Photo Gallery: JNCC Trip

Monday, November 10, 2025 | 1:50 PM

Photos from the Japanese National Cross Country (JNCC) AAGP Sand Valley Hakkenden in Kimitsu, Chiba, Japan and sightseeing.

Kailub Russell raced while GNCC Racing staff, Race Operations Manager Jared Bolton escorted Russell and the AmPro Yamaha team to Japan. Russell raced in the AA1 class in their PM race, while AmPro Team Manager Randy Hawkins raced in the Fun A class in their AM race. Randy’s son, Mitch Hawkins raced in the B class in the PM race, while Kailub’s son, Krue Russell raced on a YZ85 in their morning race.

Photos Courtesy of JNCC and Jared Bolton

2 legends in 1 photo!
12x All Japan Motocross Champ, Akira Narita, took the overall win! Courtesy JNCC
JNCC has their own version of Ricky Towery, and he's been flagging their races for a long time! Courtesy JNCC
Hey, you! Courtesy JNCC
8x JNCC overall champ, Manabu Watanabe Courtesy JNCC
Shun Ozawa is an up and coming Comp A class racer. Courtesy JNCC
KR557 Courtesy JNCC
Akria Narita in action! Courtesy JNCC
Mitch Hawkins riding to a 2nd place in the Fun B class. Courtesy JNCC
AmPro Yamaha's Randy Hawkins and JNCC President, Masami Hoshino Courtesy JNCC
KR557 would suffer a mechanical issue ending his day early, but still landed a top ten in the AA1 class. Courtesy JNCC
The Japanese racers and fans love Randy Hawkins! Courtesy JNCC
KR's Yamaha was supplied by the R&D team in charge of Yamaha's FX line. Courtesy JNCC
Second place finisher Masahiro Kobayashi battles with Ryota Suzuki Courtesy JNCC
The Champ! Courtesy JNCC
Mitch Hawkins Courtesy JNCC
Daiki Baba visited us at Big Buck in 2023! Courtesy JNCC
Kailub felt right at home in the sand. Courtesy JNCC
Another Japanese off-road star and former champ, Kenji Suzuki. Courtesy JNCC
Some things are the same no matter where you go in the world. Courtesy JNCC
Akira Narita rolls to the line. Courtesy JNCC
KR makes one of the long sand hills look easy. Courtesy JNCC
AA1 and AA2 class top finishers Courtesy JNCC
Kailub received a warm welcome from the JNCC fans! Courtesy JNCC
Kobayashi would end the day in second place overall. Courtesy JNCC
Baba and Russell Courtesy JNCC
KR making quick work of the big sand hill. Courtesy JNCC
Oops! Courtesy JNCC
Keita Watanabe is another visitor to GNCC, participating in the 2024 Mountaineer GNCC. Courtesy JNCC
Krue Russell made his first race aboard an 85! Courtesy JNCC
The Comp-B class podium with Mitch Hawkins second, and American who now calls Japan home, Travis Wagner, in seventh. Courtesy JNCC
Kosuke Kato aboard the Fantic. Courtesy JNCC
The Morning "Fun GP" prepares for the start. Courtesy JNCC
Masami Hoshino waves the flag for the "Fun C" class start! Courtesy JNCC
Thanks to the JNCC Course Marshals! Courtesy JNCC
Our GNCC attendees along with some of the JNCC staff! Courtesy JNCC
Manabu Watanabe is hungry for another title in 2026. Courtesy JNCC
Daiki Baba Courtesy JNCC
Shuya Watari Courtesy JNCC
KR addresses the racers prior to the start of the morning Fun GP Courtesy JNCC
Keita Watanabe is a young up and coming JNCC star... Courtesy JNCC
...at just 17 years old, he has a long career ahead! Courtesy JNCC
Bolton NOT telling everyone to "pay attention to those arrows" for once... Courtesy JNCC
Randy Hawkins rode to a fifth place finish in the morning Fun GP Courtesy JNCC
Manabu Watanabe Courtesy JNCC
Krue Russell prepares himself for the start. Courtesy JNCC
Randy Hawkins gives a thanks and some pointers prior to the PM race start. Courtesy JNCC
The AA1 and AA2 classes blast towards turn one. Courtesy JNCC
Randy Hawkins Courtesy JNCC
KTM Japan General Manager, Kevin Strassmeir pulls double duty at each JNCC event, racing both the AM and PM races!
Hey Randy!
