Welcome to Quick Fill.

This week we’re posted up in sunny California, where the only thing different is the scenery because there’s plenty of work to be done before the weekend. Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park is playing host to the final round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross tour on Saturday, but since this event is promoted by Racer Productions, a majority of the crew will be out Friday for amateur practice and then Sunday will be a full-day of amateur racing at Lake Elsinore as well. Then of course, the Season Celebration takes place Sunday evening, where the top 10 in MX, WMX and ATVMX will be honored ”“ followed by a fun night of activities.  But not too many activities because early Monday morning it’s back to Lake Elsinore for Ricky Carmichael University, which is a unique motocross school taught by The G.O.A.T himself and a host of other notable champs, such as Jeff Emig, Jeff Stanton, Johnny O’Mara, Kevin Foley and even Mrs. Carmichael”†who is credited for much of RC’s successful career. It’s going be an action-packed weekend of racing here in SoCal and then our minds will finally turn back to GNCC Racing, exclusively.

I’ve been working on media opportunities for Unadilla over the past couple of weeks and things are starting to fall together. Nate Kanney is scheduled to do a couple of radio call-in interviews next week and we’re working on getting into one or two of the area schools to spread the good word about GNCC Racing. If you live in any of the communities within 30 miles of the remaining rounds, feel free to share any contacts you may have with local school districts with [email protected]. I think that’s a bit of an easier way to get in with schools and share the positivity that GNCC brings to communities, because naturally school officials are sometimes hesitant to respond back to an unknown organization right away.

Unadilla is once again going to be co-sanctioned with our friends over at WNYOA, so if you’re a part of both organizations, this is definitely a can’t-miss event as you’re essentially killing two birds with one stone in regards to earning series points. In the past, the PeeWee race at Unadilla has been completely run by the WNYOA folks on the opposite side of the road that the rest of the course was on, but this year things will be a little different. The PeeWee course will run through the normal GNCC start and finish lines, therefore scoring will be done by GNCC as well. The fee to sign up for a PeeWee class”†which does include PeeWee quads”†will be $25 and a transponder will NOT be needed. Here’s a link to the PeeWee information, including WNYOA class structures and rules. For the other WNYOA participants, we will have the class conversion chart posted shortly.

I want to include this message I saw on the WNYOA homepage because it’s very important to those wanting to sign up for WNYOA series points.

Attention all WNYOA Riders, we are only 3 weeks away from Unadilla GNCC. There are a couple of very important things that all WNYOA Riders will need to do at Unadilla this year. Number One!! ALL WNYOA RIDERS MUST REGISTER AT THE WNYOA SIGN-UP AREA BEFORE LEAVING THE SIGN-UP AREA. Due to the changes with the status of GNCC with the AMA, it will be imperative that all WNYOA riders sign up with Gail Wilson when you register for the race. She will be there every minute that the GNCC registration is open. You will not get scored back for WNYOA points if you do not register with her, NO EXCEPTIONS!! There is going to be no excuses why you did not register with her. You will need to provide her with your AMA/ATVA card, and your WNYOA card. Also if you run a different class in the GNCC, it will make everything go easier to get the results posted to our web site a lot faster. Please make sure this is a priority. We will be posting other updates in the near future, like start times with the Pee Wee bikes and quads, I think everyone will be happier with the times this year, over the last several years. If anyone has any questions feel free to contact one of the four Rider reps.

I’m going to pass things along to Jared Bolton. We’re getting things ready for Thursday Press Day here at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park, the track is shaping up and of course, it’s getting pretty hot outside. Just think, by this time next week we will be Unadilla-bound.

@JaredBolton:

So guess what, folks? In a little over a week we’ll be heading into Unadilla, ready to get back at it and see all the action unfold for these final four rounds. It’s hard to believe we’re already that close. Some are saying that this last bit of summer break has flown by and some are saying it’s been dragging on. I think it’s all in how you look at it, and just how busy you’ve been staying. Regardless, it’s almost time to go racing and I know I’m already getting excited.

By now, you’ve heard all about the championship battles that are going to be unfolding over the “final four” and there’s no doubt that it should make for some interesting racing. Unadilla is one of those races that kind of has it’s own unique feel to it, or at least that’s always how it’s felt to me. I think it will also provide us with good racing because we’ve got a ton of guys who have had good rides at Unadilla in the past. One rider who has flown under the radar a little bit this year is Nate Kanney. Unadilla is Nate’s home race, and he’s no stranger to the podium there either. Could Unadilla be Kanney’s redemption on 2012? Only time will tell but if there’s one guy you should never completely count out at a place like Unadilla, it’s Nate Kanney.

