[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img] It is still sinking in that we were able to beat a team that is always on top of their game. Everything went right and it was incredible to walk away with the win. There is no better place to do it either than close to home with tons of family and friends. Jim you are the man! You have had a vision of this moment and lead us to victory! Couldn't have even dreamed about it without you!

Thanks to everyone for coming and to all of those who helped put on the event. It is truly amazing to have such a big event in Iowa. I can't wait until next year!!

Jason Mickelson

 

PW, Bob Fleege,

First I would like to thank you both the exciting time I had in Iowa. Jim, Jarod, Jason, Alex deserve a big pat on the back it was an exponential effort by all for the major win. I can truly tell you the last hour of the race was exciting, the final 2 minutes was excruciating especially for Jim LMAO!!!!! Poor Jim was wired for the whole race then the last 2 minutes came up, I am sure he was wired for sound, LOL. Adrenalin was definitely pumping at the end of the race!!!!! The quad worked flawlessly no dought to PW's and his friend Jimmys expertise well done fellows.

I can't express the gratitude I felt from meeting a great number of forum members I have talked with many times sharing ideas and being able to help at the same time. Jim Dahl along with his FDR racing team, Mike Walker, sorry fellows of DG racing team I can't remember your names but I do remember you!!

 

P.W. ... I didn't know the King broke a rear axel... I thought they were chasing front end problems... to race a race like this takes more than just a good machine... it tests the metal of the machine, the riders, & the pit crew... only a few laps into the race, Kevin came in, dragging the right side nerf bar on the ground, on the V Force we were racing... the mounting bolts ( the two larger bolts that hold the stock foot pegs onto the frame ), had broken 1-2 threads into the frame... we had some tallented welders in the pit next to us, that had borrowed our welder to work on the lower A-arm of one of the two DS - 650 X's they were racing... we ended up placing a similar sized nut along the frame, & welding to the stud, & filling in the nut, allowing us to turn out the Lock Tighted broken bolts... we ended up removing the other nerf bar, & the foot pegs, & remounting the stock foot pegs... all in all a 24 minute pit stop... not bad for the repair required, but put us 2 laps down... plus the riders suffered much more leg pump than normal, as they couldn't move their feet around to relax their legs at all... Randy nearly had to be carried of the quad, when he'd come in to pit... a small tie rod end problem, at the steering stem, cost us another 10 minute pit stop, otherwise the V worked flawlessly... the CDI, that ALLTOY's borrowed us worked awesome... on the start of the race, Randy was really able to get the holeshot... the quads were arranged by class, & we started 14th from the back end... Randy got such a good hole shot, that he was with in the 1st 10 quads into the 1st corner... right in the thick of the pro riders... speaking of the tallented welders next to us... they repaced several inches of lower A-arm tube with the apropriate sized socket welded into place, & ran with no A-arm related problems, untill they dropped out for other reasons, later... P.W. your team did an awesome job... It was great to meet the forum members, many of whom I've talked to several times, over several years... guy's like ALLTOY's, PUDDLEJUMPER

 

In all honesty how much competition is there really in the GNCC Utility classes? Look at the results from each race...anywhere from 3-8 riders??

 

The FD Racing Team rocks!! We should start an email writing campaign to the ATV magazines asking them to do a feature on FD Racing.

 

DPH,
Don't let the number of quads that compete fool you into thinking there is no competition. Our team was compromised of Alex, myself, and Jason. Jason is just as fast as Alex and I on a prairie. Alex came from A class Motocross bikes and is wicked quick on a prairie, and I came from A class sport quads in XC. The three of us rode our ***** off to keep ahead of penland. Granted, we had the rest of the utility teams lapped in the first 6 hours, but Penland hasn't won 11 XC championships for nothing. It was a hard fought battle for us and we are now able to hold our heads high. Maybe in local series there isn't the competition in Utility bet. farmers that bring their stock sportsman, but when you run with the big boys, you better be in shape...especially if you are racing a 600+ lb. quad!!!

 

DHP,
You must be thinking of the utility modified class...but I can tell you from experience that the utility stock class of the GNCC typically has about 10 or more entries (there were 15 racers in the util. stock class when I raced last January and guess who won that day...Mike P.)

The competition in the util. modified is quite good b/c you have folks like Scott Kilby and one other guy (whose name escapes me now) who is very fast in that class and maybe a few others too.

Happy trails...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

DPH, you can also look at our overall finishs,,, not only in the 12 hour but the 6 hour race we ran in Texas! In the Texas race we were basicly the only utility quad out of 26 teams so I told the boys,,, see how many of them sports you can eat up in 6 hours,,, we finished 13th overall in that race. Now, onto the 12 hour race,,, There were 19 PRO teams, then came the A class, the B class, and so on,,, 110 quads in all! Guess what,, we placed 45th out of that 110 quad field! When there is no competition in our class,,, we gun for the bigger boys who are on quads with half the weight,,, and we gobble um up! LOL!!!

In the GNCC, you are right,, there isn't alot of competition there but what is there is the best there is in the world! If you can beat the likes of Mike Penland, Scott Kilby, Jason White, Ken Robey, and so on,,, you know you have accomplished something! If you don't believe so,,, give it a try sometime and let me know when ya do,,, I'd love to be there to cheer ya on! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
I'm not trying to start any kind a war here but give respect where it's due,,, heck, I see in your name the 400ex,,, we have raced the Prairies in many races and we leave 400ex's behind in the dust!

 

PW nice job out there with your team. You guys hauled the mail out there... It was exciting to be a part of race such as this. I already put in a call to Diamond G to see about next year. I'll be there boys and with a larger team...my plan is now to put 3 machines out there. This year was a test, to see what it would take. Kevin and Randy did the bulk of our riding, both riding twice as many laps as I did but bing the MX guy, it gave me a new found respect for hare scramble and enduro style racers...world class athletes! I'm proud of our team...first year out there and we lasted all 12 hours, Mike Walker did a great job of keeping that machine running with Steve and Derek. Kevin...guy is a riding animal! Randy... doesn't know the meaning of take it easy! I hope they all decide to sign with me again next year, good core group to build from.

Congrats again PW...You and your team did a stand up, kick butt, beating to everyone out there...