It's pretty clear the mission now for the top riders in the Progressive Grand National Cross Country Series. Grant Davis is on the attack, trying to become the first rider to ever take the GNCC Overall Championship while starting on a second row in the XC2 class and riding a 250 four-stroke, but the stars of the XC1 division aren't handing it over easily. At the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC over the weekend, Davis and XC1 riders Ben Kelley and Stu Baylor all pushed hard for the win, but Davis came out on top again. It was so close, though! Kelley crossed the finish first, physically, but Davis has a 59 second time adjustment from starting on row two. He won on time by around 10 seconds. This was in a race that ran nearly three hours!
"I'm pissed," said Kelley, who ended up second overall and lost the GNCC overall points lead to Davis.
Davis himself wasn't stoked either, because he wanted to win this one physically and cross the checkers first! That's what he did a few weeks ago. This time he settled for the time adjustment.
"I got off to a good start and got off to the lead in XC2 real fast, like by the third turn," Davis said. "I pushed real hard, got to the back of the XC1 guys and started picking them off. Then I saw Ben and we started riding together, he started picking off more XC1 guys. I lost him for a minute, got it back, then he made a little bobble. I was like “I might as well go for it” so I sent it past him. Led for like five miles or so, felt really good, but I got stuck and lost a lot of time. Got passed by Ben, Stu [Baylor], Jordan [Ashburn] and Liam [Draper]. I had to work my way back through. I got back up to Stu and then I crashed again about half a mile from the finish line. I thought I had lost it, but I never gave up."
"I’m pissed, I didn’t have a good start and I was just struggling to get going through the pack," said Kelley. "I mean the track was hard. Of course XC2 was right on us from the beginning. I was trying to make a push, make a push, but Grant was still right on me. I was on his wheel and on the second to last lap he got hung up on a hill, so I popped out of a rut and got in front of him. I tried to charge and get away and then I got balled up in a spot and Stu got around me. I just kept fighting. I caught back up to Stu, and at one point, he crashed but there was nowhere for me to go, I was stuck behind him for 10 seconds. We got going again and then shortly later he tipped over and I passed him. I just charged and charged. Grant was super close to me so I knew it was going to be close. Of course, a quarter mile from the finish I fell in these gnarly ruts. I heard he fell in the same spot, but, damn, missed the overall by a couple of seconds. Not happy but it is what it is. I feel good, I rode awesome today, it’s just hard, races like this. You’re in the pack and those XC2 guys catch us in the first lap, and they’ve already got a flow. You gotta make your passes early. It is what it is, I rode awesome today."
Baylor ended up second in XC1, third overall.
"That whole last lap, my whole race was dictated by the lappers," said Baylor. "I felt good and I had a lot left in the tank. I was just at that distance off of BK where when they would pull over and then fall right back into my line. I got collected by two or three in one lap! It’s tough in conditions like that, you’re just slot car racing and everyone is going for the good line. I felt good. I took over the lead and I took a breather. I saw Grant made a pretty good mistake and some lappers tangled him up with about a lap and a half to go. I knew he was in a bad position there. I took a breath and then I started pushing. I knew Ben was on my tail but I thought I could push that gap back out. Then I had that crash in the mud and followed that with another one, then two or three more incidents on the last lap. Part of it, I had mud on my gloves so it was slick and I couldn’t hold on. It is what it is. I’ve always enjoyed this place and I’ve always ridden well here, I felt good today."
Gus Riordan and Cody Barnes rounded out the top five overall, and they marked second and third in XC2. Multi-time GNCC Champion Kailub Russell had another frustrating day in XC1 with a broken shift lever. The boys from the second row are flying, but there will be a different strategy for the next GNCC, at Snowshoe in West Virginia. At that race the riders line up by points, not by class, so Davis will start in row 1.
"I'm ready for it," he says.
You can read the full GNCC series press release from the Mason-Dixon GNCC below.
Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon: Motorcycle Race Report
Grant Davis Back on Top in Pennsylvania
MOUNT MORRIS, Pa. – FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Grant Davis found himself back on top yesterday, June 1, at the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania. After rain fell early in the weekend, conditions seemed to tack up throughout the course by Sunday afternoon at Round 8 of the Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, which seemed to create a rough and tiresome racetrack as the world’s fastest off-road racers lined up.
After taking he win two weeks ago, Davis kept the momentum rolling into Pennsylvania as he battled through from the second row in the XC2 250 Pro class to earn his second overall win of the season. Davis now holds the lead in the overall points standings as the series heads to Snowshoe at the end of June.
FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Benjamin Kelley didn’t get off to a great start, having to work his way to the front from a seventh place start on the opening lap. Once Kelley was up front though, he would continue to push his way through the course trying to place enough of a gap over the XC2 competitors. However, a last lap crash saw Kelley lose those couple of seconds as he came through the finish to earn his fifth XC1 Open Pro class win of the season, and second overall.
Mason-Dixon - Overall Race
May 30, 2025| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Grant Davis | 02:44:01.259 | Meshoppen, PA  | KTM | ||
| 2 |  Ben Kelley | 02:44:12.719 | Harwinton, CT | KTM | ||
| 3 |  Steward Baylor | 02:44:55.530 | Belton, SC | Kawasaki | ||
| 4 |  Angus Riordan | 02:46:17.371 | Australia  | KTM | ||
| 5 |  Cody J Barnes | 02:46:29.230 | Sterling, IL | Honda |
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grant Davis | Meshoppen, PA | 177 |
| 2 | Ben Kelley | Harwinton, CT | 173 |
| 3 | Angus Riordan | Australia | 140 |
| 4 | Cody J Barnes | Sterling, IL | 121 |
| 5 | Steward Baylor | Belton, SC | 114 |
Rounding out the top three overall finishers of the day was Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Steward Baylor as he came through second in the XC1 Open Pro class. Baylor would work his way up front after a fifth place start on lap one. As the race wore on Baylor would continue to push himself trying to close the gap between himself and Kelley. Unfortunately, Baylor was unable to catch Kelley and would finish second in class and third overall on the day.
XC2 competitors, FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Angus Riordan and Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes would once again battle for a better overall and class podium positions. Riordan and Barnes would battle back-and-forth throughout the whole race, with Riordan being able to hold off Barnes to grab second in XC2 and fourth overall. Barnes would be right behind Riordan to finish third in XC2 and fifth overall on the day.
Coming through sixth overall and third in the XC1 class was Flatrock Motorclub GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn. As the race got underway, Ashburn would have his work cut out for him as he had to work his way through from an eighth place start. Ashburn would continue to push throughout the race, making the necessary passes to round out the XC1 podium.
Mason-Dixon - XC2 Pro Race
May 30, 2025| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grant Davis | 02:44:01.259 | Meshoppen, PA | KTM | ||
| 2 | Angus Riordan | 02:46:17.371 | Australia | KTM | ||
| 3 | Cody J Barnes | 02:46:29.230 | Sterling, IL | Honda | ||
| 4 |  Josh Toth | 02:47:24.858 | Winstead, CT | Kawasaki | ||
| 5 |  Brody Johnson | 02:48:07.037 | Landrum, SC | Honda |
AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper would hold the lead for the first two laps of the race but unfortunately fell back to third and then fourth by the time the checkered flag flew, earning seventh overall and fourth in class.
After running second early in the race, Enduro Engineering Triumph Racing’s Ricky Russell would come through to cross the line fifth in class and eighth overall on the day.
Finishing ninth overall, sixth in XC1, was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Mike Witkowski. Throughout the duration of the race, Witkowski would have a consistent flow going through the Pennsylvania and West Virginia terrain at the Mason-Dixon GNCC.
Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Josh Toth would come through to round out the top 10 overall finishers on the day, while also earning fourth in XC2. Unfortunately for Lyndon Snodgrass after earning the $250 Landers KTM he would suffer a mechanical issue after completing three laps.
XC3 Winner Photo
Coming through to take the XC3 125 Pro-Am class win was Marionville Powersports/Hinson/Fly Racing’s James Jenkins who also earned himself the $100 Lojak Cycle Sales XC3 Holeshot Award. Jenkins would battle through to make a last lap pass and overtake the lead once again to take the win.
Bonecutter Off-Road/GASGAS-backed racer Jonathan Johnson would battle back-and-forth with Jenkins for first, but he would ultimately come through to finish second in the class. Jayson Crawford came back from starting fifth in the class to round out the top three on the podium at round eight.
