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 Photo By: Shan Moore Paul Whibley got his fourth win of the year. Mullins came into Friday's round leading the point standings over a field of the best off-road racers in the world, including Australia sensation and defending champion Josh Strang and 2009 GNCC Champion Paul Whibley of New Zealand. Not one to play it safe, however, Mullins grabbed the lead on the opening lap and started to pull away from the competition. But the race - and the title chase - took an unexpected turn when Mullins' bike sputtered to a stop on lap five after suffering an engine failure. AmPro Yamaha's Paul Whibley assumed the lead at that point with Mullins' FMF/KTM teammate Cory Buttrick in second, as Mullins worked frantically to restart his bike.  Photo By: Shan Moore Cory Buttrick was second after leading part of the race. At the end of three hours of intense racing, Whibley took the checkered flag with only an 11 second gap over Buttrick, who claimed his best finish of the year with the runner-up position. Meanwhile, third went to Strang, who kept his title hopes alive with the finish. "I can't control what anybody else does so I just have to go out there and win races," said Whibley. "Late in the race, I saw Mullins' bike laying over beside the track so I knew I had the lead at that point. It was tough to make up time in the woods so I was hitting the creeks as hard as I could to try and get it done."  Photo By: Shan Moore Josh Strang kept his title hopes alive with a third. Kailub Russell finished a strong fourth after the FMF KTM rider battled closely with Strang and Buttrick throughout most of the three-hour race. Russell was set to take another podium finish until the pro class rookie crashed on the final lap of the race. Meanwhile, FMF KTM's Russell Bobbitt came out on top of a fierce battle with WMR Racing/Clockwork/Planet Fitness KTM rider Nate Kanney to finish fifth. JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Scotty Watkins was seventh, beating out Beta rider Jesse Robinson and KTM rider Kenny Gilbert. Australian off-road star Toby Price rounded out the top 10 on a KTM. Jedediah Haines claimed the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award at the start of the XC1 race.  Photo By: Shan Moore Roman Dumontier claimed the XC2 Motosport.com Holeshot Award. Ashburn took control of the race early, passing teammate Romain Dumonteir on the opening lap after Dumontier grabbed a spectacular holeshot to win the $100Motosport.com Holeshot Award to start the race. Ashburn eventually cruised home with a comfortable win, taking the checkers with almost five minutes to spare. Ashburn was in contention for the overall lead during the early stages of the race, and his win is his fourth of the year. In the meantime, Baylor's story was much more intense. When South Carolina rider's race bike started cutting out just before the start of the XC2 race, he jumped on another KTM that he had never ridden before. The bars were different, the suspension was set up for someone else, and the feel of the bike was completely foreign, and yet, amazingly, Baylor was able to ride it to a second place finish to wrap up the series title after an intense couple rounds of battle with Ashburn.  Photo By: Shan Moore Stu Baylor wrapped up the XC2 title with a second. DeLong's FAR Husqvarna teammate Jason Thomas finished a solid fourth, beating out Dumontier in the process. Dumonteir was the top-finishing Junior in this year's ISDE in Finland, and he lead his French teammates to the Junior Trophy Team title. Sixth went to Ted Mullins (Yam), with KTM rider Dustin Gibson taking seventh ahead of Yamaha rider AJ Stewart. Supercrosser Jase Lewis finished ninth, while fellow KTM rider Justin Bonita was 10th. Adam Bonneur was the top finishing "non pro" rider, with an impressive 13th overall finish on a Kawasaki. Bonneur also topped the competitive Open A class.  Photo By: Shan Moore Jordan Ashburn won the XC2 class. Darin Downs topped the Sportsman A class on a Yamaha, taking the win over second place finisher Shawn Clark on a Yamaha, and third place finisher Wesley Keller on a KTM. In the Youth race, Austin Lee (KTM) claimed his seventh overall victory of the year, and also took the win in the Super Mini (12-13) class. Anthony Stone (KTM) was second overall and first in the Super Mini (14-15) division, while Kevin Sutphin was third overall and second in the Super Mini (12-13) class. The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series continues throughout the weekend for the first-ever GNCC Racing double-header. ATVs will race throughout the day tomorrow, November 5 and bikes will hit the trails of Loretta Lynn's Ranch once again for the finale on Sunday, November 6. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com. XC1 Results: XC1 Standings: XC2 Results: XC2 Standings: Motosport.com $250 XC1 holeshot - Jedediah Haines Motosport.com $100 XC2 holeshot - Roman Dumontier
 Photo By: Shan Moore Charlie Mullins extended his lead in the standings. Looking strong and confident on a challenging and deeply rutted course, Mullins took the lead at the end of the opening lap and after three hours of racing had increased his advantage to nearly 40 seconds. However, the FMF/KTM rider's fifth win of the season didn't come quite as easily as that, as Am-Pro/FMF Yamaha's Paul Whibley kept things exciting by closing in on Mullins midway into the race. However, in the end, Mullins was able to pull away from the 2009 series champ and enjoyed a comfortable lead when he took the checkers at the finish.  Photo By: Shan Moore Thad DuVall took his second podium finish in a row. "It's good to add to my lead, and it puts me a little closer to the championship," said Mullins. "I just rode as hard as I could and things went my way." "I lost a few positions in a creek crossing on the opening lap and I dropped back to about fifth, but then I just put my head down and passed everybody on the backside and then put on a sprint and opened up a gap," added Mullins. "Later on, I saw Whibley was coming, but I just held my pace and it worked out." Whibley crossed the finish line in second, but due to a rules infraction, the New Zealander was docked one position in the standings, promoting his Am Pro Yamaha teammate Thad DuVall up to second. The runner-up finish marked the second podium in a row for DuVall, who is starting to find his rhythm after getting off to a slow start to the season. Meanwhile, Whibley rounded out the podium in third, capping off one of his best rides of the year.  Photo By: Shan Moore Paul Whibley rounded out the podium. JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Jimmy Jarrett continues to turn in strong performances and ended the day in fifth after coming out on top of an intense battle with FMF/KTM's Russell Bobbitt. Bobbitt held on for sixth, with JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Scotty Watkins finishing seventh. Cory Buttrick ran a solid third for a good part of the day; however, the FMF/KTM rider ran out of gas midway into the race and spent the rest of the day working his way back into eighth. Kawasaki rider Eric Bailey finished ninth, with 2010 Snowshoe GNCC winner Nate Kanney, taking 10thafter running out of gas on his WMR Racing/Clockwork/Planet Fitness KTM.  Photo By: Shan Moore Jedediah Haines grabbed the Motosport.com Holeshot Award. Kailub Russell, the winner of the previous round in Ohio - the Powerline GNCC - came into Crawfordsville hoping to add to his string of podium finishes, however, a mechanical issue kept the KTM rider in the pits for most of the race. Steward Baylor Jr. made a late-race pass on Jordan Ashburn and then held the Am Pro Yamaha rider at bay to take the win in the XC2 class, his sixth such finish of the year. Like Mullins in the XC1 class, Baylor is closing in on the XC2 title and the KTM rider now holds a commanding 52-point lead over Ashburn in the class standings. Andrew DeLong, who inked a deal with FAR Husqvarna on the morning of the Ironman, turned in perhaps the surprise ride of the day by giving his new employer a podium finish, taking a solid third in his first race on a 250F. JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Rory Mead edged Obermeyer Yamaha's Morgan Moss for fourth, while FAR Husqvarna's Jason Thomas managed to finish sixth with a broken hand.  