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Race Report: Rnd 1 GNCC, Vero Beach, Florida
Rider: Paul Whibley
Team: Parts Unlimited, Moose, Honda
Bike: Honda CRFX 450
As a warm up to Rnd 1 of the GNCC series I raced 2 FTR (Florida Trail Riders) events. The Sweetwater Hare Scrambles (Rnd 6) was held at Zolfo Springs and the track was ,as we were told, very similar to conditions where the GNCC was to be held.
Garrett Edmisten is the local hero and has won this series for years. Off the start I was 3rd but shot into the lead on the 2nd corner as I had seen a line through some palmetto bushes.
Garrett, 2nd, was putting the pressure on. He is a top sand rider and this was my first race in the whoops for a while, so after half a lap he got by.
I stuck with him for a bit but then I stalled the bike and lost contact. As the race wound on I became more comfortable in the sand whoops and the palmetto roots.
I finished second behind Garret and was happy with the way the race had gone.
The next FTR race was Rnd 7, at Gatorback Park near Gainesville, where they used to hold AMA MX years ago.
The track was half sand and half hard-pack as the area is an old quarry. Garrett Edmisten holeshot and I followed him round the first turn into the already whooped out pine tree section. He pushed hard and was able to pull a small gap on me but I was able to reel him back in the hard pack sections.
As I came more used to the sand again I was able to match his speed through the whoops and we began to swap the lead between us.
On the second to last lap I took the lead and built a 10 second lead. Over the last lap I was able to increase that to around a minute.
With this preparation and a lot of time practicing and testing in the sand I was ready for Round 1 of the GNCC series at Vero Beach, Florida.
Off the line I got a good jump and was mid pack round the first turn. The dust was blinding and we were reduced to first gear follow the guy in front's rear fender.
As we came out to a more open section the dust cleared a bit and some passing was happening. I moved up to about 10th over the first lap.
Because I was pushing hard in the limited viability I was riding tight and pumped up. On the second lap my arms came right and I was able to push on towards the front.
I caught up to Mike Kiedrowski and made a pass stick. I also caught Glenn Kearney who seemed to be off his usual pace, possibly still suffering from the cold he had earlier in the week.
By the third lap I was up to about 6th or 7th, and coming up to the planned pit stop. As I entered the pits and prepared to swing in to get gas I got a pitboard saying gas next lap.
So I aborted and got back on the main jet. Things were going good and I hear that I had the fastest lap time on the third lap.
But then we struck out. I ran out of gas about a mile and a half from the pits. A few choice words spewed out my mouth as I started running. And, let me tell you, running in sand is no fun.
Add to that dodging bikes, a sun pounding down and a full set of riding rear. I even thought about ditching the boots and running in to the pits in socks.
Anyway, by the time I got to the pits I was buggered. I informed the crew of the drama, got a bottle of gas and ran back to the bike. By this time I had lost a lot of positions and was destroyed from the run.
I got on the bike and was determined to get some points, I pushed hard for the remaining two laps and clawed my way back to 15th in class.
A disappointing start to the year but if that was the bad luck for the year then we have some good racing to come.
Thanks to the following sponsors:
Moose,
Parts Unlimited,
Honda,
Pro Honda oils,
RG3,
WER,
EK chains,
Sunstar,
Pirelli,
Powersport Grafx,
Braking,
CTi,
Alpinestar,
Wiseco,
Thumper racing,
Cycra,
Smith,
Honda Riders Club America,
Tire Balls,
Tag,
IMS,
Motion Pro,
Moto SR,
Stringfellows
