Salminen Claims Second Straight GNCC Title on Michelin Tires

September 12, 2006, 5:12am

YADKINVILLE, N.C. (September 10, 2006) - With a wire-to-wire victory in round 10 of the Grand National Cross-Country Championship, Finland's Juha Salminen (KTM-Michelin) earned his second consecutive GNCC crown in dominating fashion.

Ten-time world enduro champion Salminen grabbed the Racer X Holeshot Award at the start of the Yadkin Valley Stomp and never relinquished the lead, despite determined challenges from Glenn Kearney (Suzuki) and Barry Hawk (Yamaha), Salminen's nearest pursuer in the championship. The victory was Salminen's eighth in ten GNCC rounds, and gave an insurmountable points lead with three races yet to run.

As he has throughout his 2005 and 2006 championship seasons, Salminen relied on commercially available Michelin off-road tires that are available through any Michelin motorcycle tire retailer. At the Yadkin Valley Stomp, Salminen chose Michelin® Starcross® MS3 tires for both the front and rear, in combination with Michelin Bib Mousse® anti-flat inserts.

The Yadkin Valley Stomp was also a round of the AMA Hare Scrambles National Championship. By finishing sixth overall, Robbie Jenks (KTM-Michelin) extended his lead in the Hare Scrambles points chase over Nathan Kanney (Yamaha), who finished 16th. Jenks needs only to finish 20th or higher in each of the series' two remaining races to clinch this year's Hare Scrambles title.