McGill looks to keep streak alive

FRE KTM’s Adam McGill tries to make it four straight wins when the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series heads to Loretta Lynn’s in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. on April 26 to 27.

Things have changed a lot for McGill this year, including how his fellow riders treat him after racking up three wins in a row.

“Nobody talks to me anymore,” says McGill. “Nobody comes up and jokes around with me anymore. But I don’t want to change anything. Winning these races is fun, too.”

The Acerbis Loretta Lynn’s GNCC is the longest-running event on the tour and offers high-speed whooped-out terrain that should leave the riders exhausted.

Yamaha’s Bill Ballance and Suzuki’s Chris Borich, normally fighting it out for first, have each had their struggles this year and they currently sit fourth and fifth in the 2008 standings. Borich won the season opener, but has failed to finish in the top three in the past three races. Balance, who has won eight straight GNCC titles heading into this year, has yet to win a race in 2008.

Yamaha’s Brandon Sommers, who won the 2007 GNCC XC2 Pro-Am championship, is currently second in the standings. Sommers battled McGill hard for a few miles at the last GNCC race and he was rewarded with a spot on the podium.

Veteran Bryan Cook has been the surprise of the season. The privateer sits third in the standings, and the Team Excell Motorsports rider is thrilled to have so much factory-backed talent behind him.

“It gives you that little extra drive late in the race when you know you’re out front of those guys,” says Cook.

Top contenders in the women’s class and the best Utility 4×4 riders will do battle in the 10 am morning race. Yamaha’s Traci Cecco, Tom Clark Motorsports’ Angel Atwell and Yamaha of Troy’s Stephanie Parton will continue to fight for top spot in the Women’s ranks. In the 4×4 divisions, Bryan Buckhannon (4×4 Open) and Cliff Beasley (4×4 Lites) are each undefeated in the first four rounds of racing.

Can-Am GNCC XC1 Standings:

Related Reading: McGill wins third straight in Can-Am GNCC