Baylor’s second place vaulted him back into the GNCC points lead after 2021 GNCC Champion Ben Kelley ran into bike problems late and finished out of the top twenty overall, which means he didn't score any points toward the GNCC overall title. So that's a big gain for Baylor, but  he wanted the win.

“Yeah definitely, it was a good day all in all,” said Baylor. “Lost brakes with two to go, and it is what it is. It was gnarly. I ran over more shit than I needed to just to get slowed down out there. It was one of those tracks where riding without rear brakes wasn’t crazy, but it definitely played an advantage out in some of the stuff. It’s part of it, we train that way every week and I’m prepared for it. We’ve got that white plate back and at the end of the day, consistency is paying off. I felt like I rode a winning race the whole day, just little things, but losing that rear brake with two to go, that was a struggle. I was just getting down on myself for about half a lap, and then I said, 'You know what? I’ve done this before. Let’s go!' Dug deep and rode as best as we could. Put the pressure on and almost made the pass a couple times the last couple of miles. Yeah, I lost the lead on the last lap, got pointed around the hillclimb by somebody I don’t know. In that gnarly Penton section, you see someone pointing you and you automatically just go that way. That was the first person I saw. I went around that hill and Ashburn made the pass. It was a way, way long line around, I didn’t expect it. Never walked it. Big thanks to this Ohio crowd, this is a mecca for GNCC, and they were out there in that Penton section, and you can count on them to pull you out.”

Kelley fell back to third in the standings behind Stu Baylor and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig Delong. Ashburn, usually a master of consistency, is now up to fourth in the standings. For now, he’s just happy to get his season on track, and he’ll hope his consistency returns.

“It’s awesome,” said Ashburn. “All of these guys are so fast and the level is just so intense. It’s so difficult to be at the front all day. We got it done, but we’re looking forward to getting another one before the year is out, and being on the podium at the rest of these races.”

Meanwhile, Girroir, the XC1 rookie who won the last race, made a huge last-lap push to steal a podium spot from Delong and Monster Energy/Babbitt’s Kawasaki veteran Josh Strang.

“Yeah it was wild,” said Girrior, of FMF KTM. “Josh Strang got the holeshot, I think I was third. Ricky went wide in the third corner and I got to second, then I found myself in the lead, and I really didn’t want to be there. Ricky was riding good so I let him by. He passed me and I just followed. Yeah, I made a couple mistakes and found myself in fifth, stalled  the bike.  That last lap it was on. I put the hammer down. Craig Delong got stuck on a hill, then I got by Josh and put the hammer down. Had a big cartwheel, got up, and Josh was right there. I kept charging and Josh finished right behind me. It was good, I’m happy.”

Strang, of Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green, took fourth. The Australian would probably be the best bet to make for eight winners in eight rounds. GNCC resumes in two weeks for the Mason-Dixon GNCC in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania. Ricky Russell, of AmPro Yamaha, who was leading early, ran into mechanical problems.

That’s the same thing that happened for former series leader Kelley. A KTM PR had this info:

 The rest of the info on the event is below via a GNCC Racing press release.

The Wiseco John Penton:
Motorcycle Race Report

MILLFIELD, Ohio – Round seven of the 2023 Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, (GNCC Racing) concluded in Millfield, Ohio with the second day of racing at The Wiseco John Penton GNCC. This series has seen seven different winners in just seven races this season as Magna1 Motorsports/Husqvarna’s Jordan Ashburn would come through to earn his first win of 2023. 

As the green flag flew it was a race to the first turn, but it would be FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir earning himself the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot Award to start out the day. When the pack of racers made their way to timing and scoring on the opening lap it was AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell leading the way with Ashburn and FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley right behind him.

The race wore on and Russell would fall back to eighth for the next couple of laps. The lead would be taken over by Ashburn, who would soon face battle with Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/Tely Energy KTM Racing’s Steward Baylor for the remaining laps of the three hour race. Ashburn and Baylor would swap the lead position multiple times, but ultimately Ashburn would come through to take the win and making seven different winners at the first seven rounds of the GNCC season.

Baylor would continue to push and earn second overall on the day after he started at the back of the pack on the opening lap of the race. Baylor now sits in the points lead in the National Championship standings. Girroir would battle on after earning the holeshot, and he would find himself in third overall when the checkered flag flew. 

Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Josh Strang would run inside the top five throughout the duration of the race as he came through to earn fourth overall on the day. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig Delong battled back to finish inside the top five in the XC1 Open Pro class and seventh overall on the day. Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor would come through to earn sixth in the XC1 and eighth overall at The John Penton GNCC.

After holding the early lead Russell would fall to eighth, but he would only be able to make his way up to seventh in the XC1 class. Kelley would have a rough day after starting third, and then making some mistakes that cost him a lot of time. Kelley would continue to try and push but after running into some difficulties he would come through eighth in XC1.

When the XC2 250 Pro line took off it was FMF RPM KTM Racing’s Angus Riordan earning himself the $250 Steel City Men’s Clinic XC2 Holeshot Award. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes would battle throughout the day with AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper for the lead position. Barnes and Draper would swap the lead position multiple times throughout the race. As the white flag flew, Barnes would lead Draper and would continue to push through the last lap. Barnes would come through to earn his first win of the season, with just a one second lead over Draper. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Mike Witkowski would battle back to finish third in the XC2 class after starting his day back in the sixth place position.

In the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class it was FXR/X Brand Goggles/6D Helmet’s Dakoda Devore coming through to earn the class win in Ohio. After Kibuk Cycles Sales/TLD/Steel City Men’s Clinic/Yamaha’s Sawyer Carratura grabbed the $100 Lojak Cycles FMF XC3 Holeshot Award, Devore would make his way into the lead on the second lap and would not look back. Liqui Moly Beta Factory Racing’s Jason Lipscomb would come through to earn second in the FMF XC3 class after holding the lead position on the opening lap. Current points lead, Beaver Creek Cycle’s/Bells Electric/Wossner Piston’s Toby Cleveland would battle his way back from a fourth place start to the day to round out the top three overall.

In the afternoon race it was 250 A winner, Gavin Simon coming through to take the Top Amateur honors with a 16th overall finishing position. Joseph Cunningham was second on the Top Amateur podium and in the 250 A class with a 18th overall finish. Third place in the 250 A and atop the Top Amateur podium was Cooper Jones who came through to finish 19th overall on the day. 

In the morning race it was AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer coming through first on the overall podium and in the WXC class. Archer would start out right behind GASGAS/Over and Out/RG Factory Racing’s Rachel Gutish, who earned herself the $100 Trail Jesters WXC Holeshot Award.

Archer would make her way back into the lead position on the third lap, and unfortunately Gutish would suffer a mechanical issue and be unable to push on. Trail Jesters KTM Racing’s Korie Steede would make her way into second after running third for the first couple of laps. Steede would be unable to push for a battle for the lead but would hold onto second in the WXC class. Raines Riding University/Yamaha Racing’s Prestin Raines would battle throughout the duration of the race back in the fourth place position, but she would make her way into third by the time the white flag flew. Raines would come through to earn her first WXC podium finish with a third in the class.

Gary Fridley of the Super Senior A (45+) class and Tucker Kenreigh of the 150 Schoolboy B (12-17) class earned second and third overall atop the morning podium presentations.

In the Youth Bike race, it was Canyon Richards coming through to earn his fourth YXC1 Super Mini Sr. and Youth Overall win of the season. Caleb Wood would come through second overall in the youth race, while also earning the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. class win in Ohio. Brody Amos rounded out the top three youth finishers, and he would finish second in the YXC1 class.

Austin Tsakanikas battled back to earn third in the YXC1 class. Michael Meyer would make his way into second in YXC2 and stay there until the checkered flag flew. Doc Smith rounded out the YXC2 class with a third place finish. Landon Barker earned the 85 Big Wheel (11-15) class win, Ryder Reick earned his first win in the 85 (12-13) class, and in the 85 (7-11) class it was Brody Boland earning the class win. Evan Porter took home the 65 (10-11) class win, Jace Mitchell earned the 65 (9) class win, and Braxton Miller earned the 65 (7-8) win. Addison Harris earned her sixth win in the Girls Super Mini (12-16) class, Sahara Robinson earned her fifth win in the Girls 85 (7-13) class and Baylee Arsenault would take home the Girls 65 (7-11) class. Thomas Douglas raced in the Trail Rider (7-15) class earning the win in Ohio. 

The next round of GNCC Racing will take place on June 3-4 in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania with the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC. This event will host a round of Specialized Turbo eMTB GNCC National Championship on Saturday at 5 pm. While also hosting the 8th Annual Mowgli Memorial Dog Show on Saturday at 8 pm.