Whibley closes in on crown

Preparations for Paul Whibley's final push to win the major American crown on the US cross-country circuit this season are gaining momentum.

With another win at a lesser North Carolina Hare Scramble Association (NCHSA) race last week, the Pahiatua ace hopes momentum will see him wrap up the Grand National Cross-Country Championships (GNCC) when that series resumes after its mid-summer break for the final four rounds starting with the 10th round of 13 at Unadilla, New York, on September 16.

Whibley (Yamaha YZ450F) kept himself sharp for that final GNCC onslaught by comfortably winning the NCHSA race at Taylorsville.

His odds for a good start were pretty slim after picking the last spoon out of the bucket but after everyone was lined up he managed to squeeze in on the very inside.

Whibley managed a good start, coming out in second from the first turn. About three-quarters of the way through the first lap near disaster struck, with Whibley washing the front end out on a stick that was lying on the track. After picking up his bike and trying to take off he felt that something was not right, with first thoughts being the chain was off.

Whibley said: "A quick check revealed all was good there. Then I tried changing gears but still the bike wouldn't drive. I checked the gear lever and all was good there too. I finally found that something had hit the clutch cable and twisted it. Once I straightened it out, the free play returned.

"While I was messing with the bike, four or five guys went by and, after another quick stop to adjust my twisted clamps, I was back in the race.

"I began making my way forward, retaking the positions I gave up while working on the bike and by late in the second lap I was moving back into the lead.

"The rest of the race was pretty uneventful, putting in safe and consistent laps, eventually taking the win."