GNCC Racing

Dunlop Tires Tiger Run: ATV Race Report

Dunlop Tires Tiger Run: ATV Race Report

Sunday, April 18, 2021 | 10:00 AM
by:
Sunday, April 18, 2021 | 10:00 AM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dunlop Tires Tiger Run: ATV Race Report
Neal Earns Second Overall Win, Stopping Fowlers Win Streak

UNION, S.C. (April 18, 2021) – Round 5 of the 2021 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, made its second stop in Union County, South Carolina for the Dunlop Tires Tiger Run GNCC. This weekend’s event was greeted with warmer temperatures and dryer conditions then what the series was greeted with at the beginning of the season.

Brycen Neal (Bneal Motorsports/CST/Houser Racing) earned the Dunlop Tires Tiger Run overall win. Photo: Mack Faint
Brycen Neal (Bneal Motorsports/CST/Houser Racing) earned the Dunlop Tires Tiger Run overall win. Photo: Mack Faint

When the green flag was thrown it was WFR/GBC Tires/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Walker Fowler coming through the pack to earn the $100 All Balls Racing XC1 holeshot award and early lead. While out on lap two Fowler would run into some trouble as he came in contact with a tree and had trouble reattaching his tether cord. This would leave the door open for Bneal Motorsports/CST/Houser Racing’s Brycen Neal and Action Off-Road/Kenda/Tely Energy’s Cole Richardson to make their moves.

Neal would come through in the lead position on lap two with 3 seconds over Richardson and Fowler now sitting 23 seconds back in third. Neal, Richardson and Fowler would all pit on the same lap with Neal getting the jump out of his pits first. Neal would continue to lead the race, earning his second overall win of the year. Richardson would earn second overall with Fowler coming through third overall on the day.

HHR/Maxxis/Fly Racing’s Hunter Hart would fight back for a fourth overall finish after starting the day off in seventh. Hart steadily made his way up through the pack making the necessary passes to salvage championship points. Hart continues to sit second in the points standings after five rounds of racing.

Coming through to finish fifth overall on the day was CBR/GBC/Action Off-Road/Fly Racing/AMSOIL’s Chris Borich. On the first lap Borich would have an incident with a tree costing him valuable time and moving him back to fifth place. Borich continues to battle back and fight for a top spot, and now currently sits sixth in the National Championship points standings.

Cole Richardson (Action Off-Road/Kenda/Tely Energy) battled back to earn second overall on the day. Photo: Mack Faint
Cole Richardson (Action Off-Road/Kenda/Tely Energy) battled back to earn second overall on the day. Photo: Mack Faint

Pierce Performance/GBC Tires/Fly Racing’s John Glauda Jr. would come through to finish sixth overall. Glauda Jr. would move into sixth on the second lap and would continue push throughout the duration of the race. Merritt Racing/BNR Motorsports/GBC’s Josh Merritt made the move up to seventh after starting his day out in the 10th place position. This is Merritt’s best overall finish thus far in the season, and he currently remains seventh in the points standings.

Earning eighth overall on the day was the number four machine JMR/GBC/Elka/Moose Racing’s Jarrod McClure. Thus far in the year McClure has been a top contender and will be aiming to regroup for the next round and battle for a podium position. McClure remains fifth in the points, just three points out of fourth place in the standings.

Action Off-Road/Maxxis/Demaree Motorsports/Fly Racing’s Austin Abney was on a mission on Saturday afternoon as he started the day 11th in XC1 and made the necessary moves up to a ninth place finish. Custom Axis/Goldspeed/Houser Racing’s Greg Covert rounded out the top 10 finishers in the XC1 Pro class. Covert would continue to push, holding his 10th place position for majority of the day.

