Welcome to Quick Fill.

It feels like this summer break has been taking longer than usual and that’s probably because it has. We haven’t even completed two full months off from GNCC and we’ve still got a couple to go. But the past couple of weekends have somewhat cured my GNCC hankering and the best part is that we weren’t even racing!

Over the weekend I got to celebrate with Traci (Cecco) and Jeff Pickens as they tied the knot Saturday evening near Harrisburg, PA. And for those of you wondering, Traci wasn’t wearing her boots under the dress, but she did look absolutely stunning. The blue and black theme was perfect for both of them as they both ride Yamahas, and even the decor was tied into racing with various GNCC racers’ numbers marking the tables and little trophy-style vases holding the peacock feathered center piece. As you can imagine, most of Pro Row was in attendance and the reception was strikingly similar to Friday night at the GNCC Banquet. Borich, McGill, Bithell, Wolf, Yoho, Gallagher, Notman, McClure, Simmons, Sroka, Sommers are just a few of the Pro/Pro Am guys there and it was really cool to see the camaraderie amongst all the guys and not to mention the support for Jeff and Traci. I really don’t think there’s anything quite like the ATV side of GNCC Racing in any other sport, it’s truly a tight-knit group over there and I’m honored that they allow a two-wheel girl to hang around them so much, ha!

So I had the opportunity to sit down with Papa Borich for a bit and, naturally, it turned into a business-like conversation because other than making jokes about Chris I’m not sure what else we have in common besides racing. It sounds like the wheels are turning over in the Borich camp in terms of 2013, but things are far from settled at this point. I think it’s the never-ending decision as to whether or not to stay on Suzuki’s another year. It’s no secret that Suzuki doesn’t produce those machines any longer and I would assume at some point they’re going to become hard to keep in supply, but Borich has a program that works and so far this year the bike hasn’t failed him. So he’s definitely got the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” mentality, but surely a three (soon-to-be 4) -time champ has had higher paying options with different brands or sponsors, but kudos to him for sticking to what helps him win races right now. But I am curious to see what”†if anything”†he switches over to for next season.

I heard from recent Pro Am newcomer Roman Brown this week and it sounds like he’s been cross training hard over the summer months. Being from Long Island, NY, there aren’t many venues to ride the ATV nearby, so Roman has recently taken on another endurance sport to stay in shape, TRIATHLONS. Roman has been training with MotoE's Robb Beams, who has a strong background in triathlon racing and encouraged Roman to train for one as part of his program. So on August 18, Roman entered his first race ever. The race kicked off at 5:30 a.m. and competed in the rain with over 225 competitors. Roman said he felt his GNCC experience kicking in while riding in the rain and thought it was definitely an advantage. He began with a 1/2-mile swim, then a 13-mile bike sprint, followed by a 3.1-mile run. Despite his inexperience, Roman ended up winning the age 15-19 division and finished in the top 10% overall against many professional competitors. Roman said it was definitely a learning experience, as he needed to figure out all the procedures, tricks and proper equipment to use.  "My trainer had me prepared well, but I could have been a lot faster if I had the experience. It was like competing in the Pro Am class at a GNCC in your first race ever, with no quick-fill gas tank”†taking a 3-minute pit stop, running stock tires and shocks, with no tire-balls, no roll-offs on your goggles and not knowing what double XX's meant on the trail. Well, you get the picture!"

Congrats to Roman on his Triathlon win! Unadilla will be Roman’s home-state race and only his fourth race in the XC2 Pro Am class but it sounds like he’s been working hard in the off-season to make a name for himself in the second part of the year.

In the process of rebuilding the websites here in the office, we were able to dig into some other cool projects that have been in the works for a long time. Carrie Jo came into my office with the biggest smile on her face. I was a little bit worried at first, but she proceeded to show me the “Past Champs” tab under Results on the GNCCRacing.com website. For nerds like myself that like to rummage through racing history, it’s the perfect way to waste several hours bench-racing with yourself. We’ve broken it down by champions, wins by event, wins by rider, wins by OEM and wins by venue for both ATV and bikes. So if you haven’t found your way across it yet, I suggest checking it out. Although, a good bit of you could probably recite that all in your head!

