Ironman Raceway will be decked out in pink to recognize October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Another exciting season of AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country national championship off-road racing will conclude this weekend with the AMSOIL Ironman GNCC at Ironman Raceway in Crawforsdviille, Indiana, where pink will be the color of the day.
This will be the 21st running of the AMSOIL Ironman GNCC, and the event is expected to draw one of the largest crowds of the season. The atmosphere will be made all the more festive by the pink livery that will adorn the venue in honor of October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The series is encouraging spectators to show their support for Breast Cancer Awareness by dressing in pink all weekend long. The race facility will be adorned in pink, including a pink-themed podium backdrop, t-shirts and much more. RidePG.com will also sell exclusive GNCC breast cancer themed awareness stickers for a minimum $1 donation, with contributions going to the Montgomery County Free Clinic (MCFC), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free mammogram examinations. A recent partnership with Montgomery Country Community Foundation (MCCF) has allowed MCFC to continue to provide support for those affected by breast cancer. MCCF will match 50 cents to every dollar that is raised throughout the event.
The XC1 Pro and XC2 Pro Lites Championships already decided, but there will still be bragging rights on the line for the riders who lay claim to the final class wins of the 13-round series at the Ironman GNCC. Factory FMF/KTM’s Kailub Russell is still out of action, recovering from a much-needed knee surgery, after wrapping up his third consecutive GNCC National Championship four rounds early. As with the last round, that leaves the door open to a lot of stiff competitors, some of whom are still seeking their first win of the season.
N-Fab AmPro Yamaha’s Grant Baylor is one of them. The former XC2 class champion moved up to the XC1 class this season, and he has been a podium contender at every round. The 2014 Ironman GNCC was the site of his XC1 debut, and he will be looking to improve upon the ninth-place finish he earned in that round. Baylor currently sits in second place in the XC1 National Championship points standings.
Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/FAR-backed Thad Duvall will be after a second overall victory to match the first that he scored just two rounds ago. The West Virginia native continues to emerge as a top competitor in the XC1 class, but then again the class is full of top competitors, and Duvall will have his work cut out for him if he is to stand atop the box at the Ironman GNCC.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Josh Strang has been on a roll of late, winning the ITP Powerline Park GNCC and also winning the Gotland Grand National race last weekend in Sweden. The 2011 National Champion is currently fourth in the GNCC points after being slowed by a shoulder injury during the first half of the season.
As an Indiana native, JCR Honda’s Chris Bach heads into the weekend with a home state advantage over the rest of the field. Bach currently sits fifth in points and hopes to have an impressive race before competing in Japan in the Japan National Cross Country Series on November 8.
AirGroup/Rockstar Energy/Husqvarna’s Ryan Sipes holds sixth place despite struggling with mechanical issues in some of the rounds. The 2015 ISDE Overall Winner is still looking to capture his first overall win of the season.
N-Fab AmPro Yamaha’s Jordan Ashburn has also been a strong contender in the second half of the season, and it won’t be a surprise if he comes away with the overall win at the Ironman GNCC. Ashburn is currently sitting seventh in the points standings. Ashburn will be looking to repeat his success from the last couple of rounds.
DirtWise/Maxxis/KLIM’s Jason Thomas wrapped up the XC2 championship at Mountain Ridge, but heads into this weekend hoping to add one more class victory to his record. The 3-hour Ironman race will not be easy for Thomas as Raines Riding University/Atlas Yamaha/OffRoadViking.com’s Ricky Russell and E & H Honda’s Trevor Bollinger will look to assume the top position on the box.
With the 2015 WXC Championship in hand, Factory FMF/KTM’s Kacy Martinez continues her battle for race wins in a highly competitive Women’s class. N-Fab AmPro Yamaha’s Becca Sheets took home her first ever WXC win at the last round after Martinez suffered a mechanical issue. With that boost of confidence for Sheets’ and her second place standing in the points chase, the WXC class is sure to be a crowd pleaser this weekend. N-Fab AmPro Yamaha-backed Jessica Patterson also found her way back to the podium at the last round finishing second and currently sits third in the championship points standings.
The motorcycles will take to the Ironman track Sunday, starting with youth racing action at 8 a.m., followed by women and amateur riders at 10 a.m. The top amateurs and pros will start at 1 p.m. Adult (12+) gate admission is $20 for the full weekend and $10 for kids (6-11) and kids five and under are free. Gate admission includes pro pit access and pro autographs at no additional charge.
Local racers are invited to compete at the Ironman GNCC. Series promoter GNCC Racing offers classes for riders of all skill and experience levels. The amateur race entry fee is $40, and riders can sign up at the track. For more information, visit www.gnccracing.com.
2015 AMSOIL GNCC Series National Championship Standings (12 of 13)
1. Kailub Russell-283*
2. Grant Baylor-223
3. Thad Duvall-200
4. Josh Strang-196
5. Chris Bach-191
6. Ryan Sipes-170
7. Jordan Ashburn-162
8. Jason Thomas-147
9. Ricky Russell-106
10. Trevor Bollinger-97
*Clinched the 2015 AMSOIL GNCC National Championship.
2015 AMSOIL GNCC XC2 Class Standings (After 12 of 13 rounds)
1. Jason Thomas-307*
2. Ricky Russell-215
3. Trevor Bollinger-194
4. Nick Davis-183
5. Craig Delong-175
6. Tegan Temple-146
7. Austin Lee-142
8. Layne Michael-142
9. Cory Buttrick-122
10. Callan May-116
*Clinched the 2015 XC2 Class Championship.
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