KAILUB RUSSELL LOCKED IN TO RACE 150XC 2-STROKE (Jared Bolton)

By now you've heard the news of Kailub Russell wrapping up the 2014 title. This is exciting because now we'll see Kailub race the final rounds aboard a KTM 150XC 2-stroke. Obviously this will make any 2-stroke fanatic pretty pumped to see happen but as we've mentioned before, it's also supporting a good cause as the bike will be raffled off with the proceeds benefiting Rory Mead and to help Kailub offset some of the cost of going to the ISDE in Argentina this year. YOU could be the lucky winner of this awesome bike, click HERE for details on the raffle.

I'm sure many others will agree but personally I can't wait to see what happens with KR aboard the smaller bore motorcycle. It'll definitely be interesting to see how he stacks up on it against everyone else. By no means is a 150XC a bad/slow motorcycle but Kailub will definitely be at a disadvantage against the bigger 450 machines. However, it's not always about the power of the machine in GNCC Racing but more about how the rider performs.

The smaller bore bikes have proven to be overall winners more than a few times. An obvious stand out in my mind would be then-nearly-unknown Tommy Norton's legendary 1990 Blackwater 100 aboard a KTM 125. That's a feat that's still talked about when the race is brought up and still a huge highlight for FAHQ Racing, which Norton was a part of. There's also Shane Watts who in 2000, when he won the GNCC title, raced and won aboard every full-size motorcycle KTM offered at the time.

The 125, 200, 250, 300, as well as the mighty 380 2-stroke and 400 4-stroke, Wattsy managed to win on them all. He did well aboard the smaller 125 and 200 machines. Therefore, KR is up against a bit of a challenge but not an impossible one. If he ends up with an overall win aboard the 150, it would be huge. Off the top of my head, I can't recall anyone taking an overall win on a small bore bike since Wattsy and the last time a 2-stroke took overall wins was in 2012 with Rory Mead putting his 300XC in the center of the podium at The Mammoth and Snowshoe. Before that you have to go all the way back to 2009 with Nate Kanney taking the overall win at Ironman.

Regardless, it's going to be really interesting to see how it all shakes out.

XC2 PRO LITES CHAMPIONSHIP (Jared Bolton)

Speaking of things shaking out, we're also pretty close to crowning an XC2 class champion as well. As long as everything goes well, Grant Baylor looks to be only the 2nd rider to repeat as an XC2 champion. Who did it before? Well, that was Kailub Russell of course. Every other XC2 champion has either had some sort of bad luck or in Thad Duvall's case, moved to XC1 the following season.

WIND OF CHANGE (Rodney Tomblin)

Thanks to Five-Time and defending GNCC ATV Champion Chris Borich and his challengers, we have seen one of the most exciting championship battles in XC1 ATV history. Chris Bithell, Adam McGill and Walker Fowler have all at one time or another seriously challenged the champ in battles over the course of the last few seasons but it hasn’t been until this season that one rider has put it all together to become Chris Borich’s biggest challenge since Nine-Time Champion Bill Ballance. Since that time we have not seen a championship this close at this juncture of the season. I am not even totally sure it was ever this tight between them at this point. Regardless, we as racing fans have been treated to some of the best battles in the recent history of our sport.

Whoever wins the 2014 AMOSIL GNCC and AMA National Championship title this season will have earned it. In my opinion, this is the truest test of character and heart that either rider has faced in quite some time. Chris has worked so hard and has been so far ahead of everyone in the past that now it almost seems that the field is evening out a bit. Is it? Is it just bad luck on the part of the champ? Can he rise above all the speculation and chaos that is beginning to form? Is the “Wind of Change” blowing and is the next big storm brewing Walker Fowler?

BRYCEN NEAL (Rodney Tomblin)

Speaking of “Wind of Change”, I know as I was announcing this weekend I may have worn that cliché out but there was a lot of irony in that statement. At first it was just something I was saying because it was windy at Mountain Ridge, but as the day wore on it became apparent that something was going on. Even 2013 XC2 Pro Am champ and XC1 rookie Brycen Neal caught some of that wind and got into the action on Saturday. Scoring his first XC1 podium finish this past weekend, Neal may have just figured something out and if that’s the case, history tells us that Brycen will be winning races very soon.

WXC ATV (Rodney Tomblin)

The 10 a.m. race saw a few interesting things over the weekend as well. It’s hard to rank them so I will go in the order of occurrence. First occurrence would be the fact that we were surprised when Nine-Time WXC champ Traci Cecco-Pickens stepped briefly out of retirement to race in her home state. She ended up finishing a respectable sixth behind some really strong up-and-comers and l also believe that Traci was hoping not to play spoiler in the championship for those top five ladies as only nine points separate them. Then, the second occurrence would have to be the fact that former WXC Champ Angel Atwell Knox moved into the points lead by only one point over defending class champ Kylie Ahart. If Angel can finish first or second place at the next round, there’s a good chance we’ll see her claim the 2014 WXC title one round early.