Photo By: Shan Moore Stu Baylor won the XC2 class. Adam Bonneur was the top finishing "non pro" rider, with a solid 14th overall finish on a Kawasaki. Bonneur also took first in the Open A class. For the second race in a row, Suzuki rider Mark Patterson claimed the overall win in the A.M. race, and topped the Masters A (50+) class in the process. Randall Riggs (Yam) was second overall and second in the Masters A (50+) class, while David Fallas (KTM) was third overall and third in the Masters A (50+) class. Maria Forsberg won the Women's division, ahead of Ashley Crouch (Hon) and Hannah Otto (KTM). In two weeks, Forsberg will try her hand in the afternoon race at the Loretta Lynn GNCC. In the Sportsman A class, Jordan Johns was first on a KTM, with Yamaha rider Brady Meyers second and KTM rider Cody Hardesty third.  Photo By: Shan Moore Maria Forsberg wrapped up the Women's title. Anton Kerscher (Suz) won the 85 (14-15) division ahead of Yamaha riders Jarrett Stephenson and Daniel Lynch. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series heads to Hurricane Mills, Tennessee for the Parts Unlimited Loretta Lynn's GNCC on November 4-6. For the first time in GNCC history, bike racing will take place on Friday, with ATV racing on Saturday and bike racing will take place again on Sunday - making up for two rain dates previously in the schedule. For more information, please visitwww.gnccracing.com. XC1 Results: 1. Charlie Mullins (KTM) 2. Thad DuVall (Yam) 3. Paul Whibley (Yam) 4. Josh Strang (Suz) 5. Jimmy Jarrett (Hon) 6. Russell Bobbitt (KTM) 7. Scotty Watkins (Hon) 8. Cory Buttrick (KTM) 9. Eric Bailey (Kaw) 10. Nate Kanney (KTM) XC1 Standings: 1. Charlie Mullins (275/5 wins) 2. Josh Strang (237/2 wins) 3. Paul Whibley (234/3 wins) 4. Kailub Russell (190/1 win) 5. Nate Kanney (171) 6. Cory Buttrick (133) 7. Thad DuVall (121) 8. Jimmy Jarrett (114) 9. Mike Lafferty (105) 10. Chris Bach (96) XC2 Results: 1. Steward Baylor Jr. (KTM) 2. Jordan Ashburn (Yam) 3. Andrew DeLong (Hsq) 4. Rory Mead (Hon) 5. Morgan Moss (Yam) 6. Jason Thomas (Hsq) 7. Steve Squire (Yam) 8. Ryan Lojak (Yam) 9. Cody Cragg (Yam) 10. AJ Stewart (Yam) XC2 Standings: 1. Steward Baylor Jr. (273/6 wins) 2. Jordan Ashburn (221/3 wins) 3. Jason Thomas (220/1 win) 4. Andrew DeLong (214) 5. Jesse Robinson (146/1 win) 6. Morgan Moss (129) 7. Scotty Watkins (125) 8. AJ Stewart (119) 9. Zackery Smith (111) 10. Steve Squire (105) Motosport.com $250 XC1 holeshot - Jedediah Haines Motosport.com $100 XC2 holeshot - Cody Cragg
Kailub Russell Gets First Win at ITP
Powerline Park GNCC  Photo By: Shan Moore Kailub Russell clears the big mud hole.  Making it look all too easy, FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell claimed his first-ever XC1-class victory with a dominating performance at the ITP Powerline GNCC in St. Clairsville, Ohio - round 12 of the 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Series. On a day when most of the focus centered on the two main contenders for the 2011 title, Russell put in a statement ride that served notice to the competition that his intention is to be a regular visitor to the center step of the podium. In his first season of XC1 competition, Russell has landed himself on the podium several times this year - finally getting a win over his veteran competition. On a fast and slippery course - one that also had its share of treacherous mud holes and unforgiving hills - Russell passed FMF/KTM teammate Charlie Mullins on the opening lap when Mullins stalled his bike. After that, the two-time XC2 champ put the hammer down and began building a lead that stood at over a minute by the end of the three-hour race.  Photo By: Shan Moore Charlie Mullins extended his lead in the standings. "I've been putting in a lot of hard work here lately, and I just want to win," Russell said after the race. "I'm pretty disappointed with how the beginning of the year went, but I've turned it around and I want to finish off the season winning." Second went to Mullins, who helped his championship hopes immensely with the finish - especially since his main rival, Josh Strang, finished fifth. After settling into a safe second behind Russell, Mullins maintained a healthy lead over a raging battle for third, featuring Strang and AmPro Racing Yamaha riders Paul Whibley and Thad DuVall, the three swapped positions throughout the three hour race. On lap four, Mullins lost considerable ground when he got stuck on a nasty hill, but he managed to get going without losing a position and made it to the finish with a little over 10 seconds to spare to grab the runner-up finish.  Photo By: Shan Moore Thad DuVall edged Paul Whibley for third. DuVall rounded out the podium, after fending off a last-turn pass attempt by Whibley. The West Virginia rider has steadily improved since the summer break and was extremely strong over the final lap of the race. Whibley, who took the $250 Motosport.comHoleshot Award at the start of the race, held on for fourth, but collapsed after crossing the finish line, obviously in pain from the collision he had with DuVall at the finish. Fifth place went to Strang, the FMF/Makita Suzuki rider losing valuable points to Mullins in the championship battle, and with only three races remaining on the schedule, the defending series champ sits a full 26 points behind Mullins. JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Jimmy Jarrett turned in a solid ride for sixth, beating out eight-time National Enduro Champ Michael Lafferty (Hsb) and Nate Kanney on WMR Racing/Clockwork/Planet Fitness KTM.  Photo By: Shan More Paul Whibley grabbed the Motosport.com holeshot en route to fourth. Steward Baylor Jr. got back on track in the XC2 class with an impressive flag-to-flag win after grabbing the $100 Motosport.comHoleshot Award to start the race. The KTM rider was in contention for the overall during the early going and finished off the XC2 race a full two minutes ahead of second place finisher Jordan Ashburn on the Am-Pro/FMF/Yamaha YZ250F. FAR Husqvarna's Jason Thomas rounded out the podium and maintains second place in the series standings, 38 points behind Baylor. Fourth went to JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Rory Mead, who dropped back from the XC1 class for this race. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania KTM rider Andrew DeLong finished fifth, ahead of Morgan Moss, who rode in third place for a good portion of the race on a 2012 YZ250F for Obermeyer Yamaha.  Photo By: Shan Moore Steward Baylor Jr. won the XC2 class after winning the Motosport.com Holeshot. Scott Grills was the top finishing "non pro" rider, with a solid 17th overall finish on a Kawasaki. Grills also topped the competitive four-stroke A Lites class. In the A.M. race, Masters A (50+) winner Mark Patterson took the overall win on a Suzuki, with Women's class winner Maria Forsberg taking second overall on a KTM. Third overall and first in the 200 C Schoolboy (12-15) class was Dalton Cross on a KTM. Brandon Higgins (Yam) beat fellow West Virginian Doug Blackwell (Hon) to win the Sportsman A class. In the Youth race, Anthony Stone (KTM) grabbed his first overall win of the year, topping Levi Keller (KTM) and Austin Lee (KTM) for the honors. Stone also beat out Keller for first in the Super Mini (14-15) division, while Lee took the win in the Super Mini (12-13) class. In the 85 (14-15) class, Brandon Ghearing took the win on a KTM, beating out Honda rider Joshua Borland. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series heads to Crawfordsville, Indiana for the Amsoil Ironman GNCC on October 22 & 23. ATV racing will take place on Saturday, followed by bike racing on Sunday. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com. XC1 Results: 1. Kailub Russell (KTM) 2. Charlie Mullins (KTM) 3. Thad DuVall (Yam) 4. Paul Whibley (Yam) 5. Josh Strang (Suz) 6. Jimmy Jarrett (Hon) 7. Mike Lafferty (Hsb) 8. Nate Kanney (KTM) 9. Jesse Robinson (Bet) 10. Scotty Watkins (Hon) XC1 Standings: 1. Charlie Mullins (245/4 wins) 2. Josh Strang (219/2 wins) 3. Paul Whibley (213/2 wins) 4. Kailub Russell (180/1 win) 5. Nate Kanney (160) 6. Cory Buttrick (120) 7. Michael Lafferty (105) 8. Jimmy Jarrett (98) 9. Thad DuVall (96) 10. Chris Bach (96) XC2 Results: 1. Steward Baylor Jr. (KTM) 2. Jordan Ashburn (Yam) 3. Jason Thomas (Hsq) 4. Rory Mead (Hon) 5. Andrew DeLong (KTM) 6. Morgan Moss (Yam) 7. Nick Davis (KTM) 8. AJ Stewart (Yam) 9. Steven Squire (Yam) 10. Ryan Lojak (Yam) XC2 Standings: 1. Steward Baylor Jr. (243/5 wins) 2. Jason Thomas (205/1 win) 3. Jordan Ashburn (196/3 wins) 4. Andrew DeLong (193) 5. Jesse Robinson (146) 6. Scotty Watkins (125) 7. Morgan Moss (113) 8. AJ Stewart (108) 9. Zackery Smith (101) 10. Steven Squire (91)
