After finishing in the runner-up position two weeks ago in Georgia, OBOR/Moose Racing/Parts Unlimited/McGill Mafia’s Adam McGill is hoping to have the same success this weekend as he found at last year’s Steele Creek race. McGill currently sits second in the points standings, and is now eager to get his first win of the season this weekend.

Maxxis/Fly Racing/Ye Olde Cycle Barn’s Chris Borich has rounded out the podium in third overall at the Wild Boar and The General GNCC’s, but this weekend Borich will be looking for that center spot on the podium. Borich, who is a six-time GNCC National Champion, knows what it takes to run at the front of the pack and is looking to contend for his seventh National Championship this season. 

Currently tied in the points standings with McGill is Yamaha/AmPro/Action Offroad/GBC’s Cole Richardson. Last season Richardson finished second overall in Morganton and after finishing second at the season opener this year then a fourth place finish at round two, Richardson is hoping to battle back to the front of the pack.

LanMills XC/CST Tires/Houser/Yamaha’s Brycen Neal did not have the start to the season he had been hoping for, with miles to go Neal would run out of gas at the season opener. Neal would then battle back from his 16^th place finish, and finish fifth at the previous round. This weekend Neal knows he can fight for a race win, and is aiming to fight back this weekend and earn his first podium finish of the season. 

Maxxis/Ithaca Recreation Sports/Fly Racing’s Hunter Hart and Ryland Johnson Racing/GBC Motorsports/Moose Racing’s Westley Wolfe currently sit fifth and sixth in the points standings, and previously finished in the seventh and eighth place positions in Georgia. Both Hart and Wolfe are hoping to get a good jump off the line this Saturday, and finish inside the top five. 

In the XC2 Pro-Am class Pierce Performance/Maxxis/Waynesburg Yamaha’s John Glauda Jr. leads the way after earning back-to-back wins in Florida and Georgia. Glauda Jr. hails from Waxhaw, North Carolina, and is eager to make it three-in-a-row in front of his home state family and friends.

One rider hoping to stop Glauda’s success is LansMills XC/CST Tires/Moose Racing’s Drew Landers. After finishing in the second place positions at the first two rounds, Landers is excited to make a push for the class win this round. Honda’s Ben Kowalewski and Yamaha’s Jordon Poplaski have both earned a podium finish this season, and are ready to contest for a class win this weekend.

On Saturday afternoon, round two of the Specialized Turbo eMTB GNCC National Championship takes place at the FMF Steele Creek GNCC. The first round of the series took place on March 16, where 31 competitors ranging from professional, women, 50+ year old racers, and youth riders took to the line. Taking the first win was North Carolina’s own Charlie Mullins. After stepping back from professionally racing the GNCC series, Mullins turned to mountain biking. Also joining the GNCC eMTB race was mountain bike hall of famer, Nat Ross, who finished second in the XC1 Pro class.  

Local racers expected to compete in Saturday’s ATV race will be: Landon Bragg (90cc 8-12), Carson Collins (YXC1 Super Mini Sr. 13-15), Justin Collins (24+ C), Grayson Eller (College B 16-21), James Glauda (Schoolboy Sr 14-17), Landon Glauda (70 CVT 6-11/90 Stock 8-11), John Glauda Jr. (XC2 Pro-Am), John Glauda Sr. (4x4 Senior 40+), Michael Lowman (College B 16-21), Haedyn Mickelson (4x4 Pro), Noah Mickelson (College A 16-21), Neil Pitts (Vet A 30+), Kristin Power (Women), and Brian Rhines (Masters 50+). 

Four-wheeled ATVs will compete throughout the day on Saturday, March 30. Youth ATV racing begins at 8 a.m., followed by Micro ATVs at 9:15 a.m. and Micro bike racing at 10 a.m., then the amateurs, 4x4 pro and women at 11 a.m., and the pros and top amateurs’ race at 2 p.m. The last race of the day will be round two of the Specialized Turbo eMTB series, which takes off at 4:30 p.m.

The event is co-sanctioned with SETRA, a series that produced local racing events in the southeast, 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 only $50 and riders can sign up at the event. To learn more about GNCC Racing, refer to the GNCC 101 webpage. 

Spectator passes run $20 for adults and $10 for children (6-11), and kids 5 and under are free for the full weekend (Saturday through Sunday), with pro pit access and pro autographs at no additional charge. 

The 2 p.m. pro ATV race and 1 p.m. pro bike race will be broadcast LIVE on the Internet via Racer TV on www.racertv.com both Saturday and Sunday. A highlight show featuring the event will air on NBC Sports Network on Saturday, June 15 at 2:30 p.m. ET.