I am saddened to even think about mentioning yet another obstacle for Ellen Pritchard and her family. This week we found out that Ellen’s mother Barbara passed away nearly one month after she lost her husband Glen “Jody” Pritchard to cancer at the end of July. You can find more information on Barbara HERE, and as always, Amy McConnell has been working on fundraisers for the Pritchard family at the remaining GNCC races. We’ll post more information as it becomes available and please just keep the family in your thoughts and prayers as they get through this hard time.

Also want to give a shout out to Myles Miller, who has raced a couple GNCC’s this year in the afternoon bike race and also a dear friend to the ATV crew. Myles has had a rough month, undergoing a couple of surgeries and spending quite a while in the hospital, but we’re glad to see he’s doing well. The GNCC family is thinking about Myles and we know he’s a strong cat!

That’s all for me this week. Another busy week coming up, consisting of yet ANOTHER wedding and of course the Steel City Motocross National. Luckily everything is in the Pittsburgh area, so there won’t be too much travel time. Keep us informed of what you’ve got going on so we can share it here with everyone else. And here’s Bolt-On.

@JaredBolton:

Wow! Another week, another Quick Fill. I said it last week and I’ll say it again, these final weeks of the summer break seem like they’re flying by. Unadilla is going to be here before we know it and I’m sure a lot of you are ready to get back to the racing action, I know I am because this is the point in the season where we’ll see these final championship battles begin to take place and that’s always an interesting thing to watch unfold.

It’s kind of crazy to think that there are really only 4 rounds left and with the way things are going, Loretta’s will creep up on us really quick. In a way, that could be a good thing because that means we get to see a lot of action packed into what will seem like a short period of time. The downside is that time will fly by and we’ll have closed the books on another season. Regardless of how it all shapes up, I think it’s fair to say that the 2012 season has been pretty great so far and it will definitely be a good precursor to 2013.

Of course, we’re still on summer break and this part where it starts to wind down is when we start seeing higher attendance of various local races. Last weekend I made the trip a little over an hour up the road from my house to check out the Mountain Challenge NCHSA race in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. I hadn’t really had the opportunity to check in with guys ahead of time and see who might be coming but the two notables for the race were Chris Bach and Charlie Mullins. When the race got under way, Charlie jumped out to lead the opening lap but had a little get-off on the second lap and had to stop to straighten the bike out. He ended up losing a lot of time but got things fixed and headed back out. He was actually all the way down to last place in the Pro class on the second lap, around 7 minutes out of the lead, then charged all the way back to second place by the fifth lap.

Chris Bach rode solid and took the overall win ahead of Charlie, who closed the lead up to about 3:46 by the end of the race. Both of those guys were riding really well, and you almost have to wonder how hard Bach really was pushing the whole time. Charlie’s come-from-behind ride was pretty impressive, especially considering the amount of time he made up. Don’t forget that Charlie won Unadilla last year, so he could be a guy to keep an eye on. Of course, like I said, Bach was riding well too and he seems to have been adjusting to the Yamaha well and after a solid ride at the Penton, he’s a guy to watch as well.

Self-plug: I threw together a short video of that race. Head over and check it out HERE.
This weekend will see the 59^th running of the SETRA Little Brown Jug Enduro in South Carolina. This race traditionally draws a huge turnout being the first SETRA Enduro of the new season and also a lot of Pro riders getting in seat time. The fun part of the Little Brown Jug is the traveling trophy for the overall winner. If you win the overall you get the trophy for the year but have to bring it back the next year, unless you can win three years in a row, then you will “retire” the trophy. Steward Baylor has a shot at exactly that this year. Steward has won the Little Brown Jug for the past 2 years, and if he wins again this year, he’ll retire the trophy. Of course, he might have some stiff competition, as there’s always a deep pool of talent at the Little Brown Jug. Should be cool to see how it turns out!

If anyone is going to be in the North Carolina area on September 9, come out and check out the NCHSA race at Camp Walter Johnson in Denton, North Carolina. I’ve been helping with this event since it’s inception in 2010 and will be there again this year to assist in the layout, marking the course, sweep riding, shooting video and just generally being awesome. The race takes place at a Salvation Army summer camp and since it’s still pretty warm in North Carolina in early September, all the fun activities will be available all day Saturday and at select times on Sunday (race day). They’ve got a pool with a waterpark, rock wall, putt-putt, a ropes course, basketball and more. There will also be a spaghetti supper on Saturday night. There’s also lodging available in the cabins at the camp! Not only is the race itself cool but it helps raise money for the camp and sends kids to camp next summer. So come on out and make a weekend out of it and get some extra seat time before Unadilla. For more info, check out www.nchsa.org or you can drop me a line at [email protected] and I can point you in the right direction.