 Photo By: Shan Moore Paul Whibley got his third win of the year in Ohio. The New Zealand off-road star put his Am Pro/FMF/Yamaha YZ450F into the lead at the start of the race, claiming the $250Motosport.com Holeshot Award in the process, and then proceeded to lead most of the three-hour contest. However, heading into the final hour, FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell drew even with Whibley, as the two locked into a battle that would see them trade the lead several times over the next two laps. Russell held the advantage heading into the motocross section for the final time, which made up last few hundred yards of the course. However, with two turns to go before the finish, Whibley made a spectacular pass over the final jump to steal the lead - and the win - away from Russell. The win was Whibley's third of the year and it helped to tighten up the three-way battle for the 2011 series title. "I was putting pressure on him there at the last and we both were riding as hard as we could," said Whibley. "He didn't jump that double at the finish and I did and I was able to get around him just before the checkered flag. It was an all or nothing kind of deal."  Photo By: Shan Moore Kailub Russell was a close second. "There was no way I could hold on there at the end and I knew there was no way I could make that jump," said Russell. "I'm pretty bummed I didn't get the win, but I'm satisfied that I'm working hard and it's starting to show in my results." Josh Strang rounded out the podium, the FMF/Makita Suzuki charging back after getting knocked down on the start. The defending series champ was able to work his way back through the pack and closed on the two leaders near the end of the race, finishing eight seconds behind Russell for third. "I worked my way back up to the leaders, but then those guys got away from me in the John Penton section, but the last two laps I felt pretty good and passed Buttrick for third," said Strang. "I caught Kailub on the moto track, but then I crashed and I was afraid Mullins was going to catch me. But overall, the day went pretty good and I was able to build on my points lead a little."  Photo By: Shan Moore Josh Strang rounded out the podium. Mullins ran in second on the opening lap, but lost considerable ground when he was pointed to a bad line in a mud hole. "It was a good day, I felt like I rode well, but I didn't feel I met my expectations," said Mullins. "I'm a little bummed out on how the final results went, but that's racing. We have six races to go and I can't afford to lose any more points. Luckily, we have a break coming up and I can work on a few things and be ready for Unadilla." FMF/KTM's Cory Buttrick was fifth after running in third for a good part of the race. Meanwhile, Am Pro/FMF/Yamaha's Thad DuVall rebounded from an incident in a mud hole to finish sixth. WMR Racing/Clockwork/Planet Fitness KTM's Nate Kanney was seventh, finishing just over a minute ahead of JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Rory Mead. FMF/KTM's Russell Bobbitt made a rare GNCC appearance to finish ninth, while Nick Fahringer rounded out the top 10 on a 2012 two-stroke Husaberg.  Photo By: Shan Moore Charlie Mullins was a solid fourth. "On the last lap we were back in the tight stuff and I got behind a slower rider and fell over. That's when I heard Jesse go by me," said Ashburn. "I got back on the bike and we had a pretty good battle for the rest of the race." Robinson led the opening lap on his KTM, but took a bad line on one of the hills and dropped back behind Ashburn and FAR Husqvarna's Jason Thomas. Robinson was able to work his way back into second, finishing the race 23 seconds behind Ashburn. Thomas rounded out the podium and put a small dent in Steward Baylor's XC2 points lead, after Baylor finished off the podium for just the second time this year with a fourth place finish. Pennsylvania KTM rider Andrew DeLong was fifth, ahead of JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Scotty Watkins. FAR Husvarna's Morgan Moss finished seventh, while Zack Nolan (KTM), Nick Davis (KTM) and Ted Mullins (Yam) rounded out the top 10.  Photo By: Shan Moore Jordan Ashburn got his first XC2 win. Top "Non Pro" honors went to Kyle Chaney, who finished 22nd overall and first in the 4-stroke A Lites class. In the A.M. race, Ohio rider Josh Gaitten edged fellow KTM rider Adam Giddings to win the Sportsman A division, and claim the overall honors. Kawasaki rider Robie Leese Jr was third overall and third in the Sportsman A class. In the Women's division, Maria Forsberg topped KTM teammate and WORCS rider Kacy Martinez. Ohio's Mandi Mastin was third on a Husqvarna. In the Masters A (50+) race, Tim Ephard (Yam) topped the podium with Randall Riggs (Yam) in second and David Fallas (KTM) in third. In the Youth race, Levi Keller (KTM) grabbed second overall win of the year en route to the Super Mini (14-15) class win. Anthony Stone (KTM) was second overall and second in the Super Mini (14-15) class, with Yamaha rider Ryan Slopko getting third in both divisions. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series heads to New Berlin, New York for the Can-Am Unadilla GNCC on September 10 & 11. ATV racing will take place on Saturday, followed by bike racing on Sunday. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com. XC1 Results: XC1 Standings: XC2 Results: XC2 Standings: Motosport.com $250 XC1 holeshot - Paul Whibley
 Photo By: Shan Moore Josh Strang took home $5000 with the win. Snowshoe GNCC is considered "America's Toughest Race" and this year was tougher than usual after scattered showers turned the rooted and rocky mountain course into an extremely treacherous one. And due to the many mud holes and slippery climbs found along the trail, several riders held the lead at one point or another, as one rider would lead only to get stuck or fall and hand the spot over to someone else. In all, Am Pro Yamaha's Paul Whibley, FMF/KTM Charlie Mullins, JG Racing/GEICO Powersports Honda's Rory Mead, Am Pro Yamaha's Thad DuVall and KTM rider Stu Baylor, along with Strang and Kanney, all held the lead somewhere during the three-hour race.  Photo By: Shan Moore Nate Kanney was a close second. Near the end of the final lap, Strang got by Kanney in a mud hole and managed to stay out of trouble for the rest of the race. At the finish, Strang edged Kanney by just two seconds to take the win. "I was just hoping to finish up front and I was happy to follow Nate, he's had some good rides here the last few years," said Strang. "If I could have followed him over the line I would have been happy, so to get in front of him there at the end and get the win was fantastic." Kanney, who was the 2010 Snowshoe winner, was hoping to capitalize on a late mistake by Strang, but the opportunity never presented itself.  Photo By: Shan Moore Charlie Mullins rounded out the podium. With the win, Strang extended his lead in the 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Series to 11 points over Mullins, who ended the day in third. "It was pretty challenging out there and I made a mistake on the next-to-last lap and lost a lot of time," said Mullins. "I was able to charge back and catch Baylor, but by then Nate and Josh were gone. I'm pretty disappointed but I think this is the best I've ever ridden here, so I feel good about that." Fourth in the XC1 division went to Mead, a New Zealand native who just recently moved to the States to give the GNCC series a try. Meanwhile, fifth went to fellow Kiwi Paul Whibley, who threw his chain several times over the course of the race.  Photo By: Shan Moore Rory Mead was fourth. Cory Buttrick put his FMF/KTM into eighth, ahead DuVall and KTM rider Kenny Gilbert. Each year the Snowshoe GNCC awards a generous overall purse, which this year was courtesy of St. Lawrence Radiology Group and Friends of Coal. After challenging for the overall win, Stu Baylor ended the day third in the overall standings and he won the XC2 division, his fourth class win of the year. "It was crazy out there," said Baylor. "I just kept pushing and found myself in the overall on the last lap, and about miles from the end I made a mistake in a mud hole and my glove was covered in mud and I just couldn't hold on and I just kept dropping back. But I knew I was winning my class and I just held on." After nearly winning the overall last year, WP/RidePG KTM rider Jesse Robinson settled for second in the XC2 division this year. "Just making it through this race with your bike in one piece is a plus," said Robinson. "There was nothing pretty about my ride, I just held on to the handle bars and took it to the finish." Rounding out the podium was Pennsylvania KTM rider Andrew DeLong, who struggled with suspension problems for most of the day.  