Whibley River Ranch GNCC Race Report
Tuesday, March 10, 2009 | 12:45 PM
GNCC Race Report Rnd 1
Race Report: Round 1 GNCC Florida
Rider: Paul Whibley
Team: JG Offroad, GEICO, Monster Kawasaki
Bike: Kawasaki KX 450F
Result: 2nd
With the wave of the green flag the season was underway. I knew the Kawasaki starts fast and the dusty conditions meant a hole shot was very important. I got a little too excited and tried to go to fast and gassed it to soon, resulting in several kicks to start the bike and a near dead last start.
The dust was terrible and we were nearly at a stand still in some early sections until the pack spread out.
It was about the middle of the first lap that I could see anything and worked my way in behind Josh Strang. It took me a while to find, or should I say see, a way around him, but once by him I moved forward in search of the next rider. Next up it was Kurt Casselli and I moved past more quickly as I caught him in an open section littered with palmetto roots that wasn't to cut up and the dust was minimal. Next up was my team mate Jimmy Jarrett. He made me work for the position. I caught him in the really dusty whooped out section near the finish line. He was riding really good and I was struggling to see the track safely enough to pin it past him. I was behind him for several miles but I think he realized it was me and went wide on a corner allowing me to move by.
The track was cutting up fast, there was even a couple of really puggy sections as we cross what would be a swamp if it was wet. On lap two as I crossed one of these soft spots I had a good endo. I hit a massive breaking bump that wasn't even there the lap before and rode the front wheel for a while until it finally tucked and sent me over. I was quickly back on the bike with no damage to me or the bike.
A quick stop for gas and I was sent out chasing down Barry Hawk. I finally caught him a lap later in a really rough section and witnessed Barry get ejected out the side of a deep whooped section, nearly tagging me on the way down. I moved into second spot late in the race when I moved by Nate Kanney. Charlie Mullins was riding great and was way out front and there was not enough time to try run him down.
Second is a good solid start to the year and I'm looking forward to each race and a step closer to that championship.
Thanks for the continued support from my great sponsors here in NZ and America.
Kawasaki, GEICO, Moose Racing, Shoei, Sidi, Smith, CTi, RG3, Pirelli, Silkolene, EBC brakes, Motion Pro, Enduro Engineering, BRP, Renthal,Ã Works Connection, Leo Vince, RG3, Vortex Ignitions, Tsubaki chains, No Toil, G2, IMS, ProMoto Billet, Fastway, WER, Stringfellows, MotoSR
Race Report: Round 1 GNCC Florida
Rider: Paul Whibley
Team: JG Offroad, GEICO, Monster Kawasaki
Bike: Kawasaki KX 450F
Result: 2nd
With the wave of the green flag the season was underway. I knew the Kawasaki starts fast and the dusty conditions meant a hole shot was very important. I got a little too excited and tried to go to fast and gassed it to soon, resulting in several kicks to start the bike and a near dead last start.
The dust was terrible and we were nearly at a stand still in some early sections until the pack spread out.
It was about the middle of the first lap that I could see anything and worked my way in behind Josh Strang. It took me a while to find, or should I say see, a way around him, but once by him I moved forward in search of the next rider. Next up it was Kurt Casselli and I moved past more quickly as I caught him in an open section littered with palmetto roots that wasn't to cut up and the dust was minimal. Next up was my team mate Jimmy Jarrett. He made me work for the position. I caught him in the really dusty whooped out section near the finish line. He was riding really good and I was struggling to see the track safely enough to pin it past him. I was behind him for several miles but I think he realized it was me and went wide on a corner allowing me to move by.
The track was cutting up fast, there was even a couple of really puggy sections as we cross what would be a swamp if it was wet. On lap two as I crossed one of these soft spots I had a good endo. I hit a massive breaking bump that wasn't even there the lap before and rode the front wheel for a while until it finally tucked and sent me over. I was quickly back on the bike with no damage to me or the bike.
A quick stop for gas and I was sent out chasing down Barry Hawk. I finally caught him a lap later in a really rough section and witnessed Barry get ejected out the side of a deep whooped section, nearly tagging me on the way down. I moved into second spot late in the race when I moved by Nate Kanney. Charlie Mullins was riding great and was way out front and there was not enough time to try run him down.
Second is a good solid start to the year and I'm looking forward to each race and a step closer to that championship.
Thanks for the continued support from my great sponsors here in NZ and America.
Kawasaki, GEICO, Moose Racing, Shoei, Sidi, Smith, CTi, RG3, Pirelli, Silkolene, EBC brakes, Motion Pro, Enduro Engineering, BRP, Renthal,Ã Works Connection, Leo Vince, RG3, Vortex Ignitions, Tsubaki chains, No Toil, G2, IMS, ProMoto Billet, Fastway, WER, Stringfellows, MotoSR