Learn To Race From ATV Racing Legend Bill Ballance

You’ll probably never get to drive a race car with Jeff Gordon or have Usain Bolt coach you for your local track & field meet, but you can get some lessons from nine-time GNCC champion Bill Ballance.

Yamaha Racing is presenting the 2012 GNCC University at the Snowshoe Mountain Resort from June 20-22, 2012. Scheduled just before the eighth round of the GNCC off-road racing series, the GNCC University will be led by the “Dean of ATVs,” Bill Ballance, and “Dean of Motorcycles,” Randy Hawkins. Tuition (including room and board) for the two-day school is $428 per student.

Ballance will lead the group of Yamaha Racing ATV instructors including Taylor Kiser, who is currently second in points in the GNCC’s XC1 pro class, 2011 XC2 champ Walker Fowler, eight-time GNCC Women’s Champion Traci Cecco and Johnny Gallagher, who is currently running 10th in the XC-1 class.

Hawkins, the seven-time AMA National Enduro Champion, will lead the Yamaha Racing bike instructors including five-time AMA National Hare Scramble Champion Jason Raines, 2009 XC1 Champion Paul Whibley, XC1 rider Jordan Ashburn, XC2 riders Brad Bakken and Jedediah Haines, and Women’s class rider Leeann Bange.

The GNCC University provides new and up-and-coming racers with two days of instruction, networking and social activities – valuable time spent with some of the series’ top racers. Students receive classroom instruction covering race preparation, sportsmanship and training, plus track time with the pros to work on specific technical skills in small groups.

“The GNCC University is a great opportunity for new and novice riders to learn directly from the pros how to set-up a machine and handle the variety of terrain and obstacles on a cross-country course,” says Donnie Luce, Yamaha ATV/Off-Road racing coordinator. “Yamaha is proud to support the GNCC University and the Yamaha race team members who participate in it.”

Reservations are on a first-come first-serve basis, and more information including a full schedule and registration is at www.snowshoemtn.com. More information on the GNCC Racing series is at www.gnccracing.com.