Lone Star GNCC
Gilmer, TX
Feb. 12, 2005
Story and photos by Bonnie Hamrick
Bill Ballance gets his Yamaha fired up first and off to the holeshot with William Yokley and Chris Borich battling behind him.
The 2005 Season of the Grand National Cross Country Series has started with a bang; after months of trash talk, bike prep, and anticipation, the four-wheelers have joined and a race took place. The Pro pits started off with Five Time GNCC Champion Bill Ballance aboard the Team Yamaha quad with the number one plate. “I just want to thank the Lord mostly for all of this, without him, I would not be here now. This year Yamaha and GYTR have stepped it up. I have done a lot of testing throughout last year and this is really one awesome bike.” With Bill having the time to talk to the fans and be interviewed while signing autographs, it really hits home on how close you can get to the professional ATVers at the GNCCs.
Sitting in the number two spot this year is William Yokley aboard the Team Suzuki machine. With the quad decked out in white, Yokley abandoned the traditional yellow, for a more interesting twist in 2005. “I may not be number one, but I’m not last! I just want a good solid finish today to get the season started off. I took some time off this winter, unlike last year, and I had some fun. This year, I am going to try and make things a little easier on me. I have taken some of the pressure off of myself. I feel good though, and I think I’m strong enough to pull this off!”
Santo DeRisi is holding onto top five on lap one, and doesn’t loose any positions!
Bill Ballance comes out of the woods first to leave Yokley, Jenks, and Borich eating his dust.
As race time neared, fans and racers got ready to head out on the rocky course that the Racer Productions crew had laid out. There would be no surprises out on the eleven mile course – every rider knew how fierce the rocks would be and the gossip traveled through the pits about how insane “Chaos Canyon” was going to be. Those riders who ventured out on the practice track Friday afternoon got just a sample of what Gilmer, Texas would offer for two hours of bike banging and suspension damaging racing.
The first rider to head to the starting line was Bill Ballance, with the number one plate on his trusty blue Yamaha. Number two for the year was William Yokley, keeping his machine about the same as it was for 2004. His Yoshimura/Roll Suzuki with Elka Suspension was ready for anything Texas could throw at him. With the help of Alba Action, Chris Borich had his number three Honda 450R ready for action. At the end of 2004, Borich had his Honda dialed in and he has taken no breaks from racing over the winter, so he will proudly say he is ready for the number one plate this year, and is ready to earn it. Taking a factory Polaris ride for 2005 is Matt Smiley with his number four machine looking sleek on the starting line. Missing from the Texas racing scene was Chad Duvall due to having been diagnosed with Leukemia over the winter break. As Duvall is being treated, he is in high spirits to return to Florida.
Ballance and Borich banging tires at the end of lap 2. If the opener is any indication to the 2005 season, we’re in for an incredible one!
The number six is rookie pro rider, Bryan Cook, aboard his Four Stroke Tech Yamaha. This year, adding to the Four Stroke Tech Team is Chris Jenks aboard the number seven Honda. Number eight aboard a Honda is Jeremy Rice. Moving up one for 2005 is Brandon Ballance aboard his number nine Yamaha. Rounding out the top ten is Greg Trew with Lewis Racing aboard his Yamaha.
Also riding with Four Stroke Tech is Mike Houston, riding an orange number eleven Honda. Todd Knippenberg came to the line with his number thirteen Honda. Number fourteen for 2005 is Andy Lagzdins looking for big things to happen with his Dirt First Honda. Number sixteen, Santo DeRisi has made the switch to the Honda as well and has made a smooth transition. Also making the switch to a Honda in 2005 is Johnny Gallagher trading in his trusty Suzuki with his number eighteen. Rounding out the top twenty is Kim Kuhnle aboard the Predator, a long time pro racer.
After having his truck and trailer in an accident getting to the race, Todd Knippenberg isn’t letting anything keep him from running in the top ten.
Tension was mounting. The questions have been building all winter. Would five time GNCC Champion Bill Ballance be able to hold off Chris Borich in 2005? Will it be a season where the number one plate runs away at the checkered flag? Well, there is only one way to find out – THROW THE GREEN FLAG Ricky Towery!
After ten seconds, the green flag went into the air with none other than Bill Ballance taking the holeshot, but William Yokley and Chris Borich were all over his rear tires going through the rocky turns to get into the woods. After rounding the first turn, Matt Smiley’s quad just happened to die down, leaving him puzzled. Smiley was left to find out what was wrong while Mike Houston got his Honda running and rounded the turn, passing Smiley. The last pro rider to leave the line was Jeremy Rice, also having problems getting his Honda started.
