Weekly Updates (Chelsea Taylor)

With the New Year in full swing, that means the 2017 season preparations are underway here at the Racer Productions’ office. The final rules and classes have been announced, and we’re working on assigning National Numbers. The first list of assigned numbers will be posted next Tuesday, January 10.

Trail Jesters recently released their plans for this upcoming season, and perhaps the biggest news is that they will be partnering with KTM North America. Sophomore XC2 Pro Lites rider, Benjamin Kelley, will head up with team as he looks to earn the XC2 title. Also joining him will be Jason Klammer, John Kelley, Taylor Johnston, Simon Johnson and Owen Giese. To read the full release, click HERE.

Australian WXC rider, Tayla Jones, will be partnering up with the Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4 team to compete in the full GNCC circuit for the first time ever. This is pretty big news and gives us a little more info on KR4’s plans for 2017, which sounds like they’re working towards one of their best seasons to date. Tayla has contested a handful of GNCC events over the past few seasons and has done pretty well, landing on the podium in all but one of her GNCC ventures thus far. Not only is this big for the KR4 team, but this is also really cool for the WXC class as a whole. Adding in another top competitor will definitely add to the prestige of this class that has grown tremendously over the past few season.

Congratulations to the 2016 U.S. World Trophy Team on being named the 2016 Riders of the Year by Cycle News. This marks the first time that this prestigious award has ever been given to a group of riders, and there isn’t a more fitting team to give it to. Read our full congratulatory release HERE.

Don’t forget that the deadline to apply for the part time race announcer position is coming up soon (January 15!).

Fowler 2.0 (Rodney Tomblin)

The New Year brings the official preseason to GNCC Racing season, and the masses have begun the annual training frenzy in preparation for the upcoming season. Many are redefining themselves and their programs while others build on what they have. Walker Fowler may be doing a little of both.

This past Ironman GNCC was a monumental event and brought some of the most historic moments our championship has seen. The number of entries and spectators was a record breaker. Amongst the madness, you may have missed Walker Fowler's pre-race interview. He had mentioned he was a little banged up from an incident the weekend before at a NECXC race where halfway through that race a bolt came out of his shock and said “it became an anchor pitching me straight over the bars to my face. I must have gotten my shoulder there too. Nothing was broken or torn but it was very badly bruised.”

Walker said he has spent 10 weeks off the bike and feels good being back in the saddle. He said,  “things are still a little tender and weak but I am wearing a brace to be safe.” As far as being back on the bike after so long Walker told me “It’s actually enjoyable and fun to ride again and that's not always the case. So I am super happy and relieved to be back and be problem free!”

The 2-Time champ is currently training in south Florida in the Sebring area and is neighbors with his former teammate Cole Richardson. Cole had an amazing season last year but struggled with health issues. It seems like he may have had things dialed in. He did experience some bumps but we will be checking in with him soon. Walker says even though they are neighbors that he really doesn't get to train much with many folks on a regular basis because he has such a different schedule than most. Walker said, “I'm kind of a lone wolf on the training. Mostly because I sleep in and stay up late so everyone else has gotten it done already!”  That's not what you expect to hear from a champ but if it works whose place is it to question.

So with the time off, Walker has had plenty of time to work. As we know, he has formed his own program to have a little more flexibility and with some recent social media posts it looks like the time has given him a chance to broaden his horizons. It appears Walker may have hit a little reset switch, which will reinvigorate an already amazing program. The next level may be hard to match for many. Along with ATV racing in the XC1 class Walker will join the UTV ranks as well.

It's a new Walker Fowler coming in 2017 and he could be a major force on a couple of different fronts. However, even though this is a new and refreshed version of Fowler, his focus remains on the ATVs and only hopes to get acquainted with this new form of racing. Walker told me “The UTV is very exciting news. Yamaha feels it's the future so they are getting me comfortable in it now while our focus is still the ATV, that way we are getting some seat time. Yamaha is super competitive and of course wants us to be successful in the car right out of the gate, but has made it clear that ATV championships need to be my goal and the UTV will be a bonus if we end up being good at that too! The 15 miles experience I now have says I have a lot too learn. But we will be at the back of the XC1 UTV Class come The UTV opener this year.”

So as the new season of racing approaches, the new Walker Fowler has upgraded, expanded his programing and is set to release the new version at the Big Buck GNCC season opener. Get ready for Walker2.0!