Photo By: Shan Moore Stu Baylor won the XC2 class. Zachery Smith was sixth on a KTM, with FAR Husqvarna's Morgan Moss nailing down the seventh position. Justin Williamson (KTM), AJ Stewart (Yam) and Peter Weiss (Yam) rounded out the top 10. In the A.M. race, six-time National Hare Scrambles Champ Jason Raines (Yam) battled with Brandon Higgins for most of the race, but came on strong to take the overall and Sportsman A class wins. Randall Riggs (Yam) topped David Fallas (KTM) and Adam Cable (Yam) to win the Masters A (50+) class, while Maria Forsberg (KTM) beat out Nina Cobb (Hon) and Dawn Silvia (KTM) to take the Women's class win. In the Youth race, Gary Myers (Yam) edged Anthony Stone (KTM) to win the overall and the Super Mini (14-15) division. Austin Lee (KTM) was third overall and first in the Super Mini (12-13) class. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series heads to Millfield, Ohio for the Wiseco John Penton GNCC on July 9 & 10. ATV racing will take place on Saturday, followed by bike racing on Sunday. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com. XC1 Results: 1. Josh Strang (Suz) 2. Nate Kanney (KTM) 3. Charlie Mullins (KTM) 4. Rory Mead (Hon) 5. Paul Whibley (Yam) 6. Kailub Russell (KTM) 7. Nick Fahringer (Hsb) 8. Cory Buttrick (KTM) 9. Thad DuVall (Yam) 10. Kenny Gilbert (KTM) XC1 Standings: 1. Josh Strang (153/2 wins) 2. Charlie Mullins (142/2 wins) 3. Paul Whibley (119/2 wins) 4. Nate Kanney (97) 5. Cory Buttrick (94) 6. Kailub Russell (84) 7. Chris Bach (72) 8. Mike Lafferty (64) 9. Jimmy Jarrett (53) 10. Garrett Edmisten (46) XC2 Results: 1. Steward Baylor Jr. (KTM) 2. Jesse Robinson (KTM) 3. Andrew DeLong (KTM) 4. Zack Nolan (KTM) 5. Scotty Watkins (Hon) 6. Zachery Smith (KTM) 7. Morgan Moss (Hsq) 8. Justin Williamson (KTM) 9. AJ Stewart (Yam) 10. Peter Weiss (Yam) XC2 Standings: 1. Steward Baylor Jr. (151/4 wins) 2. Jason Thomas (117/1 win) 3. Andrew DeLong (112) 4. Jesse Robinson (102/1 win) 5. Brad Bakken (90) 6. Scotty Watkins (85) 7. Jordan Ashburn (81) 8. Morgan Moss (71) 9. Shane O/Banion (69) 10. Zachery Smith (63)  Photo By: Shan Moore Paul Whibley took the win at the Rock Run GNCC.
Paul Whibley returned to the top of the podium with an impressive win at the Rock Run GNCC in Patton, Pennsylvania, the Am Pro Racing/FMF/Yamaha rider making easy work of the fast and rocky, 14-mile course to finish nearly two minutes clear of FMF/Makita Suzuki's Josh Strang after three hours of racing. Whibley took the lead at the start of the race after passing $250 Motosport.comHoleshot Award winner Jedidiah Haines in turn three, but then gave way to Strang and FMF/KTM's Charlie Mullins, who took the lead position later in the lap. Whibley, however, regained the top spot at the three-mile mark when Strang made a mistake and Mullins took a bad line in a mud hole and from there the New Zealander pulled a considerable gap on the field. Strang cut into Whibley's advantage near the halfway point of the race and took the lead when Whibley got stuck on a steep climb. However, Whibley took control again when Strang pitted for gas and from that point on the Kiwi was never headed. At the finish, Whibley claimed his second win of the year, with Strang second and Mullins third.  Photo By: Shan Moore Josh Strang took the points lead with a second. "I have to admit I wasn't really enjoying it out there. I'm not a huge fan of rocks, but this past week I practiced in the rocks and I was somewhat prepared," added Whibley. "The course was quite fast and the penalty for going down in this stuff is severe so I was a little cautious out there and I think Strang might have had problems at the end of the race so everything ended up going my way." Indeed, Strang admitted after the race that he was suffering brake problems during the later laps, however, his runner-up finish was enough to elevate the defending champ back into the series points lead, two points ahead of Mullins. "The last two laps the brakes started fading on me, so it was difficult, but Paul rode a good race and it's good to get back in the lead in the standings," said Strang. "I had the lead and then Whibs got me when I pitted. After that I struggled with the brakes. But I felt good and I'm happy with how the bike worked. We did some testing and we got a good set-up for the rocks and the suspension worked great in the rocks." Strang and Mullins have been battling back and forth over the series points lead all year, and at this round Strang seemed to have the upper hand.  Photo By: Shan Moore Charlie Mullins rounded out the podium. Michael Lafferty ran as high as second on the opening lap, and eventually settled into a solid fourth on his factory Husaberg. The eight-time National Enduro Champ is making a return to GNCC racing in a big way this year and looked comfortable in the rocky terrain. Kailub Russell finished fifth despite suffering a severe case of blisters. The FMF/KTM rider had to pull in at one point and have his mechanic put duct tape on his hands so he could finish. Further back, Chris Bach put the factory Beta into sixth, ahead of WMR Off-road/Clockwork/Planet Fitness KTM's Nate Kanney. New Zealand's Rory Mead substituted for the injured Jimmy Jarrett on a JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda and brought home an eighth place finish in his first-ever GNCC. Meanwhile, Kenneth Gilbert (KTM) and factory Husaberg rider Nick Fahringer rounded out the top 10. After five rounds of the 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Series, Strang holds the XC1 points lead with 123 points, while Mullins sits second with 121. Whibley is third in the standings with 103 points.  Photo By: Shan Moore Michael Lafferty was a solid fourth. "We were tire to tire for most of the race, and it came down to the finish," said Baylor. "It was an incredible race." Robinson's runner-up finish was his first podium since taking the win at round two in Georgia. "Stu was faster in a couple of sections and I was faster in a couple of sections and we both knew where the racing was going to happen and we went in there every man for himself," said Robinson. "At the end, Stu had a line on me and just rode right around me." Brad Bakken claimed his second podium of the year with a third place finish. "I'm super-pumped to be up here, I had a four-kicker on the start so I was way back there in the beginning," said Bakken. "I just charged really hard and worked up. Andrew DeLong and I battled back and forth for most of the race and I passed him about a mile before the finish." FAR Husqvarna's Jason Thomas was fifth, behind DeLong, while Am-Pro/FMF/Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn beat out JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Scotty Watkins for sixth.  Photo By: Shan Moore Steward Baylor Jr. won the XC2 class. Mark Heresco Jr. was the top finishing "Non-Pro" rider, taking the 250 A class win with a 19th overall finish. In the morning race, Dennis Decker took the overall win in addition to first in the Super Senior A (45+) class with a strong ride on his Suzuki. Mark Patterson, also on a Suzuki, was second overall and first in the Masters A (50+), while third overall and second in the Masters A (50+) class went to Randall Riggs (Yam). Maria Forsberg finished fourth overall on a KTM and claimed the Women's class win over Husqvarna rider Mandi Mastin. In the Youth race, Austin Lee passed fellow KTM rider Levi Keller to take the overall win, in addition to first in the Super Mini (12-13) division. Keller ended up second overall and first in the Super Mini (14-15). Ryan Slopko rounded out the overall podium and was second in the Super Mini (14-15) on a Yamaha. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series heads to Snowshoe, West Virginia for the MotoSport.com Snowshoe GNCC on June 25 & 26. ATV racing will take place on Saturday, followed by bike racing on Sunday. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com.
