by: Kayla Bolton
Thursday, October 8, 2020 | 2:15 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC Set to Invade Mathews Farm This Weekend
Walker Fowler and Kailub Russell Battle to Clinch National Championships
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (October 8, 2020) – The Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, makes its third annual stop at Mathews Farm in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, for Round 11, the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC, this weekend.
On Saturday afternoon WFR/GBC/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Walker Fowler will be looking to battle for his sixth ATV Overall National Championship. Fowler currently sits 77 points ahead of second place heading into round 11 of the season. Last year Fowler earned the Mason-Dixon GNCC win, and clinched his championship, so this year he is hoping for the same successful weekend.
CST/Houser Racing/Waynesburg Yamaha’s Brycen Neal currently holds onto second in the points standings. Neal earned the previous round win, and he will be aiming to keep that success going as well as his championship hopes.
Last year JMR/GBC/Elka/Moose Racing’s Jarrod McClure finished in the runner-up position at the Mason-Dixon GNCC, and currently sits third in the National Championship standings. With only three rounds remaining McClure is aiming to earn valuable points to hold onto a top three position in the overall standings at the end of the season.
Action Off-Road/Tely Energy Racing/Kenda’s Cole Richardson has one overall win under his belt this season, and this weekend in his home state of Pennsylvania Richardson will be looking to earn his second win. Richardson holds fourth in the points standings, and this weekend he will be aiming to break into the top three overall.
After earning the win at round nine in West Virginia, McGill Mafia/OBOR Tires/LSR/Moose Racing’s Adam McGill sits fifth in the standings with three rounds of racing remaining. At the previous round of racing in Ohio, McGill finished third overall and this weekend he will seek another podium finish.
In the XC2 Pro-Am class it is Action Off-Road/Maxxis/Demaree Motorsports’ Austin Abney leading the way. Abney is on the hunt to earn his first National Championship in the XC2 class, and this weekend he will be looking to take the class win and 2020 championship. Sitting second in the points for XC2 is LanMills XC/WFR/Magna1 Lubricants’ Drew Landers. Landers will aim to stop Abney’s success and earn the class win in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Holding onto third is Pirate MX Powersports/OBOR Tires’ Branden Owens. Owens earned his first-ever XC2 class win earlier in the season but will be looking to battle for his second win of the season this weekend.
This Saturday will also host the Specialized Turbo eMTB GNCC National Championship finale. Specialized/Gear Cycle Sales’ Charlie Mullins currently leads the way, but Live It Extreme’s Kyle Smith is just 14 points behind Mullins. Smith earned the eMTB win at Loretta Lynn’s this season, and he will look to have some luck on his side this weekend.
Sitting third in the championship standings is Specialized/Gear Cycle Sales’ Jeff McCarren. As the season comes to an end for the eMTB racers, McCarren is focused on finishing out the year on the podium.
On Sunday all eyes will be on the world’s fastest off-road motorcycle racers. One of those riders will FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Kailub Russell, who is going after his eighth Overall National Championship. Russell currently holds the lead in the points standings, but he will need to finish ahead of some of his fellow competitors to secure his number one plate.
Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki’s Josh Strang is one rider who will be aiming to put a halt in Russell’s success. Strang will be aiming to battle at the front of the pack in hopes to take the championship hunt down to the last couple of rounds of racing. Strang, who missed one race due to a small injury, is back and ready to get to the front where he knows he can run.
Strang’s teammate, Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/ Kawasaki’s Jordan Ashburn remains third in the points standings, but he is still looking to make his way to the overall podium standings this season. With only three rounds remaining, Ashburn is hopeful he can make that happen as he will be one to keep an eye on Sunday afternoon.
FactoryONE Sherco’s Grant Baylor remains fourth in the XC1 Open Pro points standings. Baylor rounded out the overall podium at the previous round of racing, and this weekend Baylor will be hoping to battle at the front once again.
After missing the first part of the season, FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Benjamin Kelley made his return to racing and has since battled his way to fifth in the XC1 points standings. Kelley is looking to take an overall win before the series comes to a close in 2020, and it is looking like this weekend could be his to win.
With winning the past two rounds of racing AmPro Yamaha’s Steward Baylor Jr. has made the jump to sixth in the points standings for XC1. Baylor Jr. has been on a mission these past two rounds, and he will continue to battle for a successful end of the season.
