GNCC Racing Round 10 2016 Race Report
Walker Fowler Continues to Reel in National Championship
with Parts Unlimited Unadilla GNCC Overall Win
Jarrod McClure and Chris Borich Place Second and Third
Photos by: Ken Hill
NEW BERLIN, N.Y. (September 10, 2016) – The tenth round of the 2016 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, took place today, September 9, at the renowned Unadilla MX in New Berlin, New York. N-Fab/Maxxis/AmPro Yamaha/Lonestar/MXP’s Walker Fowler once again found success where he took home the coveted overall win at the 12th Annual Parts Unlimited Unadilla GNCC.
Cole Richardson jumped out to the early lead claiming the $250 Wiseco Holeshot Award.
After a three-month long summer break anticipation was at an all-time high as the racers eagerly waited for the green flag to wave. It would be N-Fab/Maxxis/AmPro Yamaha/Lonestar/MXP’s Cole Richardson who had the best jump off the start ultimately earning the $250 Wiseco XC1 Pro Holeshot Award. However, Richardson was accompanied by his teammate, Fowler, who made a quick pass to take the lead position before they entered the woods.
Once Fowler secured the lead he never looked back and continued to build a gap on the rest of the field. Meanwhile, there were plenty of battles taking place behind the defending champion for the remaining podium positions. After a solid start, JMR/ATVriders.com/DWT’s Jarrod McClure managed to work his way behind Fowler by the second lap.
“I made some small changes over the summer and I think it all helped out today,” said McClure. “I got a great start and went in the woods in the top five, which is right where I wanted to be. I just watched the guys in front of me and learned how to ride the outside where the good dirt was since it was a little slick out today.”
On the second lap Richardson faded back to fourth, but was right back in the action the next lap where he was able to slide past Maxxis/Fly Racing/HMF/Ye Olde Cycle Barn/Suzuki’s Chris Borich when he became tangled up with a lapped rider in the FMF Powerpoint section of the racecourse. It did not take long for the six-time champion to redeem himself and return back to the battle as he set his eyes on the third and final podium position.
With only two laps remaining Borich was able to regain third and began battling for second with McClure. “All-in-all it was a good day,” said Borich. “Jarrod was able to sneak away once we caught up with some lappers, and I tried to run him back down but he just kept putting lappers between us and I just couldn’t catch up.”
Cole Richardson jumped out to the early lead claiming the $250 Wiseco Holeshot Award.
Fowler would continue his dominance and cross the line almost two minutes over McClure and Borich. Coastal Racing/MSR/Maxxis-backed Brycen Neal held onto fourth, with Show Hauler/Canyon Motorsports/GBC’s Landon Wolfe producing one of his best results with fifth overall. Richardson was struck with more bad luck when on the last lap he became sick. He continued to fight through and salvage sixth overall.
“This track was brutal, but I just used that to my advantage,” said Fowler. “I know I’m in shape and that I have the best machine every time I roll up to the line. You have to find a flow at this track, and I just went out there with a good attitude and for the past three years I’ve made this my track.”
Landon Wolfe had one of his best races with fifth overall.
Overall Podium: (2) Jarrod McClure, (1) Walker Fowler, (3) Chris Borich.
The $100 All Balls Racing XC2 Pro-Am Holeshot Award was award to Tire Spine/DeRisi Racing/Spider Graphix’s Dwight Pollard for his quick jump off the line. Once they checked through timing and scoring for the first time it would be New York native and Dillinger’s Celtic Pub & Eatery/GBC Motorsports/Moose Racing’s Marty Christofferson in the lead position. Christofferson and Goldspeed/Hygear Suspension/Waynesburg Yamaha/Moto-Xperts/Spider Graphix’s Greg Covert continued to swap positions the entire two-hour race, until Christofferson crashed with just four miles to go. Covert claimed gold, while Christofferson recovered for second. ITP/Ye Olde Cycle Barn/Walsh Racecraft’s Westley Wolfe took third.
Devon Feehan took home top amateur honors with his impressive tenth place overall finish and College A (16-21) division win. His class competitors Hunter Hart and Brandon Icard rounded out the amateur overall podium in the 1 p.m. Pro Race.
The 4×4 Pro class dominated the 10 a.m. amateur race with Cunningham Racing/Can-Am/Spider Graphix/Gold Speed’s Kevin Cunningham standing in the middle spot of the box at the conclusion of the two-hour race. Can-Am/QuadBoss-backed Bryan Buckhannon and Can-Am/DWT/Houser Racing/Elka Suspension/HMF’s Cody Miller placed second and third.
10 a.m. Overall Podium: (2) Bryan Buckhannon, (1) Keving Cunningham, (3) Cody Miller.
Pierce Performance/Maxxis/Waynesburg Yamaha/FLY Racing’s John Glauda Jr. earned the $125 GT Thunder Overall Amateur Award once he crossed the line sixth overall. Glauda also claimed the Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) class win.
Yamaha/Maxxis/Fly Racing’s Traci Pickens came out top in the WXC class. This win marked Traci’s fifth WXC win this season. Ye Olde Cycle Barn/Maxxis/Fox Shocks’ Alicia McCormick placed second and defending champion Angel Knox placed third.
ATV Youth Overall Podium: (2) Casey Simmons, (1) Mikey Nickels, (3) Payton Dalton.
After a rough start to the season, Mikey Nickels took his first ATV youth overall win with his Super Mini (12-15) class victory. Casey Simmons also found success in New York where he made his first podium appearance of the year in second and Payton Dalton followed in third.
The 1 p.m. ATV Pro race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as archived video online by visiting the GNCC LIVE page.
The 2016 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series travels to Masontown, West Virginia in two weeks for the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Mountaineer Run GNCC on September 24 and 25.
For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.comor call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCCLIVE.
The Parts Unlimited Unadilla GNCC
New Berlin, New York
Round 10 of 13
Saturday, September 10
XC1 Pro Event Results:
- Walker Fowler (YAM)
- Jarrod McClure (HON)
- Chris Borich (SUZ)
- Brycen Neal (YAM)
- Landon Wolfe (HON)
- Cole Richardson (YAM)
- Adam McGill (HON)
- Josh Merritt (YAM)
- Johnny Gallagher (YAM)
- Jay Shadron (YAM)
*Overall National Championship Standings:
- Walker Fowler (271)
- Adam McGill (232)
- Chris Borich (207)
- Brycen Neal (197)
- Jarrod McClure (145)
- Cole Richardson (144)
- Landon Wolfe (122)
- Greg Covert (112)
- Marty Christofferson (96)
- Josh Merritt (92)
*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2016 National Champion.
XC2 Pro-Am Event Results:
- Greg Covert (YAM)
- Marty Christofferson (HON)
- Westley Wolfe (SUZ)
- Cody Collier (YAM)
- Randy Hamilton (HON)
- Levi Coen (HON)
- Cameron Bruce (KAW)
- Bryson Hoppes (YAM)
- Brian Foltz (HON)
- Matthew Lindle (HON)
XC2 Pro-Am Series Points Standings:
- Greg Covert (240)
- Marty Christofferson (213)
- Westley Wolfe (196)
- Randy Hamilton (164)
- Cody Collier (152)
- Matthew Lindle (139)
- Bryson Hoppes (126)
- Kevin Yoho (124)
- James Green (123)
- Levi Coen (88)
About GNCC Racing
The AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis is America’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 three-hour GNCC races lead as many as 2,000 riders through tracks 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., Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. GNCC Racing is televised weekly on NBC Sports and RacerTV.com. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com.
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