GNCC Round 2 started about where round 1 left off. I knew going into the day that with the amount of rain that had fallen that it was going to be a muddy day. I made a small adjustment to my Elka shocks and hoped for the best, realizing that it was going to be a survival race, and line choice was going to be key.
The start was great, the 24v system that Waynesburg Yamaha put together for me put me contending for the hole shot again this week, ultimately going into the woods in 2nd position. Fighting the roost from the leader made it hard to position my self to set up a pass. Luckily my Kenda tires did not disappoint at anytime, as every time I hit the throttle they hooked and got me through any mud bog that I attempted.
Pitting was a necessity during the race, and thanks to my team Vigilant Vet Racing/Slightly Bent Racing they were there with fresh goggles or rags to get me in and out as fast as possible.
During my second lap I had an incident which ultimately cost me 14 minutes in the pits fixing the damage, but thankfully I was able to return to the race and put my head down to make up lost time. I finished the second lap in 7th position where I started putting the machine and the Elka shocks to the test. My Rekluse took a majority of the abuse for the day as I lugged the motor in 2nd gear to keep my momentum, and thankfully I knew I could rely on Evans coolant and my Mishimoto Radiator to keep my bike from overheating.
I dropped a position each lap coming across the line in 6th position and ultimately finishing the race in 5th. With the combination of 3rd from round 1 and 5th from round 2, I am currently sitting in 2nd place in the points standings. Overall I finished the day 73rd of 197 riders, finishing the race in 2 hours and 35 minutes.
Thank you to Steve from Impact solutions and Elka for a great shock that withstood the brutal abuse that I put it through. Thank you again to my team and pit crew Vigilant Vet Racing.
– Rick Zhorne