GNCC Racing

Jarrod McClure Tries a WORCS Event

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Thursday, August 21, 2008 | 12:00 AM

Jarrod McClure WORCS Pro Race Report
Straddeline ORV Park ”“ Round 6 ”“ Olympia, WA

Story by Jarrod McClure
Photos by Harlen Foley ATVRiders.com

What was your last great opportunity? Maybe seeing you favorite band or going on a cruise, something you just couldn’t pass up! In June I was asked by Harlen Foley from ATVriders.com if I would like to fly to Washington (state) and race in Round 6 of the WORCS Off-Road Championship Series on August 15-17th, and of course, I said “Yes” and the plane ticket was booked.

As the month of August rolled around, I began getting ready for the trip. We flew out of Baltimore, MD on Thursday morning, the 14th, and because of the time change we arrived in Washington early. Since I was never on the West Coast, Harlen decided we would do some sight-seeing. We met up with Chris Webb and Lisa Breshears who live out there and checked out the coast-line.

Friday everyone was at the track practicing, but I figured I was only coming out to race for fun, so instead of going to the track the four of us went up to see Mt. Saint Helen’s. That was pretty awesome!

Saturday we arrived at the track. The race was in Olympia, Washington, at Straddleline MX Park. This track was the one in the series featuring the most woods, so I figured that might work to my favor. I would be racing Harlen’s 2006 Suzuki LTR450. The Motoworks Can-Am team had brought the ATV out from the last GNCC race in Somerset. I would pit with Motoworks, and they supplied me with all the tools I needed. I went to registration, and found out that I would actually have to race on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday I would have to run Pro Production to qualify for the Pro Main on Sunday. This was something new to me so I just did what they told me.

I also was reading over the rules, and I seen that you were required to run nerf bars. This turned out to be a problem since we didn’t have any! Luckily Anthony over at Triumph Motorsports hooked me up with a set of nerfs. Harlen and I bolted them up quick before the race, and I borrowed wheels off of Mike Cafro, and got some new tires from Mike Farmer at Maxxis. I also bolted on a sweet new pipe from Motoworks.

I got ready to race for my 10:45AM start time. I just received some awesome 2009 gear from Shift in time for the trip, so I suited up. The gear fits awesome and is a lot better vented, which really helped in the heat. I got to the start, and found out that it is a running engine start.

The flag flew, and in came out of turn two in around tenth place. The first section of the track was motocross, and had some doubles, step downs, and tabletops, it was a lot of fun, but without knowing the track, I dropped back a few spots. Once we hit the woods I was able to start rolling GNCC style!! Ha-ha! The woods were a little wider than the GNCC tracks, but it was still a challenging course, with some steep up hills, and down-hills.

As I pounded out the laps, I started to get a good pace going and began to figure out the motocross track. I passed a lot of riders, and noticed some were pulling off. This race was 55 minutes long, so it was over before I knew it. I actually finished in second place, riding in right behind first place and not even knowing it!

Due to the second place finish, I would have a good gate pick for the main on Sunday. After the race I washed the quad over at Mike Cafro’s trailer, and prepped the bike under the Motoworks tent. The Suzuki held up great though and didn’t need much wrenching. Then we headed up to Seattle to see the Space Needle and grab some dinner.

Sunday morning it was a lot cooler out, and according to the weather it would stay that way all day. I got to the track, and made sure the bike was ready to go. The race would start at 12:00. I staged in the top 15, due to my 2nd place finish on Saturday. That was good, because there would be two rows, and I got to start on the front one. We would start motocross style, meaning on a concrete pad with a gate. With a little help from John Widdle from Motoworks, and a big push-broom my “gate” was ready to go. I have little experience with gate starts, and I just hoped I didn’t tangle with it.

The 30 second board went sideways, meaning five to ten seconds till the gate drops. My heart was pounding, what a rush, hearing everyone rev their motors! The gate dropped, and the hour and thirty minute race began. I held my own a little better on the motocross now that I had some time on it. I went into the woods around eighth. The track had become a lot rougher due to all of the racing done on it. Also, we would be running through the “WORCS Cross” section today, which was an exciting section filled with tires, logs and big rocks! Without tireballs, I was cautious in the rocks, but my Maxxis tires held up great and would not bust!

I had little time on this Suzuki before this race, it’s been about a year since I rode it last. The LTR450 was mostly stock other than Elka Shocks, Roll Design a-arms, a precision stabilizer, and flexx bars. The motor was all stock, but it did well against all of the other ATVs that were built. The cherry bomb along with the Motoworks exhaust really brought the LTR to life. I adapted to the quad really quick, and the Elka shocks were really working nice. I was impressed at how good I felt riding on an unfamiliar quad, in an unfamiliar type of racing!

As the race went on I got by some of the riders, I am not exactly sure who they were, but I ended up battling it out with Dustin Nelson for about three laps. I would push him through the woods, trying to pass, but it was a hard track to pass on with limited lines. When we would hit the motocross he would be gone! He is sick at motocross! I would then catch him in the woods. This went on for about three laps until I got by him on an inside line out in the woods. I was then sitting in fourth. I caught and passed Doug Eichner on his Outlaw, and then went by Beau Baron who had to pit for a broken ball joint.

With about 25minutes to go I pitted “old school style” . By this I mean Harlen squeezed a gallon milk jug full of gas into my tank! It worked out pretty good. Lisa and Chris were also there helping out keeping me posted on what place I was in. With three laps to go, I was in second place. Josh Fredrick was out front and flying on his Motoworks Can-Am DS450. He had put a huge lead on the rest of us that were in the back battling it out.

I rode hard till the end, but at the checkered I had to settle for second. I just couldn’t catch Josh. He was moving!

I had a lot of fun, and really enjoyed the race! I would love to try another one. Everyone from WORCS was super nice, and it was a very fun and well-organized event. I would recommend anyone to giving it a shot.

I would like to thank everyone the made this possible, especially, ATVriders.com, and the Motoworks Can-Am team. The Motoworks team treated me like I was one of their own riders, which really means a lot to me and shows what kind of people they are.

I arrived back home on Tuesday, and I plan on really focusing on riding, and my new fall program from MotoPro Training. I will be more ready than ever for Snowshoe GNCC and look forward to seeing everyone there!