We already know the stage has been set for some exciting race battles all around, and the guys below will cover that. On the bike side, it’s going to be a big weekend for Factory KTM either way as they are guaranteed to wrap up the XC1 and XC2 titles this weekend. In addition, the whole crew will be on hand to witness Maria Forsberg accept her last career Women’s Class #1 plate, although she did wrap up the title already. So big things happening for KTM this weekend and we’re proud to host such an amazing and talented group of folks who provide so many GNCC Racers factory support each and every weekend.

As we mentioned before on the GNCC Facebook, there will be Trick-or-Treating taking place Friday from 5-6 p.m. and Saturday 6-7 p.m. through Sponsor Village and the pits for anyone interested in taking part. You don’t have to be a kid for this folks, anyone can take part! We will have orange balloons at registration for anyone who wants to take part in the festivities, just stop by and grab a balloon to blow up and hang in your pit area. That way we don’t have kids knocking on the doors of RVs with people who aren’t quite in the spirit of candy giving. There will be a candy bowl up at registration too, as well as Sponsor Village, so stop over to all those folks and load up on the sugar.

I have been seeing and hearing about all these creative t-shirts for Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty excited to read them! I was thinking it would be cool to have everyone post a photo of their unique pink shirt on twitter with the #gnccgoespink and we can choose a winner at the end of the weekend. The prize is yet to be determined but I think we can come up with something cool.

So at this time next week I will be on an airplane heading to Japan for my first-ever International trip. With the help of our friend Masami, along with KTM Japan, we will be taking XC1 Pro Rory Mead to represent GNCC in the Japanese National Cross Country AAGP finale on November 3. We originally had planned on taking Chris Bach along but he wasn’t able to make it so we’re pleased to announce the addition of Rory to the lineup. We’re also going to have Josh Strang as a GNCC representative, competing aboard a friend’s KX-250F. I’m really excited to get over there and experience the Japanese culture, as well as the unique racing atmosphere of an off-road racing series across the world. We will have tons of photos and hopefully some video (if I can figure out how to work it) of the race and the atmosphere.

One last note before I pass it along to the guys, if you were chosen in the Ironman Preferred Camping Lottery, please proceed to the front gate as usual and there will be a parking pass waiting for you. The cost is $20 per night and we ask that you bring cash to make it easier on the gate folks as you come in. Unfortunately there are only 30 spots and we do not have any left over, as there were over 300 entries for the lottery!

That’s going to be all for me today. Cheers to an amazing season of racing and can’t wait to end the season on a good note this weekend!

@JaredBolton:

I do the whole “can’t believe time has flown by” thing a lot, but I think it’s pretty well justified for this weekend. It really is hard to believe that we’ve already reached the final round of the year. Not just that, but it promises to be epic. Yes, I even pulled that now-hated word for it. Another term that comes to mind is “barn burner”, which could be more fitting for the battle to ensue among the farms of the Midwest.

By now everyone should know just how close the battle is between Kailub Russell and Charlie Mullins. The Ironman is a true winner-take-all event and I really couldn’t think of a better place for it to go down to end the season. The carnival-like atmosphere of the Ironman is really like no other race, and the spectators come out in droves to enjoy the racing action. I think it’s safe to say everyone is pretty excited for the weekend.

I mentioned last week that Maria Forsberg announced her retirement at the end of the 2013 season. I caught up with her for Tuesday Toolbox this week and it’s definitely a must-read. We talked about her career as a whole, what GNCC Racing has meant to her coming all the way from Washington State, what it’s like to be an inspiration to so many people, and more. It’s definitely worth checking out, so if you missed it, you can see it HERE.

I believe John Huegel should have the Super Senior B class championship on lock. John is the uncle of former Open-A and XC2 competitor, Charkie Huegel who made himself known with a little website called Offroad Junkies, which, hey, that’s where I came from too. I mentioned last week that Vance Earl has the Masters-A class on lock. Continuing through the list, quite a few of the C classes have championships locked up including (by my math) that of the Masters-C class going to Dale Folwell. Now, Folwell is a unique character if you ever get to know him a bit but he’s also the former Speaker Pro Tempore of the North Carolina House of Representatives and now serves as Division of Employment Security for North Carolina.

