ATV Racers Head to Loretta Lynn’s for GNCC Finale

Though Chris Borich has long ago clinched the XC1 season championship, the world’s top cross-country racers still have plenty to fight for at the season finale of the 2012 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series – the Parts Unlimited Loretta Lynn’s GNCC in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

Last round, Ballance Racing Yamaha’s Walker Fowler became the fourth unique winner in the XC1 Pro ATV class, while Bowers Motorcycle/Coastal National Guard/Yokley Racing’s Jarrod McClure and Motoworks/Can-Am’s Chris Bithell came close to grabbing their first wins of the season as well. Four-time and current champ Chris Borich hasn’t been able to continue his win-streak the last couple of rounds, which has left the door open for other riders to land a spot in the middle of the podium.

Precision/Moto X Perts/ITP/Lonestar/RG Motorsports’ Adam McGill had a big win at Round 11 but experienced yet another mechanical failure at Round 12 to put him seven points behind Bithell in the championship standings. Bithell has a chance to surpass Ballance Racing Yamaha’s Taylor Kiser for third place in the points if the finale works out in his advantage. Kiser has had a rollercoaster year as far as finishes go, and last round was no different for the Florida native. Kiser was in the running for a win in Indiana until a final-lap mistake cost him not only the potential race win, but also a podium finish.

BNR’s Kevin Yoho currently sits in seventh place behind McClure in the championship standings. Yoho’s best finish this season is sixth place so there’s no doubt the Ohio boy is looking to secure a top five finish in the final round of racing. GBC/Cernics/HMF/Yamaha’s Johnny Gallagher sits only six points behind Yoho in eighth, while JG Offroad/FRE/American Honda’s Brian Wolf trails by only two points in ninth. Gallagher has finished in the Top 10 every race so far this season and will certainly look to uphold his streak as the only XC1 rider to finish tenth or better all season. Brian Wolf and Waynesburg Yamaha’s Jeff Pickens round out the Top 10 in the standings.

Only six points separate DeRisi Racing’s Braden Henthorn and Tireballs-backed Patrick McGuire for the 2012 XC2 Pro Am championship. Henthorn is coming off back-to-back wins to command the points lead heading into this weekend’s finale. Greg’s ATV & Cycle’s Matt Hanna moved into the third place spot ahead of DeRisi Racing’s Eric Hoyland who moved up to XC1 last round.

Once again, dirt bikes will compete throughout the day on Saturday, November 3, and ATV’s will race on Sunday, November 4. Local riders are invited to race the event as well, as GNCC racing offers classes for riders of all skill and experience levels. The amateur racer entry fee is $40 and riders can sign up at the track.

In the morning race, GNCC will bid farewell to two of the sport’s most accomplished racers. Yamaha Racing’s Traci Cecco, 9-Time Women’s class champ, and UXC Racing’s Clif Beasley, multi-time U2 4×4 champ, both announced that Loretta Lynn’s will be their final race on the full-time circuit.