Photo By: Krista Shaw
Borich...
Photo By: Krista Shaw
Borich is going for three this weekend
- Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Chris Borich is on his way to a 2010 repeat after winning the first two rounds of the 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series. Borich isn't home free just yet, though, as Warnert Racing Can-Am teammates Chris Bithell and Adam McGill have led more laps than the defending champion thus far.
After a week off, round three of the 2011 Can-Am GNCC tour heads back to Morganton, NC this weekend, March 26 and 27, for the FMF Steele Creek GNCC. Borich's Suzuki definitely displays a target this season, but the point's leader has a championship-winning mindset that has allowed him to hang back and capitalize on others' mistakes to take over the lead late in the races.
Warnert Racing's McGill experienced bad luck in Florida as he got his Can-Am tangled in a fence after leading a majority of the race. He was forced back to fourth. McGill ran up front once again in Georgia but couldn't put it together in time to catch the two CBs (Borich and Bithell) battling in front of him.
Then there is Ballance Racing Yamaha's Taylor Kiser. Last year's series runner up pieced together a second place finish in round one after McGill went down at the end of the race. Kiser put in another top five finish in Georgia to secure a top three spot in the points chase, leaving him only three points away from Bithell in second.
Ballance Racing Yamaha teammate Walker Fowler has dominated the XC2 division so far this season, winning both races and leading the series points. However, consistency is not something the rest of the field has dialed in just yet. Aarol Bright currently holds second in points with a 4-3 palette and Parker Jones holds third with 11-2 finishes.
Photo By: Krista Shaw
Bithell...
Photo By: Krista Shaw
Bithell sits in second place in points
DeRisi Racing's Eric Hoyland sits fourth overall right now with a 3-8; the 8 coming from a 30 second penalty in Georgia for jumping the start early. Yamaha rider Gabe Phillips started the season with a second place finish and dropped back to sixteenth at round two. Phillips manages to hold a sixth place spot in points behind the most consistent rider in the top five besides Fowler, Dustin Canipe, who's gone 5-5 for the fifth points position heading into round three.
ATVs will compete throughout the day on Saturday, March 26, and dirt bikes will race on Sunday, March 27. Local riders are invited to race the event, 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.
Spectator passes run $15 for the full weekend, with pro pit access and pro autographs at no additional charge. On both Saturday and Sunday, youth riders race at 8 a.m., beginner riders race at 10 a.m., and the top amateurs and the pros race at 1 p.m.
The track is located at the Steele Creek campground. From Interstate 40 West, take Exit 105 to Highway 181 North 13 Miles.
For more information, check out the official series website at www.GNCCRacing.com or call 304-284-0084.
About GNCC Racing
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country series is America's premier off-road racing series. Founded in 1979, the 13-round championship is produced exclusively by Racer Productions. Cross-country racing is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. The grueling three-hour GNCC races lead as many as 1,500 riders through tracks ranging in length from eight to 12 miles. With varied terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both survival and speed. Riders compete for more than $3 million in prize money, which draws talent from all over the U.S., Europe, Australia and New Zealand. GNCC Racing is televised and airs every week on the Versus Network. For more information, please visit
www.gnccracing.com.