Randy Hawkins
Yoshihiro Iwai competed in the 2025 Snowshoe GNCC and took second place in the Fun A class.
Takahito Sakurai
This guy was having a blast!
The Morning Fun GP was loaded with racers!
The Fun A class heads into the first turn.
Krue was ripping that 85 like he's been on one forever!
The Fun C class launches off the start!
Krue Russell in action
Krue Russell
Fun A class winner, Takeshi Tabuchi
Yes, that is a Triumph Tiger adventure bike!
Randy Hawkins
Toyoki Nitta battled with Bolton at last year's JNCC finale.
Husband and wife duo of Yoshihiro Iwai...
... and Noriko Iwai, who won the Fun-WB class!
Krue Russell
Masami ensures everyone is ready to go!
Kevin Strassmeir
Randy Hawkins is a big star in Japan!
JNCC crew makes sure everything is ready before going racing!
The YZ450FX Kailub rode was very interesting. It had some work done that made it closer to a 400cc machine.
Randy still rips!
Travis Wagner pulls double duty with a third place in the morning Fun-B class and seventh place in the afternoon Comp-B class.
The views from this facility were incredible!
Hello Mr. Iwai!
If you look closely, that's Mt Fuji off in the far distance, hidden by some clouds...
GNCC announcer, Shigehiro Nakai
Akira Narita
The JNCC team makes us all feel welcomed!
小島太久摩
Toyoki Nitta
Travis Wagner
KR557
This hill was harder than it looked!
Koji Kosuge
Kailub Russell
Live action!
Mitch Hawkins
小島太久摩
Chaos unfolds!
Keinori Nakajima
Kailub Russell
Akria Narita
Manabu Watanabe
Masahiro Kobayashi
Keita Watanabe and Koji Kosuge battle it out!
Ryota Suzuki.. ironically on a Yamaha!
Kosuke Kato
Kailub Russell
Daiki Baba
A huge bottleneck formed on lap 4 of the PM race, forcing a restart!
This hill got wild!
The AA1 and AA2 restart!
Mitch Hawkins
Keita Sano
Ryota Suzuki
Yasutero Kosuge
Freight train of racers
Travis Wagner, this time in the PM race!
Kailub Russell
Masahiro Kobayashi
Kailub Russell... with a kickstand!
小島太久摩
Akira Narita
Ryota Suzuki
Mitch Hawkins
Akira Narita
Masahiro Kobayashi
This guy is manly!
Mitch Hawkins
Hiroyuki Watanabe
Kailub in action.
Kailub Russell
Yutaro Saito
Kailub Russell
Another freight train of racers!
Is that Charlie Brown?!
Ryota Suzuki
Kazuhiro Yoshizaki is a big GNCC fan!
And we're a big fan of him!
Kailub had actually lapped the entire field prior to his mechanical issue!
Kailub Russell
Mitch Hawkins
Keita Watanabe
Kailub Russell
Ryota Suzuki
Akira Narita
Shuya Watari
Manabe Watanabe
Randy and Nitta
Nitta rolls to the line!
Green doesn't mean go, it means get them warmed up!
The Sand Valley Hakkenden course was in a sand mine!
Our GNCC crew along with our JNCC guide, Yoshi Kawana and JNCC President, Masami Hoshino at the Tokyo Aqualine bridge-tunnel!
Tokyo Aqualine bridge tunnel
The Senso-Ji temple in Tokyo dates its origins to year 645!
More from the Senso-Ji temple
Monday was Culture Day in Japan, and a huge crowd turned out to see the traditional Japanese sights.
The Tokyo Skytree is the world's tallest tower with this observation deck at nearly 1,150 feet!
Remember, some of those buildings below are 20+ stories...
The GNCC crew on the streets of Tokyo!
KR with a pre-race interview
Akira Narita would take the overall win!
The "high five line" is a favorite!
Akira Narita
This guy finished the afternoon race on that DT!
Akria Narita takes the win!
KR and our friend Kazushiro accidentally came together!
Everyone gathers around to waft this smoke to their forehead as it is said to make you smarter!
GNCC in Tokyo!
KR getting ready to roll
A little pre-race bike prep!
This was a really cool setup!
Akira Narita
Akira Narita
Sakisuke Kawaguchi
Manabu Watanabe
Akria Narita and Masahiro Kobayashi took the top 2 spots.
Mitch Hawkins
Manabu Watanabe
Kazushiro Yoshizaki