Wide Open Field Heads to Maxxis General GNCC
March 4, 2010 1:46pm
Washington, GA - The opening round of the 2010 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series yielded huge surprises, as Defending GNCC Champion Paul Whibley ran out of gas on the final lap of the tough Florida course, and a new contender stepped up to the plate, last year's Top Amateur Chris Bach, who skipped the XC2 Pro Lites class and went straight to running with the top XC1 riders to finish second at the opener behind FMF Makita Suzuki's Josh Strang. In the XC2 class, Jason Thomas ran strong up front, while a surprising run from privateer Jesse Robinson led him to second place ahead of Defending XC2 Champion Kailub Russell. Florida's surprising results leave many unanswered questions heading into round two this weekend, the Maxxis General GNCC at the Aonia Pass MX complex in Washington, GA.
The 2009 season started off with different riders taking each of the first 3 rounds, and with a surprising start to the season, it looks like 2010 will be no different. Obermeyer Yamaha's Charlie Mullins is strong on his new ride, leading most of the opener before sucking water into his engine and dropping to third. Australia's Strang has had three years with the Suzuki team, and looks to be strong coming off an off-season riding in California. GEICO Powersports' Jimmy Jarrett also started strong, battling with Whibley in the very beginning for the holeshot. Jimmy led the first few miles of the race and finished in fourth.
Whibley had problems in the sand, and after leading the first lap of the race, had to deal with a few mechanical problems with his bike and goggles. Whibley ended up finishing 10th in the class after running out of gas just a mile before the finish. However, Whibley has said he is determined to repair these mistakes going into the Maxxis General GNCC in Georgia this weekend, just a little less than a week after racing the Florida round.
Bach, who hooked up with Performance SuperCycle and Clockwork KTM over the off season, said he would be ready to take on the XC1 class in Florida, and has performed well in Enduros leading up to the start of the season. He challenged Strang all the way down to the last lap in Florida. Time will tell if Bach can repeat that performance, if so, Bach could be the upset of the season.
Thad Duvall, who is now sporting number 989 on the AM-Pro Yamaha team, had his best finish in quite some time in 5th place. Hopefully Duvall has shaken off the bad luck of his 2009 season and will be on fire in 2010. FMF KTM's Nathan Kanney, Husqvarna's Glenn Kearney, Yamaha's Barry Hawk and XC1 rookie Cory Buttrick are also riders to watch going into the Maxxis General GNCC.
Monster Energy/FAR Racing/Andrew's Cycles Jason Thomas looks to give Defending Champion Kailub Russell a run again in XC2 this year, as the two face-off on top of the class. Robinson, who was recently shuffled out of his Husaberg ride, moved to the XC2 class as a privateer, perhaps becoming a dominant force in the class.
The race takes place at the Aonia Pass motocross facility, located in Wilkes County between Athens and Augusta. From Atlanta: Take Interstate 20 East to exit #160 (Hwy 223 Norwood Exit). Go left and travel on Hwy 223 until it dead-ends with Hwy 78 (roughly 12-15 miles). Turn right on Hwy 78. The General is 2.5 miles down on your right (look for the Aonia Pass Motoplex sign). For more information, log on to www.gnccracing.com or call 304-284-0084.
Spectator passes run $15 for the entire weekend, with access to the pro pit area included. Children six and under are admitted free. On both days, youth riders race at 8 a.m., amateur riders race at 10 a.m., and the top amateurs and the pros race at 1 p.m.
About GNCC Racing
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series is America's premier off-road racing series. Founded in 1979, 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 1,800 riders through tracks ranging in length from eight to 12 miles, competing for more than $3 million in prizes. With varied terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both survival and speed. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com.
The 2009 season started off with different riders taking each of the first 3 rounds, and with a surprising start to the season, it looks like 2010 will be no different. Obermeyer Yamaha's Charlie Mullins is strong on his new ride, leading most of the opener before sucking water into his engine and dropping to third. Australia's Strang has had three years with the Suzuki team, and looks to be strong coming off an off-season riding in California. GEICO Powersports' Jimmy Jarrett also started strong, battling with Whibley in the very beginning for the holeshot. Jimmy led the first few miles of the race and finished in fourth.
Whibley had problems in the sand, and after leading the first lap of the race, had to deal with a few mechanical problems with his bike and goggles. Whibley ended up finishing 10th in the class after running out of gas just a mile before the finish. However, Whibley has said he is determined to repair these mistakes going into the Maxxis General GNCC in Georgia this weekend, just a little less than a week after racing the Florida round.
Bach, who hooked up with Performance SuperCycle and Clockwork KTM over the off season, said he would be ready to take on the XC1 class in Florida, and has performed well in Enduros leading up to the start of the season. He challenged Strang all the way down to the last lap in Florida. Time will tell if Bach can repeat that performance, if so, Bach could be the upset of the season.
Thad Duvall, who is now sporting number 989 on the AM-Pro Yamaha team, had his best finish in quite some time in 5th place. Hopefully Duvall has shaken off the bad luck of his 2009 season and will be on fire in 2010. FMF KTM's Nathan Kanney, Husqvarna's Glenn Kearney, Yamaha's Barry Hawk and XC1 rookie Cory Buttrick are also riders to watch going into the Maxxis General GNCC.
Monster Energy/FAR Racing/Andrew's Cycles Jason Thomas looks to give Defending Champion Kailub Russell a run again in XC2 this year, as the two face-off on top of the class. Robinson, who was recently shuffled out of his Husaberg ride, moved to the XC2 class as a privateer, perhaps becoming a dominant force in the class.
The race takes place at the Aonia Pass motocross facility, located in Wilkes County between Athens and Augusta. From Atlanta: Take Interstate 20 East to exit #160 (Hwy 223 Norwood Exit). Go left and travel on Hwy 223 until it dead-ends with Hwy 78 (roughly 12-15 miles). Turn right on Hwy 78. The General is 2.5 miles down on your right (look for the Aonia Pass Motoplex sign). For more information, log on to www.gnccracing.com or call 304-284-0084.
Spectator passes run $15 for the entire weekend, with access to the pro pit area included. Children six and under are admitted free. On both days, youth riders race at 8 a.m., amateur riders race at 10 a.m., and the top amateurs and the pros race at 1 p.m.
About GNCC Racing
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series is America's premier off-road racing series. Founded in 1979, 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 1,800 riders through tracks ranging in length from eight to 12 miles, competing for more than $3 million in prizes. With varied terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both survival and speed. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com.