Cancelling an event is neither an easy nor popular call, especially in the world of motorcycle racing. Racer Productions understands with the increased cost of travel and other expenses that it's become a much harder task to get to the races every weekend. With that being said, Racer deeply appreciates the continued support and loyalty that racers, fans and sponsors have shown to the Grand National Cross Country Series over the years. This weekend's Indiana course quickly went from "really good to really bad in a heartbeat," as XC1 Pro ATV racer Adam McGill stated on Saturday's podium. The deluge began during Saturday's PM race and continued throughout the night to create some of the most unfavorable conditions, even by cross-country standards. Public safety is the number one concern of Racer Productions, and after consulting with local public safety officials, the decision became clear to cancel the event for the day. "I've been a racer for 22 years and I've seen a lot of bad stuff, but this would probably rank in the top three worst races I've seen," said 8-Time GNCC Champion Barry Hawk, who also constructed the Indy 100 course. "It would have been easy for us to say after the ATVs that we couldn't do it, but we didn't. We went out there and did everything we could to salvage a course. The straw that broke the camel's back was when the creek crossing became impassable, taking out over half the track that we had laid out," Hawk added. GNCC Racing is a unique form of competition in that its' racers take pride in completing obstacles that may consist of mud, water, rocks, hill-climbs and other extreme challenges along the way. However, once those obstacles become engulfed with water, they become dangerous for racers of all skill levels. Had a rider needed medical assistance, it would have been impossible for the medical crew to reach the injured rider in the muddy conditions and the ambulance to leave the facility. "By Sunday, the water had risen so high that it washed the pipe out that we had put in to cross the creek. So that left the track to be only 4 miles long for the big bikes, meaning that the Pros would've been coming around before the rest of them were off the line, causing a huge danger to everyone," Hawk explained. "It was a fiasco. People couldn't get into the facility to park, ambulances weren't able to enter or leave the premises, and the track was impassible in several places. As a racer myself, I am confidant we did the right thing by cancelling the race," Hawk said. If you signed up for a bike class at the Indy 100 and did not get a refund, you will automatically be put on the pre-entry list for the next GNCC event you choose to attend. This event is tentatively being rescheduled and will be posted as soon as a final decision has been made. If you have any questions about the entry refund/credit process, please feel free to contact Racer Productions at 304-284-0084 or email info@gnccracing.com For more information on the series, visit www.gnccracing.com  Loretta
Lynn's GNCC Postponed Due to Rain
Recent inclement weather conditions at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. have made it impossible to adequately prepare the course for the Parts Unlimited Loretta Lynn's GNCC this weekend, April 30 - May 1. As a result of extreme rains, the GNCC course and parking area is under water. After discussion with local public safety officials, it has been determined that Racer Productions has no choice but to postpone this event for the safety and well-being of all riders, fans and families. "Last evening's rain was harder and longer than I have ever witnessed at Loretta Lynn's," said Trail Boss Jeff Russell, a veteran of three decades of racing and organizing events at the Ranch.Racer Productions is working closely with Loretta Lynn's management team and Humphreys County officials to determine a date for rescheduling. That information will be released as soon as it is available. Racer Productions and the GNCC team apologize for the inconvenience. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series heads to Gosport, Ind. in two weeks, May 14-15, for the first annual Indy 100 GNCC. ATV racing will take place on Saturday, followed by bike racing on Sunday. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com
 Photo By: Shan Moore Charlie Mullins got win number two. Mullins was not about to let anything get in the way of a win in South Carolina, and grabbed the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award to start the race before leading FMF/KTM teammates Kailub Russell, Russell Bobbitt and Cory Buttrick into the opening lap. On lap three, Russell took the lead when Mullins stalled his bike in a tight turn. However, Mullins regained the top position after Russell slowed up on pit lane. With one lap to go, FMF/Makita Suzuki rider Josh Strang made good on a race-long charge that carried him to within 30 seconds of Mullins. However, Strang came up short in his quest to catch Mullins, and Mullins took the checkered flag with 14 seconds to spare. "This feels pretty good," said Mullins. "It's a little bit of redemption after what happened at Steele Creek. Luckily, I had a bit of a cushion on the last lap and I was able to cruise in for the finish."  Photo By: Shan Moore Josh Strang was a close second. "I'm just lucky I didn't go down," said Mullins. "I couldn't take another finish like that." For Strang, it was a case of too little too late. "I caught up with Charlie fairly easy there on the last lap and I think I should have won it," said Strang. "I felt good today but I just let those guys get away too much early on. I just ran out of time and had too much distance to make up at the end." Russell finished the day in third, the first podium of his XC1 career, despite feeling the effects of a sinus infection. "I got out front early with Charlie and we kind of checked out," said Russell. "But I've been sick and couldn't breathe good and after that I started fading pretty bad." Buttrick made a late race pass on Bobbitt to claim fourth, with Bobbitt taking fifth ahead of Am-Pro/FMF/Yamaha's Paul Whibley. WMR/Planet Fitness/KTM's Nate Kanney finished seventh, while Beta's Chris Bach, JG Off-road Racing/GEICO Powersports Honda's Jimmy Jarrett and factory Husaberg rider Michael Lafferty rounded out the top 10.  Photo By: Shan Moore Kailub Russell got his first XC1 podium. Steward Baylor Jr. came out on the winning end of a fierce two-way battle with Am-Pro/FMF/Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn to win the XC2 class, the KTM-mounted Baylor getting the nod by 35 seconds at the finish. It might have been closer but Ashburn fell within a half mile of the finish, leaving Baylor to take the checkers uncontested. Baylor led early on, but Ashburn came on strong in the second half of the race to set up the last-lap showdown. "Steward passed me on the last lap and I passed him back," said Ashburn. "He got me again about halfway into the lap and it was neck-and-neck after that. I had a pretty hard crash just before the finish, but it was a great race anyway." FAR Husqvarna's Jason Thomas rounded out the podium despite injuring his toe in the first hour. "I was riding good at the start but I came into the tight section and there was a lapper in front of me and I made a mistake and hit a tree wide open," said Thomas. "After that I couldn't get back up with those guys." Fourth went to Pennsylvania KTM rider Andrew DeLong, while JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports Honda's Scotty Watkins was fifth.  