GNCC Round 3 Race Report

Walker Fowler Comes from Behind to Capture the
Maxxis Cannonball GNCC Overall Win
Hunter Hart Tops the XC2 Pro-Am Class

Photos by: Ken Hill

SPARTA, Ga. (March 25, 2017) – The third round of the 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, was treated to perfect weather conditions today, March 25, at the second annual Maxxis Cannonball GNCC in Sparta, Georgia. The track provided plenty of racing action, where WFR/Yamaha/Maxxis/Fly Racing’s Walker Fowler eventually took home the overall win at the conclusion of the two-hour race.

CST/Induction Solutions/LSR/HiPer/Spider Graphix’s Adam McGill jumped out to the early lead and grabbed the $250 Wiseco XC1 Pro Holeshot Award. While McGill faced a clear track in front of him, there was nothing but riders behind him who were all eager to take his place.

The Maxxis Cannonball GNCC witnessed the best racing action of the entire season.

Six-time GNCC champion, Chris Borich and GBC/Canyon Motorsports/Fly Racing’s Landon Wolfe were applying the pressure to McGill early on. After an unfavorable start, Fowler sat in fifth around the three-mile marker.

Within five miles, Fowler was able to shave off two positions where he sat in third. With a tight track, Fowler was accompanied by Coastal Racing’s Brycen Neal who sat in fourth.

As the front runners checked through timing and scoring for the first time, the group was all wheel-to-wheel with less than four seconds separating them. They would continue racing this way for the majority of the race.

Brycen Neal was able to lead half of the race, proving it won’t be long until he stands in the middle of the box.

As McGill continued to lead, Fowler faded back and Neal was able to secure second right before they hit the nine-mile mark. Borich wasn’t ready to settle for third, where within the next few miles he took the second place back.

This pass fired Neal up where he made another move on both Borich and McGill and moved into the lead as the two-lap card came out. While Neal was finding success, Fowler found himself struggling with a loss of front brakes.

Neal continued to lead the race, while Fowler pushed through. Once the white flag was out, Neal sat a few bike lengths ahead of Fowler and Borich who were rubbing plastic. With only a few miles remaining, Fowler took a unique line across a creek to take the pass for the lead.

After riding half the race without front brakes, Walker Fowler extended his win streak to three-in-a-row.

Shortly after the pass, Neal would face more issues and clip a tree allowing JMR/ATVriders.com’s Jarrod McClure to move into second. After starting the race outside of the top ten, McClure slid under the radar just as his nickname “Sneaky Snake” implies.

With the largest lead anyone had experienced all race, Fowler rode the last mile comfortably and crossed the finish line victorious. McClure followed just 30 seconds behind in second. Neal was back on-track and in second as he and Borich headed into the final field section. Borich was right on his tail, and was able to hold onto the gas for just a second longer as they went back into the last woods section. This would play a major role in the final podium position where Borich would end up.

Overall Podium: (2) Jarrod McClure, (1) Walker Fowler, (3) Chris Borich.

As if his come-from-behind win wasn’t exciting enough, Fowler was able to set the fastest lap time of the day on the last lap. “The first two races I was able to do my thing, but that wasn’t the case today. Everyone showed up to race, and it kind of caught me off guard,” said Fowler. “I had an uncommon fifth place start. We hit the trail and I kept making small mistakes and hitting trees. After about the first hour I bent the front brake rotor so I didn’t have any brakes and I just gave up. Everyone kept cheering me on and then everything started clicking again. I was able to pass Borich and McGill over the creek crossing on the third lap, and I took another line through that same spot the last lap and made the pass on Neal.”

Jarrod McClure worked his way from outside the top ten to second overall.

Neal finished just off the podium in forth, and McGill managed to hold onto fifth. Wolfe earned his second sixth place finish of the season, and Shockworx Motorsports/Spider Graphics/GBC Tires ‘s Tucker Wyatt raced his way to a personal best finish in seventh.

Ithaca Recreation/Maxxis/Quad Tech/Storm Peak Crossfit’s Hunter Hart had his hands full with M.R. Unlimited/Hygear Suspension/GBC Tires/Tire Spine’s Devon Feehan. Hart would eventually come out on top in the XC2 Pro-Am division with Feehan following in second. Defending champion, Greg Covert, rounded out the XC2 podium.

Hunter Hart was able to end Devon Feehan’s success in the XC2 Pro-Am class and take the win.

Cunningham Racing/Can-Am/Maxxis-backed Kevin Cunningham took control of the 10 a.m. race where he won the overall and the 4×4 Pro class. Can-Am/DJR/Quad Boss’ Bryan Buckhannon and Schoolboy Sr. class winner Ronnie Rusch followed in second and third. Robbie Pecorari made his first podium appearance of the year, finishing third in the 4×4 Pro class.

WXC Podium: (2) Traci Pickens, (1) Alicia McCormick, (3) Angel Knox.

After a rough start to the season, Ye Olde Cycle Barn’s Alicia McCormick returned to the center of the box in the WXC class. Yamaha’s Traci Pickens and Angel Knox placed second and third.

Ye Olde Cycle Barn’s Layne McCormick raced his way to his first ever youth overall podium in this morning’s 8 a.m. youth race. After battling with McCormick, Wilson Racing’s Tim Sroka settled into second place. Colton Buck found himself rounding out the box for the first time this season.

Youth Overall: (2) Tim Sroka, (1) Layne McCormick, (3) Colton Buck.

The 2017 AMSOIL GNCC Series resumes in two weeks, April 8 and 9, with the FMF Steele Creek GNCC in Morganton, North Carolina. A highlight show featuring the Cannonball event will be air on the NBC Sports Network on Sunday, May 28 at 5:30 p.m.

For more information on the series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCC.

Maxxis Cannonball GNCC
Sparta, Georgia
Round 3 of 13
Saturday, March 25

XC1 Pro Event Results:

Walker Fowler (YAM)
Jarrod McClure (HON)
Chris Borich (SUZ)
Brycen Neal (YAM)
Adam McGill (HON)
Landon Wolfe (HON)
Tucker Wyatt (HON)
Johnny Gallagher (YAM)
Josh Merritt (YAM)
Marty Christofferson (HON)

*Overall National Championship Standings:

Walker Fowler (90)
Jarrod McClure (68)
Brycen Neal (64)
Chris Borich (55)
Adam McGill (53)
Landon Wolfe (44)
Devon Feehan (39)
Hunter Hart (32)
Marty Christofferson (27)
Tucker Wyatt (27)

*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2017 National Champion.

XC2 Pro-Am Event Results:

Hunter Hart (YAM)
Devon Feehan (HON)
Greg Covert (YAM)
Matthew Lindle (HON)
Brandon Icard (HON)
Austin Abney (HON)
Cameron Bruce (YAM)
Sam Hough (HON)
Bryson Hoppes (YAM)
Levi Coen (HON)

XC2 Pro-Am Series Standings:

Devon Feehan (85)
Hunter Hart (72)
Greg Covert (62)
Matthew Lindle (61)
Austin Abney (41)
Sam Hough (40)
Brandon Icard (39)
Levi Coen (38)
Cameron Bruce (30)
Kenny Shick (29)

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 2,400 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., Central America, South America, 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.

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders’ interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com. Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join.

Tags: 2017, gncc, race report, round 3