Beech Mountain Pro GRT - Race Recap

Welcome to Beech Mountain North Carolina. On any given weekend, you can grab your favorite beverage at the top of the mountain at the bar named after the mountain's elevation. Time to get our Pro GRT on!

Who gets the award for the coolest rig on the mountain? That would be Magic Cycles with their what looked to be an all original/unrestored late 70's Toyota Land Cruiser. Which is worth more? The Toyota or all the Santa Cruz bikes that decorate the rig?

Alex Willie (Pro Men) made the trip east during summer college break from the University of Colorado Boulder and brought his little brother Chase (Juniors) with him to taste some the North Carolina dirt. Good to see some of the west coasters out this direction.

Tommy Zula of Airborne Cycles pounding down some "dry" laps on Saturday practice. See the fog in the background starting to show its face? That meant only one thing, mother nature was about to mix things up a bit.

Home field advantage? At 19 years old, Clancy Loorham has ridden Beech several times over the past few years, but he and his brother/family are now residents of Beech Mountain. No excuses Loorhams. As much as you have and will ride this place, you should be totally dialed. Expectations are high and it's time to deliver!

If you can keep your speed through the rock garden, the hard part is behind you. The rest of Black Bear is cake, relatively speaking. Damon Sedivy ran this section again and again and again to just about perfection.

Atypical of Beech Mountain, conditions on Friday were likely to only be a tease. Practice was 10:00am to 5:30pm and after a sunny and bone dry day, mother nature didn't blink an eye in sticking to her guns and bringing lots of rain at just about the strike of five o'clock. By that time, most everyone seemed to have their fill and were ready to call it a day. How long would the rain last, how dry would it get when it stopped and what was in store for seeding and race runs? Welp, I'd take the bet it wouldn't be the last of the mud and slop we'd see.

This is the guy to watch. Nathan St. Clair is always good for a great show... not to mention he's just plain fast. His weekend would be interesting, as Dad St. Clair told said Nathan's not so keen in racing in the wet stuff.

After 10 years, Steve "Farmer" Brown (aka Old School) is still rocking the 2007 Mountain Cycle 9.5 Shockwave. Risse racing fork, Cane Creek DB rear shocks, Hope V4 brakes, and Azonic Oneal parts sprinkled here and there. And, lest we not forgot his best buddy Bill Miller, aka the photo bomber.

Who do we have to thank for the updates and changes to the park? That would be these two scoundrels... Peter Mills (left) and Andrew Mueller of Elevated Trail Design. Great work gentlemen! Great work!

Michael Maldonado/Defiant racing in Cat 2 Men 15–18 pinned over the lower flow course. Just upstream of this point, the Pro and Am courses merge to using the all familiar flow course just before the finish.

Louis Diomede scrubbing some speed during Am practice.

There was a 30-minute break between amateur practice and seeding runs, and during that break, this happened. I didn't see it, but I'd bet the paddock was a mad scramble to switch over to spikes to lay down your best time.

Most people know Sean Leader from his efforts with Neko Mulally and Windrock Bike Park. This weekend he set aside his bike park responsibilities and tools (as well as his camera... he's pretty damn good at that too) for some time on his new YT Tues. The rain let up a bit during his seeding run and he'd go 16th on Saturday.

Ian Turner pictured seeding 18th. After each of the 18th riders had there chance the fastest time belonged to Mauricio Estrada Pulgarin of Defiant Racing with a 2 29.466.

Ian Turner seeding 18th as the sprinkles continue.

After each of the 18 riders had their chance, the fastest time of the day belonged to Mauricio Estrada Pulgarin/Defiant Racing with a 2:29.466, over Shane Leslie/Defiant Racing by 1.138 seconds. Pro Women would see Angelina Palermo with her first TQ in the Pro GRT series with a 3:28.470 in front of Caroline Washam who put down a run of 3:40.797. Junior's TQ would belong to Titus Nicholson over David Kahn by 1.2 seconds with a 2:36.520. Note to racers: the days seem to repeat themselves, sun all morning, mid-afternoon rain, stop, start repeat, sun all morning, rain mid-afternoon, stop, start, repeat. At this point it's consistent and predictable. We'll see how much tire choice becomes an issue on race day.

Hanging with the SEI Racing and part of the GROM Racing crew for some late night bike prep while catching up on action from the early morning hours of the 24 Heures du Mans on Fox Sports. Matt Griffin s SEI Racing Norco Aurum was having some rear derailleur issues. Nothing that can t be fixed.

Hanging with the SEI Racing and (part of) the Grom Racing crew for some late night bike prep while catching up on the action from the early morning hours of the 24 Heures du Mans on Fox Sports. Matt Griffin's (SEI Racing) Norco Aurum was having some rear derailleur issues. Nothing that can't be fixed. In the midst of all this, I think I personally might have gotten Matt Griffin hooked on watching WEC/IMSA/Sports Car Racing

Commercial break from the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Time for Phillip Steele left and Matt Griffin to catch the action from the MountainBike Mania seeding video courtesy of Ross MacDonald and his crew. You can always count on Ross for getting the action out to the masses quick.

