GNCC Rd. 3
March 29, 2008
Photo by Mark Williams
Copyright 2008 - ATV Racin' Extra / www.atvproracing.com - All rights reserved
(Round 3 - 2008 GNCC) FRE/KTM's Adam McGill is on fire in the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series. The West Union, West Vriginia-based rider took his KTM 525XC to his second-straight overall win with another dominant run, leading a muddy FMF Steele Creek GNCC from wire-to-wire.
"You definitely want the holeshot," said McGill, who grabbed the $100 ITP Holeshot award. "This is one of the places where I would rather follow someone on the first lap, but you know, when you put your helmet on, all of sudden you just want to pull the lead. The only place I knew I would have trouble was one hill climb when there were two ways to go. Some fans pointed out a good line, I hit it wide open and got up to the top. I'm happy I have the points lead. In South Carolina, I'm hoping to pull off another one like I did here."
Yamaha's Bill Ballance took second with Team National Guard's William Yokley third on a Honda. Safari Motorsports' Matt Smiley and GT Thunder Yamaha's Brandon Sommers rounded out the top five overall.
Ballance rebounded from a rare DNF at the previous GNCC in Georgia. "I wanted to get out and win today, but Adam got out front, and I got some arm pump," said Ballance. "Smiley and Yokley, we had a good battle there, but I got through a bottle neck and was able to get some seperation. I loosened up quite a bit on the last couple of laps. I saw a pit board where Adam was a minute ahead, so I was hoping he would get hung up like we did, but I never did catch him."
Yokley took his first podium since 2006 with third. "I've been having some bad luck, but you know...it happens, that's all I can say," said Yokley. "I have a real simple machine this year so I knew I would be up there. I was just trying to be safe on the first couple of laps, because that's what has hurt me at the last few races. I was just being smooth. Bill and I had a good battle, he picked a good line over there and got around me, but I'm happy to get third place."
Sommers was able to edge out Rockstar/Yoshimura Suzuki's Chris Borich for fifth. Borich, the winner of the series' opener in Florida, spent most of the race trying to recover from a bad start.
Pro Podium (L to R) Yokley, McGill & Ballance
TWO TIMING McGILL
Info & Photos Courtesy Of Racer Productions
Adam McGill
Bill Ballance
