All GNCC Amateur and Pro-Am racers 18-years and older are encouraged to enter. Racers may nominate themselves or someone else until June 26, 2014, after which voting will begin and end on October 28, 2014. During the voting period, family, friends and fans of the approved nominees are encouraged to vote for their favorite racer that most represents the All-American ATV racing values on and off the track. 

Prize Package Includes:

• New Assembled-in-U.S.A. YFZ450R
• "Yamaha Pit Kit" (including Yamaha Racing pop-up, stand and pit jacket)
• Yamaha EF2000iS generator
• Yamaha Pressure Washer
• GYTR gift certificate for $1,000
• Paid gate and race entry fees to the 2015 GNCC season

Entry Timeline

• April 2, 2014 - Call for entries opens; submissions begin.
• June 26, 2014 - Call for entries closes; voting begins.
• October 28, 2014 - Voting closes.
• November - Yamaha and the GNCC will announce the winner at the 2014 GNCC Awards Banquet. 

Complete rules, dates and entry forms are online HERE.

We couldn't be more excited that Yamaha chose the GNCC Series to implement this contest. It will be interesting to see how this thing unfolds because I feel like there are SO MANY awesome candidates for this, it'll be hard to choose one!

Following up with last week's entry about how wonderful the GNCC Racing community is when a fellow racer is experiencing a difficult time, it's amazing to see that people from all over the world have come together to raise nearly $34,000 for Rory Mead through the gofundme.com website.

But that's not all, in hopes to continue to help offset the extensive medical expenses sustained with a serious spinal cord injury, the DirtWise team, along with help from their team sponsors and fellow GNCC Pro riders, is conducting a Fundraising Raffle where a huge amount of awesome, high dollar items will be on offer for the lucky winners. They are also conducting a Pro rider jersey auction on eBay, including many of the top GNCC Bike Pros. More information on the jersey auction can be found HERE.

Raffle tickets are available online HERE until Saturday, April 12 at 1 PM, and then will continue in person at the Rider Registration booth at the GNCC in South Carolina on Saturday, April 12 from 1pm-5pm, and then Sunday, April 13 from 9am-3pm. The winners will be drawn immediately following the Pro Bike race on Sunday afternoon. Purchase details are as follows: 1 Ticket - $10, 3 Tickets - $20, 8 Tickets - $50.

I actually talked to Wattsy this afternoon and he informed me that nearly $15,000 has been generated so far in raffle tickets in just the first 24 hours! Keep it coming, everyone! Rory has a long journey ahead of him as far as recovery is concerned but the positive support and generousity all adds up and from the sounds of it, Rory and those closest to him see and feel the love and are so incredibly thankful.

Here is the order of winning prizes for the U.S. Raffle:

• 1 KTM 2014 Ultra One 29er 19" Mountain bike ($979 Value)
• Suntour SF13 Forks, Shimano Alivio Components 3x10, Shimano M394 Hydraulic Disc brakes
• 1 full set of KLiM offroad riding gear (Helmet, Jersey, Pants, & Gloves - $700 Value)
• KTM $500 Product Credit (OEM parts, Casual gear, HardParts Equipment - winner decides!)
• (4 Separate) Silkolene lubricants $500 Product Credit
• (2 Separate) Bell Helmet ($400 Value)
• (5 Separate) IMS Prize Packs ($400 value) - Each Package will include one each of the following: 
  • IMS Fuel Tank (Can be screw top or Dry Break, but does not include Dry Break Receiver)
  • Set of IMS Foot Pegs (Select between Super-Stock, Pro-Series, & Pro-Series Big Foot)
  • IMS Hat
  • IMS Off-Road Racing T-Shirt
• TCX Boots ($400 Value)
• Fasst Flexx Handlebars ($350 Value)
• FMF Pipe and Silencer ($370 Value)
• Maxxis - Tire prize pack (Set each of Road/MTB bicycle tires, BMX tires, DirtBike tires) - $200 Value
• (3 Separate Sets) of Dunlop Tires from Motorcycle-Superstore.com ($180 Value)

• SRT Brake Kit package (Front and Rear rotors and pads, plus Orange rear Shark fin protector) - Value $220
• 3 sets of SRT Radiator guards (Orange, Blue, and Silver) - $165 Value each
• SRT Rim set (Front and Rear Black Rims) - $180 Value
• SRT Drive package (Front and Rear Sprocket, O-ring chain, and chain breaker) - $120 Value
• Unabiker Radiator Guard and Skid Plate Combo (2 Separate sets) - $225 Value
• ProGrip Product Package - 1 set of Goggles and 2 sets of Grips - ($150 Value)

Become a Rory Mead Official Support Team Member! These Support team rubber bracelets will be available for a $5 donation thanks to 2013 GNCC XC1 Champion Kailub Russell, his wife Chandler, and their friends Shane and Amanda Landrum. See the KR557 pits for more details on those.

