Yokley Racing Report: Ironman GNCC

Yokley Racing had perhaps its most successful weekend of the season at the Ironman GNCC in Crawfordsville, Ind.

National Guard / Coastal / Bowers Motorcycle Supplies / Yokley Racing Team rider Jarrod McClure finished second in the XC1 Pro ATV class. Meanwhile, National Guard / Polaris / Coastal / Yoshimura / DragonFire / Yokley Racing Team driver William Yokley won the XC1 Modified UTV class with National Guard / Polaris / Coastal / Yoshimura / Yokley Racing Team driver Scott Kiger finishing fourth in the same class. William’s guest passenger was his wife Tina, and Scott’s passenger was Robbie Ingram.

Summary – ATV

With only two races left in the 2012 GNCC Pro ATV calendar, everyone wants to finish the season out strong. Jarrod McClure has always done well at the Ironman, and was looking forward to the race. Heavy rain on Friday made sure that the course would be plenty challenging with lots of mudholes and slick hills.

McClure got a good start and entered the woods in third place. He passed the first two racers and completed lap 1 in the lead. It was a tight five-way battle for the lead that was constantly changing. There were so many muddy hills and deep ruts that everyone was getting stuck once or twice a lap. The 10,000 spectators were scattered all along the track, especially on the hill climbs and mudholes. The fans would jump right in and help the racers who got stuck.

On the fourth and final lap, several of the leaders got stuck on the steepest hillclimb, including McClure. The fans grabbed hold of his machine and got him going with little delay. He got out in the final high speed cornfield section with nobody close to him. He didn’t know if he was first or fifth, so he charged as hard as possible to the finish. At the finish, he was a close second place, his best finish of the year! He moved up to fifth in the season points with just one race to go at Loretta Lynns Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. on Nov. 3.

Jarrod McClure’s Sponsors: Yokley Racing, Army National Guard, Coastal Racing, Kenda Tires, Bowers Motorcycle Supplies, EXIT Suspension, KG Clutches, Roll Design, XC Bob.com, Douglas Wheel Technology, Yoshimura, Moto Pro Training, Moose, IMS/Roll, Tireballs, G-4 Graphics, IMS, PowerMadd, Bell Helmets, Precision, DP Brakes and Quad Tech.

Summary – Side by Side

Friday’s rain cleared for Saturday’s Side by Side race and all the racers thought the track was a blast to drive. There were the typical Ironman obstacles; several mudholes, the river crossing and the steep Ironman Hillclimb, as well as high speed cornfield sections.

When the green flag dropped, Coastal National Guard’s Scott Kiger nailed the holeshot with teammate William Yokley running second. As things sorted out on the first lap, Kiger continued to hold the lead. There were several deep mud sections that had multiple lines available, which made for passing opportunities. Kiger got held up in a section when a small tree got stuck between his wheel and the frame, allowing Yokley to get by. It took seven people and almost four minutes to get his car unstuck! By this time, he was at the tail end of the competitors.

Yokley was able to keep a good pace and stay out of trouble for the remainder of the six-lap race. Kiger did a great job working his way up through the field on a course that was difficult to pass. He passed 16 teams to finish fourth Overall!

The GNCC Side by Side season ended with Yokley winning the National Championship and Kiger taking a close runner-up position. This is a great accomplishment for the Polaris Coastal National Guard Team, and the Polaris RZR XP900. The machines ran strong and were extremely reliable all season long. The team looks forward to defending the title in 2013!

William Yokley & Scott Kiger Sponsors: The Army National Guard, Polaris Industries, Coastal Racing, Yoshimura, Kenda Tires, DragonFire Racing, EXIT Suspension, Keizer Wheels, Holz Racing Products, Tireballs, Moto Pro Training, Monavie, March Westin, TUSK Off-Road and Big Country Powersports.