That’s just another perfect example of how racers all come from different backgrounds around the world. While many come from different professions, different backgrounds, different parts of the world, we all come together to share one thing, the love of the sport. It’s easy to get caught up in the competitive aspect of the sport and sometimes take things more seriously than we should. Never forget why you started racing your quad or motorcycle or UTV to begin with, and that’s because you truly had fun doing it. This is all supposed to be fun. Next time you’re having a rough day on the track and start hating life, just remember that.

Well, I really hate to cut things short this week with such a barnburner coming up this weekend but it’s time to head out to get things finished up and ready to race for this weekend. Hope everyone has an awesome weekend at the Ironman and let’s send the 2013 season out in style!

Until next time, Bolt-On out!

@HotRodney22:

A weekend of epic proportion dawns as the legendary Amsoil Ironman GNCC celebrates nearly two full decades of racing on this seemingly quiet little farm in southern Indiana.  Like its namesake, Bob “The Ironman” Slone, this GNCC has become literally one of a kind. Each year the course finds itself becoming one the most challenging and exciting races of the season. Being the final race of the series for most of its nineteen years there has been rather exciting championship finales witnessed here that many will never forget. This weekend shall be no different and for many it could be the best yet.

Remembering back only a couple of years ago at the end of the 2011 championship, Charlie Mullins was in nearly the same exact situation with Josh Strang when the finale came down to Loretta Lynn’s because of having to reschedule due to the early season flood in Tennessee. Charlie had then captured his first National Enduro Championship title and it came down to the very final round with basically a winner-take-all scenario, similar to what is happening here in 2013. How will this weekend’s race unfold? No one really knows right now but if nothing else, it’s going to be nothing less than exciting through the last three hours of the 2013 season.

As exciting as the two-wheel championship is, one cannot forget the historical value that this GNCC has on the ATV side of things. It has been mentioned time and time again over the last few months and it may sound like a broken record, but one has to think that if this season was anything like seasons past, the All Time ATV Wins Record would be broken and it would be business as usual. Not so much. If nothing else, Chris Borich is riding this wave of publicity as he positions himself to be one of the best of all time. Will he tie Bill Ballance’s 67 all-time ATV wins record or will it carry over till the 2014 season. If Walker Fowler, Adam McGill, Chris Bithell or any of the other boys have anything to say about it, it will.

The UTV racing will be equally as exciting as they too will wrap up their 2013 championship title chase. It too has been a rather exciting race season to watch. Defending Champion William Yokely and his wife Tina will face off against friends, family and foes to try and seal the deal. The early part of the season saw challenges from all fronts but as of late, it has been William’s nephew John Yokely who has been the thorn in the side. William has 12-point cushion heading into the final round but anyone who watches GNCC UTV racing, then you know that doesn’t mean a lot. All it takes is one little mistake to end your day in this form of racing and consistency will be key at the Ironman for both Yokely teams.

As anyone knows, the Ironman GNCC is as much a social event as it is a premier off-road race. Generally anyone who is anyone tries to make this event. If not to race, to at least witness what Indiana holds in store for the GNCC Racin’ Nation with each season’s end. It also means lots of things will be going on throughout the weekend off the track as well.

Nighttime activities both Friday and Saturday nights will take us through the non-race portion of our weekend. It is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the as you already know the Ironman is a “Pink Race” with all sorts of fundraisers and such going on the help promote that.

Sponsor Village will play host to a costume contest and trick or treat on Friday from 5-6 and Saturday from 6-7. It will be for all ages so don’t hold back and bring out the best!

Team Faith will once again host youth activities on Friday and Saturday nights from 6-7. Stop by the transporter and join in with GNCC Pastor Chuck LeMaster and don’t forget chapel services each race morning at 8:30 am at the Team Faith Transporter.

Parts Unlimited will once again be hosting the annual farewell dinner at the Moose Racing/Parts Unlimited tent near the finish area. Come break bread with your friends and reflect on what this 2013 season has brought us all.

And lastly, after the huge success in Ohio at the Powerline Park GNCC, karaoke returns this weekend. There will be trophies awarded to the top three and most of all good times. Warm up the vocal chords and get ready for some fun. Who knows, maybe I will sing a Tom Petty song or something....