Glen Helen MX, Devore, CA 2005

GNC MX Round 1
Glen Helen Raceway
Devore , CA
Feb 5-6, 2005

While many people all over the world lounged on their Lazy Boy’s watching Superbowl pre game hype last Sunday, Tim Farr clocked in and went to work for his employer – American Honda. His bosses want him working Sunday’s to complete a project of theirs. Their out to prove that their Honda 450R is indeed capable of winning a pro GNC championship. His most recent work place – the Moose Racing ITP Grand National Championship series opener at Glen Helen Raceway in Devore, CA. How did he handle his Sunday work load? He performed to the fullest and complete ever goal of the mission, winning both motos with relative ease. For more on Farr’s day on the job, read below.

GNC Opener
Ready or not, the 2005 GNC season has arrived. World famous Glen Helen Raceway lured riders from all over the country to Southern California. This year’s rider and spectator attendance was slightly less than the inaugural Glen Helen event held as last year’s season opener however. Perhaps Superbowl Sunday kept a few people from attending. In addition, on the contrary to weather forecasts, rain fell most of the day on Sunday. One special spectator worth mention ignored the rain however. He was none other than Jeremy McGrath. He was in the area so he stopped in to check out what all the 4 wheeling hype was all about.

New for 2005 was a stricter sound enforcement. “Surprisingly, just about ever machine we tested was within our new 102db limit. It looks like the word got out pretty well”, said GNC referee “Smitty”. Also new for this year is a more colorful assortment of professional riders. Last year, typically one Suzuki and no more than three Honda’s dared to compete against the mighty Yamaha YFZ. This year, of the twenty finalists from the thirty pro entries (down from last year’s record breaking 36 pros), only ten were on Yamahas. Seven finalist were aboard Hondas. And Suzuki’s chances of a podium hat trick is now a possibility since Doug Gust is no longer the lone Suzuki in the field. Jeremiah Jones and Harold Goodman join “Digger” this year on white Suzuki Z400s.

The 2005 motocross season features a few additional full factory heavy weights in Kory Ellis (Alba Yamaha) and Jeremiah Jones (Yoshimura Suzuki). Nonetheless, a certain privateer by the name of John “Ironman” Natalie was instead considered the favorite to win Glen Helen. The Natalie name came up in every pre race prediction our overhearing ears heard. Natalie has won just about every single big race since the GNC series ended, including the Bartosek Challenge, the Maxxis 12 Hours of ATV America (with teammates Chris Borich and Matt Smiley), the Maxxis Winter Olympics and all but one Formula USA Pro Quad stadium race to date. It’s no wonder that there was two brand new Honda 450Rs in the Natalie pit – courtesy of American Honda. Unofficially as of this time, Natalie will be the next factory Honda ATV racer. More on this when an official press release is issued by Honda.

Suzuki is serious incase you haven’t noticed. Signing Jeremiah Jones to help three time GNC champion Doug Gust get the job done was only the tip of Suzuki’s iceberg. As stated above, they recently added Harold Goodman as a support rider and agressively sponsored the Glen Helen GNC. If that doesn’t impress you, perhaps Suzuki’s Rod Lopusnak comment, “you aint seen nothin’ yet!” will. Suzuki of America and Japan are extremely excited about ATV racing and eager as little kids when conversation about their new 450 machine is brought up.

Moto One
Perhaps Farr overheard the Natalie name one too many times. Maybe Suzuki’s wave of hype triggered a nerve of inspiration. Or maybe he heard one too many “Ellis owns Glen Helen” comments. Regardless as to what set him off, he quietly showed up on the job and conducted some serious butt-kicking business.

In the first moto, Farr pulled the trigger the fastest and edged out Lone Star Racing’s Keith Little through Glen Helen’s massive “Talladega Turn” and led the entire pack from start to finish. Farr’s reward for his holeshot was clean hassle-free vision. This was not the case for several riders chasing for position behind. Keith Little took the blunt of Farr’s roost and faded with vision problems. “Digger” Doug Gust used the whole moto to slowly advance on Farr, but could not get close enough to make a pass.

All the while, Natalie worked his way from a mid pack start and caught up to the front runners. Natalie was covered in mud from head to toe. So much so that his 450R began to overheat and bellowed smoke. When he failed to emerge from Talladega Turn, many assumed that his Honda’s engine had had enough of not being able to be cooled due to the mud packed into his radiator. This was not the case as Natalie himself admitted, “It was all my fault. I got a little too sideways and spun out.” In the end, Farr held off the three Suzuki riders of Gust, Jones and Goodman. Byrd finished up in the all too important top five position.

