2006
W.E. ROCK :: Grand Nationals, Boyd, TX
Becca Webster Climbing out of her RedBull RockHer after the Final run ::: Photo Cedit: pirate4x4.com
The Grand Nationals in only two years turned into the largest single event with the most on the line in the
Rock Crawling world. The cast was a who's who in the sport with big names like Marty Hart, Randy Torbett,
Jesse Haines, Ken Blume, Jason Paulie, Cody Waggoner, and Bruce Zeller at the helm. The event would soon be
recognized as the best event in Rock Crawling history by many who attended.
Terry Hawkins after climbing the Launch Pad and losing a tire to broken wheel studs ::: Photo Cedit: pirate4x4.com
Before the event had a chance to get under way, Boyd, Texas was hit with a tropical storm that dropped
3 inches in one hour, however, the site was barely touched and W.E.ROCK Officials made the call early to delay
the event by one hour to enhance the fairness and let the dirt dry a bit. With the rain came a whole slew of
new problems for the teams, as the track surface was not only wet, but also muddy. This took it's toll on
a few teams until the mud dried out more, then causing too much traction. Teams that were able to keep all
four tires on the ground and connected to their vehicle did well throughout day one, though day two would
carry a completely new set of courses and a totally different style of wheeling.
Scott Ellinger sitting in 6th until a mishap on B4 sending him and Spotter Sean Pegan down to 8th ::: Photo Cedit: pirate4x4.com
Day 1 was more of a methodical and technical course design catering to rear steer vehicles and great teams,
how ever, day 2 was completely different and someone let the motor out of the bag. The second day was focused
more on how teams used throttle, and positioning, the best in all aspects would come into "The Shootout"
with guns blazin' and a National Championship in mind. Throughout the regular event, there were over 42 lead
changes (the most in any event), with Jesse Haines and Brian Howard carrying the most lead changes and first
place after day one. How ever it was Marty Hart and Jeff Jones who would have the lead for the largest portion
of day two until Jason Paulie and Travis Wadeson took the lead and never looked back.
Weston Blackie trying the bonus wall on A4 ::: Photo Cedit: pirate4x4.com
The Pro Modified Class was the class to watch due to the recognizable bodies and style of vehicles. Everything
from Toyota's to Chevy's, to Ford's and Jeep's made their mark on the rocks. But from the beginning of the event
and holding the most commanding lead in the history of W.E.ROCK was Rock Runner Racing's Brian Errea and Joachum
Schiesow who grabbed the lead right from the beginning and finished the weekend an amazing 76 points ahead of
second place. The two took every team to school on driving technique and strategy. Though great strides were made
by the rest of the class to catch the duo, it was not enough going into "The Shootout."
Brian Ellinger during "The Shootout" ::: Photo Cedit: pirate4x4.com
The Modified Stock Class came to the table with a slew of great names as 2005 National Champion Dan Patterson
and Bob Roggy were in appearance along with 2006 Western US Nationals Series Champions Buzzy Bronsema
with Sean Wilson and 2006 Eastern US Nationals Series Champions Derek West and Ritchie Keller who just finished
their second unbeaten season. However it was Patterson and Roggy who only saw two wins this year, one of them
being the Grand Nationals, bringing home the National Championship for Maxxis Tires two years in a row.
2006 Grand Nationals Champion Jason Paulie and Travis Wadeson ::: Photo Cedit: pirate4x4.com
For the Unlimied class, it all came down to "The Shootout" as Ken Blume squeeked into 6th place, Jesse
Haines dropped from 1st to 5th after a blown up shock kept him from completing B4, Cody Waggoner sitting
in 4th with a consistant weekend, Marty Hart in third due to his aggressive driving, Bruce Zeller in second,
and Jason Paulie in 1st by only 3 points.
