Story and photos by Bonnie Hamrick
Arriving to the track on Friday to set up the pits, the weather was surprisingly hot for a spring Ohio day. The temperature was nearing the nineties and the sun was scorching hot. But, that was just for Friday. The weather forecast said 100% chance of rain and thunderstorms for Saturday. So, were GNCC racers and fans looking at another Loretta Lynn downpour? Friday night, heavy rainfall dropped at the track, but at hotels within a twenty mile radius, not even a drop! Even penny-size hail fell Friday night at the track, promising that another sloppy John Penton was in store!
So, Saturday morning, arriving in time for the Youth ATV event was just amazing. All the youth ATV riders were pumped to be tackling another mud event. They had just taken on Steele Creek earlier in the season and here they were, taking on John Penton mud. The GNCC was breaking in the Youth riders right – teaching them that every weather condition is racing conditions. With all the riders mud covered and parents mud splattered and weary from pushing many riders up hills, pulling them out of ditches, and screaming encouragement within mud flying distance, Walker Fowler took his second overall finish for the season.
After the morning race took their toil on the nine mile track, the track conditions turned from muddy mess, to tacky, sticky mud, that was going to get worse as the black clouds began to roll in. Track officials, Jeff Russell and Buren Hamrick were busy all morning re-routing and pulling riders out. With an hour delay for the afternoon race, they were nearly ready for the green flag to drop and the Pro riders take on the John Penton mud.
So, with the Pro riders lined up, the Pro Am, A, and B riders on the line waiting, it was time to go racing. “Ten Seconds.” The green flag goes up, and Bill Ballance took the holeshot and wasn’t looking back. With Bill Ballance and Chris Borich in another point’s tied battle, Ballance was ready to take a commanding points lead. Ballance was focused coming into round seven, and when Ballance is focused – WATCH OUT!
With the Pro riders coming around on lap one, so were the Pro AM riders, right on the rear wheels of the top pack riders. Coming across the line was William Yokley, Bill Ballance, Adam Mcgill (yes – Pro Am), Matt Smiley, Chris Jenks, and Scott Barron (another Pro Am rider!!!). Just eight seconds later was third overall and third in the Pro Am Class, Chris Bithell. Could you believe the Pro Am riders were already with the top pack! These Pro Am riders were determined to take over the podium this weekend after finishing fourth overall and so close to the podium in Loretta Lynn’s. Rounding out the top ten in the Pro Class was Brandon Ballance in fifth place, just seconds behind Scott Barron. In sixth was Johnny Gallagher, proving that he was a mud rider from way back after a great ride in the Loretta Lynn’s slop just a few weeks ago. In seventh place was Todd Knippenberg with Chad Duvall taking his best ride of the year in eighth place with Chris Borich way back in ninth place, and Santo DeRisi rounding out the top ten.
Through the barrels on lap two, Mcgill had put his Honda out front and was on a mission to take the Overall, not just by adjusted time, but by putting himself in the front. In second through the scoring tent was Johnny Gallagher with Yokley and Jenks right on his rear wheels. Matt Smiley was holding off the Champion, Bill Ballance while battling with Pro Am rider, Scott Barron. Greg Trew had moved up from outside the top ten to sixth place with Chad Duvall less than twenty seconds behind in eighth. The big surprise was the smoking Alba Action Honda coming across the line, Chris Borich. As Borich pulled into his pits, they were dousing the quad with water, hoping it would hold out through the race so he could gain points.
With the white flag waving, the Pro rider’s mechanic were telling them to “GO,” cause all the Pro Am’s were in the top ten overall. Coming down the six mile marker was Yokley and Ballance, just seconds in front of Mcgill, but by adjust time, Mcgill still held the overall. Now, with one lap to go, Yokley and Ballance would have to pull away from Mcgill and put on the last lap charge and hope that Mcgill couldn’t hold the pace. Would it happen? Or would Mcgill be the first Pro Am rider to take the Overall from the five time GNCC Champion?
In fourth overall was Johnny Gallagher, keeping his GT Thunder Honda out where he wanted to be, holding off Chad Duvall, a man who has surpassed all his fans dreams by putting in the ride of his career, not far from his hometown. Taking sixth overall from the Pro Am Class was Brandon Sturdivant with classmate, Chris Bithell not far behind him in seventh overall. Chris Jenks held onto eighth overall and fifth in the Pro Class. In ninth overall was Brian Binkley and Derek Litterini (both Pro Am riders) just forty seconds behind him, rounding out the top ten overall. So, was Bill Ballance going to take over the point’s lead? Chris Borich was holding onto eleventh overall with one lap to go in the race, and he had a lot of tough competitors battling him and his quad was still smoking, holding him back from the First Place battle.
At the six mile marker, it was Bill Ballance, all by himself, with Adam Mcgill, just a few seconds over a minute behind. Would Ballance keep up the pace and hold off Mcgill or was Mcgill going to step it up with just a few miles left in the race?
Crossing the finish line at an hour, forty-four minutes and thirty-one seconds was the Champion, Bill Ballance. The fans were cheering, knowing he had taken over the point’s lead with today’s overall, but where was Adam Mcgill? A minute and twenty seconds later, Mcgill took second overall, missing the Overall position by just twenty seconds, but was the young Pro AM rider disappointed? NO. He was all smiles up on the podium in front off all the mud covered fans that had been cheering him on during the entire race. Mcgill was the first Pro Am rider to finish in the top three overall for the 2005 season, and he was going to be a strong competitor for the remaining of the season. Taking third overall was William Yokley.
“Today was a tough race!” Bill Ballance admitted, but was all smiles knowing all his hard work over the last few weeks had paid off. Ballance put the Team Yamaha number one machine back out front in the point’s standings.
At just seventeen years old, Adam Mcgill took the opportunity to spray the champagne on the podium, as well as down a big swig, William Yokley style.
Taking fourth overall was Chris Bithell from the Pro Am Class, just edging out Chad Duvall by seconds who finished in fifth overall, his first race where he completed more than one lap. In sixth overall was Johnny Gallagher with third place in the Pro Class. Pro Am riders Derek Litterini and Wyatt Westmoreland took seventh and eighth overall. Jeffrey Vensel from the Junior class took ninth overall, his first top twenty overall finish, and second class win. Anthony Hill took tenth overall from the Open A Class, which was also his first class win.
So where did Matt Smiley go? He had a battle with the mud, and lost a lot of time on the last lap two laps. And Chris Jenks – on the last lap, he was seen being towed in to the pits, with the bad luck hitting him right where it hurt – the points! With his last lap not complete, this gave Adam Mcgill the points to pass him in the overall standings for fifth.
Now, with the GNCC season half over – Bill Ballance has the point’s lead with Chris Borich still holding onto second, but at a terrifying deficit. Will Chris Borich be able to overcome the points battle to take over the number one spot? If it is up to the Champion, he wont have a chance – but come out the Round Eight in Summersville, West Virginia to see for your self!