The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, headed to Morganton, NC for the 16th running of the "Steele Creek" GNCC. The Maxxis/ B. Neal Motorsports machine fresh off a personal best 2nd overall was ready to tackle the North Carolina Mountains.  

 Heading into the race ranked 3rd in the points, Brycen Neal had a good pick for the start but, coming off the line mid pack, there was a lot of work to be done to make it to the front on the always tight Steele Creek track. "I made a couple of quick passes right off the start, but coming down one of the long down hills before the pits Josh Merritt got stuck on a log in front of me, and I lost a few positions" Neal recalled. Now shuffled to the back of the pack, Neal had to try and push forwards. Neal continued on to say "it was just one of those days where every move I made was the wrong one and I just couldn’t make time no matter how hard I pushed."  

 Heading into the last lap Neal had worked his way up to 8th place when some luck finally came his way on the final lap, Fowler made a mistake on the final lap shuffling him back, then Neal made the pass on Yoho, and Bithell had mechanical troubles. Brycen Neal crossed the finish line in 5th place in XC1 and 6^th Overall. 

 "I was fortunate that with everything that happened today to come away with a 5th place, today was that day that everything fought me but, I learned a few things and we will take that into round 4 at South Carolina which is one of my favorite tracks.” Brycen was still able to fight through the tough day and came out still holding down 3rd place in the overall standings."

Brycen and the whole B. Neal Motorsports crew want to take this opportunity to thank their sponsors that without them we couldn't be able to compete at the highest level of off-road ATV racing: 

 Maxxis Tires, Houser Racing, Exit Shocks, Hiper Technology, Moose Racing, Precision Racing Products, IMS Products, Spider Graphix, Sun Star Sprockets and Chains, Works Connection, Rekluse, Waynesburg Yamaha, Cycra, Tire Blocks, Fuel Customs, Antigravity Batteries, RJR, DP Brakes, Outerwears, Fourwerx Carbon, WRP, CV4, FMF Racing, Lonestar Racing, CarbSport, Atlas Neck Brace, Vanilla Gorilla Racing, Renegade Race Fuels, and Vortex Ignitions 

We look forward to round four on April 11^th in Union, South Carolina.