Kawasaki/Racer X Race Report
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Am-Pro Yamaha swept the event when 17-year-old Thad DuVall won the XC2 Lites class on his WR250F. Red Bull KTM’s Justin Williamson was second over Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/FAR Kawasaki’s Josh Weisenfels. Weisenfels led early before smashing his foot on a tree, allowing Williamson into the lead, but then DuVall put in an amazing last lap charge to pass both on the last lap and take the win.
Over 1180 racers competed over the weekend, run under perfect weather conditions with temperatures in the 80s. The tight track featured numerous spectator-friendly obstacles, including a creek jump, a creek crossing, and even a run through an abandoned house.
Mullins made almost all of it look easy. “I followed Jimmy for a few laps” said Mullins, who had grabbed the Racer X Holeshot. “I saw a line to get around him and then gapped the field as best as I could. The last lap I made a mistake off the creek jump, I jumped it and there was a lapper coming, and I hit him. I thought I threw the race away, and my front brake was done after that. Luckily I had a big enough lead. I’m happy to win after having some problems at the last few races.”
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Whibley’s second-place finish was his best result since winning the second round of the 2007 GNCC season back in March. For the first time in his GNCC career, he got a good start and used it to his advantage.
“After the start I was almost in shock, I was wondering what happened to everybody,” said Whibley. “I got my best start ever. It helped me stay relaxed because I didn’t need to take unnessary risks. The track was unbelievably tight, the first couple laps I was struggling with the 450, it was way too much power in the tight stuff. But I managed to settle down and started racing with Garrett and Barry.”
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”Hawk made up points on Knight, who fell in the second turn of the race and never got to the front. “It was a waste of time,” said Knight, no doubt frustrated with his result. “I was in last, and it was just so hard to pass. I crashed and pushed my clutch lever down, and I couldn’t get it back up. Then I hurt my thumb, I think I dislocated it. It hurt, and then I hit it on the clutch lever to try to get it back up, and that made it worse. I couldn’t pass anyone and get to the front because it was so tight. Just a waste of time really, the whole day didn’t go well.”
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Sixth went to
“It took me forever to get going, I just don’t have the confidence yet to really flow early on,” said Raines. “But later, it all started coming back, I felt kind of like I used to, I was coming through and just picking guys off one by one. It’s definitely better than the last two races.”
In XC2, Powersport GrafX/KTM’s Dustin Gibson grabbed the Thumpertalk.com Holeshot, but Weisenfels quickly took the lead. He looked like a winner until smashing his foot on a tree, and then the race unfolded, with Williamson leading on the last lap before getting caught by a flying DuVall.
“I’ve been down at Randy’s (Hawkins) testing and training with Charlie Mullins, so I want to thank him,” said DuVall. “Josh was riding really good on the first lap so I let him go, I passed J-Dub (Williamson) and next thing I knew I was laying down in a creek over a bank. Some guy helped me up over, and if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be up here right now. I thought the day was over, but I cruised for a couple of laps and stayed up there, so I thought maybe I could still do it. The last two laps, I’ve never rode so fast in my life. I really didn’t think I could do it, but I got a pit board, and it said minus one minute, and then it said minus 45, so I figured if I was closing in that quick I better keep charging. The creek bed was my strongest point, so I just hit it wide open. I scared myself a few times, but that’s what it took to get up there. I went right through the middle of the whoops wide-open and got around Justin.”
L-R Weisenfels, DuVall and Williamson on the XC2 podium.
“I wasn’t
on my groove like I was at Unadilla,” said Williamson. “Midway I caught up to
the guys ahead of me, I was slowly catching Weisenfels, and then I caught right
up to him, he crashed, so I passed him pretty easy there. I swapped out in the
creek section and about went off into the creek, but instead I hit a giant
tree. I smashed the same foot Josh did. I just kept trucking, but Thad put on a
great charge on that last lap, and I really didn’t have much for him."
“I made
good choices and everything felt pretty easy early on,” said Weisenfels. “I
caught up to Justin and he let me by. I hit a tree so hard, I thought my foot
was broken for sure, but I had so much adrenaline I figured I would go to the
end. But with two laps to go I couldn’t put my foot down I hit it so hard I
screamed. The whole metal part of my boot is gone. I would have liked to win,
but it’s hard to complain when you get a podium.”
Pro
motocross racer Zach Osborne made his GNCC debut racing in the XC2 Lites class
on a Yamaha YZ250F, and the
The Can-Am Grand National Cross
Country Series continues in two weeks with the Power Like Park GNCC in
Results:
September 30, 2007
Bike Overall
1. Charles Mullins
2. Paul Whibley
3. Barry Hawk, Jr
4. Garrett Edmisten
5. Glenn Kearney
6. Jesse Robinson Connellys Spg, NC KAW 03:11:58
7. Jason Raines Belfair, WA YAM 03:12:24
8. David Knight Isle of Man,
9. Thaddeus Duvall Williamstown, WV YAM 03:13:43
10. Justin Williamson
11. Josh Weisenfels
12. Jimmy Jarrett
13. Rodney Smith
14. Cory Buttrick Logan, OH KTM 03:19:18
15. Brian Guenther
16. Anthony Roberts
17. Scott Watkins Leetonia, OH KAW 03:21:35
18. Jason Gilleland Vale, NC KTM 03:22:06
19. Andrew Matusek
20. Zach Osborne Abingdon, VA YAM 03:22:42
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Can-Am Grand National
Cross Country Series Standings
(After 11 of 13
rounds)
1. David Knight 222/5 wins
2. Barry Hawk, Jr 210/2 wins
3. Charlie Mullins 196/2 wins
4. Garrett Edmisten 174
5. Glenn Kearney 164
6. Jimmy Jarrett 163
7. Paul Whibley 149/1 win
8. Joshua Strang 124
9. Jesse Robinson 123
10. Justin Williamson 100
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XC2 Pro Lites
1. Justin Williamson (192/2 wins)
2. Scotty Watkins (180/1 win)
3. Rodney Smith (178/3 wins)
4. Josh Weisenfels (168)
5. Dustin Gibson (154/1 win)
6. Thad DuVall (150/2 wins)
7. John Barber (122)
8. Brian Lawson (116)
9. Wallace Palmer (93)
10. John Bennett (87)