Speaking of guys not to count out, last week I mentioned the Little Brown Jug Enduro in South Carolina. I told the whole back-story on how if you can win the overall 3 years in a row, you will “retire” the travelling jug trophy. This year Steward Baylor had a shot at retiring his first jug. Unfortunately for him, Charlie Mullins had other plans. I haven’t heard a ton of details about the race but Charlie ended up taking the overall win ahead of Steward with a score of 27 versus Steward’s 30. Grant Baylor also put in a solid ride to take 3^rd with a score of 36. Open-A class contender Hunter Williams also had a good day and ended up 4^th with a 37.

Charlie’s win could possibly make things interesting for this weekend’s National Enduro in Missouri. While Charlie dropped out of this year’s National Enduro Series to focus more on the GNCC’s, I understand that he’s making the trip out to Missouri for this weekend’s National Enduro. With a 3-point win this past weekend over Steward Baylor, who still leads the National Enduro points, Charlie could be the guy to watch not just for that race, but also at Unadilla. He’s back to 100%, and will hopefully have some solid rides over the next few weeks to make up for some of the struggles from earlier this season.

One other thing I mentioned last week was the NCHSA event that I’m helping with this weekend. I’ve been able to make a few laps around the course over the past few days, and it’s looking pretty good! There’s a good mix of trail and should make for a good weekend of racing. As I mentioned, this race is at a Salvation Army camp and retreat center, so they’ll have all sorts of fun activities going on Saturday before Sunday’s race. So if you’re in the area and want to get in some seat time, come on out! Check out my little helmet cam teaser to see some of what the track is like: http://jaredbolton.com/2012/09/05/2012-river-race-nchsa-helmet-cam-preview/

I’m going to cut myself short here so we can save all the really good bench racing for next week because, well, it will definitely make things more interesting as we head into Unadilla. Be sure to get in all your last minute training and practice, it’s almost time to go racing again. Until next time, Bolt-On out.

@HotRodney22:

A little more than a week from resuming 2012 season and as I sat and looked at the points rundown it occurred to me that the top 20 in both ATV and Motorcycles overall is filled with a new generation of hopefuls.

Gone are the days of seeing a Barry Hawk, Scott Summers, Scott Plessinger, Randy Hawkins, Rodney Smith, Steve Hatch, Jason Raines, Shane Watts, Fred Andrews, and Robbie Jenks from the bikes. Or of course a Bill Ballance, William Yokley, Matt Smiley, Brandon Sommers, Chris Jenks, Santo Derisi, Brandon Balance and more that used to be the stars of the races on any given Saturday and Sunday at a GNCC over the course of the last decade.

As fresh as those names may seem, they are becoming faded memories as today’s young talents begin to position themselves to be the next off road greats. Names like Kailub Russell, Rory Meade, Steward Baylor, Jason Thomas, Andrew Delong, Jedediah Hanes, Chris Bach, Cory Buttrick Aaron Plessinger, Grant Baylor, Brad Bakken and more are forging their places in the two-wheeled world. While names like Walker Fowler, Brian Wolf, Kevin Yoho, Jarrod McClure, Pat McGuire, Gabe Phillips, Braden Henthorn, Eric Hoyland, Matt Hanna, Brycen Neal and Josh Merritt are names that are becoming more and more familiar in the afternoon race for the ATV field.

Only a few names remain familiar from as recent as 2007.  This was the time when a few of the riders began a quiet wave of change in GNCC history.  Thad Duvall, Charlie Mullins, Jesse Robinson, Paul Whibley, Glen Kearney and Josh Strang were making their marks were all led to GNCC in different ways. 

Thad, Charlie and Jesse were making the transitions through youth and amateur ranks while Paul, Glen and Josh were riding the wave of the International invasion riders making their bid for one of the world’s premier championships.  And all the while it was inspiring the new generation that we see beginning to take their places in history.

Two young riders set to make their mark in history on the bike side of things actually traveled different paths to get to where they are but they are driven by the same fuel, which is simply to win.

Rory Mead is a rider inspired on the international front and has been as a pleasant of a surprise as anyone could imagine.  Rory is from New Zealand and has a desire to conquer this championship before moving on.  Mead has shown greatest promise in the rougher more technical tracks.  Sort of likened to Juha Salminen who won the championship two years in a row with a similar style that he was able to utilize in all conditions and literally dominate the series for two straight seasons.  Rory is surely one to watch if all the pieces fall into place for him.

