Another Repeater: Good and Borich take the Overalls

Round thirteen of the GNCC Series was back at Powerline Park in St. Clairsville , Ohio for another year of racing. The trails were familiar to many locals as the Park is open most year round for riding. The GNCC Course marshals came to the track and laid out a twelve mile track that they knew the amateurs and Pro's alike would enjoy. For the morning race, the track was shortened to less than eleven miles, taking out a few bad off-camber sections. The weather was going to be sunny, but breezy cool as the dust rose up from several weeks since rain. Jeff Russell came to the starting line to prepare the two hundred and fifty quads for the track consisting of Gus's mud hole, dead deer hollow, and more!

The Start

Ricky Towery summoned the quads to silence as he called out ten seconds. Hearts were racing and championships were on the line, where as some were already won. With the green flag up in the air, row one of the Women and Super Senior riders were off around turn one with Angel Atwell and John Gallagher rounding the turn side by side for the holeshot. Atwell has been on the gas lately, putting her Yamaha first around the turns at the last three events. Stephanie Parton, 2004 Women's Class Champion was aboard the Honda today, and with the kick-start intact, her start was practically last, somewhere Parton was not used to being. Row Two, the Four Stroke Stock Class was ready to go when the green flag went up. None other than Round One and Round Eight's Overall Finisher, Will Cashion took the holeshot with Brandon Sommers, the 2004 Four Stroke C 16-24 year old Class Champion, all over his rear tires. Rounding turn three, Cashion got squirrelly and Sommers was able to capitalize on the holeshot. In the Utility Stock Class, Mike Penland, also with his 2004 Championship intact, took the holeshot. In the Utility Modified Class, Scott Kilby was back out front with his Kawasaki .

Angel Atwell is getting good at putting her Yamaha out front when the green flag goes up, and at Round Thirteen, she does the same.	Coming around the first turn, Will Cashion was able to grab the holeshot and hold it until the third turn, where after getting hung up, Brandon Sommers was able to take it away.

The biggest start of the morning, and the riders in the 4 Stroke C 16-24 year old class doesn't come out unscared.	On lap one, the first riders to see coming out of the woods was Traci Cecco and John Gallagher.

Lap One

With just over a twenty-six minute first lap, Traci Cecco came by with the lead. John Gallagher in the Super Senior Class was right on her tail for second. Less than ten seconds later, Billy Good and Tyler Lenig, aboard a borrowed quad from The Quadshop, were holding first and second overall based on adjust time. At Round twelve in West Virginia, Tyler Lenig's quad burned to a crisp, and here with borrowed equipment in order to finish out the season, with help from Tireballs, the Quadshop, Maxxis, Douglas Wheels, and funds from many fellow racers and friends, Tyler was able to compete for points. Second in the Women's Class, just fifteen seconds behind Cecco was Angel Atwell. Holding onto third place in the 4 Stroke Stock Class, a minute behind Lenig was Harlen Foley. Foley missed round twelve due to a new addition to his family over the summer break. In fourth place was Will Cashion, just seconds behind Foley. Twenty seconds back was Brandon Sommers in sixth. Third place in the Women's Class, over a minute and a half behind Atwell was Stephanie Parton aboard the Honda.

Even though Billy Good came through as the third rider on lap one, with adjusted time, he was already in the Overall positition with Tyler Lenig right on his rear wheels.	Brandon Sommers was holding onto third place on lap one, and was looking for another podium finish.

Lap Two

On lap two, Billy Good took over the lead with Tyler Lenig not giving up without a fight. Good, no stranger to the Overall had no motocross here to gain time over Lenig. Just a minute back, still in the Women's Class lead was Traci Cecco, holding off John Gallagher by fifteen seconds in the dusty conditions. Still holding onto third overall was Brandon Sommers, third in the 4 Stroke Stock Class, forty seconds behind Gallagher, but over two minutes behind Lenig. Sommers had his hands full with Harlen Foley, Matt Hanna, and Dan Kiehl, that he was pushing his GThunder Yamaha all he could. Angel Atwell still rode in second place, a minute forty behind Cecco with Stephanie Parton holding onto third, still over a minute behind Atwell. Second place in the Super Senior Class was Ken Vickered, nearly four minutes behind John Gallagher Sr. In the Utility Unlimited Class, Doug Henke was where he liked to be, out front with a two minute lead over Brock Parker. Henke was inching his way into the top ten overall, even on lap two. In the Four Stroke C 16-24 year old Class, Michael Howell took over the lead on lap two, with Sloan Jackson on his rear tires for second place.

Doug Henke, Kawasaki rider in the Utility Unlimited Class, has been on his way to another great season in 2004 with a Class win at the Powerline Park	Billy Good was out front again on lap two.

Lap Three

On lap three, Billy Good came through the mud hole at the back of the pits all by himself. Over a minute later, Tyler Lenig, still holding onto second, came roaring by on his borrowed ATK. Right at a minute later, after a quick pit stop, Brandon Sommers was sitting in third overall. Twenty seconds later, Traci Cecco came in for the Women's Class lead, battling fourth place in the 4 Stroke Stock Class, Dan Kiehl and Matt Hanna. A minute back was sixth place, Mark Rhodes battling with Harlen Foley. Second place in the Women's Class was still Angel Atwell with Stephanie Parton close to two minutes back from Atwell. In fourth place was Stefanie Verkade just over a minute behind Parton.

