The weather on Friday was great, the sun was shining and it was warm, which is normal Yadkinville weather. On Saturday morning we all got weather we weren't expecting from Yadkinville. It was raining. Never in the history of racing at Yadkinville has it ever rained, so we all knew it was going to be an interesting day.
As 10 A.M. approached us, it began to sprinkle. The grass was wet and it was obvious that it was going to be tough to get the hole shot considering we started on a hill. As you looked down the line you saw two new riders, Jennifer Britts, who had moved up from Women's Novice and Jamie Jones, the motocross ledged, Jeremiah Jones' wife. It was going to be an interesting day, or so we thought.
For the Womens class holeshot it was Kristen Atwell, Angel Atwell behind her and Traci Cecco with third. I was dead last off of the start. I wasn't used to my Recluse clutch again and didn't do so well with it. While Kristen, Angel and Traci battled it out in the top 3 I was in the back of the pack trying to gain positions. As the first lap came around, I had made my way up to 6th. I got a mile into the woods and the quad shut off and wouldn't start. It's like I lost all power. Immediately I went to check the fuses and they were fine. The clock was ticking and I was losing valuable time I had made up! I went under the front plastic and started wiggling wires hoping it would fire. I mashed the start button and it worked. Quickly I put my gloves and helmet back on and went on my way making up more lost time.
I stopped in the pit and explained what had happened and they sent me on my way to make up more time. While this is happening my sister, Jodi Stracham was leading the Women's Novice class on a Can-AM and Kristen, Angel and Traci are still battling it out for the top three. I went into the woods and got about eight miles into the track when the quad dies again. I started wiggling wires to make it go. I stopped in our pits on the last lap to get goggles and got about 300 feet in the woods and it shut off again. At this point I decided just to get towed in.
Angel Atwell took her first Championship in nine years. Along with Angel making history, Kristen Atwell made her first overall podium. Last year at Yadkinville she got her first podium finishing third and this year she took the overall. She was followed by Angel Atwell and Traci Cecco.
As the afternoon racers went to the line the rain began to come down a little harder, making the afternoon racers want anxious to get the show on the road. With the Pro holeshot it was the number 1 of Bill Ballance. We all sat in anticipation in the pro pits waiting to see if the number one of nine years could keep his lead or if someone had stole it. Adam McGill came through the pits in the lead, followed by Brandon Sommers, Taylor Kiser, Bill Ballance and Donnie Ockerman, but they did not have the overall. It was in fact four XC2 riders in the overall with adjusted times, Josh Kirkland, Brian Wolf, Walker Fowler and Parker Jones. On lap number two Adam McGill stopped to pit, giving Brandon Sommers the lead. He was followed by the number 2 of Chris Borich, Adam McGill, Brent Sturdivant and Bill Ballance. Parker Jones dropped back to fifth overall and was followed by Brian Wolf, Walker Fowler, and Josh Kirkland. If something were to happen in the woods, these XC2 guys would physically catch up to the leading pros and pass them. This would make GNCC history if our XC2 boys took the overall podium and the crowd waits in anticipation.
Chris Borich ended up taking over the lead for lap number three with Brandon Sommers and Adam McGill hot on his heels. Bill Ballance and Taylor Kiser came in behind the three. Kirkland, Wolf, and Fowler found their way back around Jones, and Jones now had Gabe Phillips to deal with. Chris Borich took the win and the Championship for the 2009 season. Congratulations is in order for Borich on his first Championship. Adam McGill would take second overall and Bill Ballance rounded out the top three. Josh Kirkland won the XC2 race; he put himself back in the points race making it a little bit harder for Brian Wolf to win the Championship. Brian Wolf got second and Parker Jones got third.
With Walker Fowler out of the College A class, that gave someone a new chance to take the win. Zach Strong moved up from College B and took the win in College A and was followed by Jamie Bithel.
The racing action just gets more exciting by the race and as the season draws to an end there is no telling what may happen. We'll see everybody in a week, (yes I said one week), in St. Clairsville, Ohio for the ITP Powerline Park. Here we'll see the UTV Racing action resume. Have a great week and we'll see you there!