GNCC: Mullins Leads Heading into Round 11

Morgantown, W. Va. - This year's epic championship battle continues to unfold in the XC1 bike class as the points margin becomes tighter and more intense each weekend. FMF KTM's Charlie Mullins grabbed the points lead back from defending champion Josh Strang in round ten, while AmPro Racing Yamaha's Paul Whibley closed within twelve points of the front-runners.

The FMF Makita Suzuki rider had a first-lap crash with FMF KTM's Cory Buttrick at Unadilla, leaving Buttrick out with a concussion and Strang to finish outside the top ten after replacing bike parts in order to go on. Strang now trails Mullins by eight points heading into this weekend's VP Racing Fuels Mountain Ridge GNCC in Somerset, Pa.

Pennsylvania is known for its rock-strewn GNCC courses and this weekend's Mountain Ridge event promises nothing less, with obstacles like "Rock'n Randy," a fan-favorite rock section in the woods. Taking the win at Rock Run earlier this season, Whibley showed remarkable poise in the rocky terrain and may have a mental advantage heading into this weekend's race.

FMF KTM's Kailub Russell is starting to put the pieces together after a rough start to the season - finishing (2-2) at the last two rounds and taking over fourth in the championship standings during his rookie XC1 season. Russell's teammate Buttrick sits just outside the top five but is expected to bounce back in the remaining rounds of racing.

Factory Beta's Chris Bach will not be competing in the remaining rounds of GNCC this season after undergoing ACL reconstructive knee surgery last week in Indiana. Bach is on the road to recovery and plans to focus on preparing for the 2012 racing season.

RidePG/Fly Racing/Genuine Dirt Rider's Steward Baylor Jr. still holds a 24-point lead in the XC2 division over F.A.R Husqvarna's Jason Thomas, who has been closing in on the young Baylor. Obermeyer/AmPro Racing Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn is making his mark, though, winning the last two rounds and putting himself within ten points of third place in the championship points.

ATVs will compete throughout the day on Saturday, September 24 and dirt bikes will race all day Sunday, September 25. Local riders are invited to race the event as well, as GNCC racing offers classes for riders of all skill and experience levels. The amateur racer entry fee is $40 and riders can sign up at the track.

Spectator passes run $15 for the full weekend, with pro pit access and pro autographs at no additional charge. On both Saturday and Sunday, youth riders race at 8 a.m., beginner riders race at 10 a.m., and the top amateurs and the pros race at 1 p.m.

For more information and directions to the event, please visit https://gnccracing.com..

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 1,500 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. Riders compete for more than $3 million in prize money, which draws talent from all over the U.S., Europe, Australia and New Zealand. GNCC Racing is televised and airs every week on the Versus Network. For more information, please visit gnccracing.com.