The Powerline Park GNCC Side by Side and Pro ATV Race Report
St. Clairsville, Ohio, October 8, 2011
National Guard Polaris Coastal DragonFire Yokley Racing Team driver William Yokley finished 1st Overall and 1st in the Side by Side Open Modified Class. National Guard Polaris Coastal Yokley Racing Team driver Scott Kiger finished 31st Overall and 17th in the same class after being involved in a mishap. There were 45 total entries with 22 Open Modified teams in the race today. William’s guest passenger was Steve Gieble, and Scott’s passenger was Joe Waligora.
National Guard Coastal Yokley Racing Pro ATV Team rider Jarrod McClure finished 6th Overall and 5th in the XC1 Pro ATV class. There were 145 total entries with 14 XC1 Pro riders.
Summary – Side by Side
William Yokley’s National Guard Polaris took 1st Overall.
Powerline Park is always a popular venue with both riders and spectators. The course offers fast open field sections, tight, technical trails with lots of natural elevation changes. Rain during the week made the course a little slick, but the competitors agreed that it was a blast to race on.
The National Guard Polaris Team started on the first row, and as they headed into the woods, Yokley was in 3rd and Kiger a few positions further back. There was a brief bottleneck when one racer got crossed up in a tight section allowing all the others to close in bumper to bumper. Yokley finished lap 1 in 3rd and Kiger was 7th. By lap 3, William was in the lead with Scott in 3rd, and the team was looking good for podium finishes.
On lap 4, Scott Kiger clipped a tree in a high speed, narrow part of the course. The impact directed him straight
National Guard Coastal’s Scott Kiger ran well early on.
into another tree, resulting in a huge hit, and instant stop. The front wheel and A-arm received the brunt of the force, and were strung out along the trail. It was a tough way to end the day, but fortunately no one was hurt.
Meanwhile, Yokley was cruising along in the lead, and other than getting caught up behind lappers in tight sections, he had a trouble free race. The win put William back in the hunt for the GNCC season championship and Scott a close 3rd with just one race remaining.
The team will now prepare for the last GNCC race at the Crawfordsville Indiana Ironman in 2 weeks. They hope to finish the season on a positive note!
Summary – XC1 Pro ATV
National Guard Coastal’s Jarrod McClure, # 16, almost got the holeshot.
National Guard Coastal Yokley Racing Team rider Jarrod McClure was happy to be racing in another GNCC for the second time in 2 weeks, and not traveling back and forth across the US as he has been this year racing in 2 national series. He was looking for a good finish and was ready to go. The ATV course included a brutal mudhole section which made for quite a challenge.
Jarrod got a good start and was running in 2nd for most of lap 1. He got stuck in the previously mentioned mudhole on lap 2, and several riders got by him as he tried to get out. Some ambitious fans tossed him a rope, and proceeded to help pull him out. He may still have been there if not for the help! Once out, he still had some problems from being partially submerged and covered in mud. His muddy goggles, gloves, pants and boots were making it difficult to hang on and get back up to racing speed.
Fortunately, Jarrod was able to hang on for 5th in the XC1 Pro class at the finish. He now is preparing for the Ironman GNCC in Crawfordsville Indiana in 2 weeks. Jarrod is currently in 7th in GNCC season points and will try to move up at the next race. See you there!