Grant Davis’ dream run to claim the Progressive Grand National Cross Country Series Championship while racing on a 250F came undone with a race-and-a-half to go in the season. A big crash at the penultimate round of the season, the Wiseco John Penton GNCC, led to a concussion and a DNF, which allowed Ben Kelley to get back within striking distance in the points. For the finale, Davis, who has already clinched back-to-back GNCC XC2 Championships, moved up to the XC1 class and started on row one of the start, but he was unable to finish the full three hour Yamaha Racing Ironman GNCC, saying in an Instagram story “Wasn’t the day I was looking for dealing with my head. Didn’t end up finishing but move on and get it next year.”
Davis’ DNF made the math easier for Kelley to vault ahead of Davis, but Kelley had drama of his own on the dusty Ironman track, and at one point a clogged air-filter almost ended his race.
“I knew at the pit that Grant was out, and I was battling with Jordan [Ashurn] in fourth, we were fighting for the third place spot. I was comfortable there. That’s when my bike started to bog down and I was like 'You’ve got to be kidding me.' I saw a KTM guy, it turned out to be Timmy [Weigand, Team Manager] and told him I needed an air filter. I was able to finish that lap, luckily, and get the filter changed, but I dropped way back and didn’t know where I was for awhile, and I knew I still needed to score seven points and I was like 'Man I’m still pretty far back here!' They told me I needed 12th and I was in ninth or tenth. I was getting kicked around in the dust.”
Kelley was able to hold on for tenth overall, enough to best Davis for the GNCC Championship by just four points. This is Kelley’s second GNCC Championship, he won the 2021 title in an Ironman finale nail-biter (in the rain) against Steward Baylor. He was dominant to start the 2022 season until he broke his leg, and the next three years have been dotted by more injuries. Some would have given up, but Kelley kept digging, and this year he gets the reward.
"Hats off to Grant, we battled hard and then here late in the season he started getting the better of me,” Kelley admitted. “I just wasn’t on it. His time will come, I mean it’s already here he just unfortunately had a crash. That’s what happened, it happened to me in the past. It’s a gnarly sport, but I’m sure he’ll be back and we’ll be back battling next year.
“I’m pumped, I’m stoked but I wish I had had a better race here to cap off the season,” Kelley said. “I put myself in a good position and I felt like I had the speed for the last few laps, I was just going to try to save some energy for the end. But my bike, it just sucked up too much dust there and she started to bog down. I had to nurse it to the finish. That was like lap three or four. We did an air-filter swap, but I was back to like ninth or tenth. At that point I knew Grant [Davis] was out and I had to fight, I was fighting the bike, fighting the track, it was hard to see with all the dust so it was gnarly. Like I said, I felt like I had more speed, but I was struggling, so I just played it smart.
“I’m pumped! It’s been a long road with a lot of injuries between now and my first championship, and not many people are able to do it twice. It was an honor to battle with Grant all year – he and I were so close all season and it took me to ride at my absolute best to beat him. We had some inconsistencies, but in the end, I was the most consistent and put myself in a good position today off the start. I wanted the win, but I prioritized bringing it home safely in the end with the big picture in mind. It’s a long season, a lot goes into this, and a big thanks to the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team for all the support!”
Ironman - Overall Race
October 24, 2025| Rider | Time | Interval | Best Lap | Hometown | Bike | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Michael Witkowski | 02:44:42.000 | North Liberty, IN  | Honda | ||
| 2 |  Cody J Barnes | 02:44:55.189 | Sterling, IL | Honda | ||
| 3 |  Liam Draper | 02:45:18.699 | Auckland, New Zealand  | Yamaha | ||
| 4 |  Jonathan Girroir | 02:45:26.185 | Southwick, MA | KTM | ||
| 5 |  Grant Baylor | 02:45:26.632 | Belton, SC | Kawasaki | ||
| 6 |  Brody Johnson | 02:46:11.311 | Landrum, SC | Honda | ||
| 7 |  Jordan Ashburn | 02:46:21.037 | Cookeville, TN | GasGas | ||
| 8 |  Kailub Russell | 02:46:21.650 | Boonville, NC | Yamaha | ||
| 9 |  Josh Strang | 02:46:33.010 | Inverell, Australia  | Beta | ||
| 10 |  Ben Kelley | 02:46:35.299 | Harwinton, CT | KTM |
| Position | Rider | Hometown | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben Kelley | Harwinton, CT | 251 |
| 2 |  Grant Davis | Meshoppen, PA | 247 |
| 3 | Cody J Barnes | Sterling, IL | 207 |
| 4 | Liam Draper | Auckland, New Zealand | 196 |
| 5 |  Angus Riordan | Australia | 190 |
With title drama in the background, Phoenix Racing Honda made it a 1-2 for the race win, with Michael Witkowski scoring the victory from the XC1 class ahead of XC2 teammate Cody Barnes. This marks Witkowski’s first-career GNCC overall win.
