Whibley Leads Suzuki Sweep at The Wiseco John Penton

Whibley, Strang, Jarrett Lead Suzuki GNCC Sweep at Ohio Mudder DuVall Again in XC2

One of the muddiest, toughest Can-Am Grand National Cross Country races ever ended up with a surprise finish and a podium sweep for the FMF Suzuki team. New Zealand’s Paul Whibley made a pass on his team-mate Josh Strang on the last lap to take the win at the Wiseco John Penton GNCC, with Ohio’s own Suzuki talent Jimmy Jarrett third. Strang led most of the race, and he had no idea how or where Whibley got by him, just as Whibley had no idea how he took the lead.

“I think this was the muddiest, sloppiest race I’ve ever been in,” said Whibley, a veteran of off-road racing around the world. “I don’t even know what happened. I thought I was in maybe third, and I got the pit board that said Josh :52, and I thought that meant he was catching me. I guess he was ahead and I passed him somewhere.”

Strang was confused and dejected after missing his chance for a first GNCC victory, instead taking second for the third-straight race. Regardless of order, the event marked a 1-2 finish for the new EFI Suzuki RM-Z450. Jarrett, who took the Racer X Holeshot Award, rounded out the podium on his RM250.

Series leader David Knight rode fast through the mud and water, but eventually took in enough of it through his airbox to slow his bike. At one point he climbed to second and looked ready to challenge Strang, until his machine stalled. Later he had stop in the pits for a new filter, as did his team-mate Nathan Kanney, and those problems cost the duo a few positions. Unofficially, Knight was credited with fourth, with Am-Pro Yamaha’s Jason Raines in fifth.

In XC2, Am-Pro Yamaha’s Thad DuVall took yet another win, ahead of Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Scotty Watkins and Steel City Honda’s Ryan Echols. Powersports GrafX/KTM’s Kailub Russell took the Thumpertalk.com Holeshot Award in the XC2 Class.

“I thought it would be awesome in the mud, but I wasn’t going anywhere early on and I was over it,” said DuVall. “All of a sudden, I got to hill and I just saw the whole class there! So I knew I was back in it.”

The 2008 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series continues in two weeks with the Weekend Warrior Spartan GNCC.



David Knight Report
Red Bull KTM Off Road Race Team

Knight claims fourth at US GNCC Round 6

Red Bull KTM Off Road Race Team rider David Knight remains at the head of the US Grand National Cross Country XC1 Pro class series standings despite not managing to finish on the podium at the sixth round of the series – The John Penton GNCC staged in Millfield, Ohio. With conditions much, much wetter than at any US GNCC race held so far this season Knight was looking forward to another winning result but due to a series of mechanical problems, caused due to the extremely wet and muddy conditions, could only manage fourth. Despite being unable to win David retains a 40-point lead at the head of the US GNCC series standings.

Making a good start to the three-hour race David rounded the opening corners in the runner-up position before quickly moving into the lead. With a clear track ahead of him and confident that he could collect his fifth victory in six races Knight’s troubles started just three miles into the race as his bike stopped as he rode down a hill towards a small river crossing. Dropping back down the leader board David was forced to spend much of the opening lap working his way back towards the front of the XC1 Pro class and as he completed the opening lap had moved himself into fifth.

Up to third by the end of lap two and then up the second by the end of lap three, Knight’s luck wasn’t with him as again his bike stopped, costing him track time and positions. With conditions worsening lap on lap David’s luck finally run out on lap five as his bike stopped permanently. Able to get it going again after a trip back to the pits David was eventually credited with a fourth place finish, which considering everything that happened during the race was an extremely good result.

Knight still remains comfortably out front in the XC1 pro class championship standings and has a 40-point lead over New Zealander Paul Whibley with Australian Josh Strang third, a further 10 points adrift. The seventh round of the US GNCC series – The Spartan GNCC, takes place on June 1.

David Knight: “Considering everything that happened during the race finishing fourth is pretty good. I really enjoyed the track and the conditions, it’s just disappointing that we had some problems that prevented me from winning. I felt really good and at one stage I closed down a two-minute gap on the leaders in half a lap - like I said it’s just frustrating that I wasn’t able to turn that into a winning result. At least I still have a good lead in the championship.

“We’re not sure exactly what the problem was but it seemed like water was getting into the engine. Right off the start my bike stopped, which put me back in the pack. That was about three miles into the race. I managed to work my way forwards pretty well but the bike was popping and banging whenever I got into the ruts filled with water.

“Lap two went well and I made up ground on the leaders but I got redirected around one of the really difficult sections of the track and found Paul Whibley coming towards me. I don’t know where I was but I lost a lot of time and ended up coming back to the section of track I was pointed away from. I managed to catch back up again but then my bike started stopping again.

“Eventually, on lap five, it stopped completely. I wasn’t too far from the pits so the team managed to get the bike back to the truck and running again. I rode the last lap but because the team helped me get the bike back to the truck I was only credited with having finished five laps. Luckily, because so many other riders went out, I still finished fourth. I really enjoyed the conditions but I guess it wasn’t my weekend. All things considered it ended up OK.”


KTM Racing
FRE KTM riders Adam McGill and Taylor Kiser finished second and third respectively at the 6th round of the ATV GNCC Series.

The 6th round, also known as the John Penton Classic, marked a very successful day for both KTM riders. McGill got a great jump and rounded the first turn in third position off the start. His team-mate, Kiser, was a few spots back in seventh. By the end of the first lap McGill had moved into second and Kiser was sitting right behind him in third.
 
"I was sitting comfortably in third until I got tangled with a lapped rider," commented Kiser. "Fortunately, we (the top three) had pulled a big enough lead that I was able to untangle and enter the race only losing one position." With one lap to go, Kiser caught Matt Smiley who had moved into third while Kiser was down, and passed him to take the last podium position. Kiser finished third, behind his team-mate McGill who rode a solid race to take home second overall.
 
With six rounds down McGill still holds the series points lead over Bill Balance. The points earned at this round helped Kiser move up to sixth in overall points.

Knight Makes the Best of the Worst.
Red Bull KTM rider David Knight made the best out of the worst as he battled his way into 4th place during the worst race conditions seen so far this season at the John Penton event that marked the 6th round of the GNCC Series.
 
Rain plagued the riders all day as the track slowly deteriorated from the rush of water that turned an already muddy track into an even worse wreck as the riders lined up for the start of the event. Despite the horrible track conditions, Knight and his Red Bull KTM team-mate, Nathan Kanney, had great starts as they both came around the first corner inside the top three.
 
Both riders swapped 2nd and 3rd position through the first two laps of the race. Unfortunately, Kanney's day ended on the end of the third lap when his bike seized after too much water found its way into the airbox from the many creek crossings and hard rain fall the riders were dealing with throughout the day. Kanney's early departure from the race still earned him 14th overall. Meanwhile, his team-mate Knight, who was also slowed up by the mud, managed to finish 5 laps finishing 4th overall on a day when many managed not to finish at all. Now six rounds into the season, Knight still holds a commendable points lead.
 
In the XC-2 class, Justin Williamson, got off to a great start and was running in 4th position when he got stuck in a creek crossing with other riders on the first lap. The amount of water that was sucked into his bike caused the bike to stop running. He had to be towed off which ended his day early resulting in a DNF. "The track was pretty beat up and lines were running all over the place. There was a lot of water on the track and where water wasn't flowing across, mud was. I was upset that my race ended early, but we will come back stronger at the next event," commented Williamson after the event.