by: Shan Moore
Wednesday, May 26, 2021 | 11:35 AM
Specialized Turbo eMTB GNCC National Championship
Round 4 John Penton GNCC Race Report
Millfield, Ohio (May 26, 2021) – Round 4 of the 2021 Specialized Turbo eMTB GNCC National Championship Series took place on Saturday, May 22nd at Sunday Creek Raceway in Millfield, Ohio, where 73 racers took part throughout eight classes on a rugged and hard-packed three-mile course. Two-time GNCC eMTB Champion Charlie Mullins got back to his winning ways, overcoming previous round winner Nick Mackie with a last-lap pass to claim his third win of the series.
Nick Mackie (SPE), who grew up racing dirt bikes and has a motocross background, took the early lead in the hourlong race with Mullins right on his rear wheel as the two battled back-and-forth for the lead in the XC1 Pro class.
Mackie appeared to be heading to his second win in a row in the series, as they set out onto the final lap of the race. However, Mullins had other plans and passed Mackie with just a few hundred yards left in the race to claim the win.
“It was good to get a win and that was a hard-earned one,” said Mullins. “Nick was ahead of me going into the last lap and he had a strong pace. On the last lap I was trying to plan my attack on the water tower climb and he just hammered down and I really couldn’t match it. About three-tenths of a mile before the finish there was a straightaway, I just gave it everything I had and was able to get on the inside going into the woods and I was able to get by him.”
With the win, Mullins extended his lead in the XC1 Pro eMTB standings to four points (79 to 75) over Mackie, with Kyle Smith, third on the day, in third overall with 72 points.
Despite getting off to a bad start, Yamaha’s Ty Teasdale took first in the Amateur class with a fifth overall finish, ahead of Ryan Mullins (11th overall) and Alan Jordan (12th overall).
“I was fourth off the line, which was not good, but then I got up into third pretty quick,” said Teasdale. “Later on, first and second places tangled up so I got past both of them. I was just in front trying to hold the front.”
Callie Horwath (TRE) remains undefeated in the Women’s class after claiming her fourth-straight win in the series. Suzanna Bishop (SPE) of West Virginia was second, while Floridian Ginny McFall (SPE) coming through in third.
Brad Myers (SPE) claimed his first win of the series in the Masters (55+) class after taking three-consecutive runner-up finishes. The Indiana racer beat Jeff Bolte (SPE) and fellow West Virginia racer, Ron Cantley (SPE).
The Youth (13-17) class was won by Gavin Garlits (SPE). Second went to Talon Hawk (HAI), with Mitch Hawkins (YAM) taking third.
North Carolina’s Ian Smith topped the Senior (40+) class, beating out Maryland’s Jason Conlon and fellow Specialized racer Colin Dierman of West Virginia for the win.
Cooper Kuneff (SPE) was the big winner in the Youth (9-12) division, topping Camden Phillips (SPE) and Jackson Fisher (SPE), while Bernard Wilson (HAI) won the Trail Rider class.
The Loretta Lynn eMTB GNCC will be held on Saturday, July 31st, in conjunction with the 40th Annual Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship (August 2nd – 7th) at the home of country music legend Loretta Lynn in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, the largest and most prestigious amateur motocross event in the world. Round 7 of the 8-round Specialized Turbo eMTB GNCC Series, will once again serve as an FIM North American eMTB Championship. Equally exciting is that this unique round will boast a $10,000 Pro Purse.
Wiseco John Penton GNCC Results
Millfield, Ohio
Saturday, May 22, 2021
XC1 Pro Results
- Charlie Mullins (SPE)
- Nick Mackie (SPE)
- Kyle Smith (SPE)
- Jeff McCarren (SPE)
- Connor Karkowsky (CAN)
- Adam Mayhew (SPE)
- Gerald White (SPE)
- William Pegram (SPE)
- Chase Peeler (INT)
- Cypress Gorry (SPE)
For more information on the GNCC Series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation 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 opener in South Carolina to the finale, 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 eMTB Racing
The Specialized Turbo eMTB GNCC National Championship brings off-road racing and pedal-assist or electric bicycles together for an eight-round championship produced by Racer Productions. Much like a typical cross-country racing event, these races feature varied terrain including hills, rocks, roots, and more. Limited to electric or pedal assist model mountain bikes only, the championship was added to the GNCC Series in 2019. 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. Visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com. Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join.
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Media Contact
Shan Moore
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