Perhaps the racer with the most promise to end Fowler’s success is Coastal Racing/MSR/Maxxis-backed Brycen Neal. Neal has found himself on multiple podiums and is currently ranked second this season with a second and two third place overall finishes. The 20-year-old has suffered from a string of bad starts, but moves into this race hoping to improve in the first half of the race. If Neal can make that happen, then he just may have what it takes to contest for his first overall win.

“I really like Big Buck and I seem to have more success there over any other track,” said Neal. “I really like the flow and speed of the track and I’ve won there in College A, Schoolboy and Pro-Am so I’m definitely read for it.” 

This weekend will mark GNCC Racing’s 20th year racing at the Big Buck Farm. Six-time National Champion and Maxxis/Fly Racing/HMF/Ye Olde Cycle Barn/Suzuki’s Chris Borich has raced the track multiple times, and although the track will differ from previous years Borich will use his experience to his advantage as he fights to claim the coveted overall win. 

CST/LSR/Induction Solutions/DeRisi/SG/Tire Blocks-backed Adam McGill comes into the race weekend fresh off his podium finish at the previous Steele Creek GNCC. The 2015 runner-up struggled to put in good results at the first two rounds of the season, but seems to be at a turning point in his season.

“It feels good to finally have a podium finish behind me,” said McGill. “I have some great sponsors behind me and my plan for Big Buck is to finish on the middle of the podium for them.” 

Currently sitting in fifth is BNR/Moose Racing/Maxxis-backed Josh Merritt. Much like Neal, Merritt has had his fair share of bad starts. However, the Yamaha rider hasn’t let his starts affect him where he has managed to come back and earn enough points to set him up for his best GNCC season yet. 

Another rider having a personal best season is Show Hauler/Canyon Motorsports/GBC’s Landon Wolfe. After placing seventh at last year’s Big Buck GNCC Wolfe will look to take home a win this weekend. Wolfe is tied for sixth place in the points championship with N-Fab/Maxxis/AmPro Yamaha/Lonestar/MXP’s Cole Richardson. Richardson has been facing illness throughout the beginning of the season and is slowly building up his strength to make his first podium appearance of the season. 

JMR/ATVriders.com’s Jarrod McClure and GBC/HMF/FLY Racing/Yamaha’s Johnny Gallagher are just a few of the other XC1 Pro racers who will be fighting for the win off the front row. 

The battle for the XC2 Pro-Am championship is heating up heading into Saturday’s race. Hygear Suspension/Waynesburg Yamaha/FLY Racing/Moto-Xperts/Spider Graphix’s Greg Covert has a ten point gap on Dillinger's Celtic Pub & Eatery/GBC Motorsports/Moose Racing’s Marty Christofferson who sits in second. New Jersey native Randy Hamilton heads into this weekend fresh off his holeshot at the last round and will see to earn his first win of the season. Ye Olde Cycle Barn/Walsh/Hetrick Racing’s Westley Wolfe sits in fourth and Pierce Performance/Waynesburg Yamaha/Greg's ATV’s Bryson Hoppes holds the fifth place position in points as the GNCC circuit moves to the fourth round.