GNCC Round 12 Race Report

Kevin Trantham proved his victory in the last round of GNCC competition was no fluke as he finished a strong second in the most recent race in the XC1 UTV class at Powerline Park in St. Clairsville, OH. Fellow Polaris/RT Pro drivers William Yokley, Michael Swift, and Jesi Stracham also turned in competitive performances with their RT Pro-equipped rides.

Trantham took the lead on the first lap, but fell back to second at the finish. The runner-up effort moved him up three spots in the championship. He now sits fifth in points with one race left this season.

“I had to prove it to myself,” said Trantham. “I came out of nowhere and took a win and it shocked a lot of people, including myself. So to get a second helped boost my confidence. That wasn’t a fluke. We have one round left and it would be awesome to finish out the year on the podium.”

Powerline’s fast 6.1-mile course is virtually guaranteed to make for physical racing. Trantham appreciated the RT Pro bumpers and Tree Kickers during the race to keep his car running, despite contact with other cars.

“We run their bumpers, nerf bars, tree kickers, roll cage and frame braces and everything worked well,” said Trantham. “We were definitely doing a little rubbing with Cody Miller at one point and all of our RT Pro components stood the test so we could finish the race and get back on the podium.”

Yokley finished fifth and moved to fourth in points in his RZR XP1000. He also appreciated the Tree Kickers during the race.

“The RT Pro components did their job once again,” said Yokley. “They allowed the car to perform the way it should. They also gave me the armor to get through contact with other competitors on the track. The tree kickers kept my tires from locking up and tipping us over. The bumpers did their job as always.”

Swift was running strong in the top five when he had four-wheel-drive issues on the second lap. He finished the race in two-wheel drive and remained sixth in points.

“Our goal is for one of us to get into the top five this year,” said Swift. “Kevin moved into the top five and I’m sixth, three points out of fifth. So I need some luck on my side at this last race. We’re learning for next year. We’re taking these things we’re bending and breaking and fixing them. The one thing we don’t have to worry about is the RT Pro components. The cage and the nerf bars did a good job getting us around the trees and protecting the tires.”

Jesi Stracham was running third in the ACE single seat race when she spun and hit a tree. Stracham, who is paralyzed from the waist down, is driving a Polaris built by RT Pro with hand controls.

These drivers, with their RT Pro Polaris UTVs, will finish out the 2017 GNCC season at Ironman Raceway in Crawfordsville, IN October 28-29.