If moto one foreshadows what’s to come this season, then Farr and his perfectly tuned Baldwin Motorsports’ Honda 450R will be a serious threat for what would be their sixth GNC pro MX championship.

Moto Two
Farr’s moto two holeshot was a work of art. It seemed like he was on dry dirt while the rest slipped through the sloppy start-stretch. As he did in moto one, Farr never looked back and led start to finish. This time out Alba Yamaha’s Kory Ellis took chase in the two spot. Ellis got beat up in moto one with a rear shock set up problem. He also lost his rear brakes early in the race. Moto two was another story. Ellis was out to claim the final moto of the day on his Southern Cal home land. More than once, Ellis pressured Farr up and down the hills and through the wet slop, but each time Ellis made noise, Farr stepped it up even further and pulled a few bike lengths ahead.

Meanwhile the brand new white Suzuki’s of Gust and Jones approached like hungry wolves. As the moto went on, Ellis hit a rut and began to swap back and forth. In the process he lost all of his momentum to get up Mount St Helens. With this, both Gust and Jones shot by easily. As the moto progressed, Gust kept a muddy eye on Farr but never got close enough to threaten his victory.

“It feels so good to come out like this at the first one. I really felt good out there. It was a lot of fun too. I think it’s going to be a great season”, said Farr after the race.

Suzuki keeps it honest
After the race Suzuki filed a protest against Farr. “I was told I looked faster out of the gate and going up the hills. All I can say is my Honda runs pretty well. Combine that with the good bite my ITP tires got and, yeah I think I did have an advantage”, said Farr about the protest. Tom Carlson of TC Racing conducted the tear down displacement test. He confirmed Farr’s Honda as being legal with a 449cc displacement reading.

Return of Travis Spader
Much to the delight of nearly every ATV enthusiast across the country, earlier this year, 2000 GNC champ, Travis “T Doc” Spader mentioned coming out of his three year retirement to race a few GNC events when he didn’t have sheduled appointments from his very own physical theropy place of business called Active Physical in New Jersey. “I’ve always wanted to race at Glen Helen, but I don’t think I’ll be ready to run at the pace the pros are running that soon. I’ll probably just race the Pro-Am class at Glen Helen”, mentioned Spader over the phone a few month ago. Since that conversation, Travis changed his mind and became a lot more serious about the 2005 GNC series. He showed up at Glen Helen ready to ride and signed up in the pro class. Here’s what the champ had to say about his top five finish at round one.

ATV Scene: You said you were going to run a pro am class at the first race. What changed your mind?
Spader: I’ve gotten more serious about this since the last time we talked. I want to go for a pro championship and make a career out of ATV racing. So it was in my best interest to race the pro class.

ATV Scene: What was it like to be out there with the best of the best again?
Spader: I was more nervous racing the qualifier than anything. After that race I felt that I still had what it takes. I was really comfortable out there in both pro motos.

ATV Scene: What was going through your mind as you lined up on the gate again?
Spader: Actually I wasn’t nervous or anything. I felt like I belonged there. All I was thinking about was getting the holeshot. I was more comfortable than I thought I would be with the whole situation.

ATV Scene: Did you expect to get a top five in your comeback race?
Spader: I did better than I expected. I wasn’t sure where I was at against these full time factory racers. I think the second round will be even easer for me since now I know what I have to do. I got my feet wet in this and now I feel that I know what it will take to get on the podium this year. I plan to be up there several times.

ATV Scene: Now that you’re top five in points are you planning to attend more than a few rounds?
Spader: Absolutely. I’m going for the title.

ATV Scene: What has changed the most since you took your three year break?
Spader: I think the level of competition has increased. There are several guys that have what it takes to win. Also the level of support for the pro riders has increased tremendously since I last raced. Speaking of support, any talk of factory help? No. You were the top finishing Yamaha in the pro class at round one. Maybe that will inspire Yamaha to take a closer look

ATV Scene: How was it riding for Tom Carlson again?
Spader: I feel like a kid again. It feels like 1986 all over. Tom’s always been there for me. He’s a great guy. I can count on him for anything.

ATV Scene: What inspired you to make this comeback?
Spader: Just the opportuntuy to make a carrerr out of racing. Since I open the magazines for the first time back in the eighties and saw the two page Honda advertisement spreads with Hart, Coe, Sundahl, Sparks and Steve Wright. That’s what inspired me from day one.

ATV Scene: We’ll talk more later. Until then, good luck in Texas!
Spader: Thanks. I’m looking forward to it.

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