2013 Pro GRT 2 Fontana

The second round of the 2013 Pro GRT took place this past weekend in Fontana California. The course here is known for having a quarter mile flat sprint to the finish line at the bottom. This caused some concern amongst the "hardcore" downhill enthusiasts. The KHS Factory racing boys had been dominating the winter series aboard 650B AM bikes.

Come practice it looked like most of the Pro field ended up going with a Downhill bike. The trail had two sketchy sections in it giving riders trouble one up high called the Dragons Spine and then one lower down just before the wall called the Shoot.

Aaron Gwin on day one practice run number two trying to figure out the 2 or 3 lines in the Shoot near the bottom of the course.

Aaron Gwin day two practice further down the Shoot it starts to get steep here the silt covering the rocks made the trail more slippery than BB's on granite.

Aaron Gwin takes the high road over the rocks along the wall on Day 2 after this the long pedal begins.

Aaron Gwin on race day way up high just after the Dragon's Spine. There was literally 7 corners the entire trail.

Aaron Gwin's race run he looked smooth through here and Mitch beat him by just over a second.

The course fed riders out of the start and then right after that there was a small rock booter that set riders up for a high speed section before the Dragon's Spine. Riders of all caliber spent a bunch of time scouting the best line over The Spine. Some were trying to ride the right side where it was solid rock and had good traction while others went left for a smoother dirt, dust and rock combo. Going left made the exit a tad bit easier since the right line had a wood feature dropping riders off the rock thus keeping them in the air longer.

Alex Willie in the last rock section before the wall on day 2.

Alex Willie race run in the shoot.

After leaving the spiner there was a fade away left hander over a large rock that allowed riders to gain substantial speed. Then riiders came to the only real corner on the course it was a deep bermed left hander cut into the hill. This sent riders across another large rock feature and then another high speed section that set riders up to go through a rock split. After that the riders came to a large boulder and hopped up onto it then off the back side.

Amber Price was one of the Pro women that raced and by race time she was comfortable with this section.

Art Babcock of One Ghost on his way to a 7th place finish.

Charlie Harrison up high during day 2 practice.

Trek Southridge Racing's own Cole Picchiottino dropping the Shoot. Cole is part of a Father/Son team that is killing the So Cal race scene.

This set riders up going into some large loose rocks weaving across the hill just before The Shoot. This seperated the men from the boys and certainly gace favor to the large bike for sure. Gwin did a run on a 26" EVO of some variety on day 1. He settled on the full blown DH sled either because Specialized asked him to or he felt better aboard it. The trail lost a fair bit of elevation here and had rocks scattered throughout it. What made it tricky was the silt covering the rocks made is super slippery. Brake control was paramount and all the riders where skidding and sliding across the boulders here.

David Seaquist of One Ghost is trying to dial in the Dragon's Spine early race day morning.Jason Schroeder of ODI/Specialized on his race run down The Shoot and was looking smooth.Joe Picchiottino is a Vet Pro slayer winning by double digits he came in 15th place during finals and was twice the age of most of the people he was racing! (WOW ANIMAL)

Kevin Aiello up high one turn out of the gate rolling over a small rock hump some people pumped others whipped and some like Kevin here just stayed low and airborne.

Kevin Aiello used a full blown DH sled with the 650B wheel option while Logan ran a 650B wheeled AM bike all weekend. Here Kevin drops The Shoot in his race run.

Logan Binggeli on day 1 of practice this gives a good idea to how steep and tight The Shoot was.

Logan Binggeli on day 1 practice up high looking at the left hander coming up.Logan Binggeli during day 2 practice down low along the wall he also opted for the rock hop.Logan Binggeli leaving The Dragons Spine during race day practice.This gives a longer perspective of The Dragons Spine here Logan runs it for the third time in a row.

