Polaris/Coastal/CST/National Guard/Yoshimura/Yokley Racing Team Captures Top Ten Finishes at The General GNCC

Wednesday, March 19, 2014 | 4:55 PM

The opening round of 2014 AMSOIL GNCC Side-by-Side championship took place on Saturday at Aonia Pass MX Park in Washington, Ga. The General GNCC drew a record number of 71 total Side-by-Side entries, including 32 XC1 Modified teams. Polaris/Coastal/CST/National Guard/Yoshimura/Yokley Racing Team driver William Yokley finished tenth in the XC1 Modified Class and sixteenth overall, while team driver Scott Kiger finished fifth overall and fifth in the same class.

At the drop of the flag for the dead-engine start, the Polaris Team RZR 900 machines fired right up from the front row and both Yokley and Kiger maintained a comfortable pace behind the leaders heading into the woods on the first lap.

Team Driver, Scott Kiger, finished fifth overall at The General GNCC after flying across the U.S. from the Mint 400 earlier in the day. Photo: Hill

Reigning XC1 Modified Champion William Yokley, alongside his passenger and wife Tina, made his way into third on the opening lap. Unfortunately, Yokley hit a ditch at the end of the first lap and encountered steering issues for the remainder of the race.

“After I hit that ditch we ran into some steering problems that caused us to fall way back,” Yokley said. “Then we lost our brakes and a log got into the front end so we just cruised it and tried to be consistent and finish it without wrecking.”

The Georgia clay tacked up to create favorable track conditions. Photo: Hill

Yokley went on to salvage tenth place in the XC1 Modified Class, while finishing sixteenth overall at the season opener.

Team driver Scott Kiger knew he was in for a long day as he spent Saturday morning competing in the 400-mile desert race known as the Mint 400 in Jean, Nev. Later on that day, Kiger switched gears and jetted across the U.S. to meet his passenger Tyler King in Georgia just minutes before the start of the Side-by-Side race.

Not having walked the track prior to the race, Kiger chose to follow the leaders into the woods on the opening lap. It didn’t take long for them to figure out the track, dialing in the Polaris machine to maneuver their way through the pack. The Pennsylvania-based team secured fifth place in the XC1 Modified Class and fifth overall for the day.

The Polaris RZR 900 machines held tough through Saturday's battles. Photo: Hill

“The track got a little whooped out and some of the mud got really deep but the Polaris did a great job out there,” Kiger said. “It was a great race and it’s always fun to come down here to Georgia.”

For the first time ever, the GNCC Series broadcast Saturday’s Side-by-Side race live in its entirety on the Internet. The archived show can be viewed on RacerTV.com or by clicking HERE.

The GNCC Side-by-Side Series will resume on April 12 with the Big Buck GNCC in Union, S.C. For a complete listing of results and point standings, visit www.gnccracing.com or click HERE.

Yokley Side-by-Side Racing Team Sponsors:

Polaris Industries, Coastal Racing, CST, Army National Guard, Yoshimura, Holz Racing Products, OMF, Walker Evans, Fluidyne, Beard Seats, Tireballs, SustainU, Hot Cams and Big Country Powersports.

The General GNCC
Washington, Ga.
Round 1 of 6
Saturday, March 15

XC1 Modified Results:

Big Country Powersports (POL)
Team Can-Am/JB Racing (CAN)
Team Game On (CAN)
Team Crashaddict (CAN)
Coastal National Guard (POL)
Team Can-Am/ATV Parts Plus (CAN)
Team Jacks/Can-Am (CAN)
Team DS Racing (POL)
Team Trials (POL)
Polaris National Guard (POL)

XC1 Modified Point Standings:

Big Country Powersports (30)
Team Can-Am/JB Racing (25)
Team Game On (21)
Team Crashaddict (18)
Coastal National Guard (16)
Team Can-Am/ATV Parts Plus (15)
Team Jacks/Can-Am (14)
Team DS Racing (13)
Team Trials (12)
Polaris National Guard (11)