UNION, S.C. (February 15, 2026) – The Progressive Insurance Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series, an AMA National Championship, kicked off its 2026 season in Union, South Carolina on Saturday, February 14, 2026, with the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC. The first day of the opening round saw sunshine and warmer temperatures greeting the series as racing began for the year.

As Ricky Towery waved the green flag for the first XC1 Pro race of the season, Phoenix Racing Yamaha’s Brycen Neal would get the jump off the line he hoped for – earning himself the $250 Holeshot Award. Neal would begin to push himself forward as he tried to pull away from the competition. Soon Neal found Stewart Boys Racing/Kenda/Pierce Performance’s Wyatt Wilkin close behind and making the pass for the lead, however, Neal would push himself even more and put himself back into the number one spot. Neal would hold that spot for the rest of the race – earning the first overall win of the season in South Carolina.

Wilkin would try to remain close to Neal after falling back to second but would be unable to make another run for the win at round one. Wilkin would cross the line second overall and in XC1 for the opening round of racing in 2026. HHR/Fly Racing/QuadTech’s Hunter Hart would put in a good race for the first round of the season. Hart battled his way up the pack to take third overall and round out the podium as the checkered flag flew.

Sturdivant Racing/Maxxis/Moose Racing’s Branden Owens battled through to take fourth overall and in the XC1 Pro class as the series got underway for the 2026 season. Owens started back in the fifth position and found himself pushing for a better finishing position for the duration of the race. Phoenix Racing Yamaha/Action Off-Road/Pierce Performance’s John Glauda Jr. would put in a good ride coming from seventh on the opening lap to round out the top five overall finishers of the day.

Crossing the line in sixth overall and in the XC1 Pro class was BNR Motorsports/Fearless/Kenda Tires’ Steven Harrell. Harrell would work his way back up to sixth from seventh on the second lap of the race and would remain there for the rest of the race. Action Off-Road/Maxxis/Custom Axis’ Jay Shadron would have a good jump off the line, coming through third on the opening lap of the race. However, Shadron would fall back to fifth then seventh as the checkered flag flew in South Carolina.

Merritt Racing/BNR Motorsports/GBC’s Joshua Merritt held a consistent eighth place position for the duration of the race. While XC2 Pro-Am competitor, CST Tires/Fly Racing/ELKA/LMR Motors’ Braxton Grosse came through ninth overall while also taking his class win to start the season off. Nine2’s Layne McCormick would come through to finish tenth overall on the day after returning to the racetrack. McCormick would hold second in the XC2 Pro-Am class as well.

Coming through to finish ninth in the XC1 class was Action Off-Road/AMSOIL/CB Racing’s Chris Borich as he had a back-and-forth day at the opening round of the series. OBOR/Moose Racing/Parts Unlimited/Lonestar’s Adam McGill would come through to round out the top 10 finishers in the XC1 Pro class. Then in the XC2 Pro-Am class it was TDR Motorsports/Elka/ATV Four-Play’s Jeremiah Wolf rounding out the top three finishers of the class.

Taking home the Big Buck Top Amateur honors was Harrison Lindsey as he came through 18th overall on the day, while also earning the College A (16-19) class win. Jericho Edmondson would come through the finish line as the second Top Amateur as he scored 21st overall and second in the College A (16-19) class. Rounding out the Top Amateur podium was Alex Elioff as he finished 25th overall and first in the Vet A (28+) class.

In the AM ATV race it was Pro Row 784/Victory Golf Carts’ Brandon Frazier in the 4x4 Pro class holding the lead position as they came through timing and scoring on the lap, until he crossed the finish line with the checkered flag flying. Kenda/KMK/Ryco Electric’s Cody Collier would grab the BNR Racing 4x4 Pro Holeshot Award and would battle back in second trying to make his way around Frazier for the duration of the race. Collier would cross the line second overall and in the class. Stetson Owens would come through to finish third overall and take home the 250 All-Star (14-17) class win. Dayton Hickey would come through to round out the 4x4 Pro class podium in third.

