John Penton GNCC: XC2 Rider Grant Davis Claims Overall Win for Second Time This Season

The following press releases is from GNCC Racing:

Millfield, Ohio – Round twelve of the 2024 Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, The Wiseco John Penton, finished up on Sunday, September 29, in Millfield, Ohio. After rainfall earlier in the weekend, and some small sprinkles during day, Sunday’s track continued to improve and host a number of intense battles throughout the races.

As the XC1 Open Pro and XC2 250 Pro lines took off it would be Active Air/Max Motorsports/FXR/Husqvarna’s Evan Smith Holeshot and Liqui Moly Factory Beta Racing’s Jonathan Johnson Holeshot earning their respective classes $250 Steel City Medical Center’s holeshot awards. 

At the front of the pack as the riders made their way towards timing and scoring were the AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell leading the way with teammate, Liam Draper running second. Draper would move into the lead on the second and hold that position throughout the third lap. However, as the white flag came out, Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn was just 1.7 seconds behind Draper and closing as well as XC2 250 Pro competitor, FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Grant Davis. 

Ashburn and Davis would make their way around Draper on the last lap and make an all-out push through the course. Davis would try to make his way around Ashburn to physically lead the race after starting on the second row. Ashburn would be able to hold off Davis, but Davis would still be awarded the overall win with his adjusted time and with that win Davis would secure the XC2 250 Pro National Championship. Ashburn would finish second overall on the day and first in the XC1 class, while Draper held on for third overall and second in XC1. 

“It’s pretty sick, honestly!” Grant Davis in a KTM post-race press release. “I hope it sinks in pretty soon so I can realize this is happening. I was in third place going into the woods off the start and then got into the lead. From there, I picked off some XC1 guys and I was close to Jordan [Ashburn] there, but fell at the bottom of a hill and had to get going again. We were going at it on the last lap, both had some squirrelly moments, and he held me off but I still managed to win the overall. I’ve got six wins in a row now in class and the aim is to win out from here – let’s go make it seven!”

FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley returned to the podium as he finished third in the XC1 class and fourth overall on the day after battling back throughout the day on the slick, physically demanding course. Coming through fifth overall was FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Angus Riordan, who finished second in the XC2 250 Pro class. 

“This track was really good! It was slick, obviously, really physical and rough, but it was proper technical and there were so many options,” said Ben Kelley. “It felt good battling with the crew, I was relatively close to Jordan [Ashburn] and Liam [Draper] going into the last lap and Grant [Davis] was kind of pulling me up to those guys, but I just didn’t have the flow. I was doing all I could to hold onto the podium – it’s cool to be back up here and we’ve still got one race left this season!”

Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes would finish sixth overall on the day and round out the top three XC2 finishers on the day after battling back-and-forth throughout the day in Ohio. Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Lyndon Snodgrass would cross the line seventh overall and fourth in XC1 after battling towards the front of the pack for majority of the day.

Coming through eighth overall and fifth in XC1 was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski as he pushed during the race to finish inside the top 10. JS Beta Racing’s Josh Strang would put in a good ride as he came through ninth overall and sixth in the XC1 class, while Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Thad Duvall rounded out the top 10 overall and would finish fourth in the XC2 250 Pro class, just off the podium. 

The 2024 GNCC Series Champion FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir would fall in the early stages of the race, and eventually call it a day exiting the race early.

As the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class took off the line it was Tyler Scheels earning the $100 Lojak Cycle Sales Holeshot Award, but the lead would soon be taken over by the Liqui Moly Factory Beta Racing’s Jhak Walker. After making his way into the lead, Walker would not look back and continued to push ahead through the course. Walker would come through to earn his fifth FMF XC3 class win of the season. Coming through to finish second on the day was Devore/KTM/FXR/SRS Suspension’s Dakoda Devore, who remains second in the points standings heading into the season finale. Making his first appearance in the class was Enduro Engineering/Wossner Pistons/FXR’s Raley Messer, who would come through to finish third on the day.

Earning the Top Amateur Honors at The John Penton was Open A winner, Cole Whitmer, who finished 15th overall on the day. Michael Delosa would come through to sit second on the Top Amateur podium after earning the 250 A class win and sitting 16th overall as he crossed the finish line. Hunter Smith came through 18th overall to round out the Top Amateur podium as he finished second in the Open A class on the day.

After some more light rain fall in the morning, the AM race would see some slick conditions as they made their way through the course. At the conclusion of the two-hour race, it would be the 150 B Schoolboy (12-17) racer, Cade Staats, battling his way through to become the overall winner of the race and his class. WXC competitor, Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer would finish second overall in the race and take home not only the WXC class win, but the 2024 GNCC WXC Bike National Championship. Super Senior A (45+) racer, Gary Fridley would land himself on the final step of the podium with a third overall on the day and first in class. 

As the WXC class took off from the front row, it was FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Brandy Richards grabbing herself the $100 Kanati Performance Tires Holeshot Award and the early lead as she would lead the pack through the course for the first two laps. Behind her, Archer would be looking to make the pass for the lead while out on the third lap. Archer would continue to push once in the lead and would come through to take the WXC win and National Championship. Richards would hold on to finish second in the class, while Winland Racing/Fly Racing’s Ellie Winland would make her first appearance on the WXC podium after battling back to finish third in the class at The John Penton GNCC.

The battles heated up at the start of the day on Sunday with the youth bike racing as Travis Lentz would come through on the opening lap leading the way. However, his fellow competitors were just seconds behind him coming through timing and scoring. Brody Amos would make a push on the second lap and make his way around Lentz to take over the lead on lap two, but Caleb Wood would be right behind both of them ready to strike.

Wood continued to battle on and would make his way around Amos while out on the third lap of the race. Once in the lead Wood continued to push forward and hold the lead until the checkered flag came out. This win secured Wood’s 2024 GNCC Youth Bike Overall National Championship. Amos and Lentz would finish second and third overall and in the YXC1 Super Mini Sr. class.

In the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. (12-13) class it was Phillip Arnold making his way into the lead on the third lap of the race and holding that position until the finish. Nash Peerson would work his way back from fourth place to finish second in the class, while Cooper Duff rounded out the top three finishers in the class. Other winners in the youth bike race included: Hunter Carey in the 85 Big Wheel (11-15), Hunter Hawkinberry in the 85 (12-13) class, Hunter Cross in the 85 (11) class, Ryder White in the 85 (7-10) class,  Trason Landrum in the 64 (10-11) class, Davey Fairfield in the 65 (9) class, Kane Morrison in the 65 (7-8) class, Zoey Kimble in the Girls Super Mini (12-16) class, Baylee Arsenault in the Girls 85 (7-13) class, Paisley Harris in the Girls 65 (7-11) class and Caleb Woolf in the Trail Rider (7-15) class.

The AMSOIL Moto Hero was awarded to John Romanyak Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. John joined the United States Air Force right out of High School and made his way up to an E3 Airman First Class ranking. He served in the USAF at Lackland Air Force Base and was honorably discharged before starting his career in law enforcement where he is currently enrolled in the Columbus Police Academy. John received a $250 AMSOIL shopping spree, a $500 Kanati performance tires gift certificate as well as a commemorative American flag courtesy of Columbia flag and sign co along with a $200 gift certificate for their online store. 

Catch GNCC Pro ATV and Motorcycle 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. GNCC Pro Motorcycle Racing will begin at 1pm ET on Sunday’s.

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