Lake Whitney MX, Lake Whitney, TX 2005
- Updated: February 26, 2005
GNC MX Round 2
Lake Whitney MX Park
Lake Whitney, TX
Feb 26-27, 2005
Photoss By Julie Farr and Kory Ellis
Guess who?
Keith Little pulled the holeshot on the enormous pro rider qualifying field and took the win on the shortened waterlogged track
The second round of this year’s GNC series marked the first GNC MX in the Lone Star state in nearly ten years. As you’ve heard, everything’s bigger in Texas. Racer Productions, with plenty of hype from nearby TQRA (Texas Quad Racing Association) and STQRA (South Texas Quad Racing Association), drew healthy rider and spectator support at the Lake Whitney MX Park. In fact, unofficial trackside announcements label this event as the third largest in rider entry history!
Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate. Heavy rains soaked the track. Some areas of the track looked more like a lake than a racetrack. But the show must go on, after all they were racing All TERRAIN Vehicles, right? Some called this race the king of all mud races. Just finishing would be a worthy achievement.
Alabama’s Keith Little didn’t mind a little mud. He went three for three, winning his qualifier on Saturday and both motos on Sunday from start to finish. Here’s how the rest of the field faired in sloppy mess.
Yep, that’s ’04 GNC TT Champion, Keith Little under all that thick muck.
Moto 1
As listed above, Little and his Lone Star Yamaha complete with Sparks Racing technology quickly found roost-free track in the front of the pack. Lone Star teammate, Jason Luburgh, also on a Yamaha, steered through the wheel spinning mess in second. Suzuki’s Jeremiah Jones, Dustin Wimmer (East Coast ATV) and comeback-kid Travis Spader followed blindly with round one winner, and mud racing expert, Tim Farr trailing top five.
Joe Byrd
Here Keith Little leads Kory Ellis in moto two. The top six riders were a mere five foot from each other for most of the second moto.
Three quarters through the race Jones found a spot to slip by Luburgh. By then, Little was long gone, enjoying clear vision from his roost-free number one spot. By the time the first moto was over only a few passes happened on the mud-induced one-lined track. Jones passed to second, Farr got by Spader and “Ironman” Natalie found unheard of areas to blitz through the back of the pack and into a respectable sixth place finish. Yamaha’s Kory Ellis went from just about last to finish tenth as well. Many riders got stuck and many had mechanical difficulties due to the intense mud. Just cleaning up in time for moto two would be a challenge.
Giovanni Colon
Look out Jeremiah Jones is hungry and it showed in Texas.
Moto 2
Once again Little dropped the hammer and roosted the competition behind him. This time out, “Digger” Doug Gust got a good start. When he peaked out from under his visor he found himself in the runner up spot. Luburgh, Ellis, Natalie and Farr followed. An enormous pile of barely recognizable riders clogged up in the first turn. Under the mud we spotted Goodman, Spader, Cain, Byrd, Wimmer and one rider named Jeremiah Jones, who was determined to make the best of his first turn situatuation. We say determined because Jones rode on a mission to more than earn his third place spot on the podium.
Back up front, Ellis and Natalie battled for second for a while. Natalie passed and looked like he might be able to pull away and possible challenge Little’s lead. Not long after he slipped past Ellis however, his engine seemed to sputter just as he approached the face of a double/whoop area. Ellis maintained speed, landed on Natalie and both riders crashed off to the side of the track.
Jason Dunkelberger
Meanwhile as the race progressed Farr had his sites on Luburgh’s third place position while Little and Gust checked out. After several attempts to man Luburgh’s position Farr came to the conclusion, it was no use. Luburgh rode a great race and finished runner up for the day with a 3-3 score, his first GNC MX podium. In fact, the only riders in the field that put together two consistent motos were the LSR boys of Little and Luburgh.
Congratulations Keith Little on your first GNC MX victory!
Speaking of congrats, Jason Luburgh diserves some major props.
Jones was far back from Little’s spot on the track. In fact he wasn’t far from being lapped by Little. Jones charged hard and rode extremely aggressive to finish a remarkable sixth place. Not bad for being lodged in the mud while the leaders nearly completed a whole lap.
That’s two of two in GNC mud races this year. Let’s hope we got the only two foul weather events over early the year.
See ya at round three in Gainesville, FL on March 12-13
Luburgh held off Farr and earned his best MX finish ever – second!
Pro Overall
1. Keith Little 1-1 (Yam)
2. Jason Luburgh 3-3 (Yam)
3. Jeremiah Jones 2-6 (Suz)
4. Tim Farr 5-4 (Hon)
5. Doug Gust 8-2 (Suz)
6. Jason Dunkelberger 9-5 (Yam)
7. Kory Ellis 10-11 (Yam)
8. Travis Spader 7-14 (Yam)
9. John Natalie 6-15 (Hon)
10. Dustin Wimmer 4-17 (Hon)
11. Joe Havisto 16-7 (Yam)
12. Joe Byrd 13-10 (Hon)
13. Dustin Nelson 15-9 (Yam)
14. Matt White 19-8 (Yam)
15. Giovani Colon 18-12 (Hon)
16. Greg Meeks 17-13 (Yam)
17. Harold Goodman 12-19 (Suz)
18. Tavis Cain 11-20 (Yam)
19. Gilbert Attix 14-18 (Yam)
20. Donald Lysinger DNF-16 (Yam)
