GNCC Racers Team up With March of Dimes to Help Local Students "Stay on the Right Track"

Morganton, N.C. (March 23, 2012) - In honor of the March of Dimes' mission to work together for stronger, healthier babies, Racer Productions is proud to announce a partnership with former GNCC Champion Shane Watts and family to make round three of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series a purple themed event. The FMF Steele Creek GNCC, held in Morganton, N.C. on March 31-April 1, will serve as a fundraising platform for the off-road racing community. To promote awareness in the community, Professional GNCC racers and March of Dimes representatives will be visiting local schools to talk about the importance of good nutrition and fitness, the importance of setting goals, anti-bullying and tolerance of others' differences, and becoming involved in the community through mentoring and volunteering.

"It's the mission of the GNCC to entertain and educate youth by presenting positive role models with a passion for what they do. Our professional racers know first hand the value of hard work, positive thinking, actions and goal setting, and serve as positive role models while traveling throughout the country racing," said Tim Cotter, Race Director for GNCC Racing.

Professional racers, who are also residents of the Foothills area, will be making the rounds spreading their message to 4^th and 5^th grade students in the week preceding the race and will also give out autographs. Professional riders representing the GNCC will be current XC1 Pro champion Charlie Mullins (Hickory, NC), Cody Gragg (Taylorsville, NC), and Jessie Robinson (Connelly Springs, NC), who are both leading competitors in the XC2 Pro Lites class.

"I'm so excited to be able to return to my old elementary school to talk to students about how important it is to be fit and healthy, and to set goals and never give up. I could have only dreamed how far racing would take me, but through hard work and dedication, I have been able to travel all over the world doing something that I love," said Jesse Robinson, graduate of George Hildebrand Elementary in Connelly Springs.

Representatives from the March of Dimes will provide coin boxes for the students to do their own fundraising, and these will serve as the student's ticket into the weekend's races held at Steele Creek Campground in Morganton, NC on March 31 and April 1.

In the regular GNCC spirit of competition, fun, and spectator involvement, there will also be some exciting events taking place at the starting line of both the 10 a.m. amateur race and the 1 p.m. pro race of the ATV races being held Saturday, March 31 and the bike races being held on Sunday, April 1.

Racers and spectators can get in on the weekend's fun by wearing purple clothes, riding gear, graphics and decorations. Pro-racers will participate in an autograph session for all spectators. Big-ticket raffles with prizes suitable for both ATV and dirt bike racers will be held as the primary fundraising for the weekend. All proceeds from this event will go directly to the Foothills Division of the March of Dimes in Conover, N.C. to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality through research, education and community grants. For more information on the March of Dimes, please visit www.marchofdimes.com.

About GNCC Racing

The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country series 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 1,500 riders through tracks ranging in length from ten to 12 miles. With varied terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both survival and speed and draw talent from all over the U.S., Europe, Australia and New Zealand. GNCC Racing is televised and airs every week on NBC Sports Network. For more information, please visit gnccracing.com.