Zeller just second before sliding off line and hitting a cone in "The Shootout" ::: Photo Cedit: pirate4x4.com
Ken Blume and Ryan Leifert entered the course with nothing to lose sitting in sixth. This strategy worked
well until the vehicle tracked funny on two different occasions and forced the team to swipe two cones, with
a planned cone on the fourth set of gates. But due to the Bonus, Blume and Leifert walked away with 9 points
and a tight hold onto 6th. Haines and Howard then lined up, the shootoutfor this duo has been nothing but good
for the teams points standings, always placing them higher than originally. Unfortunately for the two Indiana
natives, their final score was not enough to make an impact of the rest of the flight. Cody and Jim Waggoner were
next and ran a perfect course besides hitting one cone on the first set of gates. Due to this infraction, their
score was not enought either to move up any ranks. The big move came from Marty Hart and Jeff Jones that were sitting
in third. With a completely new attack on the first set of cones, (which stumped all the teams), the managed to
pull off the first perfect score, placing the heat on the two teams sitting in 2nd and third. With Zeller and
Poston up in second place, the goal was to force a close score and keep Jason Paulie from the ability to use
rear steer (penalty of 5 points). They lined up just like Hart and Jones, but had been off on their line by
only an inch. In trying to chance it an dplace more pressure on Paulie and Wadeson, Zeller and Poston went for the
first set of gates, but got called on the cone which the tire slid into. This one move would place Hart and
Jones into second and give Paulie and Wadeson the win for the event.
Team RedBull's Becca Webster navigating the RockHer to a second place finish ::: Photo Cedit: pirate4x4.com
The Shootout for the Pro Modified class would turn strange as the top six could be split down the middle
half east, half west. Going into the last course the east held the last three positions 6th-4th and the west
held the first three position 1st-3rd. With the east up first, the west was able to capalized off the east's
mistakes. All of which would stop the east dead in their tracks while the west would run with the shootout.
The first to capalize off the east was Brian Ellinger and Dave Cole who finished the course, completed all
the bonuses and scored near perfect. Unfortunately for Ellinger and Cole, the next two runs would fair similar
not allowing a single change in placement throughout "The Shootout."
Chris May attempting to turn around his vehicle in a tight spot. ::: Photo Cedit: pirate4x4.com
Even with the West taking a demanding lead going into the shootout, it was Drew Goldie to be the first to make
it half way through the final course before he ran out of time. "The course was a little longer than usual,
and extremely techincal," explained Goldie after his run. In the end it was Rock Runner Racing's Brian Errea
and Joachum Schwiesow who took the National Championship while Becca and Dustin Webster placed second, Brian
Ellinger and Dave Cole in third, Drew Goldie and first time spotter Eric Dickard in fourth, Chris May and Jesse
Hopper in fifth and Lee Smith in sixth.
Qualified US Teams to run at the World Championships: Top three from the Grand Nationals in 2005, plus an additional top three from the Grand
Nationals in 2006. First place in each class for the 2006 series also gets an invite, plus W.E.ROCK "Sponsor
Representavites" which are not currently listed.
Unlimited Class
000 Jason Paulie and Travis Wadeson - 2006 GNC 1st Place
416 Marty Hart and Jeff Jones - 2005 GNC 2nd Place
181 Bruce Zeller and George Poston - 2005 GNC 3rd Place
117 Cody Waggoner and Jim Waggoner - 2006 GNC 4th Place
199 Jesse Haines and Brian Howard - 2005 GNC 1st Place
192 Ken Blume and Ryan Leifert - 2006 GNC 6th Place
215 Randy Torbett and Andy Torbett - 2006 Eastern US Nationals Series Champion
35 Shannon Campbell and Mike Deau - 2006 Western US Nationals Series Champion
Pro Modified Class
001 Brain Errea and Joachum Schwezow - 2006 GNC 1st Place
88 Becca Webster and Dustin Webster - 2006 GNC 2nd Place
54 Brian Ellinger and Dave Cole - 2006 GNC 3rd Place
9 Dean Bulloch and Karl Mumford - 2005 GNC 1st Place, 2006 Western US Series Champion
775 Mike Hale and spotter - 2005 GNC 2nd Place
94 Mike Cole and Spotter - 2005 GNC 3rd place
425 Danny Rohrer and Chad Rolfert - 2006 Eastern US Series Champion
Modified Stock Class
124 Dan Patterson and Bob Roggy - 2005 and 2006 GNC 1st Place
200 Derek West and Ritchie Keller - 2005 and 2006 GNC 2nd Place
17 Buzzy Bronsema and Sean Wilson - 2006 GNC 3rd Place, 2006 Western US Series Champion
2222 James Andrus and Spotter - 2006 GNC 4th place
609 Aaron Stapen and spotter - 2006 GNC 5th Place
40 David Egger and Spotter - 2005 GNC 3rd place
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