Polaris/Coastal/CST/Yokley Racing Team Report: Mountaineer Run GNCC
- Updated: May 25, 2015
John Henry
Round three of the six-race Side-by-Side Championship took place on Saturday in Masontown, West Virginia, where the Polaris/Coastal/CST/Yokley Racing team finished just outside the top five in the highly competitive XC1 Pro class, while Team Driver Sam Yokley carried his Polaris ACE to another podium finish in the Polaris Single Seat division.
Taking place on Marvin’s Mountain Top in the hills of West Virginia, the Mountaineer Run GNCC is known for its rocky terrain and treacherous obstacles. The Side-by-Side race hosted nearly 70 machines on Saturday but after one-hour of competition, only 23 machines were able to complete the race on the lead lap. Despite the rough conditions, Team Drivers William Yokley and Scott Kiger powered through to capture sixth and seventh place, respectively.
Scott Kiger
Scott Kiger and his passenger Tyler King lined up on the third row to start and as the green flag dropped, Kiger lit his Polaris RZR XP 1000 up to capture the holeshot. Following a tough day at the previous round, William Yokley and his wife/passenger Tina started on the sixth row, where they had their work cut out for them in a class of 33 competitors. Yokley powered his Polaris RZR S 900 from the start, where he made his way into seventh on the first lap. On the adjusted time clock, Kiger was two positions back in ninth.
The Polaris-backed duo pushed each other all race long on the adjusted time clock, clawing their way toward the front. Around the halfway point, both drivers had inserted themselves into top five positions as they battled it out both physically and on adjusted time. In the end, Yokley came through only 11 seconds away from a top-five finish, capturing sixth place and valuable championship points.
William Yokley
“We knew the terrain was going to be rocky and tough so thankfully we prepared the Polaris RZR to be bulletproof out there,” Yokley said. “Starting on row six was a challenge but the car handled so well in the rocks that we were able to make great passes and keep charging. We couldn’t be happier with all the people who support us with the best products out there.”
Kiger held on during the final lap to ultimately finish seventh place, just behind his teammate Yokley.
“The car was absolutely amazing once again and fired up so fast off the start,” Kiger said. “It was a fun day of racing but it was definitely a survival game this round so we’re happy to finish with valuable points in the championship chase.”
In the XC2 Pro Sport division, Team Driver John Henry and his passenger Blake Tornes grabbed yet another holeshot aboard the Polaris RZR S 900. John Henry put himself into the lead by lap two, where he engaged in an intense battle for the number one position for the next two laps. However, with only two laps to go, Henry experienced an issue that would ultimately take him out of the race completely. Henry was able to salvage championship points with an eleventh place finish.
Round three of the all-new Polaris Single Seat race took place on Saturday morning and Team Driver Sam Yokley captured another podium finish in his first season of GNCC competition. With one win behind him already, Yokley sits in a close battle for the lead in the championship chase this season.
The GNCC Side-by-Side Championship returns to action Saturday, June 6 in Millfield, Ohio with the John Penton GNCC. For more information on the team, please visit www.yokleyracing.com.
To watch the complete coverage from Saturday’s Side-by-Side race in West Virginia, visit www.racertv.com/category/gncc-utv-live.
William Yokley’s Team Sponsors: Polaris Industries, Coastal Racing, CST, Racer Tech, Elka Suspension, OMF, Beard Seats, Tireballs, Mona Vie and Yokley Racing.
Scott Kiger’s Team Sponsors: Polaris Industries, Coastal Racing, CST, Racer Tech, OMF, Walker Evans, Tireballs and Yokley Racing.
John Henry’s Team Sponsors: Polaris Industries, Coastal Racing, CST, Racer Tech, OMF, Walker Evans, Tireballs, SSI Decals and Yokley Racing.
