Racing
2004 ATVA/AMA
Grand National Cross-Country Series
Bill Ballance wears them out in Tennessee GNCC
By Jason Weigandt
Jun.
7, 2004 – Even when he's off his game, Bill Ballance turns the negative
into a positive and comes out on top. Despite losing his front brakes early
in the race, Ballance persevered to take the Yamaha GNCC at Loretta Lynn's Ranch
in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, April 17-18.
The victory marked his fifth-straight win in the ATVA Grand National Cross Country Series.
"A race like this comes down to endurance," said Ballance. "This is why you train so hard, so you can win on rough tracks like this."
Ballance
came from behind to top Suzuki's William Yokley and East Coast ATV's Chris Borich
(left). Yokley was just pumped to finish strong after a few bad races.
"This is what I wanted, to get up on that podium," said Yokley. "This track gets so rough, I didn't want to give it away after working so hard."
Borich was even happier to get his first podium of the year. Fourth went to Am Pro Yamaha's Chad Duvall, with Brad Page, who is only racing the series part-time on his Duncan Honda, holding on for fifth.
Ballance had a scare early when a rock jammed his front brake rotor and locked up his wheel. He wheelied his machine and slammed it back down to knock the rock loose, but his brakes were never the same.
"I couldn't set a real fast pace there, so I had to ride smart," said Ballance. "I think that saved some energy."
The energy paid off when he overtook Page and Yokley on the final lap to grab a lead he would never relinquish.