Well, that’s going to do it for me this week. Hope everyone has a great weekend and gets in some seat time before Unadilla. It’s coming! Until next time, Bolt-On out!

@HotRodney22:

Two more weeks and counting”†that’s when the GNCC Summer Break is over and we can get back to settling the scores and deciding championships for 2012. Again, this break, as long as it seemed, has flown by at the same time.

“How do we top that?” That’s a question I’ve asked on more than one occasion this season and each time I ask, we seem to pull it off the next round. Do I dare ask how do we top the first part of the 2012 season? But of course! So let it rip GNCC Racin’ Nation.

As the Unadilla GNCC approaches it seems a little stirring is starting to take place. A number of the bike guys and gals have been busy all summer and never really seemed to drop off the radar. However, several of the ATV guys just kind of blended into the scenery. So what’s been going on? 

In the last couple of weeks I have been able to focus a little more on the things going on in GNCC a little more and boy have these guys been keeping busy. The only ones I really haven’t heard a lot about are Taylor Kiser and Brian Wolf. I hope to get some updates from them next week and let you know what is up.

Chris Borich and Johnny Gallagher have been hanging with several of the up and coming GNCC stars. I actually have been kind of shocked all season long to hear how much these guys have gotten around. As quiet and backward as Chris Borich seems to be, once you get to know him and he get comfortable around you, it is full throttle from that point on.

Most recently Johnny and Chris have hooked up with current College A points leader Landon Wolfe. Wolfe was a recent subject of Tuesday Toolbox and last night was featured on Quad Radio where we got to know him a little better. Landon had a lot to say about racing and hanging with Borich and the boys and he even told the whole story of his “moto-stick” experience and how he left a permanent and perfect indention of his front four teeth in his driveway. This actually happened only 8 weeks ago and Landon is hoping to be looking somewhat back to himself when we return to racing in a couple of weeks.

On the racing side of things, the ATV College A class is heating up in the final rounds with Brycen Neal winning 5 rounds so far this season. Neal has one DNF which cost him valuable points but once the throw away races are dropped then a 13 point deficit all of a sudden becomes the points lead and things are still just as tight as they were. Wolfe won the John Penton GNCC after scoring top 3 finishes in nearly every round but two. This should be a good indication of how tight it is. 

As though things aren’t tight enough in the College A class, there is another threat to win this class. It is a seemingly quiet Chad Jones from Oldenburg Indiana who has put together a consistent and competitive season himself. Jones has scored 7 top 3 finishes including a class win at the technical Mammoth GNCC. So, who knows how this one will pan out in the end?

XC2 Pro Am Rookie Braden Henthorn was also featured in that episode and had a lot to say. It seems he has been busy burning up the local circuit and cleaning house with Adam McGill. McGill who was injured shortly before the break seems to be recovering nicely. According to Henthorn, McGill is as strong as ever and still sporting his Speedos.

Along with a lot of racing locally the two spent some time together this summer going to the beach as well as riding. And if you know the history of Adam McGill and his Speedos then you probably think what I think about it; “Again!?” It seems I remember pictures surfacing a few years ago that featured McGill, Brandon Sommers and few others all sporting Speedos. It also seems like there has been a picture surface around this time each year of that nature. Henthorn though assures me that there will be no pictures of this nature surfacing of him. We’ll see?!

Braden is having a remarkable year as a Pro Am rookie and even mentioned going straight to the XC1 next season win, lose or draw on the championship. He has obviously adapted well to the competition and says he feels speed wise he is ready to try and run with the leaders but was truly not 100% on any racing decisions for 2013. 

Sitting second in points in the XC2 class, Braden Henthorn is a true threat to win the championship. He currently sits in tenth place overall and shows signs of only getting faster. Pat McGuire who leads the XC2 points by 16 points sits just ahead of him in ninth overall. Henthorn is hot in the mix for this championship and McGuire is not the only other one with a dog in this hunt, Gabe Phillips got a slow start to the season but is as much of a contender as anyone. 

So to answer the question “how do we top that?” The writing is on the wall and the final rounds of 2012 for nearly every class on the starting line are going to be as epic of any battles we have ever witnessed.

That will do it for now. Till next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs.