GNCC Round 11 Coverage: Mountaineer

Round 11 is in the books.

The Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, continued its 2024 season with The Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Mountaineer at Summit Bechtel Reserve in Beckley, West Virginia.

When the ten seconds call was made and the green flag flew it was BulletProof Doorz/Kenda Tires/Senge Graphic’s Ronnie Rusch jumping off the line to grab the $250 Kanati Performance Tires XC1 Holeshot Award. Rusch would continue to hold the lead for the first two laps of the race, but a hard-charging WFR/GBC/Fly Racing/BNR/Yamaha Racing’s Walker Fowler was coming behind him. Fowler would push and make the pass stick over Rusch with two laps remaining. Fowler and Rusch would continue on to see the white flag, but the reigning champion was on the move from his sixth place start.

Phoenix Racing Yamaha’s Brycen Neal would make the pass to second on the last lap, with Fowler running ahead of him. Fowler would continue to push on and come through the finish line to earn the overall win and his 76th career win, earning him the top spot on the ATV All-Times Win list over Chris Borich. Neal would battle back through to earn second overall on the day, earning valuable championship points as the season heads into its penultimate round in just two weeks.

Rusch would hold on to earn his first-ever overall podium spot with a third overall in the race and the XC1 Pro class. Phoenix Racing Yamaha/Action Off-Road’s John Glauda Jr. battled up in third for the first half of the race, but he would ultimately finish in the fourth place position. Sturdivant Racing’s Branden Owens lined up once again in the XC1 Pro class and found himself battling within the top five for the duration of the race. Owens would come through timing and scoring to see the checkered flag and finish fifth overall.

JMR/GBC/Elka/Moose Racing’s Jarrod McClure battle back-and-forth between the fifth and sixth place position for the entire two-hour race. McClure would come through to finish sixth overall on the day. McGill Mafia/OBOR Tires/Moose Racing’s Adam McGill would come back to finish seventh on the day, with Action Off-Road/AMSOIL/CB Racing’s Chris Borich crossing the line eighth in West Virginia.

Making his way back inside the top ten to finish ninth on the day was Action Off-Road/GBC/BNR Motorsports’ Joshua Merritt. Hunter Hart Racing/Fly Racing/Ithaca Recreation Sports’ Hunter Hart would round out the top ten XC1 Pro finishers on the day. Unfortunately for your last race winner, Action Off-Road/GBC/Houser Racing’s Wyatt Wilkin, he would have a mechanical issue after lap one and would be unable to finish.

As the XC2 Pro-Am class took off it was BNR Motorsports/GBC/Pierce Performance/FXR’s Kenny Shick earning the $100 BNR Motorsports XC2 Holeshot Award, but it wouldn’t take long for CST Tires/LMR Motors/Elka/Fly Racing’s Braxton Grosse to make his move into the lead position. Grosse would continue to lead for the first two laps of the race, but he would have Phoenix Racing Yamaha’s Grayson Eller hot on his heels, and making a pass for the lead as the white flag came out indicating one more lap.

Eller would continue to push and come through to earn his fourth XC2 class win of the season. BNR Motorsports/Pierce Performance/GBC Tire’s Alex Thieman would work his way up to second on the day after coming through fourth on the opening lap and pushing himself throughout the remainder of the race. Grosse would hold on to round out the podium with a third place finish after leading the opening laps.

Earning the Top Amateur honors at The Mountaineer was Andre Williams who came through 18th overall and earning the College A (16-18) class win. Jeremiah Wolf would be second on the Top Amateur podium as he came through 20th overall and second in the College A class. Rounding out the Top Amateur podium was Brody Livengood who came through 23rd overall and first in the Junior A (19+) class.

As the 4×4 Pro racers took off it was KMK Off-Road/OBOR Tires/FXR Racing’s Kaden Wharff grabbing the $100 BNR Motorsports 4×4 Pro Holeshot Award. Wharff would continue to lead the way as they headed into the wood for the first lap, and as the race continued on Wharff would continue to maintain the lead. As the white flag came out Wharff was still out front, but he would have a freight train of riders behind him ready to strike and take that win away.

While out on the last lap Wharff would have a mishap that would set him back and see Kenda/KMK/Ryco Electric’s Cody Collier take over the lead after running second for the first part of the race. Collier would come through to take the win, while Pro Row 784/TMS/Edgewood/DeRisi Racing’s Brandon Frazier would come through second on the day and SBR/Action Off-Road/DeRisi Racing/HMF’s Haedyn Mickelson rounding out the top three in class and overall after he started his day back in sixth. Wharff would cross the line fifth in class.

In the WXC class it was JMR/Action Off-Road/GBC/Moose Racing’s Katelyn Osburn jumping off the line first to earn the $100 BNR Motorsports WXC Holeshot Award and the early lead as they headed into the woods. Osburn would hold the lead for the duration of the first lap but would soon have the hard-charging Osburn Off-Road/Pierce Performance/Moose Racing’s Chloe Harper right behind her. Harper was able to make the pass on Osburn and continue to push herself out front. Harper would continue to lead the race for the next three laps and come through to take the checkered flag first in the WXC class.

Elioff Racing/BNR Motorsports/GBC Tire’s Jessica Elioff would have to work her way up through the pack after a fourth place start to the day. Elioff continued to push herself each lap inching closer and closer to the lead; however, she would run out of time before being able to make a true push on Harper. Elioff would finish second on the day in class. Kenda Tires/Moose Racing/Teixeira Tech’s Hannah Hunter would make her way up to a podium position in the WXC class after starting her day back in the fifth place position. Unfortunately for Osubrn after starting her day out front, she would finish the day just off the podium in fourth.

Catch GNCC Pro ATV Racing free via RacerTV.com all season long. Pro ATV Racing starts Saturday’s at 2pm ET, with the exception of Big Buck, Snowshoe and Ironman events where they will start at 1pm ET.

For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com

Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Mountaineer GNCC Results and Points Standings
Beckley, West Virginia
Round 11 of 13
Saturday, September 14, 2024

XC1 Pro Event Results:

1. Walker Fowler (YAM)
2. Brycen Neal (YAM)
3. Ronnie Rusch (YAM)
4. John Glauda Jr. (YAM)
5. Branden Owens (YAM)
6. Jarrod McClure (HON)
7. Adam McGill (HON)
8. Chris Borich (YAM)
9. Joshua Merritt (YAM)
10. Hunter Hart (YAM)


Overall National Championship Standings:

1. Brycen Neal (277)
2. Walker Fowler (256)
3. Joshua Merritt (207)
4. Wyatt Wilkin (196)
5. Adam McGill (146)
6. Steven Harrell (146)
7. Hunter Hart (136)
8. Austin Abney (127)
9. Jarrod McClure (121)
10. Chris Borich (118)

XC2 Pro-Am Event Results:

1. Grayson Eller (YAM)
2. Alex Thieman (YAM)
3. Braxton Grosse (HON)
4. Kenny Shick (YAM)
5. Dylan Walraven (YAM)
6. Alex Elioff (YAM)
7. Daulton Keyes (HON)
8. Jeremy Ledonne (YAM)
9. James Glauda (YAM)
10. Tyler Jones (HON)

XC2 Pro-Am Series Standings:

1. Grayson Eller (271)
2. Alex Thieman (255)
3. Braxton Grosse (197)
4. James Glauda (169)
5. Daulton Keyes (161)
6. Christopher Howard (146)
7. Dylan Walraven (142)
8. Kenny Shick (134)
9. Keaton Henderson (134)
10. Alex Elioff (123)