Racing
2004 ATVA/AMA
Grand National Cross-Country Series
Bill Ballance Grabs Another Cross Country Win in Georgia
Apr.
13, 2004 – Yamaha's Bill Ballance put his stamp on another ATVA Grand
National Cross Country Series championship charge with a win at The General
in Washington, Georgia, March 6-7.
"I guess I could tell people to never second-guess me," Ballance says. "I'm having so much fun on this bike. And now we've got a nice points lead."
Am-Pro Yamaha's Chad DuVall finished second while Yoshimura/Roll/Suzuki's William Yokley took third.
The riders were treated to perfect track conditions and perfect weather, and Ballance dominated to win the Maxxis General GNCC by a huge margin.
"These are my kind of conditions: hard, rough and fast," said the Kentucky fast man. "I've been waiting for a track like this for six years. I was just running a smooth pace, not trying to pull away, and I ended up with a big lead."
About the only rider to keep Ballance in sight on the track, and in the point standings, was Yokley.
"I'm just trying to ride smart and smooth," he says. "I'd rather be lucky then fast or smart!"
Yokley is smart to thank his good fortune. Other contenders have suffered a variety of problems in the early rounds. DuVall put together a solid runner-up ride in Georgia, but snapped a chain in the earlier Florida event while running with the leaders. Team Safari's Matt Smiley battled a slipping clutch in Florida and a damaged shift lever in Georgia. And East Coast ATV's Chris Borich had to do battle on his practice quad in Georgia, since his race quad started blowing out oil—and losing power—in Florida.
Florida's Greg Trew suffered in Georgia while riding with a pulled muscle in his arm.
Then it was time for a new rider to step up: Four-Stoke Tech's Bryan Cook. Riding strong all day, the 2003 GNCC Four-Stroke A Champion was in podium contention all day, and took fourth overall.
"I never ever thought I would be this far up here," Cook says. "This is like a dream. I'm the happiest guy in the pits."