KR4 Arrive-n-Ride Race Report from The General

Only a week had passed since the inaugural Florida Mud Muckers GNCC, and the KR4 Performance Arrive-n-Ride Team was already back on the road to Washington, Georgia for The General, Round 2 of the Grand National Cross Country Series. With inclement weather in the forecast and red Georgia clay to contend with, our Arrive-n-Ride team was going to have their hands full but was more than up for the challenge!

To sum up raceday on Sunday, it was a MUD FEST! The General made Mud Muckers look like Mud Puddles in comparison. It started raining at the Aonia Pass MX facility at 4 AM early Sunday morning and continued to pour until late afternoon, creating almost unbearable riding conditions.

During the Youth race, the rain had already come down in great quantities and turned The General into a soggy mess. All members of our Arrive-n-Ride youth team soldiered through the nasty conditions to finish strong in their races. Korie Steede put in another outstanding performance with her second consecutive win in the Girls (8-15) class and is quickly earning a reputation as a mud specialist. Grant Davis was also in top form, landing his second 65cc (7-9) podium finish in two rounds. Peyton Whipkey made mud his bud and rode to a solid 3^rd place finish in the 65cc (10-11) division.

KR4 Youth Results:

Korie Steede: Girls (8-15) - 1^st
Grant Davis: 65cc (7-9) - 2^nd
Peyton Whipkey: 65cc (10-11) - 3^rd
Brian Keegan: 85cc (7-11) - 7^th
Jamie Baskerville: 85cc (12-13) - 7^th
Logan Theakston: 85cc (7-11) - 10^th
Brandon Keegan: Supermini (12-13) - 13^th

The puddles were turning to lakes by the time the 10 AM race rolled around, and our KR4 riders had their work cut out for them. Brittan Laird and Conner Keegan duked it out in the 200C Schoolboy division, and both notched top-five finishes. Karlynn Beam used the awesome power of her Pro-Circuit backed ride to get the WXC holeshot and went into the woods in the top 3. Unfortunately, she was swallowed whole by a tank-deep mud pond and drowns the engine, forcing her to retire the day prematurely. George Molnar and Albert Chuppa proved that age and treachery do beat out youth and exuberance sometimes! They used their veteran skills and tenacity to earn 1st and 2nd, respectively.

Puddles were turning into lakes during Sunday's races. Photo: Courtesy of KR4

KR4 Amateur Bike Results:

George Molnar: Super Senior B (45+) - 1^st
Albert Chuppa: Elite Masters (60+) - 2^nd
Brittan Laird: 200C (12-15) - 4^th
Conner Keegan: 200C (12-15) - 5^th
Karlynn Beam: WXC - DNF

After the AM race was over, the course had deteriorated to the point where it was almost unrideable. As the rain continued to fall, GNCC officials made the decision to cut the PM race to 2 hours from its normal 3. Shane Hufford got off to a great start by earning the XC2 Pro Lites holeshot! He used this as an opportunity to spray everyone else’s goggles with mud and stay towards the front. He ended the day with a solid top five. The KR4 Fastest Lap Award was back for Round 2 and was earned this time by Grant Baylor, who was able to navigate the slop-fest the quickest.

Shane Hufford had a great start, receiving the XC2 holeshot award. Photo: Courtesy of KR4

KR4 PM Bike Results:

Shane Hufford: XC2 Pro Lites - 5^th
Andy France: 4 Stroke A Lites - 13^th
Colin Keegan: 250B - 18^th
Kurtis Palmer: 250B - 20^th

With Round 2 of the GNCC series in the books, KR4 Performance is heading west to what should be a substantially drier Concho Enduro. Check back with us next week to read about our Arrive-n-Ride Team’s experience at National Enduro Round 2 in Blackwell, Texas!

KR4 Fastest Lap Award was back for Round 2 and was earned this time by Grant Baylor. Photo: Courtesy of KR4