GNCC Racing

The Wiseco John Penton GNCC Plays Host to Round Nine of GNCC Racing This Weekend in Millfield, Ohio

The Wiseco John Penton GNCC Plays Host to Round Nine of GNCC Racing This Weekend in Millfield, Ohio

Wednesday, July 5, 2017 | 4:05 PM
by:
Wednesday, July 5, 2017 | 4:05 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Chelsea Taylor
(304) 284-0084
[email protected] 

The Wiseco John Penton GNCC Plays Host to
Round Nine of GNCC Racing This Weekend in Millfield, Ohio
The Overall Victory Remains Anyone’s Game

MORGANTOWN, W.Va (July 5, 2017) – The 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship continues this weekend, July 8 and 9, with the 28th Annual Wiseco John Penton GNCC. This event not only pays tribute to the legendary John Penton who pioneered numerous modern advancements in the world of off-road racing, but also stands out as the longest running event on the GNCC circuit.

Coming just two weeks after the grueling AMSOIL Snowshoe GNCC, The John Penton GNCC marks the final round before the GNCC summer break. This has the potential to make for a fierce battle as numerous riders will be looking to carry the momentum of an overall win into that summer break, setting them up as a favorite when the series returns in September.

Thad Duvall will be charging as he looks to end Kailub Russell's previous three-race win streak at the John Penton GNCC.
Thad Duvall will be charging as he looks to end Kailub Russell's previous three-race win streak at the John Penton GNCC. Ken Hill

FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Kailub Russell currently leads the way in the National Championship standing, but it’s been three rounds since we’ve seen the four-time GNCC title holder on the overall podium. As the series reaches its pinnacle point, Rockstar Energy/Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Thad Duvall has cut the points difference to only seven. Duvall’s consistent finishes have showcased that he’s more than eligible to be the next champion.

Both Russell and Duvall consider The John Penton GNCC a home race, which means both riders will come into this weekend with an equal level of confidence, but with a six-race podium streak behind him, Duvall may just have what it takes to secure the points lead heading into the summer break. One thing that will be certain this weekend is no matter the outcome we are promised a great race not only between the two, but the entire pro field. 

After claiming his first-ever GNCC overall win at the last round, Ricky Russell will be one to keep an eye on this weekend.
After claiming his first-ever GNCC overall win at the last round, Ricky Russell will be one to keep an eye on this weekend. Ken Hill

N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell will be looking to get in the mix with K Russell and Duvall. R Russell moves into the ninth round of the season after a big win at the Snowshoe GNCC. After battling with K Russell and Duvall at the last race, R Russell now has the knowledge of what it takes to run up front and will look to repeat his success this weekend in Ohio.

For the first time this season, SRT/KTM’s Steward Baylor missed the podium at the last round and will be back looking for vengeance in Ohio. Beta USA’s Jordan Ashburn spent the first half of the season adjusting to his new ride, but now has a few solid top-five finishes to his resume. Both Baylor and Ashburn will be challenging as podium contenders as they take off the first row in the 1 p.m. pro race.

After his season-best finish, Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/ Husqvarna’s Grant Baylor improved his overall standings where he is now tied with Rockstar Energy/Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Josh Strang for seventh overall. JCR Honda’s Trevor Bollinger remains in tow, just two points behind in ninth.

Grant Baylor continues to remain focused as he searches for his first podium finish of the year.
Grant Baylor continues to remain focused as he searches for his first podium finish of the year. Ken Hill

N-Fab AmPro Yamaha’s Josh Toth heads into this weekend with a 63-point lead over Coastal Racing/Husqvarna’s Craig Delong in the XC2 250 Pro division. Toth has dominated the first half of the season winning seven out of eight races in addition to finishing second overall at Snowshoe, but Delong has been right behind him finishing on the podium at ever race but two. Delong’s teammate, Layne Michael, heads into The John Penton GNCC hoping to put it all together and claim his first win of the season. 

Both RPM/KTM’s Mike Witkowski and Solid Performance KTM/Working Class Industries’ Jesse Groemm have had a solid start to the first half of their seasons, both taking home a handful of podium finishes. Witkowski and Groemm have yet to stand in the middle of the box and they will aim to change that this Sunday.

Ben Kelly will look to put it all together this weekend and land a spot on the XC2 250 Pro class podium.
Ben Kelly will look to put it all together this weekend and land a spot on the XC2 250 Pro class podium. Ken Hill

Sunday’s race schedule is as follows: youth bike racing begins at 8 a.m., followed by amateurs and women at 10 a.m. and pros and top amateurs at 1 p.m.

