Borich Fights Off Fowler to Win Big Buck GNCC

Chris Borich and Walker Fowler battled hard all day, but Borich emerged victorious at Saturday’s VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC in Union, SC, the fourth round of the 2014 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series.

Borich kicked off the afternoon by grabbing the $250 Twin Air/DeRisi Racing XC1 Holeshot Award as he led the pack into the woods on the opening lap. Fowler then took over the lead for the next three laps but Borich kept himself within one second of Fowler’s rear wheel.

The duo remained wheel-to-wheel until the final lap when Borich made a mistake that sent him to the ground.

Chris Borich survived a last-lap crash to win the Big Buck GNCC.

“On the last lap I ended up clipping a tree and he [Fowler] gapped me a good 30 seconds,” says Borich. “I just knew I had to put the hammer on him and I finally caught up.”

Fowler built a gap and looked well on his way to victory before getting stuck behind a lapped rider and Borich was able to make his way back into the lead position. From there, Fowler wasn’t able to make up the lost ground on Borich.

“At the end there, Borich made a mistake and I tried to take advantage and get as far in front of him as I could but it didn’t end up going that way,” says Fowler. “I can’t buy any luck and lapped riders just aren’t helping me this year. But I’m happy to leave here healthy and safe.”

Walker Fowler came up just short of a victory in South Carolina.

RacingPowersports.com/CST Tires/PirateMX.com’s Adam McGill and DWT Racing’s Jarrod McClure battled back and forth for the third place position for a majority of the afternoon. However, after receiving a 30-second penalty on the opening lap for starting his machine early, Precision/Maxxis Tires Chris Bithell made a big push towards the front. On the third lap, Bithell caught and passed McClure for the fourth place position, before reeling in McGill and eventually making the pass for third place on the final lap.

“I have to thank the fans for keeping me going out there because it took a lot out of me,” says Bithell. “It really helps us out to charge that hard, I couldn’t do it without everyone cheering me on out there.”

Borich’s victory on Saturday was his seventh career win over the last eight years at the Big Buck Farm.

Chris Borich (center) is flanked on the XC1 podium by Walker Fowler (left) and Chris Bithell (right).

“This track is pretty sweet to me, it fits my style of riding and it has a good flow,” says Borich. “The track was awesome and it was a lot of fun riding with Walker and just having fun out there.”

McClure secured a fifth place position, just ahead of GT Thunder/Maxxis/Howser Racing’s Josh Merritt in sixth. DeRisi Racing/Team Woodhead’s Braden Henthorn came in seventh, while GT Thunder-backed Brian Wolf took eighth and Dave Bayless Motorsports/Dirtworks/DC Cycles Brycen Neal and Maxxis/FLY Racing/ATV Innovations Landon Wolfe rounded out the top 10.

In the XC2 Pro Am Class, SICC Racing’s Marshal Goings captured his second consecutive victory in South Carolina. Martin Christofferson put in a season-best finish of second place in the class, while AJ Koontz rounded out the podium.

Marshall Goings (center) holds his trophy on the XC2 podium.

N-Fab AmPro Yamaha’s Cole Richardson ran into mechanical issues that kept him from competing on Saturday. Richardson maintains the points lead heading into Round 5.

Pennsylvania’s Daryk Pitzer topped the College A (16-21) Class, while putting in an impressive 20th place overall finish to earn the Top Amateur Award at the Big Buck.

Maryland’s Westley Wolfe earned his first $125 GT Thunder Amateur Overall Award of the season after outlasting his Schoolboy A/B competition and topping the morning overall podium. Ohio’s Cody Collier came in second and 4×4 Pro winner Jordan Phillips rounded out the overall podium.

Can-Am X-Team’s Jordan Phillips became the first repeat winner of the season in the 4×4 Pro Class, claiming his second win of the year. His Can-Am X-Team teammate Kevin Trantham came in second, while ATV Parts Plus/Can-Am’s Bryan Buckhannon rounded out the 4×4 Pro podium.

Jordan Phillips (center) led the Can-Am sweep of the 4×4 podium.

In the WXC Premier Women’s Class, it was 2013 Women’s Class champ Kylie Ahart who topped the class, followed by Pennsylvania’s Quincy Cunningham and multi-time Women’s Class champ Angel “Atwell” Knox in second and third place.

In the Youth division, Florida’s Brandon Frazier continued his undefeated record in the 90 Open (12-15) Class with his fourth consecutive overall win. West Virginia’s Carter Kerens earned second overall, while North Carolina’s Davis Brinson rounded out the overall podium.

The 2014 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes April 26 and 27 with the Dunlop Limestone 100 GNCC.