Tyler Lenig was holding his own on his borrowed quad from The Quadshop.  Lenig was anxious to get up on the podium to thank all those sponsors that have helped him out to get to finish the 2004 season.	Brandon Sommers of GThunder was looking for the podium, with gleam in his eyes.

Overall

Billy Good, no stranger to the podium, enjoys being up in the spotlight and spraying the champagne after a good long battle.

When the checkered flag went out, the man to cross the finish line first was Billy Good, taking his third Overall win for the 2004 season.

“The dust was bad. The mud was bad. The hillclimb was bad. On the first lap, Tyler got by me and I finally got him back before the end of lap one. On the last lap, I couldn't feel his pressure and I thought I was riding too cocky that he would get me back, but I calmed down to get here first. I just want to thank my Dad and Bobby Cycle Works for all the help this year,” Good said as he was smiling up on the podium.

Taking second overall was Tyler Lenig, right at two minutes back. “I had a lot of confidence coming into this race. After all the help from sponsors, friends, and fans, I am just happy to be up here and get the chance to tell them thanks for everything they were able to do for me in my time of need. Two weeks ago, my quad caught on fire and I thought it was over for me. Today, I got out there on the starting line and knew what had to be done. My start was good, but I got hung up with one of the Women riders when I was trying to pass and that is when Billy got by me. I stayed behind him and just battled it out. I want to thank Tireballs, they were the first to contact me for help. Jeff Stoess with The QuadShop and John Rowling loaned me the new ATK to finish the season and Marty Eckered started a fund to get me a new quad. Everyone has really been there for me, like a real racing family.” Lenig was excited that with all the help and with the boost of confidence, plans to keep the fire lit underneath him.

No one could take this day away from him as he thanked God and his parents for the season he had wanted with two podium finishes and a Class Championship.

Taking third overall was Brandon Sommers of GThunder. “I like being here. I am getting better overall finishes than when I was starting on the ninth row, second row is definitely better. It is definitely good to be up here again. I want to thank God first and foremost, andmy parents, the fans, and my entire family, along with GThunder, the QuadShop, ExRiders.com, and QuadZone.”

Just forty seconds behind Sommers for fourth overall was Mark Rhodes, still wheel to wheel with Matt Hanna and Dan Kiehl.

In seventh overall was Traci Cecco, taking the Women's Class win, which was definitely a boost for Cecco after coming into the Powerline Park with new autographs for the fans. In eighth overall was Doug Henke, who won the Utility Unlimited Class by over five minutes over Brock Parker, who finished just inside the top twenty overall. John Gallagher took the Super Senior Class win with eleventh overall; Gallagher took his ninth Class win in a row. In twelfth overall, nearly three minutes behind the leader, Angel Atwell took second place in the Women's Class with Stephanie Parton aboard her new Honda two minutes back for sixteenth overall.

P.M. Race

With over two hundred quads on the starting line, the green flag went up and got started Round Thirteen for the afternoon Pro, A, and B riders. On lap one, in the Pro Am Class, Jeremy Rice had a twenty second lead over Jathan Seale, who raced 4 Stroke A Class at Round One in Texas with the win and moved to Pro Am at Round Two in Florida and took the class win there after moving up. Right behind Seale on lap one was 2004 new comer, Brandon Sturdivant, with Chris Jenks ten seconds back for fourth. On lap two, Jeremy Rice was still out front and moving higher up in the top ten overall. Jenks moved into second place, thirty-five seconds back. Thirty seconds back was Seale with Sturdivant another thirty seconds back for fourth. On lap three, Rice pulled his lead to just over forty-five seconds and was nudging on fifth overall. Jenks was holding his own in second place, also in the top ten overall, battling with Seale. Still holding onto fourth place was Sturdivant with Rob Hertz fifteen seconds back for fifth. On the white flag lap, Rice was still cruising in first, but Seale and Jenks were battling tight for second place, with Seale coming through the woods first.

In the Open B Class, Shane Benson with Four Stroke Tech took the holeshot on his number eighty-five Honda, but at the end of lap one, Anthony Hill, Benson, and Mark Notman were wheel to wheel coming through the scoring tent in first. On lap two, Benson was able to pull away out front, taking a forty second lead over Hill. Ryan Leckrone moved up to third place, only thirty seconds back with Craig Wilson, Tom Collins, and Notman in a close race for fourth. On the third lap, Benson set the cruise control and checked out from the pack, holding the lead by over a minute. Second place was Collins, with pressure from Hill and Wilson. Dropping to fifth a minute back was Leckrone. On the fourth lap, Benson was the only class rider to not get lapped by the Pro Riders, giving him all five laps to complete. Taking second place at the checkered flag was Hill over a minute fifteen back from Benson. In third place was Notman, just under a minute behind Hill with Collins right on his tail, taking fourth.

Overall

Taking his second straight overall was Chris Borich. Borich battled all day with William Yokley and Bill Ballance, where they were all back and forth for the lead, but Borich was able to pull just eight seconds over Yokley. Back in third was Ballance fourteen seconds back. In the Pro Am Class, Jeremy Rice was able to take the win and cap it off with a fourth overall finish. Chris Jenks and Jathan Seale battled all the way to the checkered flag, taking sixth and seventh overall. Brandon Sturdivant was thirty seconds back for eighth overall as well. Derek Litterini took the 4 Stroke A Class win and fifteenth overall. Just under a minute back for second in the 4 Stroke A Class for second place was Ryan Lane . Chris Bithell was just eight seconds back in third place and also a top twenty overall finish.

See you at the season closer in Indiana .