Patriot GNCC, Petersburg, VA 2004
- Updated: June 11, 2004
All smiles is rookie sensation, Bryan Cook. We’re happy right along with him.
The Patriot GNCC Round 9
Petersburg, VA
June 11, 2004
By Bonnie Hamrick
Just the day before, inches of rain fell onto the sandy terrain at round nine of the GNCC Series, — the Patriot in Petersburg, VA. Fewer riders were willing to experience this terrain after torrential rain fall, but what they didn’t realize, was the track was going to just have a few mud holes littered across the nine mile course. “The worst place for the morning race was the motocross track. In the afternoon race however it was actually dusty.
“The woods are tight, so be careful when coming up on bottlenecks,” said trail boss, Jeff Russell on the starting line. With Duvall out due to a shoulder injury from Rausch Creek, the top five riders were as follows; Bill Ballance, William Yokley, Matt Smiley, Chris Borich, and Bryan Cook. Starter, Ricky Towery was ready to get round nine started. His left hand raised as he called “Ten Seconds!,” for the eighteen pro riders anxiously awaiting his flag wave.
The green flag raises and the Pros are off and into the woods.
Bryan Cook finished just over a minute behind Bill Ballance. Bryan was thrilled with his second place position. He was surprised to learn that he inherited the overall, but disapointed in the way he earned it. Look for more podium finishes for Cook in the future.
Rounding the first turn on the inside was Ballance and Yokle, but edging his Team Safari Yamaha out front was Matt Smiley. On the outside of turn two was Bryan Cook, but by the second turn, Cook missed a gear. This caused him to be spin out. He entered the woods in fifteenth place. The first update out in the woods at the five mile marker was Smiley, Borich, and Ballance. At the back of the motocross area, Smiley, Yokley, Ballance, Cook, and Borich were right together. Crossing the finish line for the end of lap one: Yokley, Ballance, Cook, and Borich, each only two seconds apart, with Smiley in fifth, ten seconds back.
On lap two, Smiley took over the lead at the back of the motocross track with Borich, Ballance, Cook still battling it out together. Fifteen seconds back in fifth was Yokley, not riding to his usual speed. Coming through the scoring tent after Yokley and Cook got gas, Ballance, Borich, and Smiley were still one, two, three right together. Fifty seconds back was Yokley and Cook with Houston twenty seconds back for sixth. DeRisi moved into seventh place, less than a minute back.
Before the white flag went out, at the back of the pits, Ballance, Smiley, Borich, and Cook were all wheel to wheel. Leaving the pits in the lead, Cook took charge on his Four Stroke Tech Yamaha. Ballance was just seconds back in second. Thirteen seconds back was Borich and in fourth twenty seconds back was Houston with Smiley forty-five seconds back in fifth battling DeRisi’s every move. At this point, all eyes were on Cook. Could he hold off Ballance to take his first overall finish?
William Yokley and Bill Ballance are wheel to wheel early in the race.
James Wahl takes the holeshot and tries to hold off Rice, Seale, and Jenks on lap one.
OVERALL
Crossing the checkered line first was Bill Ballance. Cook was just over a minute back for second overall, his season’s best finish and first time on the podium. Crossing the finish line next was Chris Borich, but crossing within his minute allotted time was Jeremy Rice from the Pro Am Class. Rice battled all day with Jathan Seale and James Wahl. At the end where it counts most, Rice took the lead on the white flag lap and never looked back.
After some track confusion regarding a bottleneck area, Racer Productions adjusted the final results, putting Cook in the overall spot, moving Rice to second overall and Ballance in third place overall. Mike Houston took fourth overall with Chris Jenks in fifth overall. Borich was dropped to sixth overall. James Wahl took seventh overall and Matt Smiley took eighth overall. Rounding out the top ten overall was Santo DeRisi in ninth and Todd Knippenberg taking tenth. The bottleneck causing the problem was near the eight mile marker. Ballance, Borich, and Smiley went around it as allowed in the GNCC Rule Book. The problem occurred when they tried to re enter the course. Race Production officials said that they could have entered at a point much closer than where they decided to.
Matt Smiley was on the gas trying to put his Team Safari Yamaha out front.
After his quad almost died on the last lap, Cook was glad the Four Stroke Tech machine survived all the way to the finish line. Right now the engine is at Mickey’s getting the whole transmission rebuilt. He says he wouldn’t have made it another mile!
Cook had this to say about his first GNCC overall victory, “I took the lead before the second checkpoint when Bill was hung up with some lapped riders. Bill got back by less than two miles into the last lap by taking an alternative line and he came out ahead. I feel good about being up here on the podium. It has been one of my goals for the year. I am glad I have gotten it out of the way. I’m very happy with getting second overall at the end of the race, but I must say I was not happy with how I achieved the overall. I look forward to next time actually crossing the line in the overall position on my own. While I have the chance I would like to thank my sponsors; Mickey Dunlap’s Four Stroke Tech, Maxxis, Elka, Ceet, tireballs, Wiesco, Badger, DuraBlue, Maier, Douglas Wheels, Houser, IMS, Cometic, AC Racing, DP Brakes, GPR, Moose, Renthal, Pingry’s Oil Design, Outerwears, HydraPak, Carbonman, and Scott USA”. Cook was thrilled with his performance. Like Stoess in Kentucky, he is eager for another podium finish.
Jeremy Rice battled Jathan Seale, Chris Jenks, and James Wahl all day and after two hours of intense riding, Rice took third overall and his first podium finish.
With his daughter by his side, Bill Ballance prepares for another GNCC battle.
In summary of this year’s Petersburg GNCC
I have thought about what to say about the Petersburg national now for several days. I have been attending GNCC events since before I could even read or write. I have met a lot of Champions; Bill is definitely a genuine Champion. From Bill’s first race to the present, I have heard and know nothing but good things about his talent, overall sportsmanship and impression on the sport of ATV racing. I do not believe Bill, nor Chris Borich or Matt Smiley are cheaters at all. Anyone who thinks so – that is your opinion, which everyone is entitled to.
Bill Ballance did cross the finish line first. Racer Productions made their decision partly based on the fact that avoiding bottlenecks has come out of hand here lately in the GNCC Series. Some have said that docking Ballance, Borich, and Smiley two positions is extreme. Regardless, I think that Racer Productions is entitled to their own severity of punishment.
From this point on, I want to congratulate Bryan Cook on his best race ever. I hope he can finish up with many more future podiums. I also want to see Bill, Chris, and Matt put Racer Production’s decision to penalize them behind them and turn up the heat at the Wisp. I think that everyone will agree that all three of these riders are incredibly fast and would never intentionally cheat in any way.