This spit riders out onto the fire road and here is the place the AM bikes had a strong advantage over the DH bikes. This is essentially a quarter mile sprint through the backside of a neighborhood. There are just 2 small rock sections here and once past the second its and all out drag race to cross the finishline!

Logan Binggeli on his way to 3rd in the finals. Luca Shaw looked smooth all weekend in the rough stuff. Here he is negotiating The Shoot.Matt Condrashoff in the turn after the Dragons Spine. Matt Moore race run the JR X (Cat 1 whatever) field was stacked

Matthew Parker on day 2 practice down low near the wall.

Matthew Parker on race day practice along The Dragon's Spine.Mike Day of BMX fame represting for GT and Red Bull up high on the hill.

Mikey Haderer day 2 practice just out of the gate.

Mikey Haderer day 2 practice just out of the gate.

Mitch Ropelato race winner on the 29er ended up beating Gwin by over a second.

Evil pan.

Undead Fontucky......Vance Bennett of San Luis Obispo during day 2 practice.

2013 Fontana Pro GRT Results

	Pro Men			Finish Time
	Mitch Ropelato	Specialized Monster Energy	792A	0:02:02.72
	Aaron Gwin	Specialized Red Bull	2A	0:02:04.03
	Logan Binggeli	KHS	1A	0:02:04.48
	Kevin Aiello	KHS Bicycles	5A	0:02:07.58
	Kyle Sangers	PerformX DH Team	4A	0:02:08.62
	Mike Sylvestri	ARMA Energy Evil	3A	0:02:10.46
	Art Babcock	One Ghost Industries	6A	0:02:11.07
	Waylon Smith	Trek Southridge Racing	7A	0:02:12.37
	Kyle Hogan	Nema Aim Ride School	778A	0:02:12.77
	Cody Johnson		819A	0:02:13.27
	Evan Turpen		741A	0:02:13.45
	Kiran MacKinnon	SPS	678A	0:02:13.59
	Barry Nobles	Airborne Bikes	720A	0:02:14.64
	Nate Furbee	Transition/FoxRacingSHox/E*13	700A	0:02:14.90
	Joe Picchiottino	Trek Southridge Racing	816A	0:02:15.09
	Gavin Vaughan	VonCooper/NemaNukeproof	9A	0:02:16.79
	Jake Payne	Turner Park Horse	707A	0:02:17.04
	Corey Hatch	Turner Dark Horse Racing	195A	0:02:17.11
	Ryan Paquette	Fly Racing	41A	0:02:17.17
	Dylan Conte	Voncooper/Nema	681A	0:02:17.37
	Chris Higgerson		735A	0:02:17.42
	Cody Kelley	Specailized USA Gravity	706A	0:02:18.48
	Bobby Langin Jr.	Focus Apparel	726A	0:02:18.91
	Chappy Fiene		771A	0:02:18.92
	Scott Countryman		754A	0:02:19.31
	Tim Krentz	Bike Emporium	769A	0:02:19.60
	Bo MacArthur	Auburn Bike Company/Santa Cruz Bikes	677A	0:02:20.00
	Troy D'Elia		38A	0:02:21.16
	Trevor Trinkino	Smith Optics	695A	0:02:21.64
	Mike Day	GT	660A	0:02:21.65
	Lucas Cowan	Intense/TroyLeeDesignsFacotryTeam	755A	0:02:21.72
	Ray Syron	Evil Factory USA	680A	0:02:22.19
	David Seaquist	Gravity Pirates	171A	0:02:22.20
	Anthony Marino		789A	0:02:23.61
	Daniel Brisbon	Arts Cyclery/SloToTheBone	779A	0:02:24.85
	Maxi Dickerhoff		656A	0:02:25.00
	Kellen Lutz	Bike Source	670A	0:02:25.05
	Andrew Slowey	Oliver Racing Specialized Bikes TLD	745A	0:02:25.20
	Scott Gladin	Absolute Bikes	781A	0:02:25.77
	Riley Mueller		751A	0:02:26.73
	Conrad Cullerey		724A	0:02:27.06
	Felip Walker	Scotts Valley Cycle Sport	679A	0:02:28.00
	Matt Condrashoff		727A	0:02:28.05
	Tanner Stephens		732A	0:02:28.74
	Andrew Van Zuyen	Intense Cycles/Troy Lee Designs	798A	0:02:30.46
	Dan Godans	Fly Racing	716A	0:02:31.11
	Josh Nevelson		39A	0:02:32.10
	Micah Van Horn	Broomfield	672A	0:02:37.23
	Geoffrey Ayr	Highland Mtn. Mavic	714A	0:02:57.17
	David K.		13A	0:03:42.27
	Ben Furbee	Transition/e*13	702A	0:03:50.13
	Vance Bennett	Arts Cyclery	763A	0:04:12.83
	Timmy Mangini	OneGhost/Oneal/Leatt	651A	0:12:00.99
	Mikey Haderer	Zerode/Shimano/Bell/Novatec/Scwalbe	728A	DNF
	Ryan Gagnon		770A	DNF
	Ryan Hockett		749A	DNF
	Ryan Stayskal		659A	DNF
	Michael Daniels		320A	DNF

