GNCC Racing

VP Racing Fuels Big Buck: ATV Race Report

VP Racing Fuels Big Buck: ATV Race Report

Saturday, February 20, 2021 | 10:55 PM
by:
Saturday, February 20, 2021 | 10:55 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

VP Racing Fuels Big Buck: ATV Race Report
Brycen Neal Earns Round One Overall Win

UNION, S.C. (February 20, 2021) – Round one of the 2021 Grand National Cross County (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, began today, February 20, 2021 with the best off-road ATV racers taking to the woods of South Carolina for the 24th Annual VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC.

FTR Graphics/Fly Racing/Nine2 Goggles’ Westley Wolfe grabbed the $100 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award. Photo: Ken Hill
FTR Graphics/Fly Racing/Nine2 Goggles’ Westley Wolfe grabbed the $100 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award. Photo: Ken Hill

As the green flag waved it was FTR Graphics/Fly Racing/Nine2 Goggles’ Westley Wolfe getting the jump off the line first and grabbing the $100 All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot Award. However, as the pack of eager riders made their way through the woods on lap one it was JMR/GBC/Elka/Moose Racing’s Jarrod McClure who would hold the lead.

Following McClure on the opening lap was Hunter Hart Racing/Maxxis/Fly Racing’s Hunter Hart in second and Bneal Motorsports/CST/Houser Racing’s Brycen Neal running in third overall. When the three headed out onto lap two, Neal would put his head down and make the necessary passes to move him into the lead position. Hart would find himself in second with McClure falling back to third as they completed the second lap of racing.

WFR/GBC Tires/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Walker Fowler would make the move up to second overall on the third lap of racing, after he started out the day in sixth. Fowler would try to apply the pressure onto Neal as the white flag came out but would ultimately fall 5.2 seconds short of the first overall win in 2021. Neal would cross the finish line first, earning the initial XC1 Pro ATV win of the season and holding the points lead as the series heads to Florida in two weeks. Fowler and Hart would round out the top three overall podium.

Making his way up to fourth after coming through seventh on the opening lap was Chris Borich Racing/GBC/Action Off-Road/Fly Racing/AMSOIL’s Chris Borich. Borich would steadily work his way through the course, making the crucial passes that were needed for his fourth overall finish on the day.

Neal pushed throughout the two-hour race to make his way into the overall lead. Photo: Ken Hill
Neal pushed throughout the two-hour race to make his way into the overall lead. Photo: Ken Hill

After fighting throughout the day to keep his top five finishing position, Pierce Performance/GBC Tires/Fly Racing’s John Glauda Jr. would make the needed passes to work his way back up to fifth after falling back to seventh at the halfway point. Action Off-Road/Kenda/Tely Energy Racing’s Cole Richardson would remain sixth overall for majority of the day after trying to battle for a top five finish to start out the year. McClure would unfortunately fall back to finish seventh overall after leading early on in the day.

Merritt Racing/BNR Motorsports/GBC’s Josh Merritt would make his way to eighth overall on the day. Merritt began his day in the 13th place position on the opening lap, however Merritt knew he needed to make his way through the field of riders to get into the top 10. After grabbing the XC1 holeshot award, FTR Graphics/Fly Racing/Nine2 Goggles’ Westley Wolfe would find himself battling to stay inside the top 10 as well. Wolfe would push throughout the two-hour race, and ultimately end up in ninth overall on the day.

In his XC1 Pro debut, Abney Racing/Action Off-Road/Top of the Podium’s Austin Abney would cross the finish line tenth overall. Abney would swap positions multiple times throughout the day, but he would ultimately break his way back into that top 10 overall standing.

DIRTNASTY/GBC/FocusX’s Wyatt Wilkin battled through to take the XC2 Pro-Am class win in South Carolina. Photo: Ken Hill
DIRTNASTY/GBC/FocusX’s Wyatt Wilkin battled through to take the XC2 Pro-Am class win in South Carolina. Photo: Ken Hill

Bringing home the XC2 Pro-Am class win was DIRTNASTY/GBC/FocusX’s Wyatt Wilkin. Wilkin would move into the lead position on lap one and not look back. He would cross the finish line 3 minutes and 31.5 seconds ahead of his fellow XC2 competitors.

BNR Motorsports/Yamaha’s Ben Kowalewski made his way onto the podium after running in third early on in the race. Kowalewski would manage to battle through his class to earn a podium finish at round one. PEP Performance Tuning/Walsh Race Craft/Fox Shock/Yamaha’s Max Lindquist, who previously earned the Pro-Am ATV Motocross National Championship in 2020, made an appearance at the Big Buck GNCC this weekend. Lindquist would make a last lap pass to take the final spot atop the XC2 top three podium.

Earning the top amateur honors was Jay Shadron of the Junior A 22+ class, who earned 16th overall on the day and his class win. Coming through in 17th overall was the College A (16-21) rider of Steven Harrell, earning himself the second place top amateur awards. Thomas Koontz Jr. in the Vet B 30+ class earned the last stop on the top amateur podium this afternoon with a 20th overall finishing position.