Commercial break from the 24 Hours of Le Mans means time for Phillip Steele (left) and Matt Griffin to catch the action from the MountainBike Mania Seeding video, courtesy of Ross MacDonald and his crew. You can always count on Ross for getting the action out to the masses quick.

Good Morning and Welcome to race day! Logan Binggeli was commenting on how much he was enjoying the Western North Carolina race day weather compared to Utah. In the background Quinton Spalding doing what he does best.

As the Pro's and Cat 1 riders enjoy some free time before race runs, it's time for the Cat 2–3 folks to put down their best times for the weekend. Jake Wade in Amateur Men Cat 2 19–29 on his way to an 8th place in class.

Out of the eight riders in Amateur Cat 2 15–18 Juniors, River Key of Blue Ridge Bikes would lock down the silver with a 3:05.377.

The venue chose to split the Pro and Am courses, mainly to avoid any serious carnage on the Pro Rock Garden. The Amateur categories ran a similar course to past years events, recently renamed "Blue Ridge Rocks." Both trails would rejoin one another to finish out the track in the lower flow section of the mountain. Guodong Ma looking pinned in the wooded section of "Blue Ridge Rocks".

Blake Parr put down a time of 3:09.427, good enough for the gold in Amateur Men Cat 2 19–29.

Some more Nate.... just because he s gotz stylz.

Some more Nate... just because he's gotz madz stylz.

Rafael Ferreira Gravity Pirates has continued to step it up race after race after race. If there s a race in the Southeast region you typically find him on the podium. This weekend would be no different. He took the gold in Cat 1 Men 30-39 with a 2 39.404 ten seconds over second in class.

Rafael Ferreira/Gravity Pirates has continued to step it up, race after race, after race. If there's a race in the Southeast region, you will typically find him on the podium. This weekend would be no different, taking the gold in Cat 1 Men 30–39 with a 2:39.404, ten seconds over second in class.

Not that he s brag or anything but to quote Chuck Pitts Cat 1 40-49 STILL My Mountain Young Rippers Top Time in AM in all over 18yr. classes Haha couldn t resist. Nice run buddy

Not that he's bragging or anything, but to quote Chuck Pitts (Cat 1 40–49), "Still My Mountain. Young Rippers! Top Time in AM in all over 18yr classes!" Haha, couldn't resist. Nice run buddy!

Who gave this guy a bike? Yes, Ross MacDonald of MountainBike Mania does ride... and we should add, can ride. He was on his way to the taking the gold in Cat 1 Men 19-29.

Steven Walton/Commencal USA on his way to take the top spot in Juniors with a 2:19.586.

The top spot in Pro Women, with the clean sweep of TQ and Gold, belonged to Angelina Palermo. She had a great weekend! Congrats Angelina!

KHS Factory Racing would have two guys on the podium. This guy, Bruce Klein, would take the top spot with a 2:13.957. His teammate, Logan Binggeli, would take fourth. Congrats guys!

Race day Video courtesy of MountainBike Mania TV

Beech MTN GRT #3

by mtbmaniatv

Views: 937 Faves: 4 Comments: 1

Juniors Podium: 1. Steve Walton, 02:19.586, Commencal USA, 2. Titus Nicholson, 02:20.513, Defiant Racing, 3. David Kahn, 02:23.926, IJ Racing (not pictured), 4. Zach Gareis, 02:26.338, Billy Goat Bikes, 5. Damon Sedivy, 02:27.884, Giantco Factory

Pro Women Podium: 1. Angelina Palermo, 03:00.868, Dirty Harry's/Specialized, 2. Caroline Washam, 03:10.829, LIV/Spoked, 3. Rachel, Kelleher, 03:34.817, COQUI Cyclery, 4. Amber Price, 03:42.632, Klim/Leatt

Pro Men Podium: 1. Bruce Klein, 02:13.957, KHS Factory Racing, 2. Shane Leslie, 02:14.027, Defiant Racing, 3. Austin Hackett-Klaube, 02:16.083, Specialized, 4. Logan Binggeli, 02:16.148, KHS Factory Racing, 5. Kyle Grau, 02:18.102, Fast Bike Industries

Official Full Results via USA Cycling here

After round three of seven, as one would expect, there's been some movement in the overall Pro GRT series points. After his win this weekend, Bruce Klein moves into the top spot unseating Kiran McKinnon who falls four spots. Shane Leslie is in second, Logan Binggeli in third, again Kiran MacKinnon in fourth, and Austin Hackett Klaube in fifth. On the Women's side, Angelina moves up to the top spot in points, followed by Caroline Washam, Jill Kintner, Vaea Verbeeck, and Rachel Kelleher. No doubt the movement isn't over yet, as the last four races in the Pro GRT series are split across the US... two on the east coast and two out west. Next on the calendar is the Chile Challenge at Angel Fire, NM this coming weekend (June 23–25). Info can be found here.

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