Yadkin Valley Stomp GNCC Round 10
Yadkinville, NC
September 10th, 2005
By Bonnie Hamrick
“I always wondered what it would be like up here,” said Jenks about his first-ever GNCC overall.
With the summer break now over, GNCCers were anxious to get back into cross country racing action. Only four races are left and many championships are at stake. Since we left off at the Wisp in June, a lot has happened, so the day’s race was promising to be an interesting one. Since the last race, we knew Chris Borich had suffered a collar bone injury, but just weeks after the Wisp, he was out riding and soon racing. Father, Joe Borich, felt that the best exercise for Chris was practice, so they ventured out to a race every weekend during summer break. Chris even teamed up with John Natalie to win this year’s Maxxis 6 Hours of PA at Rausch Creek. So everyone knew Chris Borich would be back to peak performance here at the Stomp.
Devastating Bill Ballance news soon followed. Bill would not be in attendance after breaking several bones in his ankle during a photo shoot for Yamaha. So, would this be Borich’s chance to steal the championship? Brother, Brandon Ballance talked about how focused Bill was about getting back in shape and ready in time for the next GNCC event in Unadilla, New York.
The second half of the series is almost like a new season to some. Many were practicing and training extra hard, in hopes that today might be their day. So, who would it be to take the overall with Bill Ballance out of the game?
Brandon Ballance tried to help his brother Bill out by finishing ahead of Chris Borich but like he said, “these guys are good!”
Tennnnn Seconds!
Off the starting line first was William Yokley aboard the Suzuki. Yokley was also tendering a hamstring injury that he sustained over the summer break. Right on his tires was Brandon Ballance with Chris Borich and Chris Jenks wheel to wheel fighting for the entry into the woods. Holding onto fifth was Santo DeRisi with Bryan Cook and Matt Smiley taking seventh. By the four mile marker, William Yokley was just seconds ahead of Brandon Ballance with Jenks and Borich still fighting neck and neck. Due to the thick dust, the pros were having a difficult time passing on the first lap.
Through the finish lap, for the end of lap one, Yokley held onto his lead with just a few seconds between him and Ballance and Jenks. Ten seconds back was Borich and fifth was Santo DeRisi and Bryan Cook. The battle for seventh was Matt Smiley and Mike Houston; Andy Lagzdins was holding onto ninth with Johnny Gallagher in tenth. Back at the half way mark, Yokley was still holding onto his lead with Ballance getting more pressure from Jenks and Borich. Bryan Cook was up to fifth with Houston holding onto sixth, passing Smiley.
ATV Scene congratulates Stephanie Parton for being one of the fastest females to every swing a leg over a quad and for her recent GNCC overall victory.
Starting out on lap three, many of the pro riders were getting gas. As Yokley pulled into the pits and Brandon Ballance getting gas at the GT Thunder pits behind him, Four Stroke Tech rider, Chris Jenks took the opportunity for clean air and took over the lead as Ballance took back off for second, and Borich right on his wheels for third. Yokley was able to pull out for fourth with pressure from Four Stroke Tech teammates Mike Houston and Bryan Cook. Forty seconds behind Cook in seventh was Matt Smiley aboard the Polaris.
With just one lap of racing to go, the competition was getting tight! Jenks stretched out a fifteen second lead with Ballance and Borich battling for second. Nearly fifteen seconds back in fourth was William Yokley getting intense pressure from FST teammates, Houston and Cook. By the four mile marker, Jenks was throwing up dust, making it nearly impossible for Borich to get good vision to make a move on Jenks. Nearly twenty seconds later, Ballance fell off the pace, still in third. Forty seconds behind Ballance for fourth was Yokley with Houston and Cook all packed together. Soon after, Cook was able to get by Houston using an inside line on a turn. Quickly after, he was able to pass Yokley after he stalled his Suzuki.
Borich was all business in North Carolina and plans on winning the 2005 GNCC Title within the next three rounds.
The Race to the Checkers
So the race for first was still on. With just a few miles to go, updates rang in that it was just too dusty for Borich to pass safely, but the woods were getting wider with the last few miles of the track, and maybe Jenks would be able to keep flawless to take his first Pro win; or would Borich capitalize on a mistake of Jenks and take the overall, and make a points chase for the championship?
The fans flocked to the finish line area waiting to see who would take the win. The roar of a Honda was coming through the trees and first to pop out was an Orange FST Honda with the number seven, Chris Jenks took his first Overall in his Pro career. Just eleven seconds back was Chris Borich aboard the Alba Action Honda. “It was hard to pass,” said Borich. “It was pretty nuts there in the creek section, if you wanted to banzai through you could make a pass there, but I wanted to keep my hands dry. Chris Jenks was trying to step it up, and I was trying to pass him but I was afraid to hit a tree or something and lose some points. I’m just happy to finish second.”
Who would be third? Out of the woods came the Yamaha of Brandon Ballance. He was all smiles in his brother’s absence. “Bill called me before the race even started, and he told me to get out there and get a holeshot. I knew after the first lap if I could just stay with William (Yokley) I would be good, and then when he pitted I took the lead. Chris (Jenks) got past me in the creek. I wanted to get up here and hold Chris back for the points. I bet when I call Bill he’s going to be calling me a, well, a blank, blank, blank, but these guys are good.”
With Ballance forty seconds back from Borich, the wait for fourth was on. The intense battle between Yokley, Cook, and Houston had hometown fans hoping to see a North Carolina boy take the win. Out of the woods next came Bryan Cook, aboard the FST Yamaha, fifty-three seconds behind Ballance with William Yokley taking fifth, fifteen seconds back, but with Mike Houston all over his rear wheels to finish a close sixth overall. Over a minute later, Matt Smiley crossed the checkered flag for seventh overall and less than two minutes later was Santo DeRisi in eighth. DeRisi had a tough loss during the race as one of his bead-locks came unscrewed, forcing him to change a rear wheel during the race, but the DeRisi pit crew was ready and performed quickly to get him back out and racing strong. Rounding out the top ten overall was Rhett Butler, with his best Pro career finish as well; tenth was Todd Knippenberg.
“Any time it’s hot and dusty like this, and tight, at this level, everyone has a chance. You can’t just jump into this and do super-well. You need to have knowledge around you and people helping you out. And the fans, they were great for cheering us on,” said the happy-go-lucky Chris Jenks about his dream ride.
Congrats Adam McGill for wrapping up the Pro Am Championship. What a season!
Pro Am Ranks
In the Pro Am Class, Adam Mcgill took yet another class win, giving him the opportunity to wrap up the Pro Am Class points race with also a fourteenth overall finish. Mcgill should be making his Pro Class debut in two weeks at the Unadilla Motocross Park at Round Eleven of the GNCC Series.
You’ll have to wait through the suspense to see if Bill Ballance will be ready for action at the inaugural Unadilla GNCC to defend his title from young gun Chris Borich.