You can check out our friend David Scearce's wild photos from last round's bike budder at Steele Creek: HERE.

Make sure you tune into RacerTV.com at 4:30 p.m., following the 1 p.m. ATV Pro Race to catch all the action from Round 2 of the Side-by-Side Championship LIVE online! It's going to be the Racer TV crew's first planned SxS production so we're looking forward to giving those folks a platform to showcase their talent and great sponsors. You can log onto www.racertv.com anytime to see the show from Georgia, or click HERE for the direct link.

That's it for me this week. We just crossed the border into South Carolina..yippie! See you all this weekend in the sun shine (I hope)!

@JaredBolton: 

A great piece of news I’m seeing about this weekend’s Big Buck GNCC is the fact that there is absolutely zero percent chance of rain from now until after the race weekend. Plus, the temperatures look to be a bit on the “hot” side as well. Or, well, it’s hot compared to what we’ve been seeing so far in 2014. It looks like we’ll be closing in on the 80-degree mark this weekend and since most of us haven’t experienced temperatures that high yet, remember that hydration will be key at this round. Really, you should’ve already been hydrating all week but it’s extra important the closer you get to the weekend. 

The warm temperatures and dry conditions may also bring up a little bit of that other thing we haven’t seen this season, dust! I rode sweep at the Rockhouse Mid-East Hare Scramble this past weekend in Connelly Springs, N.C. (about two hours or so from Big Buck) and it was a bit on the dusty side. So, while the dust isn’t exactly something that would typically be welcomed, after the muddy opening three rounds, I don’t think there are going to be too many people upset over a bit of dust.

I mentioned last weekend’s Mid-East race in North Carolina, that series has always been sort of like a mini-GNCC but the past couple of seasons it’s been even more so like that. It’s really no surprise, as Buren Hamrick, who served as the GNCC Lieutenant Trail Boss for quite a few years, heads it up. But since Buren stepped away from GNCC Racing back in 2011, it’s given him more time to put forth some extra effort at his races and it really shows. Basically, if you’re looking for a well-ran, fun, off-weekend race in the Carolinas, Mid-East has you covered and there are usually quite a few familiar faces around, too.

Anyway, as for the actual racing action, it was a pretty good battle between Josh Strang and Paul Whibley, with Chris Bach and Takeshi Koikeda mixing it up as well. Strang and Whibley used the dust to their advantage to pull a bit of a lead over Bach as the race wore on. Pitting came into play as Whibley got around Strang when Strang stopped for a splash of gas, and then the next lap Strang put the same move on Whibley. Strang would eventually come out on top, with Whibs in second and Bach rounding out the podium.

Bach mentioned to me that he ended up losing some time by missing an optional steep downhill line a few times, claiming that he mistook it for a mini-track cut off. He called it a rookie mistake and wrote it off, but it actually made me feel a heck of a lot better for missing lines like that before. So next time you feel stupid for missing an excellent hot line, just remember, it happens to everyone!

So now, looking forward to this weekend, Big Buck is always a race I enjoy coming to. The landowner, Henry Turner, welcomes the GNCC Racing Nation with open arms and gets the community behind it as well. Henry always manages to get us some cool visitors from local “Miss (Insert Town/County here)” to up-and-coming musicians and more. Henry is also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet, so when you see him around the Big Buck Farm, be sure to give him a pat on the back and a thanks, not only for letting us come out and race, but also putting forth the effort of getting everyone involved.

Another unique aspect of Big Buck is that, as of this coming September, it will be the first place that I know of (and I’ve asked several people about this) to host both a GNCC and National Enduro event in the same year with the Little Brown Jug Enduro. Now, a number of years ago, there were some Enduros at Loretta’s, but those were ISDE Qualifiers, not National Enduro rounds. If it’s laid out similar to last year’s Little Brown Jug Enduro, the parking, start and first section will all be at Big Buck. From there you head a few miles up the road and ride a couple of sections on some property that Randy Hawkins owns, then jump across the street to where a round of the NC Hare Scramble Series is held before heading to a chicken farm and back down the road to return to Big Buck. It should be a good time.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for this week. Hope everyone has a great weekend in the sun at Big Buck. Don’t waste any more time, get those last minute preparations done and let’s go racing! Until next time, Bolt-On out.

@HotRodney22:

It’s hard to believe that this weekend will mark the 17^th running of the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC. My first trip took place in 2002 and at that time it was already becoming a legend and it was barely five years in existence and set to run its sixth running. I remember the years before the hype surrounding the event and this mythical man they called “Henry Turner”. I had also heard how much Big Dave loved this venue and it had become one of his favorite stops in only the couple of trips he was able to make it there. The passion and energy that drives Henry Turner for the Big Buck GNCC, though is the same type of passion that drove Big Dave and so many of us in the GNCC Racin’ Nation, and it all culminates each year in Union, South Carolina at the now famous Big Buck Farm.