Walker Fowler (WFR/GBC Tires/Fly Racing/Yamaha) came back to earn third overall. Photo: Mack Faint
Walker Fowler (WFR/GBC Tires/Fly Racing/Yamaha) came back to earn third overall. Photo: Mack Faint

In the XC2 Pro-Am class it was BNR Motorsports/GBC Tires/SSi Decals/Fly Racing’s Kenny Shick jumping out to grab the $100 BNR Motorsports XC2 ATV holeshot award but would soon be joined by PirateMX.com/OBOR Tires/Moose Racing’s Branden Owens who took over the lead position. Owens would not look back and continued to push throughout the two-hour race. Owens would feel a bit of pressure from current points leader, BNR Motorsports/Senge Graphics/House Racing’s Ronnie Rusch around the halfway point of racing. However, he would not let that break his determination to win the race. Owens came through timing and scoring after four laps of racing to earn his first XC2 class win of the season by over 40 seconds. Rusch would hold onto second in the class and remains the points leader, while BNR Motorsports/Yamaha’s Ben Kowalewski made his way into third in the class to round out the podium finishes.

Earning the Tiger Run Top Amateur award was Junior A class winner Jay Shadron as he came through 9th overall on the day. Layne McCormick would earn his first College A class win and came through 22nd overall for second on the top amateur podium. Rounding out the top amateur podium was Junior A second place finisher, Jeremy LeDonne as he came through 23rd overall.

Landon Wolfe (OBOR/Can-Am/DeRisi Racing) earned his second overall 4x4 Pro class win in South Carolina. Photo: Mack Faint
Landon Wolfe (OBOR/Can-Am/DeRisi Racing) earned his second overall 4x4 Pro class win in South Carolina. Photo: Mack Faint

In the 4x4 Pro class it would be Jordan Phillips Racing/Can-Am/KibbleWhite/Kenda’s Jordan Phillips with a great jump off the line grabbing the $100 BNR Motorsports’ 4x4 Pro holeshot award. However, it the number one machine of OBOR/Can-Am/DeRisi Racing’s Landon Wolfe would soon take over the lead position. Wolfe continued to lead the race as Can-Am/Tennessee Towing/BNR Motorsports’ Robbie Pecorari and HMF Engineering/GBC Tires/BNR Motorsports’ Brandon Frazier battled behind him for the second place position. Pecorari would make his way back towards the front after a fifth place start to the day, while Frazier was trying to hold him off in second throughout the first two laps of racing. As the white flag came out Pecorari was just seven seconds behind Frazier, and while out on the last lap Pecoari would make the pass for second overall and in class.

As the checkered flag flew it was Wolfe earning his second win of the season, and increasing his points lead to 20 over second place. Pecoari and Frazier would round out the top three overall and in the 4x4 Pro class.

As the WXC line took of it was the #723 machine of Angel Magee grabbing the $100 BNR Motorsports WXC ATV holeshot award, however disaster would strike for Magee as she would be unable to complete a lap due to a mechanical issue. As the women made their way to the finish line it would be Kenda/HMF Engineering/Waynesburg Yamaha’s Emily Wise holding the early lead with Action Off-Road/Moose Racing/GBC Motorsports’ Katelyn Osburn right behind her.

As the race wore on the Defending Champion, Hannah Hurricane Hunter/OBOR Tires/Fly Racing’s Hannah Hunter would be steadily making her way through the pack ready to go for her second win of the season. Osburn would make her way around Wise but would then have her hands full as Hunter was hungry for a victory. As the duo came through for the white flag, Hunter emerged in the lead but with only a three second lead over Osburn. Wise would be holding onto the third place position. As they came back through it would be Hunter holding onto the number one position in the WXC class with Osburn and Wise rounding out the top three.

Hannah Hunter (Hannah Hurricane Hunter/OBOR Tires/Fly Racing) clinched her second WXC class win of the year Saturday at Tiger Run. Photo: Mack Faint
Hannah Hunter (Hannah Hurricane Hunter/OBOR Tires/Fly Racing) clinched her second WXC class win of the year Saturday at Tiger Run. Photo: Mack Faint

In the morning Youth ATV race it was Indiana’s Ty McGaughey coming through to earn his first overall win and YXC1 Super Mini Sr. class win of the season. McGaughey would get a good start to the day moving into second by the time the youth riders came through timing and scoring on the opening lap. He would then put his head down and continue to push as Kaden Lambruno and Harrison Lindsey continued to close the gap behind him. Lindsey would make the pass for the lead as the white flag came out, but he would soon make a mistake allowing McGaughey and Lambruno to get around him once again. Lambruno would finish second overall, with Lindsey third.

