by: Chelsea Taylor
Thursday, November 10, 2016 | 5:05 PM
Trevor Bollinger Caps off 2016 Championship Season with AAGP Win in Japan
Bollinger Wins Big at the Japan National Cross Country Season Finale
The AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series continued their 10-year partnership with Japan National Cross Country (JNCC) this past weekend, Sunday, November 6. JCR Honda’s Trevor Bollinger was elected to represent the United States at the Jigatake Ski Resort in Omachi City, Nagano, Japan, after his successful 2016 XC2 Pro Lites AMA National Championship season, and he capped up his year claiming the overall victory at the AAGP JNCC race.
Bollinger got off to a top-five start and battled in the three-hour race with Japan’s best off-road talent, but once again found himself crossing the finish line first, 5-minutes ahead of former GNCC competitor and current JNCC champion, Takeshi Koikeda. Manabu Watanabe rounded out the premier AA class and overall podium in third.
“Our trip to Japan amazing, and to come back from the JNCC race with a win just tops off my season,” said Bollinger. “We were treated with top-notch hospitality, and I’d like to say a special thanks to Racer Productions, Honda, Masami, Yoshi, Hide, Ayako and the entire JNCC crew for making this opportunity possible. This win marks the first time that the brand-new Honda CRF 450 RX has won, and I think this will only help make my adjustment to the XC1 Pro class easier.”
Bollinger was accompanied by his mechanic, Eric Siraton, and Racer Production’s media manager, Chelsea Taylor, who attended the event to provide media coverage. Please click HERE for additional photos and daily recaps from the 6-day long trip.
Earlier this year, JNCC racers Saiki Tatsuya and Ren Ishidoya competed in the famed Unadilla GNCC in New Berlin, New York on Sunday, September 11. Tatsuya competed in the XC1 Pro division and placed thirteenth in class and 47th overall, while Ishidoya finished 25th in the XC2 Pro Lites class and 91st overall.
The 2016 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series, presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, concluded its 13-round series on October 29 and 30 in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The 2016 Award Banquets will be hosted in Morgantown, West Virginia on November 25 and 26.
For more information on the GNCC series visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Also follow the official GNCC social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content and to catch the latest news.
About GNCC Racing
The AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis is America's premier off-road racing series. Founded in 1975, the 13-round championship is produced exclusively by Racer Productions. Cross-country racing is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. The grueling three-hour GNCC races lead as many as 2,400 riders through tracks ranging in length from eight to 12 miles. With varied terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both survival and speed. The series draws talent from all over the U.S., Central America, South America, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. GNCC Racing is televised weekly on NBC Sports and RacerTV.com. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com.