Ironman Returns MX Style (Chelsea Taylor)

This week’s edition of Quick Fill comes from the middle of I-70 as I head to Ironman Raceway with Davey Coombs. And for all you wondering and possibly worrying that you’ve missed the memo, we didn’t move the Ironman GNCC, I’m actually heading to Indiana for the final round of the 2015 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. Thankfully it looks as if the weather is going to hold off, allowing for some great activities and racing to happen!

Probably one of the coolest things you can see this Saturday is the Legends Race featuring Jeff Emig, Tim Ferry, Ricky Carmichael, Jeff Stanton, Kevin Windham, Guy Cooper and more. I’m still trying to figure out who I think is going to win, but I know either way that it’s going to be a great race! Also, there are two full days of amateur racing including FLYday Friday and the Hoosier State Championship if you feel like you need a little motocross action in your life. You can read all about the weekend action right HERE. Also, WXC racer Rachel Gutish will be making her pro WMX debut on Friday at the iconic Ironman Raceway. In 2014, Ryan Sipes made an appearance finishing 10-3 for fourth overall, and this year he returns and hopes to improve on last year. So pack up the parents, children, grandparents and neighbors and head over to the 2015 Bud Light Ironman National to show Ryan some love as he races against the best motocross racers in the world! 

If you’re up in the New York area and don’t want to drive to Indiana, check out the Western New York Offroad Association (WNYOA) race on Sunday, August 23. It’s just across from where Unadilla is located and will be a great opportunity for you to get prepared for the next GNCC in September because it features many of the same features! You can find out more about the race HERE.

That’s all for me this week, have a great weekend and get out there and enjoy some dirt!

Calm Before The Storm (Rodney Tomblin)

There always seems to be a little calm before any big storm and if this summer has been anything, it has been quiet. At least from an ATV standpoint it has been relatively quiet but last week we heard some rumblings and with what happened to make that rumbling we may have seen a glimpse into the future. As well we saw some top bike guys staying busy all last week at the Athens County Fair in Ohio as several of the GNCC Racin’ Nation turned out to knock some dust off and get some riding time in at the Moto Enduro.

Action Sports Promotions presented the Warehouse Tire Moto Enduro where riders competed for a $4000 purse. It was a 2-moto format on a manmade enduro type course. The format is a great way to bring off road racing to the limelight and showcase the amazing talents and with a two-moto format it throws an edge of motocross in as well. 

In the first ATV Pro race Walker Fowler won with Adam McGill 2nd, Brycen Neal 3rd, Braden Henthorn 4th and JR Brown 5th. Cole Richardson won there last year but he was out with mechanical issues as well the same with local hero Levi Coen. In the second race McGill got the hole shot and went wire to wire with Walker all over him the entire race. Brycen Neal was third followed by JR Brown and Braden Henthorn. Overall it had some resemblance to a GNCC podium as McGill took the win, Fowler took second and Brycen Neal finished up third.

In the first Bike Pro, Thad Duvall was leading until he crashed in the firewood section. This gave Cory Buttrick the lead. Buttrick took it all the way to the end with Duvall 2nd with Chris Douglas passing Nick Fahringer at the line for 3rd as Triston Landrum finished 4th. In the second moto, Buttrick took the lead early with Sam Evans and Chris Douglas behind. Douglas and Evans both crashed in the firewood, putting Landrum in second. Thad was using a crazy jump combination that no one else was doing but missed it and ended up going over the bars pretty spectacularly. He got up and charged back to third behind Buttrick and Landrum. Nick Fahringer was 4th and Chris Douglas was 5th. Overall top 3 were Buttrick, Duvall, Landrum.