Just under thirty minutes later, the end of the first lap came to an end with Bill Ballance, William Yokley, Chris Jenks, and Chris Borich within seconds of one another. Twenty seconds back in fifth was Santo DeRisi with Bryan Cook ten seconds back from him. In seventh was Andy Lagzdins just ten seconds back from Cook. Rounding out the top ten was Brandon Ballance, Bryan Baker, and Thomas Barrett. Coming through the pits just afterward, Borich had gotten by Jenks, but Jenks was riding on the throttle hard and not giving up a fight. By the five mile marker – Matt Smiley had worked his way into the top ten and was pushing his Polaris to the front.
These two are coming up the canyon wheel to wheel. Borich and Ballance were switching back and forth around the entire course.
On lap two, Ballance still held the lead, but Borich was all over his Maxxis tires, putting intense pressure on Ballance with every turn. Would Borich tire out? In third just a few seconds back was Yokley. Just over thirty seconds back in fourth was Jenks, holding onto the fight. Thirty seconds back in fifth was still DeRisi with Lagzdins holding off Smiley for sixth. Moving up to eighth right on Smiley’s rear tires was Todd Knippenberg with Brandon Ballance taking a pounding from Knippenberg’s roost. Just five seconds behind Ballance was Mike Houston, moving up to the top ten overall.
“Update Update. We are at the seven mile marker and here comes Borich in the lead aboard the number three machine!”
It came down to mere seconds apart. That is right, these two raced for two hours and Borich and Ballance finished within seconds of each other.
Coming out of the woods was Borich and Ballance, so close they looked like they were joined at the tires. These two had been swapping back and forth at nearly every mile. A true match on speed, but with the two lap card out, could the two continue to bang tires? Just over a minute back were Yokley and Jenks with just seconds separating them. Still holding onto fifth and having no intentions of giving up his position was DeRisi looking smooth on his Honda. Forty seconds back in sixth was Smiley, still working his way closer to fifth. Lagzdins was putting in an incredible ride as well aboard his Honda just over twenty seconds behind Smiley; putting the heat on Lagzdins was Knippenberg. Forty-five seconds back in ninth was Brandon Ballance with Houston still holding onto tenth overall.
Falling back to sixth, Chris Jenks is still holding onto a great ride.
With the white flag waving and the crowd still down at Chaos Canyon – the pros came banging through the rocks. Borich and Ballance were still fighting wheel to wheel, pulling away a huge lead over third. Nearly two minutes back was Yokley by himself. Moving up one position to fourth was DeRisi, still just under a minute back, but after nearly two hours of racing, DeRisi was riding hard on the gas, not giving an inch. In fifth, a minute back was Smiley holding off Jenks and Lagzdins. Twenty seconds back in eighth was Knippenberg. In ninth, a minute and a half back was Brandon Ballance with Houston battling lapped riders to gain up on Ballance.
The fans were flocking to the finish line. Tension was mounting. Updates were coming in making the pit crews for Ballance racing and Borich standing on ends. Then, the four strokes could be heard. And out of the woods first was the number three quad – Chris Borich. Could he hold Ballance off for four more turns?
With the Predator being pushed hard – Smiley was holding onto fifth place.
He sure did, but Ballance was banging tires the whole way to the checkered flag. The season opener in Gilmer, Texas went to Chris Borich. Still, there was third overall to come. Three minutes later, out of the woods came William Yokley aboard his Team Suzuki number two machine. With the three guys getting up to the podium, the fans were left to see who would be in fourth. Just under twenty seconds later, Santo DeRisi started off the new season with fourth overall and still riding strong aboard his Honda. DeRisi didn’t look tired as he pulled into the scoring tent, just seconds off from the podium. The look of determination set in his eyes – we predict that we’ll see him on the podium very soon. A minute and forty seconds later was Matt Smiley aboard the Polaris in fifth overall. After a rock from Yokley’s roost turned off his machine on the starting line, Smiley battled his way from the back of the pack, all day. Smiley promises a more exciting performance in Florida – “If I would have gotten a better start, my Predator would have been able to stand in the fight.”
Fifteen seconds back in sixth overall was Chris Jenks. The second place class finisher in the Pro Am for 2004 is looking to turn some heads this year as he has teamed up with Mickey Dunlap’s Four Stroke Tech team. Jenks rode hard all day after just fighting off the flu during the week. Chris Jenks will also be another rider that will be fighting hard for his chance on the podium before the season is out. Taking seventh overall, thirty seconds back from Jenks was Andy Lagzdins, a rider who has rode hard all winter and prepared immensely for the day, and his hard work paid off big. Brandon Ballance took eighth overall just over two minutes back. Taking the Pro Am Class win and ninth overall was Adam Mcgill from West Union, West Virginia. McGill had been riding strong all day, holding off Scott Barron by over two and a half minutes.
At Round Two in Florida, we will see a tighter race between these Pro Am boys now that they see what it will take to finish in the top ten.
The battles were intense all day long, but this leaves us on a two week break from racing action. Will Florida be the race where Ballance gets back his throne or is this just the beginning of an all Borich Season?