Photo By: Shan Moore Steward Baylor Jr. won the XC2 class. R2W/Pro-Action KTM's Shane O'banion was ninth and also took home the $100Motosport.com Holeshot Award. Meanwhile, Zachery Smith rounded out the top 10 on a KTM. Baylor regained the XC2 points lead with the victory, however Thomas has been on the podium at every race and his consistency leaves him just four points back in the standings. Top Amateur in the afternoon was Christopher Meadows, finishing 23rd overall on a KTM. In the A.M. race, six-time National Hare Scrambles Champ Jason Raines capitalized on a great start to take the overall win, beating out fellow Yamaha rider Tyler MacDonald and KTM-mounted McKinnon Welborn. Dennis Decker rode a Suzuki to first place in the Super Senior A (45+) class with Eric Gill finishing second on a KTM and Hunter Houck finishing third on a Yamaha. In the Women's division, KTM's Maria Forsberg took the win over Mandi Mastin (Hsq) and Hanna Otto (KTM). In the Youth race, Anthony Stone held the early lead but fellow KTM rider Austin Lee made a pass on the final lap to claim the overall victory. Lee also took the win the Super Mini (12-13), while Stone topped the Super Mini (14-15) class. Jonathan Johnson took the 85 (14-15) win on his KTM, beating out Kawasaki riders Christopher Williams and Nick Lujan. In the 65 (10-11) class, KTM riders filled the podium with Zachary Ponder getting first ahead of Chase Hayes and J.C. Bates. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series heads to Hurricane Mills, Tennessee for the Parts Unlimited Loretta Lynn's GNCC on April 30 and May 1. ATV racing will take place on Saturday, followed by bike racing on Sunday. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com. XC1 Results: 1. Charlie Mullins (KTM) 2. Josh Strang (Suz) 3. Kailub Russell (KTM) 4. Cory Buttrick (KTM) 5. Russell Bobbitt (KTM) 6. Paul Whibley (Yam) 7. Nate Kanney (KTM) 8. Chris Bach (Bet) 9. Jimmy Jarrett (Hon) 10. Mike Lafferty (Hsb) XC1 Standings: 1. Charlie Mullins (100/2 win) 2. Josh Strang (98/1 win) 3. Paul Whibley (73) 4. Cory Buttrick (72) 5. Nate Kanney (58) 6. Kailub Russell (53) 7. Chris Bach (48) 8. Garrett Edmisten (46) 9. Mike Lafferty (46) 10. Jimmy Jarrett (43) XC2 Results: 1. Steward Baylor Jr. (KTM) 2. Jordan Ashburn (Yam) 3. Jason Thomas (Hsq) 4. Andrew DeLong (KTM) 5. Scotty Watkins (Hon) 6. Brad Bakken (KTM) 7. Morgan Moss (Hsq) 8. Cody Cragg (Yam) 9. Shane Obanion (KTM) 10. Zachery Smith (KTM) XC2 Standings: 1. Steward Baylor Jr. (101/2 wins) 2. Jason Thomas (97/1 win) 3. Andrew DeLong (76) 4. Brad Bakken (69) 5. Jordan Ashburn (61) 6. Jesse Robinson (58/1 win) 7. Scotty Watkins (55) 8. Shane Obanion (52) 9. Morgan Moss (49) 10. Zachery Smith (42) MotoSport.com $250 XC1 holeshot - Charlie Mullins MotoSport.com $100 XC2 holeshot - Shane Obanion
After three hours of intense action, the FMF Steele Creek GNCC was decided in the final turn. And it couldn't have been a crazier finish. With spectators crowding the barriers to get a better view, Charlie Mullins led Josh Strang into the final stretch of winding trail that led to the finish. As the two riders got closer to the checkered flag the intensity picked up, with Strang showing Mullins a wheel at every turn. Mullins guarded his lines and held Strang at bay, looking clearly to have his second win of the season in the bag. That is until the final turn when the FMF/KTM rider fell down. At that point a stunned Strang cruised across the finish line to take his first win of the year. The win was the FMF/Makita Suzuki rider's third straight at Steele Creek and it gave him the series points lead to boot. To top things off, Strang also won the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award to start the r ace. "I got pretty lucky there when Charlie went down," said Strang. "It was unfortunate for him but I'll take the win for sure. I went down myself on the last lap so I had to ride hard to catch him. When I caught him I had to try to get by him as quick as I could because we were close to the finish. I tried to go inside him in a corner and after that I was ready to settle for second, but then he went down. I was shocked and a little bit relieved." Until that point, Mullins had ridden a mistake-free race.  Photo By: Shan Moore Charlie Mullins lost a close one. Cory Buttrick rode his strongest race of the year and battled early on with Mullins, Strang and Am Pro Yamaha's Thad DuVall. At mid-race the FMF/KTM factory rider settled into his own private race in third, after Mullins and Strang picked up the pace and DuVall crashed out of contention. "I got a pretty good start, which I'm happy about, and I was right behind Strang and Mullins," said Buttrick. "I made one little mistake and DuVall got around me, but then he went down and I moved back into third. After a while, Charlie dropped the hammer and then Strang started inching away. After DuVall went down I just rode hard to stay where I was." Kailub Russell finally put things together after suffering problems at the first two rounds of the series. The FMF/KTM rider finished fourth despite taking a couple of laps to find his rhythm on the rough North Carolina course.  Photo By: Shan Moore Cory Buttrick was third.
Meanwhile, Finland's Simo Kirssi is gradually acclimating to the series and had his best finish to date with a sixth on his FAR Husqvarna. Jimmy Jarrett put his JG Off-Road/GEICO Powersports/Honda into seventh, finishing ahead of FMF/KTM's Russell Bobbitt and WMR/Planet Fitness/KTM's Nate Kanney. Eight-time National Enduro Champion Michael Lafferty rounded out the top 10 on his factory Husaberg. Jason Thomas was not happy at all with his first two races of the season, but he seems to have his house in order and took a dominating win in the XC2 class at Steele Creek. The FAR Husqvarna-backed rider ran as high as third overall at one point in the race, but ultimately settled into a pace that carried him to a nearly six-minute margin of victory over second place. The victory also gave Thomas the XC2 points lead.
 Photo By: Shan Moore Kailub Russell was a strong fourth.
Thomas shared the podium with a pair of newcomers to the series, Andrew DeLong and Brad Bakken, both top National Enduro riders. DeLong took the runner-up sport behind Thomas, while Bakken finished third. "I was mid-pack on the start and I just kept moving up," said DeLong. "I was sitting third near the end and then Jordan Ashburn had problems and that moved me to second." In addition to his podium finish, Bakken was celebrating his 21st birthday on race day. "This feels really good to be up here and I'm excited," said Bakken. "I got a good start and ran up with Chris Bach for a while and I just gutted it out and finished third."  Photo By: Shan Moore Jason Thomas won the XC2 class.
