Borich Takes Exciting Come From Behind Win At Parts Unlimited Loretta Lynn’s GNCC
Photos by: Shan Moore
Chris Borich got his ninth win of the year.
The action intensified today at day two of the first-ever Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series double-header at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, as Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Chris Borich claimed an exciting come-from-behind victory to put a wrap on a thrilling season of ATV racing.
Foremost Insurance/Warnert Racing Can-Am’s Chris Bithell and Ballance Racing Yamaha’s Taylor Kiser got out front right away as the two racers battled it out for the right to wear the number three plate and their first race-win this season. Kiser led a majority of the race until Bithell wrestled the lead away, only to have Kiser retaliate and take the lead back once again.
Meanwhile, Chris Borich and Adam McGill had a similar battle for the third place position, elevating the pace and eventually catching the Kiser/Bithell duo ahead. Kiser led heading into the last lap, while Borich, who had already wrapped the season championship, charged his way to the second place.
Adam McGill was a close second
Kiser held a small gap as the last lap began and looked ready to win, but he threw the race away when he tagged a tree. McGill took advantage to slide from third to first and held intoned heading into the famed Loretta Lynn’s motocross track.
After two hours of intense back-and-forth action, McGill led with just a lap of the motocross track remaining. Borich waited until the very last second to make a thrilling race-winning pass, cutting under Foremost Insurance/Warnert Racing Can-Am’s McGill to take the lead just before they entered the legendary “Ten Commandments” whoop section. After clinching the series championship at the Ironman GNCC last month – his third-straight XC1 title – today’s win was icing on the cake for Borich.
“It’s good to finish out with a win,” said Borich. “I had some lines picked out on the motocross track and I knew I could make a pass there, and I just saved it until I needed it. At the beginning of the race I was just pushing and I felt a little out of control, but in the middle of the race I got in the groove and was able to close in on those guys.”
Taylor Kiser rounded out the podium.
McGill held on to take a close second, after fending off a fierce pass attempt by Ballance Racing Yamaha’s Taylor Kiser two corners before the checkered flag. It was an exciting end to an already epic battle.
“Heading into that last lap, I was in fourth behind Kiser, Chris Bithell, and Borich, and about three miles in I passed up behind Bithell and then Kiser tagged a tree and that gave me the lead,” said McGill, who at that point looked like a sure bet to win the final race of the year. “We came onto the motocross track for the final time and Chris had a good line and that was all she wrote. Then a few turns later, Kiser and I came together just before the finish.”
Kiser rounded out the podium, and looked quite impressive while leading the first half of the race. For sure, it was one of Kiser’s best performances of the year, and it gives him some momentum heading into 2012.
“I just got up front and settled into a nice pace,” said Kiser. “I had a really clean day but I gave it away there on the last lap. I had the lead and I hit a tree and they kind of pulled away from me.”
Chris Bithell leads Taylor Kiser.
Kiser’s sponsor and mentor, nine-time GNCC champ Bill Ballance, won the $250Motosport.com Holeshot Award to start the race, before finishing the race in 11th.
Bithell, another Foremost Insurance/Warnert Racing Can-Am rider, finished fourth, but also led at one point during the race.
Fifth went to Honda-mounted Jarrod McClure, with FRE KTM’s Bryan Cook earning sixth.
GT Thunder rider Kevin Yoho topped JET Suspension Honda’s Donnie Ockerman for seventh, while Honda riders Jeffrey Pickens and Craig Bowman rounded out the top 10.
Walker Fowler made history by becoming the first rider in GNCC history to have a perfect season in the XC2 division, the Ballance Racing Yamaha claiming 13 victories in 13 rounds.
Fowler took the lead early into the opening lap and turned in a spectacular ride, which carried him five minutes clear of second place by the end of the race. These kind of performances that have established Fowler as one of the super stars of the sport.
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