Factory Polaris rider Daryl Rath of Rath Racing finished the day strong with an overall Utility Podium position. Rath has been relentless in his hunt for the podium and has continuously finished within one position the entire season.
Rock Run, Patton, Penn. was a new stop on the GNCC National Cross Country Schedule this year, and the name alone was intimidating to most. Racers are given the opportunity to walk a racetrack Friday afternoon to see what they are up against and this track was going to be a challenge with lots of rock sections and long sweeping open grass fields.
Rath didn’t get the start he was hoping for. Following fellow racers into the first turn he know he had his work cut out for him. He continued to charge through the other racers gaining position after position.
With the leader in sight, he experienced a small issue causing him not only to stop but to make a quick repair. Once repaired, he worked twice as hard to regain the time he lost making his way through his fellow competitors and lapped traffic.
With the white flag waving, the riders had one last lap to finish strong. As Rath came out of a short wooded section, he could see second place rider which he followed closely until he saw the opportunity to make a daring inside pass to take over the second place position in his class, and allowing him to finish third overall out of all Utility riders who had entered the event.
When asked about his accomplishment Rath stated, “My finish today proves that the people standing behind me and working with this team are determined to continue to improve this bike and push me to be the best rider I can be. We spend a lot of time testing and trying new things. Fox Shox has been great dialing in my suspension and adapting to the changes Dave and I made to the front end. Also, the weather is starting to cooperate in Minnesota so I can get out and train more on the bike, and my lap times are showing we are improving each round. I just want to keep the momentum going.”
After this round, Rath currently sits third in overall points with just a few points separating the top three positions.
Factory Polaris Rath Partners – Polaris Industries, Rath Racing, Fox Shox, Maxxis, DWT- Douglas Wheel, Baldwin Motorsports, Fly Racing, WPS, SSI Decals, DASA, Quad Tech, Maxima Oils, Hinson Clutch Components, Scott Goggles, CV4, Precision Stabilizers, Powermadd, Faast Handlebars
