First up on Saturday, February 15 will be the ATV Pro racers, and defending National Champion, Phoenix Racing Yamaha’s Brycen Neal. As Neal lines up once again with the number one on his back, his fellow competitors will all be eager to start their seasons off strong and battle for the coveted overall win to start the year. After returning from injury and earning second overall on the year, WFR/Kenda/Fly Racing/BNR’s Walker Fowler is excited to get back on the line and battle for wins and what could be his eighth National Championship. However, Fowler and Neal will have more competition this year as Stewart Boys Racing/GBC/Pierce Performance’s Wyatt Wilkin and Merritt Racing/BNR Motorsports/GBC’s Josh Merritt both earned overall wins last season, and both are looking to battle at the front of the pack more this year.

Jason Weigandt and Johnny Gallagher found top ATV XC1 racers Brycen Neal, Walker Fowler and Adam McGill during last-minute prep for the 2025 Progressive GNCC season. Here stories old and new from three big personalities before the season begins this weekend at Big Buck.

Four-wheeled ATVs will compete throughout the day on Saturday, February 15. Youth ATV racing begins at 8 a.m., followed by Micro bike racing at 8:30 a.m. and Micro ATV racing at 9:15 a.m., then the amateurs, 4x4 pro and women at 10 a.m., the pros and top amateurs race at 1 p.m. and youth bike racing at 4 p.m. in the afternoon. 

On Sunday, February 16, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir will line up for the first time sporting the number one on his machine. Girroir is eager to defend his winning ways but will have to hold off his fellow competitors who are also eager to take the top spot away from him. Flatrock Motorclub GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn finished second overall last season, but he is hopeful he can once again battle for the top spot in 2025. The XC2 250 Pro Champion, FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers’ Grant Davis, is also ready to continue his winning ways and fight for some more overall wins this season.

After finishing fourth overall, Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Steward Baylor seems to have a resurgence of energy to get back to the top spot this season, while Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig Delong is also another hopeful contender for the National Championship. However, a lot of hype has been about AmPro Yamaha’s Kailub Russell returning to racing full time this year. Russell, whose last full season was back in 2020, is ready to go and battle for what could be his ninth National Championship.

On Sunday, February 16, the motorcycles will take to the woods of South Carolina on a modified schedule with Bike Amateur Race #1 including Warrior and C classes at 8 a.m., women and amateur riders at 10 a.m. in the Bike Amateur Race #2, followed by the pros and top amateurs that will start their race at 1 p.m. on Sunday afternoon.

Riders will compete through an off-road course consisting of wooded trails, field sections, and unique obstacles on highly tuned dirt bikes and four-wheeled ATVs. Racers will include top talent, such as U.S. National Champions and World Champions from Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The world’s premier off-road racing series has been traveling to Union County since 1997, making it one of the oldest continuous stops on the circuit.