Whibs in USA 2010:

[denill]

A promising start!;) ;)

Race Report: SETRA Harescramble, Abbeville, SC
Rider: Paul Whibley
Team: Am-Pro Yamaha
Bike: Yamaha WR 450
Result: 2nd

Arriving at the Am-Pro base just days before and with an incredible spell of wet and cold weather for this time of year meant the event was going to be more testing than racing for me.
Lining up ready for the wave of the flag I was still unsure of the best technique required to start the WR fast. As a result I got a bad start and had a lot of work to do. Charlie Mullins got to the front quickly and took off. The track was tight and passing was tough. It wasn't until about half way through the first lap that I was able to move into 2nd and by that time Charlie was out of sight. With one lap completed in just over 30 minutes I got a pit board saying to gas on the next lap. We were told at the briefing that it would be a 5 lap race so race time was going to be just over 2.5 hrs. As the race progressed I became more familiar with the bike and was able to increase my speed and reduce my lap times, although there was no catching Charlie. The track was cutting up and I was enjoying being back in some tough woods after being home in NZ over the off season. With the last lap completed Charlie took the win. I was happy with the progress we had made and satisfied with the result.
Dale, my new mechanic, had done a great job of prepping the bike and things are looking good for the coming season.
Viewing lap times after the race showed I got more comfortable as the event progressed and even put in the fastest lap of the race on the last lap.

Results:
1st: Charlie Mullins
2nd: Paul Whibley
3rd: Corey Macdonald








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[takitimu]

A good sign he did the fastest lap last :).

Check this quote from gnccracing.com ( http://gnccracing.com/articles/1912_quick-fill-5-this-week-in-gncc )


It wasn't until Shane Watts made his way in from Australia in the late 1990's before we began to realize there was a world threat on the horizon. Wattsy took the championship in 2000 and then more and more threats started arriving. Juha Salminen from Finland followed by David Knight from The Isle of Man and now Paul Whibley from New Zealand all followed their dream of being an American Champion.
I realize the greatness of both Juha and Knighter, but in my opinion, Paul Whibley is probably the most impressive. Whibs made it all on his own. Kind of like Fast Eddy set out to do. True grit and determination won that championship for Paul.

[denill]

"It wasn't until Shane Watts made his way in from Australia in the late 1990's before we began to realize there was a world threat on the horizon. Wattsy took the championship in 2000 and then more and more threats started arriving. Juha Salminen from Finland followed by David Knight from The Isle of Man and now Paul Whibley from New Zealand all followed their dream of being an American Champion.

I realize the greatness of both Juha and Knighter, but in my opinion, Paul Whibley is probably the most impressive. Whibs made it all on his own. Kind of like Fast Eddy set out to do. True grit and determination won that championship for Paul."

Yeah, that's how it is.

Are Whibs and Mullins in the same Yamaha team?

[takitimu]

I thought Charlie was staying Suzuki, but I could be wrong.

[denill]

I thought Charlie was staying Suzuki, but I could be wrong.

From your link Nigel.

"You've probably heard by now that Charlie Mullins is back on a Yamaha, and if you checked out the site earlier in the week you probably read the official press release as well. But, in case you haven't heard, Mullins will be riding an Obermeyer Yamaha / Am-Pro Yamaha backed YZ-450F this season. Charlie has been down in Florida since before Christmas riding on the YZ, and based off his result at the Sumter National Enduro he's adapting to the bike pretty well. There's probably no better sign of the tough economic times than the #3 rider in the series having to put together a privateer ride, but I think all of this has Charlie more motivated than ever to put in a solid season."

[takitimu]

It's the snow getting to my brain :)

It's hard to tell what is gong on to be honest, digitaloffroad.com have a photo shoot with a heap of Am-Pro riders, it kind of sounds like Mullins has a gig where the team pay Am-Pro for facilities at the races & whatever extra level of support. But it sure show's just how cut back the support for GNCC is this year.

I actually think the manufacturers have stuffed up, the US is coming out of recession & they are losing momentum going into summer sales here by chopping the teams so hard.

[takitimu]

Here's a cool interview on gnccracing.com, here's hoping it's another good year for Paul.

http://www.gnccracing.com/articles/1932_tuesday-toolbox-paul-whibley

[denill]

Race Report: Florida Trail Riders, Gatorback FL
Rider: Paul Whibley
Team: Am-Pro Yamaha
Bike: Yamaha WR 450
Result: 1st

With the development of the WR coming along nicely and the opening GNCC in Florida just over a week away, Katherine and I packed up the van and headed South in search of sun and sand. Destination for the weekend was Gatorback park for the latest F.T.R race.
Lining up at the start with my former teammates Jimmy Jarrett and Scotty Watkins, as well as all the top local Florida riders who are pretty quick in the sand.
A poor start again left me with some work to do. The track was a fun mix of sand whoops in the trees and some hard pack sections around the quarry that the track looped around. I worked my way forward slowly and by the fuel stop was battling for the lead with Jimmy and Chris Bach on his new KTM. After the gas stop I moved into the lead and put my head down. It was tough to make a break for it with a lot of lappers and some narrow sections of track where all you could do was just follow and allow the lead you had just built evaporate. I eventually gained enough of a lead that I could work my way through any hold ups and not be caught by 2nd and 3rd. With the chequers out I took my first win on the Yamaha in the States.
We now have just over a week to do any final preperation to the bike before the first GNCC kicks of on Tuesday. So its riding sand and thawing out after the unseasonable cold weather we have had in SC.

Results:
1st: Paul Whibley
2nd: Chris Bach
3rd: Jimmy Jarrett

[secondfield]

Interesting to note he sounded quite keen on the YZ but ended up with a WR.

Not sure the reasons why for the WR being handed to him, but he is definately starting to feel comfortable with it. Wouldn't be easy chopping and changing bikes every season.

[merv]

Thanks for the update denill nice to hear he is coming on well on the Yamaha.

[Reckless]

Interesting to note he sounded quite keen on the YZ but ended up with a WR.

Not sure the reasons why for the WR being handed to him, but he is definately starting to feel comfortable with it. Wouldn't be easy chopping and changing bikes every season.

My GUESS would be the latest changes to the YZ have made it even more MX specific and The WR is simply a better bike for this type of riding. I'm sure they wouldn't put their No 1 enduro rider on anything but the best bike for the job! Might be bloody good for the yamaha guys that ride trail if they develop the wr. Might kick them into action with him winning on it. They may have made a concious effert to develop a dedicated competition (EXC type range), there is a huge market there most of the japs have not marketed to, which will be good for all of us.
The above decision says to me. Don't buy a 2010 YZ for trial or enduro, the Wr is a better bike?

Thanks for the update denhill!!

[kezzafish]

i can second that reckless... the 2010 yzf is fucking psycho..... I doubt anyone would say no to one though!... crazy fun

[takitimu]

Yeah, when I get home first job is tame down the efi on a guy I know who has one, there's a bit of stuff online on what to do, the tool they provide is not that tricky, but perhaps not the easiest interface to use.

After riding a WR450 ( 2 year old ) that had YZ suspension, I thought the suspension was amazing & it tracked real well, but because the weight is so low & so much of it, it kinda of wallowed, but I'm sure Whib's has his seriously tweaked :), my bet is at the least no battery, no overflow form the radiator, alot of cables gone west & obviously Ohlins Factory suspension :), not to mention what's going on inside the motor, that doesn't leave alot of the bike simlar to what you'd buy off the shelf.

From what I could gather, the GNCC guys go as fast on a 250, but the 450's are needed to pass.