The WXC class saw Pierce Performance/Moose Racing/Lonestar’s Chloe Harper get the early lead and held onto that position throughout the entire two-hour race. Harper would cross the line with over a three-minute lead on the competitors. Fearless/Teixeira Tech/BNR Motorsports’ Hannah Hunter would work her way up through the pack after coming through seventh on the opening lap of the race. Hunter crossed the line second in the WXC class. BNR/Kenda/Lonestar’s Avery Collins made her way into a podium position as she crossed the line third in the class at the opening round of racing.

The Youth ATV race saw some great racing between Jackson Hancock, Jacob Smallwood and Gavin Brand. All three racers would finish up on the overall podium and in the YXC1 Super Mini Sr. (13-15) class. Hancock would pull off the win at round one, while Smallwood came back through to take second and Brand finishing just a mere 26 seconds behind Smallwood to finish the day in third. Brooks Hill battled through to earn the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. (12-13) class win, while Klaiton Sampson and Torque Tong rounded out the top three in the class.

Taking home the 250 (13-15) class win was Aden McGomery, Brantley Slack earned the 250 (13-15) Limited class win, Dominic McGee would clinch the 125 (8-12) class win while Bam Margaria would earn themselves the 125 (8-12) Limited class win. In the 90 (8-12) class it was Gracin Brand earning the win, while Lydia Arnold earned the Schoolgirl (12-15) class win and Aubree Nicholson would take the Girls Sr. (12-15) class win. The Girls Jr. (8-11) class had Kartyr Phillips earn the win and Sage Shields taking home the 70 (6-11) class win.

As the ATV Micro race wore on, it was River Netherton coming through to take the first overall win of the season as well as the MXC1 (8-9) class win. Jackston Norman and Sage Shields would come through to round out the top three overall finishers in the race, while Jackston took the 90 Stock Sr. (9) class win and Sage earned the MXC2 (6-8) class win. Reid Aldridge and Hunter Sanford would round out the top three MXC1 class finishers on the day. Waylon Hinson took home the 90 Stock Jr. (8) class, Otto Margaria earned the 50 Sr. (6-7) class win, and Kasen Lewis took the 50 Jr. (4-5) class win at the opening round of racing.

In the Bike Micro race one it was Peyton Austin taking the overall and MXC1 (8-9) class win with Ryder Baricska and Mason Bradshaw rounding out the top three overall and MXC1 class finishers. Jacobi Duvall came through to take the MXC2 class win, while Kayson Lanier and Carson Zink earned second and third in the class. Brexxton Buttrick took home the 50 Sr. 1 (7) class win, while Weston Rose earned the 50 Jr. 1 (6-7) class win and Rylee Huff earned the Girls (6-9) class win in that race. The Micro-E1 (7-8) class win went to Nathan Zhang at the opening round for 2026.  

As the Bike Micro race two finished up it was Jace Branch earning the win in the Trail Rider (6-9) class, Sean Mcallen battled their way through to take home the 50 Jr. 2 (4-5) class win, Mila Moulton took the Micro-E2 (4-6) class win in South Carolina, while Brody Bowen would earn themselves the Micro-E3 (4-6) Limited class win. The Micro (4-6) Shaft Drive saw Brodie Hayes taking the class win, while Jace Branch earned the Trail Rider (6-9) class win.

Taking the first youth bike overall win of the season went to Phillip Arnold in the YXC1 Supermini Sr. (14-15) class. Arnold would hold off his competitors for the duration of the race, while Cooper Johnson would come through to earn second overall and in the YXC1 class followed by Bentley Saxton working his way up to third after a seventh-place start to the race.

In the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. (12-13) class it was Jase Jackson taking the win while Hunter Jones and Gage Lane rounded out the top three finishers in the class. Tucker Aldrich would earn the 85 Big Wheel (14-15) class win, Colt Chaney would take home the 85 Big Wheel (11-13) class win, James Razor earned the 85 (12-13) class win, Tripp Lewis earned themselves the 85 (11) class win, and Cash Knecht would earn the 85 (7-10) class win. Matthew Simoneaux would come through to earn the 65 (10-11) class win, Peyton Austin would earn the 65 (9) class win, and Kayson Lanier earned the 65 (7-8) class win. Vaida Lavergne would earn the Girl Super Mini (12-16) class win at round one, Aubrey Tsakanikas took home the Girls 85 (7-13 ) class win and Jhorjie Walker would earn the Girls 65 (7-11) class in while Jaden Rhymer took the Trail Rider (7-15) class win.