Kiwi riders Paul Whibley and Callan May are continuing to make headway in the United States, although it has been a real test of character for the two Yamaha men.

The famous Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Nashville, Tennessee, was the venue for round six of the Grand National Cross-country Championships at the weekend and both Pahiatua’s Whibley (Yamaha YZ450F) and Titirangi’s May (Yamaha YZ250F) were looking to improve their respective positions among the top 10 in the XC1 (open class) and XC2 (250cc) categories.

For 35-year-old former Manawatu forestry worker Whibley, affectionately dubbed “The Axeman” on the international motorcycling scene, it has been a struggle this season and although the two-time former GNCC champion is used to winning at this level, has yet to win a round this season.

Whibley is in fourth place in the class after finishing a solid seventh at Nashville (and he is still fifth in the overall standings).

The day began with dry and sunny conditions, but quickly changed as a rain storm arrived not long before the start of the main afternoon race.

Along with the wet and slippery conditions on the racetrack, came hot and humid temperatures to add yet another variable into the mix and the two BikesportNZ.com-supported Kiwi riders seemed in their element.

For 20-year-old Auckland electrician May, making his debut in the GNCC series this season, the event was another eye-opener.

“After walking the track on Saturday, the track was looking like a lot of fun with some good single track, lots of up and downhills and a few rocky sections. I had good lines ready and was ready to race,” said May.

“About 20 minutes before the start, it poured down, making the track very slick and muddy but, fortunately, it stopped before we took off.

“I got a good jump off the start in about sixth going into the woods. It was chaos mud and bikes all over the place and I had gone through all my goggle tear-offs within the first three miles. I was setting in comfortably in around seventh position, putting down a charge, but was really getting beat up by the suspension on my bike.

“I’m lucky enough to have scored a ride on team MCS Yamaha racing because their rider got injured a few weeks back. So, with little testing being done, the bike wasn’t quite set up for me, making it hard to get good drive over the rocky clay base.

“I made a few mistakes, missing a fresh, unmarked line that was made by riders ahead, and this allowed three riders to go past. I charged on for the first three laps, battling with the bike until the pitted and made adjustments to the forks and shock, winding off the compression and allowing it to get better drive.

“The bike was feeling a lot better after that and I was able to finally start pushing and pick off riders who had managed to get past me. Once I got going, with the help of some positive and enthusiastic pit board messages from the new pit crew, I was able to come home in eighth (in the XC2 class, and 19th overall).”

May is ranked sixth overall in the XC2 class after six rounds thus far.

“So it was really not a bad end to the day after the terrible start and a few bike issues.

“I’m now spending the next two weeks in Indiana, testing the new bike to get it dialled-in for round seven, where I’ll be fired up for redemption and, hopefully, get into the top five.”

Another Kiwi in the mix is Wellington’s Rory Mead. Unfortunately he suffered a last-lap crash and seriously injured himself at round three of the series in Morganton, North Carolina, at the end of March, and he can now only watch from his hospital bed as he slips further down the standings.

Mead had been winning the XC2 class before his accident but he is now ranked 10th overall.

Whibley is supported by Yamaha Motor New Zealand, AmPro Yamaha, Monster Energy, Shoei, Sidi, Smith, MSR G2, Asterisk, Moto SR, Vortex Ignitions, EC3D, Bush Riders MCC, Spectro, Acerbis, DID, JT sprockets, Leatt, Kenda, Sargent Motorcycles, Yamaha NZ, Bikesportnz.com, Unibiker and Tire balls.

May is supported by Yamaha Motor New Zealand, Kiwi Rider magazine, BikesportNZ.com, MotoSR, Golden Tyres, Fox, Graphic Creation, GYTR and Yamalube.

RESULTS AND STANDINGS:

XC1 Pro Class, round six:

1. Charlie Mullins
2. Kailub Russell
3. Josh Strang (AUS)
4. Chris Bach
5. Jordan Ashburn
6. Andrew Delong
7. Paul Whibley
8. Takeshi Koikeda
9. Adam Bonneur
10. Ryan Sipes

XC1 Pro Championships after six rounds:

1. Charlie Mullins 156
2. Kailub Russell 148
3. Josh Strang 115
4. Paul Whibley 102
5. Jordan Ashburn 99
6. Steward Baylor Jr 85
7. Thad Duvall 84
8. Chris Bach 73
9. Andrew Delong 73
10. Takeshi Koikeda 73

XC2 Pro Class, round six:

1. Grant Baylor
2. Ricky Russell
3. Layne Michael
4. Jessie Groemm
5. Christopher Douglas
6. Jedediah Haines
7. Samuel Evans
8. Callan May (NZ)
9. Trevor Bollinger
10. Shane Hufford Jnr.

XC2 Pro Championships after six rounds:

1. Grant Baylor 151
2. Ricky Russell 148
3. Trevor Bollinger 117
4. Layne Michael 90
5. Shane Hufford Jnr. 89
6. Callan May (NZ) 83
7. Jessie Groemm 70
8. Samuel Evans 70
9. Christopher Douglas 61
10. Rory Mead (NZ) 56

© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com

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