Graffunder earns first Pro win

From Husqvarna Canada

SAINT JOHN, NB – FP Husqvarna / Zip-Ty Racing Canada’s Ryan Graffunder hammered his way to the first Pro Class win of his promising career last weekend.

After an impressive 2009 season that saw the 20-year-old post solid results in the Canadian Enduro Championship he was finally able his to grab the first Pro Class win of his career on his new Husqvarna TXC 450 at the Full Throttle Hare Scramble in Vernon, BC.

Graffunder enjoyed another good start and ran in the top three for the opening laps. By the lap third lap, he had worked his way into the lead and focused on trying to build a gap on the hungry pack that was hunting him which included 2009 CEC Champion, Bobby Prochnau.

Graffunder was able to build and maintain his lead and would remain out front until the checkers.

“My start was good," he said. "Bobby took off out front and there was some good racing in the first few laps with Ryan Durkee and Dillon Bucknell. At end of the third lap I was able to get past Bobby when he ran out of fuel right before the gas check. Dylan got by me and then stopped for gas too. I kept going and pitted the next lap for fuel instead.

"Once I got out front I just tried to stay focused and run my own race. I was able to build a little bit of a cushion on the guys and stayed in first until the end. Bobby’s still coming back from his hand injury but I felt really solid and I was definitely pretty excited to get my first ever win in the Pro Class.”

Ryan’s brother, and Husqvarna Canada team-mate Nick Graffunder had a tough race in Vernon. Nick struggled with bike issues in the opening lap that would see him forced to call it a day before the finish of the race.

In Quebec, the third round of the FMSQ series saw Husqvarna Canada’s Guy Giroux rail his way through the boulders of the Ferme Neuve course to secure another second place finish behind the United Kingdom’s Jason Thomas.

Giroux got a mid-pack start and then suffered a nasty crash during the first part of the race after having fought his way up to second position. He was able to get back in the game and pushed his way through the last laps to secure his spot on the podium.

“I got surprised by the referee’s quick drop of the flag and I was mid-pack off the start, which sucked big time since the first section was on the dusty MX track," Giroux admitted. "It took me a lap to get in second place, and believe me it wasn't always pretty! At the scan, Jason had a 40-second lead, which wasn't that bad considering the work I had done to get into second.

"On the second lap, I lost it and threw a yard sale in the slippery stuff. Everything was okay except for a little bit of pain in my right thumb. I went back at it but Phillipe (Chainé) had caught me, so I put it in over-drive and ran away.”

Giroux indicated that the sweltering heat was a big issue and that it took a big toll on him both during and after the race. Chainé chased Giroux hard but Guy found some relief when Chainé crashed towards the end of the race and provided him some extra breathing room.

Giroux’s partner in his quest in life to conquer all things off-road, Karine Geoffrion was able bring home her second podium in a row by piloting her Husqvarna WR 125 to a solid second place in the Ladies class.

In Alberta, Husqvarna Canada’s Marty Halmazna hammered his way to the finish line at the 2010 running of the Porcupine Hills Hare Scramble. Halmazna recovered from a couple of major hits that punched most of the life out of him and was able to finish out the race on his TXC 510.