Racing and Racing and Racing (Jared Bolton)

While it’s generally been a pretty quiet summer, there’s still been a good bit of racing going on and even more coming up before we head to Unadilla. Obviously Kailub Russell has been on a tear in the Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro series and has only lost 1 of the 4 rounds thus far. That loss came from Daniel Milner, who has struggled through the first part of the GNCC season and some felt the Full Gas win came as a surprise. However, its no surprise to see Milner excel in that format as it’s nearly the same as the European style format of racing that he’s used to. 

Milner has excelled in the ISDE, which by today’s standards are extremely similar to the Sprint Enduro format consisting of shorter, fast test sections and long grass tracks. American riders have struggled with this in the past as we’re used to longer, grueling off-road races while some foreign riders have also had to adapt to our style of racing.

On the other hand, American riders have struggled some at the ISDE with the short, sprint style tests but have begun to really adapt in the past few years. Its no secret that the European riders are extremely fast in this format but the American teams have picked it up recently. This year very well could be one of the best showings the American ISDE teams have ever seen.

Currently standing between some of the ISDE riders and this year’s ISDE is the next round of the National Enduro series with the famous Jack Pine National Enduro in Michigan this weekend. Jack Pine is known the world over as one of the oldest enduro events in the world. In fact, the old Penton Jackpiner motorcycles got their name from the Jack Pine Enduro. 

After a tough race in Pennsylvania, Kailub Russell will ultimately be looking to snag another National Enduro win. This time at one of the same events his dad, Jeff Russell, was able to claim the overall win at in 1989. KR would also take him his very own Cow Bell, which has been awarded to the overall winner of the Jack Pine Enduro since it’s inception in 1923. 

ATV Racing as a Team Sport? (Rodney Tomblin)

Each year early in the season you hear folks in the ATV racing world talking about joining a team and racing together. Well what seemed so out of the ordinary a decade or so ago has changed quite a bit. This weekend will feature the biggest of the type. One in the good ole USA and one in France. That’s right this weekend the Heartland Challenge and the France’s Pont De Vaux race are being held the same weekend. The usual suspects have all made their way to Iowa but who is in France?

I will tell you who went to France! Adam McGill that’s who! Adam has teamed up with sponsor Baldwin Motorsports to make a bid for this years coveted run in France. Mark assembled a team he feels is capable of winning and hopes that the odds play in their favor this year. It seems somehow the rules end up benefitting the French and a huge disadvantage to the Americans. Although we have won before it isn’t an easy task. Not only racing great world talent but also keeping up with rules that seem to change on a regular basis.

Joining McGill this year for the 12 hour team race will be AMA Pro ATV racers Jeffery Rastrelli and Josh Upperman. Each with their own particular skills could bring it together to a win. McGill will certainly have a target on his back at this one as many of the Europeans follow closely what’s going on and Adam may be considered a pretty big star this weekend.

I spoke with Adam and he seems excited as they are signing in, walking the track and getting acclimated to the conditions. All in all it should be the fastest team out there but it is 12 hours and lots can happen. I know I cannot wait to see how team USA does and to hear some of the stories from the journey. One thing is unclear though. I know these guys know each other pretty well but have never raced together like this. Poor Josh Upperman may be in for an awakening if the personalities of McGill and Rastrelli hit it off. Actually thinking more about it, I just hope those two are allowed to come back home when this is all done.

#ThrowbackThursday (Jared Bolton)

A little earlier I mention there would be a fimilar face to long-time GNCC faithful competing in this weekend’s Legends Race at the Ironman National, and that’s none other than the 1990 125 class Pro Motocross champion, Guy Cooper, who turned to off-road racing after retiring from motocross.

Guy also found success in the off-road world taking the overall win at the 1994 Ocala GNCC in Ocala, Florida and also representing the USA at the last ISDE held in the USA in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1994. Coop rode alongside Randy Hawkins, Scott Summers, Rodney Smith, Jeff Russell and Ty Davis on the World Trophy team that year.

These days Guy is still actively involved in the sport as the manager of the Motosport/GPI/Honda team contesting the Pro Motocross and Supercross ranks.