6 Hours of ATV America at Caddo Point
Caddo Point Motorsports
Greenville, TX
Feb 13, 2005
photos by Chuck DeBault
Team JB Racing, Bobby Ross, Mitch Reynolds and Trent Kendel won the race with a whole lap to spare!
The 6 Hours of Texas, as many call it for short, marked the first event of Fast-Trak Promo’s 2005 season’s worth of team endurance fun. If last year’s inaugural Maxxis 6 Hours of ATV America at Caddo Point Motorsports in Greenville, TX was a hit, this year’s event was a smashing success!
Since it was scheduled the day after the GNCC opener in nearby Gilmer, TX, several GNCC regulars found teammates and planned to race two races in one weekend. However, after reports of deep water from a week’s worth of rain, many GNCCers skipped the 6 Hours of Texas, nursed their wounds from the torturous Lone Star GNCC and headed home.
“Ironman” John Natalie tried to get the Caddo Point in time to race, but it didn’t work out that way. Here John speaks of his success at the St Louis Pro Quad event with announcer, Mark Straubinger.
The first rider to finish a Maxxis 6 Hours of ATV America all by himself was Taylor Mink of Rowlett, TX. “I felt fine but I didn’t have to go to work the next day so I took it easy and spent some time in the hot tub”. Mark finished with 18 laps but says he would have had over twenty if he didn’t help several people that got stuck on a slippery creek bank.
Thanks to Joe and Barbara Miller’s local promotion, along with the aggressive help from John Perkins and the rapidly growing Texas Quad Racing Association (TQRA) – the event still doubled from last year’s total team entry with a whopping 49 teams of three.
As far as the actual race went. The Alba Action Team of Chris Borich, John Natalie and Rick Cecco was the definite favorite to win the event. Come race time, however, John Natalie, hot off his Formula USA Pro Quad Championship win in St Louis the day prior, could not fly into Dallas and drive to the track in time to enter the race. Instead the team signed up Joe Borich, Chris Borich’s father. Chris, who had just beat Bill Ballance at the GNCC opener the day before started for the Alba team, but missed a turn on the first lap and lost time. As the day went on the Alba team had a few other problems and had to settle for second.
“Banger” 6 and 12 Hours announcer and GNC MX announcer announces from the electronic scoring on read out in the ATV Scene.com trailer.
Everyone’s friend, Joe Miller ended up towing over half the teams in and back out of the pit area. Thanks Joe!
Taking the win was Team JB Racing of Bobby Ross (Seneca, PA), Mitch Reynolds (Greenbrier, AR) and Trent Kandel (Millersburg, OH). The JB Racing name is synonymous with meticulous professionalism. Jodi Bateman, owner of JB Racing and Terry Reynolds, father of Mitch Reynolds and GNC TT promoter have a lot of combined ATV knowledge and plenty of 6 and 12 Hours experience. JB’s teams have always used strategy to the fullest. And the team’s latest outing in Texas was no different. “I was amazed at how well prepared Jodi and Terry were for this race”, said Bobby Ross, who clocked the fastest lap of the day. “Our pit stops were so perfect. It was so fun to have pit stops like we had. Absolutely perfect every time! They really know what they’re doing. I was amazed. They even swapped the muddy seats out on our stops. You can go a lot faster with a seat that you don’t slip around on”, added Ross.
Here Joe Borich waits for his turn on the quad while Chris catches a nap on his right.
Rounding out the top three overall was the TCC Racing team of Chris Robinson (Nederland, TX), Todd Cox (Pearl, MS) and Chris Brian (Zachary, LA). Team TCC gets our rough ride of the day tip of the hat, as they raced their Suzuki for well over two hours with no seat, no plastic and with a broken frame! Their heroic podium finish despite their setbacks, define what the Maxxis 6 and 12 Hours of ATV America is all about — “endurance”, “determination” and “unity”.
As you can see, it was a muddy race at Caddo. Identifying riders was tough. Fortunately electronic transponders scored riders, since seeing number plates was out of the question on this day.
+ 30 Winners, Team Overbore Ronald Cunningham (Longview, TX), David Culpepper (Longview, TX) and Danny Daniel (Sachse, TX).
Winning the Utility Expert class was the “Crackers Team” of Richard Robinson, Chris Zolnai and Joseph Evans. The trio called Greenville, TX home.
The Frisco, TX – Oliver Racing Team of Austin Aldridge, Tyler Nichols and Garrett Oliver claimed honors in the new 13-15 Youth class.
Hampton, Iowa’s Team EMU, Jerome Rewerts, Ryan Jiminez and Jason Guddle took home the gold north in the A class.
Taking the B class victory was the C&D Racing team of Chancy Tomlinson, Colby (North Platte, NE), Kostiman (Omaha, NE) and John Glann (Des Moines, IA).