WXC PODIUM ADDITION (Jen Ken)

We’ve got an addition to the 10 a.m. ATV podium celebration on Saturday, beginning next weekend at Powerline Park. Currently, we honor the top three overall finishers in the morning race, and then we honor the top three 4x4 Pro finishers with a separate podium. Well, due to popular demand we’re going to add a third podium presentation to the morning and that will recognize the top three finishers in the WXC (Women’s) class, like we do on Sunday for the motorcycles. So ladies, please don’t forget if you finish in the top three in the class, please report to the podium! The running order will go as follows: top three overall (minus Sportsman), top three 4x4 Pro, top three WXC.

YOUTH ATV (Rodney Tomblin)

Even the Youth racing was exciting last weekend. Brandon Frazier was able to extend his point lead to 15 over “Turbo Timmy” Sroka. Sroka, though, showed good speed and is set to challenge the final two rounds. It looks like with drops and such that Frazier should have the title in hand but the kids like to make statements so this will be exciting to watch to the final checkers at Ironman.

A not-so-big surprise in the Youth race was the charge put on by “Little Ronnie” Rusch. Ronnie has been fast all season from the 125 Sr. class on row two. Ronnie did this only one other time this season when he ended up winning the overall at Loretta Lynn’s GNCC. Though that is nothing out of the ordinary, it is a sign that things are starting to get exciting toward the end of the season. Ronnie, like many of the young riders, is looking to score strong here late in the season to attract the attention of potential sponsors. On top of it all, they work so hard to reach these goals that they are hoping get everything they can these final rounds and see where they stand when the dust (let’s hope) settles in Indiana.

SEPTEMBER 28 PAMX STATE CHAMPIONSHIP RELOCATED (Kayla Olliver)

Due to the closure of Steel City Raceway, the PAMX Fly Racing PA State MX Championship is going to be held this Saturday, September 28, 2014 at High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, PA. Gates open Saturday from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. and will re-open Sunday at 6 a.m. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. with practice starting promptly at 8:30 a.m. Racing will begin following practice. Gate admission is $10 for the weekend and children 6 and under are free. If you have your PAMX card the race fee will be $30 per class, if you do not have your PAMX card the fee to race will be $35 per class. Remember that AMA and PAMX memberships are required to race, and will be available to purchase at the track. If you’re racing the 250 A and Open A the payout will be 200%, while if you race the Vet A and +40 A the payout will be 100%. Come out and enjoy a weekend full of incredible racing at High Point Raceway. For more information, please visit www.racerproductions.com.

24^TH ANNUAL DC VET NATIONAL WEEKEND (Kayla Olliver)

The 24^th Annual DC Vet National Championship returns to High Point Raceway in Mt. Morris, Pa., on Saturday, October 11. Riders aging 25+ will be offered a variety of classes as well as the Vintage classes for pre- 1978, ’85, ’90 and ’95. Taking the track Sunday, October 12 the PAMX Fly Racing PA State MX Championship In the Blood Triple Crown along with round 11 of the NECXC Hare Scramble series. Please note that a separate starting gate will be used for the NECXC Hare Scramble; so be sure to look for the correct NECXC signs when making your way to the gate.

Registration for the Vet Motocross National begins at 8 a.m. on Saturday and the fee is $35 per class. NECXC Hare Scrambles registration begins at 8 a.m. on Sunday with fees being Youth $20, Adult Pro $40, Pro Am $30 and Amateur $25.

For more information on the DC Vet National and PAMX State Championship, please visit www.racerproductions.com.

For more information on the NECXC Hare Scramble, visit www.theneweastcoastxc.com.

HEADLINES

Tuesday Toolbox with Braxton McGee

Open Mic: Kailub Russell via RacerXOnline.com

Photo Galleries: Mountain Ridge GNCC

WHAT’S NEW ON RACERTV.COM

This week on The Racer X Show with Greg White presented by Chaparral Motorsports, we have AMSOIL GNCC Motorcycle highlights from Mountain Ridge where FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell clinched his second-straight GNCC National Championship! Andrew DeLong gets his first career title in the AMA National Enduro Series and we have highlights from the Muddobbers finale.

Click HERE to watch the latest Racer X Show.

Check out Racer TV’s popular highlight videos from the Car-Mate Mountain Ridge GNCC: ATV / BIKE.

NOTES FROM GNCC RACERS AND SPONSORS (Jen Ken)

There will be a moment of silence at Powerline Park just before the 1 p.m. ATV start on Saturday in honor of 2012 XC2 Pro Am Champion Patrick “LP” McGuire, who passed away in January of this year. LP’s family will also have balloons on hand to pass out to those interested for a memorial balloon release from the start. For those interested in participating in the balloon release, please come to the afternoon start around 12:45 p.m. to receive your balloon.

After raising over $15,000 for breast cancer awareness and research in 2013, Zac Zakowski and his family will be back at it again this year in hopes of breaking their previous record. We’re going to have a list of prizes, raffles and activities that those folks will have going in next week’s column to let everyone know how they can participate in this year’s race for the cure.

On the same note, Youth bike racer and currently undefeated 85 (12-13) racer Jesse Ansley will be selling raffle tickets at the final two rounds for a few items to benefit the FAITH Alliance, Crawfordsville’s local breast cancer resource and research organization. The tickets will be sold as follows: 1 ticket $5 or 5 tickets for $20. The prizes include two Kate Spade Pink purses (valued at over $450) and one ORCA Pink 26 quart cooler (valued at $260).