Adult (12+) gate admission is $20 for the full weekend and $10 for kids (6-11), with kids five and under free. Gate admission includes pro pit access and pro autographs at no additional charge.

The event is co-sanctioned with WEXCR, a series that produced local racing events across Eastern Ohio and West Virginia, and will ultimately bring out a full slate of local racers. All local riders are invited and encouraged to compete in the event, as GNCC Racing offers classes for riders of all skill and experience levels. The amateur race entry fee is $40 if racers pre-enter, and $50 if riders sign up at the track. To learn more about GNCC Racing, refer to the GNCC 101 webpage.

Local racers expected to compete this Sunday will be Tanner Collins (Super Mini Sr. 14-15), Braxton Shutts (85 12-13), Collin Ghearing (Super Mini Jr. 12-13), brothers Joseph (85 12-13) and Dakota Cunningham (65 7-9), Casey Simmons (Super Mini 14-15), Blaceton Moore (85 13-13), Nick Thompson (65 7-9), Becca Sheets (WXC), Kirk Allen (Super Vet C 35+), Kevin Ganoe (Vet C 30+), Steven Young (125 B/C), Logan Mullins (250 C College 18-24), Michael Lanning (Super Senior C 45+), Mark Randolf (Silver Masters B 55+) and Nick Barnes (Senior C 40+).

For a complete schedule of the weekend’s activities, please visit The Wiseco John Penton GNCC event page on the series website by clicking HERE.

Becca Sheets will be racing in the women's pro division on Sunday in front of her hometown friends and family.
Becca Sheets will be racing in the women's pro division on Sunday in front of her hometown friends and family. Ken Hill

Tune into RacerTV.com on Sunday at 1 p.m. EST to catch LIVE coverage of the Pro Bike race. For more information on GNCC Live coverage, visit www.racertv.com. A highlight show featuring the event will air on NBC Sports Network on Saturday, October 14 at 2:30 p.m.

For more information on the series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCC.

Previous Round Results and Points Standings

AMSOIL Snowshoe GNCC
Snowshoe, West Virginia
Round 8 of 13
Sunday, June 25 

XC1 Open Pro Event Results:

  1. Ricky Russell (YAM)
  2. Thad Duvall (HSQ)
  3. Kailub Russell (KTM)
  4. Jordan Ashburn (BET)
  5. Trevor Bollinger (HON)
  6. Grant Baylor (HSQ)
  7. Steward Baylor (KTM)
  8. Chris Bach (KTM)
  9. Ryan Sipes (HSQ)
  10. Russell Bobbitt (KTM)

*Overall National Championship Standings:

  1. Kailub Russell (184)
  2. Thad Duvall (177)
  3. Steward Baylor (152)
  4. Ricky Russell (135)
  5. Josh Toth (126)
  6. Jordan Ashburn (99)
  7. Grant Baylor (89)
  8. Josh Strang (89)
  9. Trevor Bollinger (87)
  10. Craig Delong (77)

*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2017 National Champion. 

XC2 250 Pro Event Results:

  1. Josh Toth (YAM)
  2. Layne Michael (HSQ)
  3. Craig Delong (HSQ)
  4. Austin Lee (HON)
  5. Jesse Groemm (KTM)
  6. Zach Nolan (KTM)
  7. Mike Witkowski (KTM)
  8. Nick Davis (BET)
  9. Brendan Riordan (YAM)
  10. Ryder Lafferty (KTM) 

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:

  1. Josh Toth (218)
  2. Craig Delong (165)
  3. Layne Michael (156)
  4. Mike Witkowski (143)
  5. Jesse Groemm (125)
  6. Austin Lee (112)
  7. Ben Kelley (100)
  8. Zack Hayes (98)
  9. Sam Evans (72)

FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am Event Results:

  1. Jason Thomas (HSQ)
  2. Hunter Neuwirth (HSQ)
  3. David Quillen (KTM)
  4. Mark Heresco Jr. (KTM)
  5. Jaryn Williams (YAM)
  6. Devan Welch (YAM)
  7. Josh Adkins (YAM) 

FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am Points Standings:

  1. Jason Thomas (216)
  2. Mark Heresco Jr. (155)
  3. Hunter Neuwirth (150)
  4. Jack Edmondson (145)
  5. Josh Adkins (100)
  6. Jaryn Williams (96)
  7. Devan Welch (76)
  8. Paul Whibley (67)
  9. Dustin Gibson (61)
  10. Nate Smith (47)                                                                       

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.

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com. Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join

-RP-