Taking the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon GNCC Top Amateur honors was Joseph Cunningham as he finished 16th overall on the day, while taking home his sixth 250 A class win of the season. Chase Landers would finish 17th overall on the day, and second in the 250 A class, as he sat second on the Top Amateur podium on the day. Third place in the 250 A class went to Gavin Simon and third Top Amateur honors as he finished 19th overall.
| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  James Jenkins | 03:03:11.976 | House Springs, MO | Yamaha | ||
| 2 |  Jonathan Johnson | 03:05:23.171 | Landrum, SC | GasGas | ||
| 3 | Jayson T Crawford | 02:43:13.380 | Rock Falls, IL | Yamaha | ||
| 4 | Robert Weiss | 02:44:51.817 | Woodland, NJ | Husqvarna | ||
| 5 | James D Simpson | 03:13:23.619 | Wilmington, NC | Yamaha |
In the AM Bike race, it was Ethan Harwell physically coming through timing and scoring first in the Sportsman A class. However, Colton McQuarrie continued to battle through to be awarded the AM Overall win as he was the first finisher in a national points paying class. McQuarrie would finish first in the 150 B Schoolboy (12-17) class at the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon.
After earning the $100 Landers KTM WXC Holeshot Award, Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede continued to push her way through the Mason-Dixon line terrain. Steede would lead from start to finish, earning herself the WXC class win and second overall in the race. Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Rachael Archer made her way into second in the WXC class early on in the race, but she would be unable to make a push for the win at round eight. Archer would cross the line five seconds behind Steede for second in class and third overall on the day. AmPro Yamaha’s Danielle Mcdonald held onto third place in the WXC class for the duration of the race, earning her third WXC podium finish of the season.
Mason-Dixon - WXC Race
May 30, 2025| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Korie Steede | 01:52:31.420 | Beloit, OH | Husqvarna | ||
| 2 |  Rachael Archer | 01:52:36.979 | New Zealand  | Kawasaki | ||
| 3 | Danielle Mcdonald | 01:56:13.759 | Parkes | Yamaha | ||
| 4 | Shelby Turner | 01:58:03.334 | Barons | GasGas | ||
| 5 | Ava Silvestri | 02:09:16.799 | Redwood City, CA | GasGas |
After missing one round due to injury, Travis Lentz picked up where he left off in the Youth Bike race as he battled through to take the overall and YXC1 Super Mini Sr. (14-15) class win at the Mason-Dixon GNCC. Ace Tokar would finish second overall and earn himself the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. (12-13) class win at round eight. Hunter Hawkinberry took second in the YXC2 class, while also crossing the line to finish third overall in the Youth Bike race.
Kamden Krause and Grant Meacham would round out the top three YXC1 class finishers on the day, while Bentley Saxon finished third in the YXC2 class. Other winners on the day included Hunter Carey in the 85 Big Wheel (14-15) class, Caleb Johnson in the 85 Big Wheel (11-13) class, Evan Porter in the 85 (12-13) class, Colt Chaney in the 85 (11) class, Brinn Buly in the 85 (7-10) class, Todd Toland in the 65 (10-11) class, Kane Morrison in the 65 (9) class, Cash Knecht in the 64 (7-8) class, Jayden Shea in the Girls Super Mini (12-16) class, Paisley Harris in the Girls 85 (7-13) class, Aubrey Tsakanikas in the Girls 65 (7-11) class and Nathan Cygnarowicz in the Trail Rider (7-15) class.
On Saturday, the Bike Micro race also had some of the slickest conditions of the day, but Kane Morrsion would power through all those conditions to take his seventh overall and MXC1 (8-9) class win of the season. Morrison would also be close to lapping the entire Micro field as he and second place finisher, Daxton Mullins, were the only two racers to complete all 10 laps. Mullins would come through to take second overall and in the MXC1 class, while Josh Erny rounded out the top three overall and MXC1 class finishers on the day.
Kash Brummage earned the MXC2 (6-8) class win, with Ryder Baricska and Tank Laws rounding out the top three finishers in the class. Braddox Hall took the 50 Sr. 1 (7) class win, Weston Sanders earned the 50 Sr. 2 (6) class win, Jacobi Duvall earned the 50 Jr. 1 (6-7) class win while Kane Gasper earned the 50 Jr. 2 (4-5) class win. Tessa Looney took home the Micro-E1 (7-8) class win, Nathan Zhang earned the Micro-E2 (4-6) class win, Weston Rose earned the Micro (4-6) Shaft Drive class and Jamison Dodson took the Trail Rider (7-9) class win.
After a two-week hiatus, the series will return for the Yamaha Racing Snowshoe GNCC on June 20-22, 2025. This will be the last remaining round before the series heads into its summer break. After Snowshoe, the series will look to return in the fall for the final four races of the season.