Big Buck also offers a lot of memories for many different folks. Barry Hawk has had highs and lows here while racing. He actually chased down and passed Juha Salminen here once, and he was also carted away in an ambulance another year after losing a collision with a tree. Kailub Russell has had some good memories here as well, nearly winning the overall while racing the XC2 Pro Lites.

As far as the now is concerned, the stage is set for more great memories to be made this weekend. The first three rounds of the season have offered a number of obstacles with the mainly muddy conditions for the start of the season. The Maxxis General ATV race was the best we have seen is some time but according to weather reports mid-week, this weekend is looking to be perfect. And no this perfect GNCC does not hold a forecast of rain. (One might get confused after the last couple of seasons). 

The amateur racing this season has been without a doubt some of the best in the history of GNCC and I expect to only get better. As far as the highlights through three rounds for me, I would have to say that nearly every race has been rather exciting to watch. The Youth ATV Division has been exciting since the first green flag In Florida. I knew we were in for some good battles when Sadie Welch took the holeshot and lead the boys through the first part of the course. The stage was set and the battle is on and it shouldn’t take long to realize this is going to get good.

The Youth ranks are already proving to be a challenge and have created some exciting battles. Brandon Frazier seems to be the commander at the moment but it is not without a fight. Currently Frazier is the one to beat and there is lots of talent looking to do it. One big advantage that Frazier has is his consistency. Three wins in as many races is surely a great way to win the championship but I say there could be some more challenges around the corner. Little Tim Sroka has put in some big finishes so far this season and I feel it is a matter of time before Frazier is feeling that heat. Another to watch may be Dylan Walraven as he has shown some strong finishes and with a little luck and drier weather who knows what could happen here.

One of my underdog sleepers in the premier youth 90 Open 12-15 class is the young Carter Kerens. Carter has a personality as big as GNCC and a heart for racing maybe a little bigger. Over the course of the last three seasons I have watched this young man quietly (Okay, if you know him then you know he is not that quiet of a kid) work his way through this division. Carter missed round one in Florida physically then had some not-so-stellar luck with his first outing in Georgia, but rebounded back in North Carolina, where he quickly reminded the class that there is one more to have to deal with this season.

As exciting a class, in my opinion, is the 125 Sr. 12-15, which is yet another class chalk full of talent wages war each round. Rhett Cox is currently the leader by one point over “Little” Ronnie Rusch. Cox posted a second overall at the season opener but has had more to deal with than the overall out of Rusch lately. Rusch won in both Georgia and in North Carolina and is poised to be rolling in South Carolina this weekend. Along with Cox and Rusch, one cannot overlook the talents of the young Jordan Digby. Digby a motocross racer that crossed over a couple of years ago is truly beginning to find his home on the trail Digby’s results though do not reflect his talent or ability. A few mechanical setbacks have plagued him a bit and the future rounds could see a little better finishes for Digby in the coming rounds.

The 10 a.m. ATV race is another that has been exciting to watch. The addition of the 4x4 Pro class has heightened tension in the morning and has created a whole new way of watching the morning racing. Though the mornings have had their share of sport ATVs in the overall, this new class has made for some fun to watch by also battling for that top spot. Bryan Buckhannon sits atop the leader board in the 4x4 Pro class, but his consistency rather than wins this season has him in control. Robert Smith captured his first win of the season at Steele Creek, while Jordan Phillips got a win in Georgia and Kevin Trantham opened the season with the class win in Florida. Next to win are Buckhannon, Michael Swift and Rick Cecco. Each one has done it before and don’t be surprised to see this class be mixed up all season and consistency may be what wins this championship over wins.

The WXC class has also offered some excitement. Kara Merritt, like Buckhannon in the 4x4 Pro class, has yet to capture a win but has finished consistently second each race and she currently leads the point standing. Defending class champion Kylie Ahart has seen nothing but struggle to open the season. Ahart should not be counted out just yet and with both Merritt and Ahart without wins playing field may still be pretty much even heading into round 4 when one looks at the big picture. However, the return of previous Women’s Class Champion Angel “Atwell” Knox has added an unexpected excitement factor this season. Knox took some time off as a full-time racer and so far has won two of the three rounds this season. While we don’t know exactly what her plans are as far as finishing the series, one has to believe that she might just stick around. You can never count out that of Quincy Cunningham, who may be the newest player on the block. Those top three alone, along with the many up-and-comers in the class could make for the most competitive women’s championship in the history of GNCC Women’s racing. 

As far as the Schoolboy A/B 13-15 class goes, we cannot go without mentioning them. Westley Wolfe and defending morning overall champ Cody Collier once again have proven that they will be the ones to beat this season, scoring very high in the overall as well. Wolfe has only one win, which he did convincingly in Florida and followed up with a second in Georgia. Round three didn’t go as planned and this has him down in points, but once throw away are figured it should not make much of a deal in the grand scheme of things, but certainly appears he may have a hole to work out of before he can think about a championship.