photos by Jason Hooper

Another big day for the real deal.

Union, SC (April 12, 2008) -- After FRE KTM's Adam McGill led the last two Can-Am Grand National Cross Country races from wire to wire,  the only real obstacle left to proving his "real deal" status was to win one from behind.  Lo and behold, the West Union, West Virginia rider failed to get his 525XC started when the field took off at the Pirelli Big Buck GNCC, and lo and behold he ended the race as the winner again.

"Horrible, horrible start," said McGill. "I just flooded it at the line, and I got hit with a wall of mud. I was like You've got to be kidding me. I had to put the pedal to the metal and the balls to the walls. I was up to sixth by the end of the first lap and just tried to pick guys off one at a time."

Bryan Cook was flying high early in the race.

Picking his way through the front runners wouldn't be easy, since the top racers were determined to break McGill's win streak. Team Excell Motorsports' Bryan Cook grabbed the first ITP Holeshot award of his career and led early on his Honda, with GT Thunder Yamaha's Brandon Sommers and KTM's Taylor Kiser in chase.

Favorites like defending GNCC Champion Bill Ballance and Rockstar/Yoshimura Suzuki's Chris Borich were struggling with bad starts. Meanwhile, Safari Motorsports' Matt Smiley got his machine wedged between two trees, which held the rest of the field up a bit. It wasn't long before the entire pack had gotten within sight of the leaders, though, and the battle was on. McGill set about picking riders off, while Cook, Sommers and Kiser continued to roll out front.

"I would have probably been more comfortable in third," said Cook, who led early. "Once I got settled in I was fine. I led the first two laps. We all pitted starting the third, and I still came out of the lap leading. Not too far into the lap, Sommers got by in a mudhole."

"We went down a hill on the first lap, and my mind went back to a line I used here two years ago when I was in the A class," said Sommers. "I tested it on one lap and went through it slow. I knew it would be good but I wanted to save it. The next lap I went inside of Bryan and just hit it wide-open. The line was muddy and water was splashing everywhere. I got into the lead there. About a half of a mile later, I realized, Hey, you're leading a national for the first time!"

Bill Ballance was mired in mid pack early on.

McGill snuck past Cook in a mud hole as well and caught up to Sommers. The duo battled hard for the lead. "We were in this field section, and there were six corners, and we must have gone through all six of them side-by-side," said Sommers. "I ended up on the outside in the last corner, and I hadn't run there all day. There was a kicker and I got launched pretty high, so McGill got the lead."

McGill's blistering pace had put him all the way into the lead, but Sommers kept the pressure on for awhile until he got tangled with a few slower riders. "We got to a split lane, and I took a different line just to see if I could get the lead," said Sommers. "I went up the hill and at the top, there were a few guys pulled over and stopped to get out of Adam's way. I had to stop, too."

Cook was able to sneak back into second, but he didn't have enough energy left to chase down McGill. Once again, the KTM speedster had found his way to victory lane.

"The championship, it's in my mind a little, but I just want to win right now," said McGill. "I have so many friends backing me and so much support. I’m just taking it one race at a time."

Sommers, McGill and Cook on the podium.

Cook and Sommers rounded out the podium with Borich and Ballance fifth. aBallance couldn't get his machine started as quickly as usual on the line and tangled with some others coming through the pack. He ended lap one in 13th place, then came through in 10th, 7th and 5th for the rest of the laps.

Early contender Kiser, who was second in points coming into the event, broke a chain and finished the race on the sidelines.

In the XC2 Pro-Am class, another great battle raged, with Don Ockerman and Brian Wolf going back and forth all day for the lead. Ockerman snagged the Rekluse Holeshot Award, Wolf later took the lead, and the race was on. When the checkered flag finally flew after two-hours, Ockerman ended up with the win. Tyler Lenig fought from behind all day to get into third on the final lap, with David Crane and Joshua Kirkland rounding out the field.

Lenig, Ockerman and Wolfe on the XC2 Pro-Am Podium.

GNCC Notebook

In the GNCC Morning Race, Tom Clark Motorsports' Angel Atwell rebounded for her second overall win of the season, and also topped the Women's Class. She collected the ATVRiders.com Morning Race Overall Award for her efforts. Yamaha's Traci Cecco took second with Lexie Coulter third on a Can-Am.

Atwell (202) reigned in the Women's Class.

In the 4x4 Open Class, Bryan Buckhannon continued his perfect season on his Can-Am, with his fourth win in four races this year. Cliff Beasley is also undefeated this year in 4x4 Lites on a Warnert Racing Can-Am. Beasley's teammate Michael Swift won the 4x4 Limited class, and Four-Stroke Tech's Michael Benson won the U2 class on a Kawasaki KFX700.

The Pirelli Big Buck marked the first-ever Championship round of GNCC Side-by-Side UTV racing. 60 entries competed in Rhinos, RZRs, Terryxs and other UTV machines, with National Guard Racing's William Yokley taking the overall win in his Polaris RZR. The machines competed on a two-mile track through the woods and fields. The GNCC woods terrain tested the machines, but they passed the test with flying colors.

William Yokley is out front early in UTV points.

In the ATV Youth Race, Ryan Ratliff held on to his second-straight overall win on a Cobra. Matt Harris finished second, also on a Cobra. Both competed in the Schoolboy (13-15) class. Jay Shadron put in a very impressive ride for third overall, winning the 90 Modified (8-11) class.

Pirelli Big Buck GNCC
April 12, 2008
Union, SC
P.M. Race Overall

1. Adam McGill (KTM)
2. Bryan Cook (Hon)
3. Brandon Sommers (Yam)
4. Chris Borich (Suz)
5. Bill Ballance (Yam)
6. Matt Smiley (Hon)
7. Ryan Lane (Hon)
8. Donald Ockerman (Yam)
9. Brian Wolfe (Hon)
10. William Yokley (Hon)
11. Chris Jenks (Can)
12. Tyler Lenig (Hon)
13. David Crane (Yam)
14. Johhny Gallagher (Yam)
15. Shawn Hess (Hon)
16. Josh Kirkland (Hon)
17. Sean Neidlinger (Hon)
18. Craig Reed (Hon)
19. Gabe Phillips (Hon)
20. Matt Pierce (Yam)

GNCC Point Standings
XC1 Pro

1. Adam McGill (106/3 wins)
2. Bryan Cook (75)
3. Brandon Sommers (73)
4. Chris Borich (63)
5. Bill Ballance (62)
6. Matt Smiley (61)
7. Taylor Kiser (60)
8. William Yokley (58)
9. Ryan Lane (48)
10. Jarrod McClure (44)