Kailub Russell who is the son of GNCC Trail Boss Jeff Russell, is an inspired rider from the youth and amateur ranks.  Kailub’s dad Jeff was the 1991 National Enduro Champion as well as a 2-time race winner in GNCCs in the early 90s before moving into the track building side of things.  Kailub has a natural talent that seems to be hard to stop when things are on and right now sits only 6 points out of the class championship behind Paul Whibley.  Kailub is a threat for the championship only two years after moving into the XC1 Pro ranks.  If Kailubs history of winning championships stays consistent he will win in 2012. Since the youth ranks Kailub has taken one year to get up to speed and learn the competition before going out the following season and winning the championship.  Who knows what the outcome will be, but these next four races are going to be interesting to watch.

Then of course the wave of riders is starting to thicken from the youth wave that Mullins, Duvall and Buttrick started. Â  Riders like Steward Baylor and Jordan Ashburn are set to be possible riders to rewrite the history books.  As well as current 250A contenders Grant Baylor, Aaron Plessinger and Zach Nash who will soon become huge threats as they now work their way up the ranks.

As far as inspiration on the ATV side of things, it is so far a purely homegrown effort.  Whether riders work their way through local series into the national scene or whether they work their way through the GNCC youth and amateur ranks, there has been very little international attention to the ATVs.  However that has not taken away from any competition or excitement over the years.

As it sits now in the last 20 years of GNCC ATV racing has only seen 3 champions.  Once you claw and fight your way to the tops of these ranks you have earned your spot and seem to hang on to it for a while.  However, as Chris Borich knows all too well, there is a freight train of young talent working their way into position and the only level they have to gage is his.  Borich is top of the game right now, but as we have seen this season, even Superman has his kryptonite.

Even though he is yet to win a race as an XC1 Pro GNCC’er Walker Fowler may just be the “Kryptonite Kid” .  I remember referencing Taylor Kiser a few years ago as Lex Luther, but remember the only way Lex could get one up on Superman was with Kryptonite.  Could the foreseeable combination of 1-2 punch of Fowler and Kiser be what it takes to take Borich down?

Remembering the forces that were inspired by the Great Bill Ballance including riders like Fowler, Kiser, Adam McGill, Chris Bithell and Jarrod McClure, are always going to be a threat when they line up.  A lot of attention will be on them but we cannot help but see the storm brewing in the background.

Brian Wolf is a rider that we have not even begun to see the best of.  Hopefully fate will allow him to prove what I am talking about.  A number of folks may count Brian out because of his inconsistency this season, but I feel this may be something that will pass and if so look out.  Brian has been plagued with an injury that no one could have ever predicted with the infected hand.  It took a lot out of his program in the early part of the year.  We did get to see what he is capable of after he won the WORCS race so convincingly followed by his incredible battle at the Snowshoe GNCC a week later.  If things get on track there, Borich may have his hands even fuller.

Adam McGill is a rider inspired by winning.  McGill who worked his way through the Pro Am ranks watching Borich chase Ballance has had potential to win nearly every time he has lined up.  A rider that has ridden the wave of factory rides has come full circle with his new privateer team program this season. The transition back to a grassroots program has not slowed him down.  He was a threat every round this season until a crash at a local motorcycle race only days before Snowshoe nearly ended his season.  Reports are McGill is getting back up to speed and has been riding tirelessly during the break trying to find the speed he needs to be a challenge in the final four rounds.

As far as those inspired by the generation we speak of, it includes XC2 contenders Pat McGuire, Braden Henthorn, Gabe Phillips, Eric Hoyland and Matt Hanna.  The College A class seems to be the final step these days before the Pro Am class as most recently we saw Roman Brown make the step up and Brycen Neal who will most likely make that move in 2013.

the surface has only been scratched and to know just how deep the talent goes in our GNCC Racin’ Nation is to say the least, impressive.  So no matter what class you race, no matter what you dream of making out of it remember you are a big part of something huge. 

Before we go this week an interesting fact: There are only two riders that still compete today in the XC1 Pro classes that bridge the gap over 3 decades of racing. The great Johnny Gallagher from the ATV world and from the bike side of things, Jimmy Jarrett.  These are the only two lining up on the pro rows since the 1990s. 

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