GNCC Round 3 Coverage: Talladega

Talladega nights.

The Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, headed to an all-new venue this weekend, March 8-9, for the third round of racing in 2025. The series would hold round three on the property of the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama. Sunny and cooler temperatures made for a great day of racing at a brand new location on the series schedule.

After a short turnaround period from round two to three, Phoenix Racing Yamaha’s Brycen Neal picked up where he left off in Florida by jumping out to the early lead in the race and continuing to push forward throughout the two hours. Neal would lead from the opening lap until the checkered flag flew at Talladega.

WFR/Kenda/Fly Racing/BNR’s Walker Fowler would try to apply the pressure to Neal early on in the race, but he would be unable to make a pass for the lead during the race. Fowler would hold the number two position for the duration of the race, coming through a little over two minutes behind Neal.

Battling towards the front once again was Merritt Racing/BNR Motorsports/GBC Tire’s Josh Merritt. As the race got underway, Merritt would find himself running fourth on the opening lap until he was able to make the pass into third place. Merritt would continue to push in that third place position, even making a pass for second on the last lap but would ultimately come through 1.9 seconds behind Fowler.

HHR/Fly Racing/Quad Tech’s Hunter Hart battled throughout the day in Alabama as he started up in the third place position on lap one. Hart continued his battles throughout the day but would end the race in fourth overall. Sturdivant Racing/Maxxis/Moose Racing’s Branden Owens rounded out the top five as he came back from a seventh place start on the opening lap.

As the race got underway Phoenix Racing Yamaha/Action Off-Road/Pierce Performance’s John Glauda Jr. found himself at the back of the pack on the first lap of the race, however Glauda would put his head down and push forward. Glauda would make the necessary passes towards the front of the pack, earning sixth overall on the day.

Stewart Boys Racing/GBC/Pierce Performance’s Wyatt Wilkin would have a similar start to the day as he came through eleventh on the opening lap. Wilkin would try to redeem himself as he made his way towards the front, but he would run out of time to make a real push for the win. Wilkin would cross the line seventh overall at Talladega.

After running sixth for majority of the day, BNR Motorsports/Fearless/Kenda Tire’s Steven Harrell would cross the line eighth overall. OBOR/Moose Racing/Parts Unlimited/Lonestar’s Adam McGill would earn his second straight top 10 finish as he came through ninth overall on the day. Rounding out the top 10 overall finishers of the day was Action Off-Road/AMSOIL/CB Racing’s Chris Borich.

In the XC2 Pro-Am class it was Andrew Banovsky earning the $100 BNR Motorsports XC2 Holeshot Award to begin his day. It wasn’t long though before BNR Motorsports/Maxxis/PowerMadd’s Jeremiah Wolf made his way into the lead for the next two laps of the race. As the race continued on, BNR Motorsports/Senge Graphics/GBC Tire’s Logan Steele would pass Wolf for the lead while the white flag flew at the finish line.

Lurking behind Steele would be the XC2 defending National Champion, BNR Motorsports/Pierce Performance/GBC Tire’s Alex Thieman, and on the last lap of the race he would make the pass stick around Steele to earn the win at Talladega. Steele would hold on for second in the class, while CST Tires/LMR Motors/Elka/Fly Racing’s Braxton Grosse made his way to the front of the pack after coming through ninth on the opening lap. Grosse would round out the top three in XC2.

As the 4×4 Pro line took off first in the morning ATV race it was KMK Off-road/OBOR/FXR’s Kaden Wharff getting to the first turn before everyone else to earn the $100 BNR Motorsports 4×4 Pro Holeshot Award. However, Kenda/KMK/Ryco Electric’s Cody Collier would work his way into the early lead position on lap one.

As the riders came through checking in for their second lap, Pro Row 784/TMS/Edgewood/DeRisi Racing’s Brandon Frazier had made the pass into the lead and would have a thirty second gap between himself and Collier. Frazier continued to put his head down and push forward, coming through to earn his first overall and 4×4 Pro class win of the season.

Collier would hold on to finish third overall on the day, and second in 4×4 Pro as he continues to hold the points lead over Frazier by five. Moose Racing/Full Throttle Heating & Cooling/Kenda’s Gavin Jenkins worked his way up from a sixth place start on the opening lap to finish third in the 4×4 Pro class at Talladega.

Some of the closest racing throughout the day came in the WXC class during the morning ATV race. As the line took off it was Osburn Off-Road/Fearless/Kenda Tire’s Hannah Hunter earning herself the $100 BNR Motorsports WXC Holeshot Award to start the day. Hunter would lead the way on the opening lap, but she would have some company as she headed out on lap two.

Osburn Off-Road/Pierce Performance/Moose Racing’s Chloe Harper would catch Hunter on the second lap and make the pass into the lead, while Elioff Racing/BNR Motorsports/GBC Tire’s Jessica Elioff made the move into second on the same lap.

Harper would hold the lead until the checkered flag flew, earning her first win of the 2025 season. Elioff would be right behind her as she came through in second just 1.27 seconds behind her. Hunter would make her way back to third in the class after falling to sixth on the second lap. Hunter rounded out the top three WXC finishers in Alabama.

After a two-week break the GNCC Racing Series will return to South Carolina for the FMF Camp Coker Bullet in Society Hill, South Carolina at Moree’s Sportsman’s Preserve on March 29-30. For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website: www.gnccracing.com

Talladega GNCC Results and Points Standings
Lincoln, Alabama
Round 3 of 13
Saturday, March 8, 2025

XC1 Pro Event Results:

1. Brycen Neal (YAM)
2. Walker Fowler (YAM)
3. Josh Merritt (YAM)
4. Hunter Hart (YAM)
5. Branden Owens (YAM)
6. John Glauda Jr. (YAM)
7. Wyatt Wilkin (YAM)
8. Steven Harrell (YAM)
9. Adam McGill (HON)
10. Chris Borich (YAM)

Overall National Championship Standings:

1. Brycen Neal (85)
2. Walker Fowler (80)
3. Hunter Hart (81)
4. Steven Harrell (51)
5. Josh Merritt (47)
6. John Glauda Jr. (46)
7. Austin Abney (39)
8. Jay Shadron (38)
9. Wyatt Wilkin (36)
10. Chris Borich (35)

XC2 Pro-Am Event Results:

1. Alex Thieman (YAM)
2. Logan Steele (YAM)
3. Braxton Grosse (HON)
4. Jeremiah Wolf (YAM)
5. James Glauda (YAM)
6. Andre Williams (YAM)
7. Elijah Edmondson (YAM)
8. Daulton Keyes (YAM)
9. Tanner Walker (YAM)
10. Keaton Henderson (YAM)

XC2 Pro-Am Series Standings:

1. Alex Thieman (81)
2. Braxton Grosse (63)
3. Jeremiah Wolf (51)
4. Andre Williams (49)
5. Elijah Edmondson (48)
6. Danick Paquin (47)
7. Keaton Henderson (41)
8. Daulton Keyes (36)
9. Logan Steele (35)
10. Drew Landers (30)