Meanwhile, KTM rider Zachery Smith was sixth ahead of $100 Motosport.com Holeshot Award winner Shane Obanion, who was seventh on a KTM. AJ Stewart (Yam), Shane Hufford Jr. (KTM) and Morgan Moss (Hsq) rounded out the top 10. After three rounds, Thomas leads the XC2 series standings by five points over Steward Baylor Jr. (76 to 71). In the A.M. race, William Gilleland claimed the overall win, beating out fellow Yamaha rider Andrew Millier by a four-minute margin. KTM rider McKinnon Welborn was third overall, another two minutes back. Gilleland, Millier and Welborn were also the top three finishers in the Sportsman A class. In the Women's division, KTM's Maria Forsberg took her second win of the year, beating out Yamaha rider LeeAnn Bange and Honda rider Ashley Crouch. Tim Olson (Yam) won the Sportsman B class and Dennis Decker (Suz) won the Super Senior A division. In the Youth race, KTM rider Levi Keller took his first-ever overall win, beating out Yamaha riders Gary Myers and Ryan Slopko in the process. Keller led every lap of the race and took the win by five minutes over Myers. "I'm from Ohio and it rains a lot there, so I'm used to this," said Keller. Keller, Myers and Slopko also filled the top three spots in the Super Mini (14-15) division. In the Super Mini (12-13) class, Mack Jones took the win on his Yamaha, beating out Austin Lee (KTM) and Boston Evans (Yam). In the 65 (7-9) class, Bryce Merrill topped fellow KTM riders Colby Burks and Matthew Harris for the win. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series heads to Union, South Carolina for the Pirelli Big Buck GNCC April 9-10. ATV racing will take place on Saturday, followed by bike racing on Sunday. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com. XC1 Results: 1. Josh Strang (Suz) 2. Charlie Mullins (KTM) 3. Cory Buttrick (KTM) 4. Kailub Russell (KTM) 5. Paul Whibley (Yam) 6. Simo Kirssi (Hsq) 7. Jimmy Jarrett (Hon) 8. Russell Bobbitt (KTM) 9. Nate Kanney (KTM) 10. Michael Lafferty (Hsb) XC1 Standings: 1. Josh Strang (73/1 win) 2. Charlie Mullins (70/1 win) 3. Paul Whibley (58) 4. Cory Buttrick (54) 5. Nate Kanney (44) 6. Garrett Edminsten (37) 7. Michael Lafferty (35) 8. Chris Bach (35) 9. Kailub Russell (32) 10. Jimmy Jarrett (31) XC2 Results: 1. Jason Thomas (Hsq) 2. Andrew DeLong (KTM) 3. Brad Bakken (KTM) 4. Scotty Watkins (Hon) 5. Steward Baylor Jr. (KTM) 6. Zachery Smith (KTM) 7. Shane Obanion (KTM) 8. AJ Stewart (Yam) 9. Shane Hufford Jr. (KTM) 10. Morgan Moss (Hsq) XC2 Standings: 1. Jason Thomas (76/1 win) 2. Steward Baylor Jr. (71/1 win) 3. Andrew DeLong (58) 4. Jesse Robinson (58/1 win) 5. Brad Bakken (54) 6. Shane Obanion (40) 7. Scotty Watkins (39) 8. Jordan Ashburn (36) 9. Morgan Moss (35) 10. Shane Hufford Jr. (35)
After just two rounds of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series, the hunt for the 2011 championship leaves many questions to be answered as the season progresses. After capturing the season opener in Florida, Factory KTM's Charlie Mullins leads the chase by only two points over Defending Champion Josh Strang. Round two winner Paul Whibley sits only one point behind Strang heading into round three for what appears to be an epic season-in-the-making.  Photo By: Krista Shaw Mullins is the current points leader in XC1 After a week off, round three of the 2011 Can-Am GNCC tour heads back to Morganton, NC this weekend, March 26 and 27, for the FMF Steele Creek GNCC. Strang is the only rider in the top three without a win under his belt, but the 2010 Champion understands that consistency is key this early in the game and it won't be long before the Aussie is back on top of the podium. DuVall maintained a podium finish in Georgia after stalling his bike on the last lap. The Am Pro Yamaha rider has proven that he has the speed to win a race; it's just a matter of piecing things together for him. DuVall currently sits in tenth place overall after experiencing some bad luck with his bike in round one. Nobody understands consistency like FMF KTM's Cory Buttrick and WMR Planet Fitness rider Nate Kanney. Both KTM riders have put in steady top five finishes at the first two rounds, leaving them one point apart in the fourth and fifth point standings. In the XC2 division, Jesse Robinson put his KTM on the top of the podium at round two, beating round one winner Steward Baylor Jr. and FAR Husqvarna's Jason Thomas. Baylor, Thomas and Robinson appear headed to a season-long three-way struggle for the Lites crown.  Photo By: Krista Shaw Steward Baylor Jr. is leading the XC2 points At Steele Creek, ATVs will compete throughout the day on Saturday, March 26, and dirt bikes will race on Sunday, March 27. Local riders are invited to race the event, as GNCC racing offers classes for riders of all skill and experience levels. The amateur racer entry fee is $40 and riders can sign up at the track. Spectator passes run $15 for the full weekend, with pro pit access and pro autographs at no additional charge. On both Saturday and Sunday, youth riders race at 8 a.m., beginner riders race at 10 a.m., and the top amateurs and the pros race at 1 p.m. The track is located at the Steele Creek campground. From Interstate 40 West, take Exit 105 to Highway 181 North 13 Miles. For more information, check out the official series website at www.GNCCRacing.com or call 304-284-0084.
 Photo By: Shan Moore Paul Whibley took the win in Georgia. After finishing out last season with two straight wins, the Am Pro/FMF/Yamaha rider came into the 2011 series with high hopes. However, a close encounter with a tree at the season opener in Florida left him with a disappointing ninth place finish - not what he was hoping for. At the Maxxis General, however, a strong performance in the red Georgia clay, which saw Whibley lead the final two laps of the seven-lap race, put the 2009 series champ right back in the championship hunt with lots of racing still left on the schedule. "This certainly puts me in the hunt," said Whibley. "This is a good way to come back out and at least I know I'm on pace with these guys. I feel good, the bike is good and everything went well." Nate Kanney kicked things off by grabbing the holeshot in the XC1 class and picked up the $250Motosport.com Holeshot Award for doing so.  Photo By: Shan Moore Josh Strang was a solid second in Georgia. With two laps to go, Whibley made his move for the lead, taking the position from DuVall. A lap later, DuVall stalled his bike, letting Strang go by, and the top three positions were set. Whibley took the win a good 20 seconds ahead of Strang, with DuVall getting the checkers another nine seconds back. "We were passing back and forth for most of the race," said Whibley. "Strang upped the pace late in the race and I had to pick it up too. I was able to get the lead at the two-second board and I just rode a steady race after that."  Photo By: Shan Moore Thad DuVall rounded out the podium. "I couldn't catch Whibs at the end, he was going good," said Strang. "We're just two races in and hopefully I'll work the bugs out. These boys were going quick and it was a fun race." DuVall wasn't pleased with third, after running with the lead group for most of the race. "I should have done a lot better, but I had some problems on the last lap," said DuVall. "I rode a good race, and when Paul caught me at the two-second board I tried to stay with him but I ended up stalling it and Josh got around me and that was it." Fourth went to Buttrick, who now sits fourth overall in the standings. "At the end of the day I have to be happy with fourth," said Buttrick. "I was running at the front and I was happy with that because there are some pretty fast guys in this class. We were kind of freight-training all day. If you went down you could go from first to fifth."  Photo By: Shan Moore Cory Buttrick just missed the podium. Garret Edminsten put his Kawasaki into seventh, ahead of JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports/Honda's Jimmy Jarrett. Meanwhile, a pair of former national enduro champions, Russell Bobbitt on a KTM, and Mike Lafferty on a Husaberg, rounded out the top 10. In the XC2 class, KTM-mounted Jesse Robinson rebounded from a bad start to claim his first win of the year, beating out round-one winner Steward Baylor Jr. and FAR Husqvarna's Jason Thomas. "I got horrible start, so I just put my head down took some chances," said Robinson. "I hit some mud holes that I didn't know how deep they were, but I just floated across them. I got up to the front and caught Jason and went around him. After that I just kept my handle bars out of the first and here we are." Second went to Baylor, who battled with arm pump early in the race. "The second I hit the woods I got arm pump," said Baylor. "I was trying as hard as I could, and I got close but not close enough. I know I can do it, I just had a little bad luck today."  