In the XC2 250 Pro class, it is Trail Jesters KTM’s Jonathan Girroir holding on the points lead with three more rounds of GNCC Racing to go. Girroir has earned three-straight wins, and a total five XC2 class wins thus far in the season. Girroir is aiming to take the XC2 Championship, but he will have to continue his winning ways this weekend.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig Delong currently sits second in the class points standings, and after finishing third at the previous round he will aim to take back the number one spot in his home state of Pennsylvania. AmPro Yamaha/St. Lawrence Radiology’s Michael Witkowski remains third in the points standings, but after a handful of podium finishes, and two wins under his belt he is looking to land on the center of the podium once again.
Leading the way in the FMF XC3 125cc Pro-Am class is Moose Racing/Carolina KTM/XC Gear’s Zack Hayes. This weekend Hayes will look to finish third or better, which would help him clinch the XC2 National Championship. Raines Riding University/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Jason Raines will be looking to put a stop to Hayes success by earning his fifth XC3 class win of the season.
Husqvarna/FXR/Enduro Engineering Jake Froman remains third in the points standings but underwent knee surgery and will not be racing at the last rounds of the 2020 season. Canyon Motorsports/FXR/JDP Suspension’s Michael Delosa will look to take over third in the points standings and battle for another podium finish this weekend at round 11 in Pennsylvania.
This event is co-sanctioned with our friends at the New East Coast XC (NECXC). Special events this weekend will include an Adult Pit ATV race presented by NECXC on Friday afternoon at 4 pm. Registration for the event will take place at the finish line from 2 pm – 4 pm Friday afternoon. A fun-filled ePeeWee STACYC race will happen at 6:30 p.m. at the finish line, with the 5th Annual Mowgli Memorial Dog Show taking place at 7 p.m. Six classes offered, dogs will be judged on appearance, agility (obstacles) and attire (costumes). Registration will be held Saturday afternoon near Rider Registration.
Four-wheeled ATVs will compete throughout the day on Saturday, October 10 Youth ATV racing begins at 8 a.m., followed by Micro Bikes at 9:15 a.m. and Micro ATV 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. Then to end the day of racing the Specialized Turbo eMTB racers will take to the woods at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday evening.
Motorcycles will compete throughout the day on Sunday, October 11. Youth bike racing beginning at 8 a.m., followed by amateurs and pro women at 10 a.m., and then the pros and top amateurs will race at 1 p.m. For a full weekend schedule, click HERE.
Health and Safety are our priority, be sure to revisit the GNCC Health Plan Guidelines, and adhere by the Mandatory Mask Zone “MMZ” signs throughout the facility. GNCC Racing is a family activity, and one of the most exciting features is the opportunity to camp out and have fun with your family and friends. However, if you are staying overnight in an RV or vehicle, or using a generator, you need to be aware of the dangers of Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning. CO is a poisonous, colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that can be released when burning gasoline, kerosene, oil, propane or wood. Mind your vehicle and generator exhaust while in close proximity to your family and neighbors. Do not place your generator directly under a slide-out or under your vehicle, where the fumes can seep into the camper. Make sure all exhaust fumes are properly and fully vented, so that they do not become trapped or seep into your sleeping quarters. Read more online under the Sleep Safe page.
For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or 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.
- Facebook: @gnccracing
- Instagram: @gncc_racing
- Twitter: @gnccracing
- YouTube: @racertv
To get the latest GNCC Racing clothing and merchandise visit https://www.mototees.com.
How to Watch
Racer TV and MAVTV are the official homes for coverage of the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) events. All 13 rounds, from the season opening Big Buck GNCC in South Carolina to the finale at Ironman Raceway in Indiana, will air in taped-delayed telecasts on MAVTV, while Racer TV provides live streaming coverage of the 2 p.m. ATV and 1 p.m. motorcycle races from each event. Catch all the action at http://www.mavtv.com/ and http://www.racertv.com/.
About GNCC Racing
The Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Specialized is the World’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 two and three-hour GNCC races lead as many as 2,400 riders through racetracks 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 live on 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.
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Media Contact:
Kayla Bolton
(304) 284-0084
[email protected]