll see if the boys have made improvements. Last year, the blue boys' competitors were trying to figure out new equipment (like Chris Borich on a Suzuki for the first time, and Adam McGill and Taylor Kiser on KTMs), now it's their turn to learn. But then you have Kiser, now on an '08-style Yamaha and still in the running for the championship.
Photo By: Matt Ware
Can Borich keep his momentum through the rest of the season?
That's it for Quick Fill this week. Our crew is up at Steel City putting together the final round of the Lucas Oil AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Steel City in Delmont, PA. If you're in the Western PA area, come on out and watch the best motocross riders on the planet do battle. And stick around and race amateur day on the same moto track on Sunday if you'd like.
We'll be there, but once it's over, the focus shifts back to GNCC. See you in New York!
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