“Yeah man, honestly last night I was like, ‘Man, I can do this, I’ve just got to put this all together.’” said Witkowski. “Today, man, the bike felt so good. I think that was the key factor. I got a good start and it honestly just felt effortless. They always say when you win it feels easy, but it truly was. Just a special day. It went so smooth. Just a huge thanks to the team, it was incredible. To go into the off-season like this, it will make it so much easier to put in all those hours.”
“It was a good day,” said Barnes, who rallied up to second in the final XC2 standings and just missed the overall win at the last two races. “I got off to a third place start which was good and made a couple of passes. I got off by myself and I was with the XC1 guys, and it was hard to pass. With the dust and the fields, no one wanted to let anyone by…I get it. Second overall on the day is good and for Pheonix Honda to finish 1-2 is good, it shows the progression of the team. First place in XC2 feels good, and this is the closest I get to a race at home.”
Am-Pro Yamaha’s Liam Draper had the overall win set as a goal at the start of the day after just getting edged by his teammate Kailub Russell for the victory at the previous round. He ended up third.
“It was a battle from the word go, I had a pretty average start, I don’t know where I was but it wasn’t at the front!” said Draper. “Made some moves and felt really good for the first two or three laps. Made it to the fuel stop and after that, I had three good crashes back to back and lost touch with Mikey [Witkowski]. From there it was really tough to dig out of that hole and find my flow again. Yeah, definitely bummed to not get that win.”
Also, 2024 GNCC Champion Johnny Girroir showed promise with a solid fourth-overall, his best finish since winning round two of the series. Since then injuries have plagued him.
“It was a brutal round here in Ironman,” said Girroir. “After the first two laps, I thought I was in for a long day, although from lap three, I flipped the switch and started to get going – felt more like the old Johnny! I haven’t had a lot of bike time this year through injury and it has been a bit of a rollercoaster for me, but overall I am happy. We’ll look to build some solid momentum through the winter and get ready for 2026.”
The following is a press release from the Progressive Grand National Cross Country Series
Yamaha Racing Ironman: Motorcycle Race Report
Mike Witkowski Earns First-Ever Overall Win in Indiana
CRAWFORDSVILLE, Ind. (October 27, 2025) – The curtain fell on the 2025 season of
the Progressive Grand National Cross Country Racing (GNCC Racing) Series
presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, at the iconic Ironman
Raceway in Crawfordsville, Indiana, where three relentless days of off-road action
culminated in classic fall conditions and hard-fought finishes. With points tallies locked In, achievements embraced and rivals already eyeing 2026, the Ironman proved once again why it stands not just as a race—but as the defining bookend of a GNCC season.
Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski clinched his first-career overall win. He edged out a tight field to lock in a breakthrough success that marks a major milestone in his off-road racing journey. Coming into the weekend, Witkowski had shown flashes of speed, but this performance underscored his ability to keep it clean, smart, and fast when it mattered most.
Witkowski’s teammate, and XC2 250 Pro class competitor, Phoenix Racing Honda’s
Cody Barnes would come through to finish second overall while earning his second- straight XC2 class win of the season. With that win, Barnes would solidify his second place finish in the XC2 points standings for the 2025 season.
AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper pushed himself throughout the three-hour race, battling his way up to the front of the pack once again. Draper would find himself up to third and then into second pushing his way to make a battle for the lead. Draper would unfortunately be unable to catch Witkowski for the overall lead but would put in a great ride at the season finale.
FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Jonathan Girroir made a strong return to the woods for the 2025 season finale at the Yamaha Racing Ironman GNCC, pushing his way to a hard-fought third place finish in the XC1 Open Pro class and fourth overall on the day. Girroir, last year's GNCC Champion who has been hampered by injury, demonstrated he still has the speed and composure to battle at the front.
Meanwhile, Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor finished fifth overall and delivered a very encouraging ride, showing grit and consistency.
Finishing second in the XC2 250 Pro class was Rocket Racing/Bonecutter Off-Road’s
Brody Johnson as he came through sixth overall on the day. Johnson has steadily
progressed throughout the season, earning four podium finishes in the 2025 season and finishing the season with his best finish of the year.
Flatrock Motorclub GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn found himself running at the front of the pack early in the race, and after a long rough track he would cross the line fifth in XC1 and seventh overall on the day. AmPro Yamaha’s Kailub Russell was coming off his first victory of the season but would be unable to make a charge to the front of the pack this weekend in Indiana. Russell finished out his day in eighth overall.