	Pro Women			Finish Time
	Robyn Embrey	Shine Riders Co.	7B	0:03:01.74
	Jackie Swider	Shredly/TeamBacoa	772B	0:03:06.87
	Amber Price	Bike Source Gravity Racing	9B	0:03:16.62
	Stephanie Teltscha	SR Suntour-Carver	657B	0:03:31.44
	Eva Wilson	Oliver Racing	743B	0:04:05.42

	Expert 18 Under Men			Finish Time
	Charlie Harrison	ODI/Specialized	12D	0:02:07.68
	Jason Schroeder	ODI/Specialized	817D	0:02:08.06
	Walker Shaw		704D	0:02:08.75
	Luca Shaw		705D	0:02:08.76
	Cole Picchiottino	Trek Southridge Racing	1D	0:02:12.69
	Luca Cometti	Nema/Nukeproof	2D	0:02:13.21
	Dylan Unger	Intense/TroyLeeFactoryTeam	818D	0:02:15.05
	Matthew Parker	Trek Southridge Racing	6D	0:02:21.15
	Kristian Kaekul	Incycle	208D	0:02:21.45
	Brandon Coughlin		72D	0:02:21.71
	Galen Carter		3D	0:02:22.92
	Chase Nelson		5D	0:02:23.32
	Alex Willie		256D	0:02:25.73
	Todd Renwick	Ride Giant Ride Northstar	652D	0:02:26.41
	Jack Illes		764D	0:02:27.06
	Matt Branney	MotoE/Yeti/Bontriger/Shimano/BetterRide	4D	0:02:28.66
	Adrian Valdez		699D	0:02:29.21
	Troy Sladeck		323D	0:02:30.06
	Kyle Kennedy		9D	0:02:30.36
	Hudson Tognetti	Trail Head Cyclery	717D	0:02:30.85
	Niko Kilik	KGE	689D	0:02:30.92
	Matt Moore	Wheels In Motion	650D	0:02:31.98
	Michael Cofield		786D	0:02:32.10
	Tyler Krenek	Supercross/FlyRacing/Profile	8D	0:02:32.53
	Garrett Balthasar	One Ghost Industries	10D	0:02:33.63
	Andras Simon	Simon's Auto Body	313D	0:02:36.10
	Wyatt Freier	Yeti/MotoE	665D	0:02:38.34
	Tanner Hart	Lake Town Bike/ Maxxis	712D	0:02:39.73
	Jack Dean		654D	0:02:39.79
	Bruce Klein	Incycle	150D	0:02:40.96
	Jason Bohl	One Ghost Industries	725D	0:02:44.05
	Ben Nelson		698D	DNF
	Jonathan Simek		455D	DNF