In the 11 a.m. race Justin Wood would jump out to grab the $100 BNR Motorsports Holeshot Award. However, it would be Pierce Performance/BNR Motorsports’ Cody Collier coming through to take win number one in the 4x4 Pro class. The win would not come easily for Collier as he has to battle with fellow competitors such as OBOR/Can-Am/DeRisi Racing’s Landon Wolfe and Can-Am/Tennessee Towing/BNR Motorsports’ Robbie Pecorari. Wolfe would come through to bring home second overall and in his class with Pecorari rounding out the podium in South Carolina.

As the WXC line took off it was Fly Racing/GBC Motorsports/Yamaha Racing’s Traci Pickens picking up the $100 BNR Motorsports Holeshot Award. However, it would be Hannah Hurricane Hunter/OBOR Tires/Fly Racing’s Hannah Hunter fully picking up where she left off in the 2020 season as she came through to take the WXC class win.

BNR Motorsports/HMF Racing/GBC Tires’ Jessica Elioff, who earned the women’s amateur National Championship last year, made the move up to the WXC class for the 2021 season. Elioff started out her day sixth in class, but she would put her head down and push through the riders. Elioff found herself running in second as the white flag flew, and she would continue to hold onto that spot until she saw the checkered flag waving. Action Off-Road/Moose Racing/GBC Motorsports’ Katelyn Osburn would come back from an eighth place standing on lap two to earn the third place position in the WXC class. Pickens would unfortunately be unable to finish the race after two laps.

Caden Spires came through to take the Youth ATV Overall win. Photo: Ken Hill
Caden Spires came through to take the Youth ATV Overall win. Photo: Ken Hill

In the youth race it was YXC1 Super Mini Sr. racer Caden Spires earning the youth overall win and his class win. Kaden Lambruno followed by Brody Pullen would finish second and third overall and in the YXC1 class. Quenton Gouker brought home the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. class win, with Austin Kiger earning 11th overall and first in the 250cc (13-15) class.

It was a MXC1 podium sweep this morning in the Micro bike race as Hunter Hawkinberry came through to take the overall and class win. Beau Garetson and Ace Toker rounded out the top three overall. Levi Rains held onto win the MXC2 class win, with Jace Mitchel earning the 50cc Sr. class win.

As the Micro ATV racers made their way through the woods of South Carolina, it was Ohio’s Bryson Dickerson bringing home the overall and MXC1 class win. Reed Stevens held onto second overall and in the MXC1 class, while Klaiton Sampson moved into third overall and first in the MXC2 class as the checkered flag came out.

Bneal Motorsports/CST/Houser Racing’s Brycen Neal earned the 24th Annual VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC overall win on Saturday afternoon. Photo: Ken Hill
Bneal Motorsports/CST/Houser Racing’s Brycen Neal earned the 24th Annual VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC overall win on Saturday afternoon. Photo: Ken Hill

Two highlight shows featuring ATVs and motorcycles will be featured on MAVTV at a later date this year.

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.

VP Racing Fuels Big Buck Results and Points Standings
Union, South Carolina
Round 1 of 13
Saturday, February 20, 2021

XC1 Pro Event Results:

  1. Brycen Neal (YAM)
  2. Walker Fowler (YAM)
  3. Hunter Hart (YAM)
  4. Chris Borich (SUZ)
  5. John Glauda Jr. (YAM)
  6. Cole Richardson (YAM)
  7. Jarrod McClure (HON)
  8. Josh Merritt (YAM)
  9. Westley Wolfe (SUZ)
  10. Austin Abney (HON)

*Overall National Championship Standings:

  1. Brycen Neal (30)
  2. Walker Fowler (25)
  3. Hunter Hart (21)
  4. Chris Borich (18)
  5. John Glauda Jr. (16)
  6. Cole Richardson (15)
  7. Jarrod McClure (14)
  8. Josh Merritt (13)
  9. Westley Wolfe (12)
  10. Austin Abney (11)

*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2021 National Champion.

XC2 Pro-Am Event Results:

  1. Wyatt Wilkin (YAM)
  2. Ben Kowalewski (YAM)
  3. Max Lindquist (YAM)
  4. Kenny Shick (YAM)
  5. Tanner Walker (YAM)
  6. Ronnie Rusch (YAM)
  7. Grayson Eller (YAM)
  8. Nick Davidson (YAM)
  9. Kristian Meyer (HON)
  10. Albert Jadosh (HON)

XC2 Pro-Am Series Standings:

  1. Wyatt Wilkin (30)
  2. Ben Kowalewski (25)
  3. Max Lindquist (21)
  4. Kenny Shick (18)
  5. Tanner Walker (16)
  6. Ronnie Rusch (15)
  7. Grayson Eller (14)
  8. Nick Davidson (13)
  9. Kristian Meyer (12)
  10. Albert Jadosh (11)

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 opener 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

Media Contact:
Kayla Bolton
(304) 284-0084
[email protected]