In the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. class it was Wyatt Curfman taking the class win, while Levi Burkemper and Quinn Bergman rounded out the top three in class. Ryder Reick brought home the 90cc (8-12) class with, and Austin Kiger would earn the 250 (13-15) class win.

Starting off the day were the Micro ATV racers where Kody Buckhannon would grab his third MXC1 and overall win of the season. Buckhannon and Bryson Dickerson would battle with Dickerson grabbing the early lead. Buckhannon would set himself up in a good position and make the pass for the lead as the white flag came out. Dickerson would try to fight back but would ultimately come through second overall and in class.

Earning third overall in the Micro ATV race was MXC2 competitor Jase Strouse. Coming through to take third in the MXC1 class and fourth overall was Zander Rogers, while JP Pickens took the 50cc Sr. class win and fifth overall on the day.

In the Micro Bike race, it was MXC1 competitor Hunter Hawkinberry earning his fourth overall Micro and MXC1 class win of the season. Hawkinberry continues to lead the way in the points standings not only in the Micro division but in the Youth 65cc (7-9) class too. Wyatt Johnson came through second overall in the micro race and would bring home the MXC2 class win followed by Karson George taking third overall and second in the MXC2 class.

Rounding out the top three in the MXC1 class were Brody McLaughlin and Grayson Gordon, while Levi Rains grabbed the third place finishing position in the MXC2 class. Jace Mitchell took home the 50cc Sr. class win and a sixth place overall finish.

Neal taking the checkered flag in South Carolina. Photo: Mack Faint
Neal taking the checkered flag in South Carolina. Photo: Mack Faint

Round 2 of the Specialized Turbo eMTB GNCC National Championship took place on Saturday afternoon at the Tiger Run GNCC. Defending Champion, Specialized/Gear Racewear’s Charlie Mullins would have a good jump off the line as he worked his way into the lead position. Mullins would hold onto the lead for the duration of the race, earning his second overall eMTB win of the season.

Specialized/Gear Bicycle Sales/Ride 100%/Veneto Sportswear’s Nick Mackie and Live It Xtreme’s Kyle Smith would both battle back-and-forth for the top three finishing positions. Smith would hold onto second for the early part of the race, but he would make a small mistake allowing Mackie to close the gap and make the pass while out on the third lap of racing. Mackie would hold onto second for the last two laps, crossing the finish line 19 seconds ahead of Smith who finished third overall on the day.

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.

Dunlop Tires Tiger Run Results and Points Standings
Union, South Carolina
Round 5 of 13
Saturday, April 17, 2021

XC1 Pro Event Results:

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

*Overall National Championship Standings:

  1. Walker Fowler (136)
  2. Hunter Hart (95)
  3. Cole Richardson (86)
  4. Brycen Neal (85)
  5. Jarrod McClure (82)
  6. Chris Borich (65)
  7. Joshua Merritt (64)
  8. Adam McGill (63)
  9. John Glauda Jr. (58)
  10. Westley Wolfe (56)

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

XC2 Pro-Am Event Results:

  1. Branden Owens (YAM)
  2. Ronnie Rusch (YAM)
  3. Ben Kowalewski (YAM)
  4. Wyatt Wilkin (YAM)
  5. Kenny Shick (YAM)
  6. Dylan Walraven (HON)
  7. Grayson Eller (YAM)
  8. Albert Jadosh (HON)
  9. TJ Barrett (HON)
  10. Kristian Meyer (HON)

XC2 Pro-Am Series Standings:

  1. Ronnie Rusch (125)
  2. Ben Kowalewski (117)
  3. Tanner Walker (87)
  4. Branden Owens (86)
  5. Kenny Shick (73)
  6. Dylan Walraven (68)
  7. Wyatt Wilkin (64)
  8. Grayson Eller (62)
  9. Albert Jadosh (60)
  10. Kristian Meyer (55)

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:
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