Liqui Moly Factory Beta Racing’s Josh Strang took ninth FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Benjamin Kelley was tenth. Kelley sealed his place among the off-road elite by earning his second Overall GNCC National Championship this season. What makes the achievement especially impressive is the backdrop: Kelley battled through injuries and strong competition to emerge on top, demonstrating not just speed but resilience, strategy and maturity in his racing craft.
The XC3 125 Pro-Am class saw a new winner at Ironman as Yamaha-backed, Ryder
Sigety made the move up. Sigety would grab the early lead and hold onto that first place position from start to finish. Jayson Crawford continued to push throughout the race as he found himself running consistently in second for the three hour race. Rounding out the XC3 podium in third was Isaiah Brown as he held onto that third place position from the opening lap until the checkered flag flew.
Top Amateur honors at the Yamaha Racing Ironman GNCC would go to 250 A class
winner, Lane Whitmer as he came through to earn 15th overall on the day. Van Adams would stand second on the Top Amateur podium with an Open A class win and a 16th overall finishing position. Gavin Simon finished second in the 250 A class and would round out the top three Top Amateurs with a 19th overall finish.
Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede captured her first WXC
GNCC National Championship in the 2025 season, marking a major milestone in her career. Riding the wave of multiple strong finishes throughout the year, she sealed the title on the final weekend by grabbing the early lead and pushing herself forward throughout the race.
Coming through just 1.7 seconds off of Steede was FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Brandy Richards. After making a pass on Steede when the white flag came out, Richards would be unable to hold off a determined and hard-charging Steede on the final lap of the race. Richards would continue to push herself, crossing the line in second. Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green’s Rachael Archer found herself in the third place position for the duration of the race. Archer continued to push on but would be unable to catch the front runners, which would end her hunt for her fourth-straight championship. Archer would finish out the season second in WXC.
The 10 AM Amateur race also included the Ironman Industry class full of some great competition including Cole Martinez who earned the overall win, and Zach Osborne earning second overall on the day. Brayden Nolette took part in the class with Beta and earned third overall in the race.
With the amateur race being split into two separate races on Sunday, the 8 AM Amateur Race #1 saw Gavin Harwell take home the overall win and 4-Stroke C Lites class win, while Sam Cline and Clayton Gantt rounded out the overall podium and top three in the 4-Stroke C Lites class.
In the Bike Youth race on Saturday afternoon, Cooper Duff would come through to take the overall win, and YXC1 Super Mini Sr. (14-15) class win. Phillip Arnold raced his way up to second overall in the youth race as he earned the win in the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. (12-13) class. Seth Miller rounded out the top three overall, while earning second in the YXC1 class. Nash Peerson rounded out the YXC1 top three finishers, while Tatum Swygman and Deegan Caplinger rounded out the top three YXC2 class finishers.
Bike Youth results and points are provisional at this time.
On Saturday morning, the Micro Bike race came to a conclusion, Kane Morrison would come through to take the overall win, and MXC1 class win. Krue Russell grabbed second overall and in MXC1 class, while Ryder Baricska rounded out the top three overall and MXC1 class finishers at the last round of 2025. Kash Brummage earned the MXC2 class win, while Jacobi Duvall earned the 50 Sr. 1 (7) class win. Brexxton Buttrick took home the 50 Sr. 2 (6) class win, and Baylor Poe earned the 50 Jr. 1 (6-7) class win while Kane Gasper earned the 50 Jr. 2 (4-5) class win. Swayze Napier earned first in the Micro-E1 (7-8) class win, Emry Raschke earned the win in the Micro-E2 (4-6) class win with Judson Chambers earning the Micro (4-6) Shaft Drive class win and Landry Cogar earned the Trail Rider (7-9) class win.
Arlington Sorge earned a win in the Trail Rider (4-6) class and Kohen Norris earned the Micro-E (4-6) Sr. class at Ironman.
Don’t forget about the GNCC 50th Anniversary Cruise, setting sail with Celebrity
Cruise on December 5-8, 2025. This once-in-a-lifetime three-night celebration at sea will honor five decades of racing heritage, champions, and the passionate GNCC community that has fueled the series since 1975. The 50th Anniversary GNCC Cruise will bring together riders, families, fans, and industry partners for a three-night getaway filled with camaraderie, entertainment, and special events. The GNCC Cruise will offer a perfect blend of relaxation, celebration, and racing nostalgia. Upon arrival to the ship a Welcome Reception will take place from 8-10 pm on Friday, December 5, at the pool deck as we depart from Ft. Lauderdale heading to Key West for Saturday, December 6, then moving onto Bimini Islands, Bahamas for the day on Sunday, December 7, and back to Ft. Lauderdale on Monday, December 8.
To book your cruise cabin today please contact Liz Perry, Travel Agent AutoClub, for your cabin quote. Contact Liz Perry by phone (714) 516-3771 or by
email perry.liz@ace.aaa.com (please note Liz Perry is located on the West Coast).
For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website
at gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084.