Photo By: Shan Moore Nate Kanney took the Motosport.com Holeshot Award in the XC1 class. "I was going down a fast section and the thing just fired me over the bars," said Thomas. "I think my camelback saved me because it exploded on my back. I got up and got going, but I took a few laps to see what the bike was doing. I gradually picked my way back up to third." Virginia hare scrambles champ Brad Bakken finished fourth on a KTM, beating out Am Pro Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn and KTM rider Andrew DeLong. Yamaha rider Ted Mullins edged out JG Off-road/GEICO Powersports/Honda's Scotty Watkins for seventh, while KTM riders Shane Obanion and Zackery Smith finished out the top 10. Obanion went home with a little extra cash after taking the $100 Motosport.com Holeshot Award by grabbing the holeshot to start the XC2 race. In the A.M. race, over 440 riders took to the track with KTM rider Corey Arbogast making a last second pass on six-time National Hare Scrambles champion Jason Raines to take the overall win. "I didn't get the best of starts and I just started picking people off," said Arbogast. "We had a great battle and I wasn't sure who was going to win. Jason had to gas on the last lap and that gave me enough to get the win."  Photo By: Shan Moore Jesse Robinson won the XC2 class. In the Women's class, KTM's Maria Forsberg topped Husqvarna rider Mandi Mastin for the win with Honda rider Ashley Crouch in third. Aaron Curtis won the Sportsman B class over fellow KTM riders Bo Crowe and Nicholas Roughton. In the Youth race, KTM rider Austin Lee remained undefeated for the 2011 season, taking the overall win after leading every lap of the one-hour race. Second place went to another KTM rider Levi Keller, while Honda Kevin Sutphin finished third overall. Lee also claimed the win in the Super Mini (12-13) class. "I knew I had to ride hard today in the mud and I just made the best of it and it paid off," said Lee. The Can-Am Grand National Cross Series returns to action on March 26th and 27th for round three of the series at the FMF Steele Creek GNCC, held in Morganton, South Carolina. XC1 Results: XC1 Standings: XC2 Results: XC2 Standings: MotoSport.com $250 XC1 holeshot - Nate Kanney MotoSport.com $100 XC2 holeshot - Shan Obanion
Charlie Mullins started off the 2011 season with a bang as he took home the win in a very stacked XC1 class. The deep field of talent in this year's pro class makes for an unpredictable 13-round series. KTM Factory WORCS rider Mike Brown made a guest appearance to the GNCC series, leading for most of the race after taking it away from defending champion Josh Strang on the second lap. The Makita Suzuki rider went down pretty hard following the halfway point, losing time after having to straighten his bike out. Strang went on to finish fourth behind Factory American Beta rider Chris Bach.  Photo By: Shan Moore Steward Baylor Jr. won the XC2 class. Brownie kept a steady pace throughout the moto, but Mullins seemed to have just a little bit more as he powered through the mud section to capture the lead on the last lap. Mullins held on for the first win of the 2011 season. The second round of GNCC racing heads to the Maxxis General at Aonia Pass MX in Washington, Ga. this weekend, March 12-13. The field evens back out this weekend as it is a new course with completely different terrain. Instead of the whooped-out, rough sand track the riders so gruelingly experienced last week, the red clay-based General will be slated with thick woods, creek crossings and tight pine sections. With 12 rounds left in the GNCC series, there is no telling how it will pan out. The only thing for sure is that many of these guys have the potential to take home a win.  Mullins heads into round two as the points leader The Maxxis General will begin on Saturday, March 12 with ATV and UTV racing- bikes will race on Sunday. Local riders are invited to race the event, as GNCC racing offers classes for riders of all skill and experience levels. The amateur racer entry fee is $40 and youth entry fee is $25. Riders can sign up at the track. Spectator passes run $15 for a weekend pass. Children five and under are admitted free. On both Saturday and Sunday, youth riders race at 8 a.m., beginner riders race at 10 a.m., and the top amateurs and the pros race at 1 p.m. On Saturday only, UTVs will race at 4:30 p.m.To get to the track, take Hwy 223 until it dead-ends with Hwy 78 (roughly 12-15 miles). Turn right on Hwy 78. The General is 2.5 miles down on your right (look for the big Aonia Pass Motoplex sign). For more information, check out the official series website at www.GNCCRacing.com or call 304-284-0084.
GNCC Racing is proud to welcome 8-Time Champion Barry Hawk to the 2011 event team. Hawk is the only rider in GNCC history to hold a championship title in both the bike and ATV disciplines. Hawk will assist with the design and construction of the GNCC courses alongside Trail Boss Jeff Russell and Buren Hamrick. "Looking forward to working with Barry this year," said GNCC Trail Boss Jeff Russell. "With his experience on both ATV's and motorcycles, Barry will bring a racer's perspective to both sides of the GNCC program." Barry retired from professional racing in the fall of 2010 after 22 years of involvement in the sport. With 7 ATV Championships under his belt and one on the bike, Hawk has established himself on both sides of the GNCC podium. "I'm really glad to have the opportunity to stay involved with GNCC Racing since I've been a part of it for such a long time. I'm a big fan of the series and I'm happy to be able to give back to the sport I love after all these years of racing," said the 8-Time Champion. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series kicks off with the Moose Racing Westgate River Ranch GNCC in River Ranch, Florida in conjunction with Daytona Bike Week March 5-8. ATV practice will take place on Saturday and racing on Sunday, followed by bike practice on Monday and racing on Tuesday. For more information, go to www.gnccracing.com.
Husqvarna's factory-backed effort will return to the 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series under new management. Fred Andrews, the 1993 GNCC Champion, will take over the factory Husky squad under the FAR (Fred Andrews Racing) banner, and is importing Finland native Simo Kirssi for 2011 as an XC1 competitor. Kirssi will joining current FAR riders Jason Thomas and Morgan Moss, who will be competing in the XC2 class for 2011. Kirssi, a 2008 European Cross Country Champion and established competitor in the World Enduro Series, will join the GNCC series once again after making a few guest appearances in the past. "We're excited to have Simo on board with us this year for the XC1 class," said Andrews. "With Jason Thomas and Morgan Moss running the XC2 class as well, I think we will have a successful season." Kirssi has an already-standing relationship with Husqvarna of Italy, making his transition to Fred Andrews Racing a smooth one. "I'm happy that we've had a good program in the past and with our continued support, I think we can put Husky on top this year," continued Andrews. Finnish riders are held in high regard by GNCC fans, after Juha Salminen came to the U.S. and dominated the 2005 and 2006 GNCC tours. Kirssi becomes part of a long list of international GNCC talent, including 2010 GNCC Champion Josh Strang, of Australia. In fact, international riders have collected the last six GNCC crowns, led by Salminen, Isle of Man's David Knight, New Zealand's Paul Whibley, and Strang. The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series kicks off with the Moose Racing Westgate River Ranch GNCC in River Ranch, Florida in conjunction with Daytona Bike Week March 5-8. ATV practice will take place on Saturday and racing on Sunday, followed by bike practice on Monday and racing on Tuesday. For more information, go to www.gnccracing.com
Racer Productions, producers of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series, announces the Supplemental Rules and Classes for the 2011 GNCC tour. The Supplemental Rules and Classes for 2011 have been restructured with much consideration and input from industry leaders as well as competitors within the sport. Due to the tremendous increase of more seasoned bike riders in the series, the Super Senior A (45+) Bike class has been created as part of the Super Senior A, B and C (45+) trifecta. This change will allow the growing amount of senior riders to compete against others similar to their skill level. For 2011, the Youth ATV classes have been adjusted to better reflect the current OEM machines on the market. This includes the addition of 90 Open (12-15) and (8-11) classes, where shifter, automatic and CVT models can compete. As we continue to grow our UTV (side-by-side) classes, minor adjustments have been made to reflect the heightened attention to safety for both competitors and machines. "We feel that the 2011 GNCC rules and class structure will only help to make the racing better. It is our goal every year to create the most fair and competitive series in the country," said Jeff Canfield, Technical Director of GNCC Racing. Links to each of the 2011 Supplemental Rules and Classes can be found below: Click here to access the 2011 GNCC Pro Rules Click here to access the 2011 GNCC Amateur Rules Click here to access the 2011 GNCC UTV Rules Click here to access the 2011 GNCC Class List The 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series kicks off with the Moose Racing Westgate River Ranch GNCC in River Ranch, Florida in conjunction with Daytona Bike Week March 5-8. ATV practice will take place on Saturday and racing on Sunday, followed by bike practice on Monday and racing on Tuesday. For more information, go to www.gnccracing.com |
