Muddy Creek MX, Blountville, TN 2004
- Updated: May 2, 2004
Look ma, no mud!
Dana Creech pulls the holeshot during Saturday’s (very dry) Pro Qualifier. The track was very different the following day.
GNC MX Round 6
Muddy Creek MX
Blountville, TN
May 1-2, 2004
Special thanks to Team Suzuki/Yoshimura’s Brant Russell for help with this story.
Doug Gust (Suzuki Yoshimura/Weekend Warrior Trailers/Roll/Hinson) broke his own record of four straight GNC Motocross wins by going 1-1 for first overall. This last victory marked his fifth straight overall win in a row!
Gust said, “I really wanted to win five in a row, because no other rider in the Pro-Production or GNC MX has ever done it. I’m not sure about TT, I would think Gary Denton or Shane Hitt might have pulled off that many wins in a row in route to their many championships at the GNC TTs – but it would really be neat to pull off five GNC MX overalls in a row here today.”
Muddy Creek probably has the most fitting name in all of motocross. It’s probably rained on their parade more often than any other national event. In tradition; heavy rains soaked the track and made for one of the messiest races in years. The riders looked just like the GNCC riders attending the national in Sparta, KY, the day prior. Thanks to some careful planning and anticipating by Victory Sports Promotions, the actual racing lines weren’t’t as bad as they could have been. The promoter didn’t “disc” the track too deep since they were expecting the rain. They also put down a layer of sawdust/wood chips. The combination of sawdust and dirt made an eminently raceable surface. When the rider’s tires got down underneath the wood chips and surface mud, there was actually a little bit of hard-packed dirt for grip.
Riders who drifted off-line paid the price. There was some seriously deep mud on the outskirts of the track. The mud stopped many a rider who drifted out there, often times dead in their tracks.
The scorekeepers were kept pretty busy throughout the event trying to figure out who was who. Most of the quads were so covered by mud, that it was hard to even see what color the ATV was let alone read a number on it. The track scorers and staff did an excellent job keeping the show rolling considering the nasty conditions.
Fooled ya, that’s not Doug Gust taking the win. Instead it’s his teammate, William Yokely finishing up a GNCC mud race. They both ride under Yoshimura Suzuki backing though. On this day a GNCCer like Yokley might have faired pretty well.
On with the “Mudo” 1
The first moto blasted off the line with modern day four stroke roar. Riders towards the front stood a chance, but a six-foot avalanche of roost buried any rider behind 6th place. Eventual winner, Gust was right in the middle of a pack of racers and somehow made a hole, emerging in the 6th place position by turn two.
“Digger” Doug passed a few riders on the first lap, and set sail after the leaders. Tavis Cain (Duncan/Roll/IMS) was leading with team Honda’s Tim Farr (Honda/Baldwin/DG) in second. Doug moved his way up to third and settled into a fast pace behind Cain and Farr.
Around the half way point, Doug turned up the pressure. Farr made a few mistakes and Gust was by. Tavis Cain was next on “Digger’s” short list. He passed him while going up the hill next to the start.
“I was just cruising. I knew that I had a good overall position and didn’t want to do anything dumb in those conditions. I just settled into a pace and let the race come to me.” said Gust being the smart veteran rider that he is. “I turned it up a little bit and sure enough, I was following Timmy. He made a little mistake and I shot by him”.
Gust was motivated to get by Tavis Cain in a hurry, “I took my goggles off after I went by Timmy and when I got up to Tavis, I knew it was time to go! I’ve had that Muddy Creek sawdust roost in my eyes before and it really stings!”
Doug then pulled away to a four second lead by the moto finish.
“Mudo” 2, to ride or not to ride – that is the question
Between the first and second motos, the riders were asked to vote on holding the second moto or not. The weather was turning worse and conditions were deteriorating. Three riders said yes, they wanted to race. So the second moto was on!
In between races, Gust’s Suzuki Yoshimura crew stiffened up the suspension and changed the gearing on his Suzuki Z400. This would help with all the extra weight of that sticky mud.
The second moto start was much like the first but Gust came out of the second turn in fifth. Tim Farr had the hole-shot.
Doug slipped by each rider and found himself in second on lap three, where he and started to stalk Farr. Again, at the halfway point, Farr made a slight mistake and Gust was gone. He soon after pulled four seconds per lap on the rest of the field and slowed on the last lap with a 14 second lead.
From the podium, Doug said “My Suzuki worked flawlessly in the mud. I had total confidence in the thing. My bike ran really strong both motos. We made some adjustments after the first race, and it worked even better for this last one. I’m really happy! I looked at the weather patterns and we thought it might rain. My Suzuki Yoshimura crew prepared the quad for it. And I trained in some mud at home. It paid off. Now, I’m ready to go for six in a row at Red Bud.”
Point Standings: (After 6 of 12)
1. Doug Gust Salem,WI 175
2. Jeremiah Jones Bowling Green,KY 112
2 John Natalie Jr. Houtzdale,PA 112
4. Kory Ellis Murietta,CA 106
5. Tim Farr Massilion,OH 105
6. Tavis Cain McKinleyville,CA 90
7. Keith Little Russelville,AL 77
8. Jason Luburgh Cambridge,OH 71
9. Jasmin Plante Notre Dame, BC, Canada 69
10. Jason Dunkleberger Trevorton,PA 67
Next Race- Red Bud , Buchanan. MI. Round Seven
