Fowler Wins Inaugural Black Sky GNCC

The 2019 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, kicked off the last four rounds of racing in Harpursville, New York with the Inaugural Parts Unlimited Black Sky GNCC yesterday Saturday, September 14.

Jumping out to the early lead, and grabbing the $250 Wiseco XC1 Holeshot Award was WFR/GBC/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Walker Fowler. As the race continued on, it would seem that Fowler was going to go unchallenged, but as the two-lap card came out it was JMR/Maxxis/Elka/Moose Racing’s Jarrod McClure sitting seven seconds behind Fowler making a push towards the front-runner.

Fowler would maintain his lead, taking the checkered flag seven seconds ahead of McClure. Even though McClure couldn’t make the pass for first, he had his best finish of the season yesterday as he came through second overall at what would be considered his second home in New York.

Jarrod McClure came back after break ready to race, earning second overall on the day in New York. (Photo by Ken Hill)

Yamaha/AmPro/Action OffRoad/GBC’s Cole Richardson would round out the overall podium coming through third overall. Richardson would start the day in second, and at one point fall back to fourth. However, Richardson would battle back for his fifth podium finish of the season. Richardson currently sits fourth in the points standings with three rounds remaining.

Making his back to fourth from an eighth place starting position was LanMills XC/CST Tires/Houser/Yamaha’s Brycen Neal. As Neal made his way through the course he would come out towards the back of the XC1 pack, however, he would quickly go to work and make the passes he needed to. Neal would come through as the checkered flag flew in fourth overall. Neal remains third in the points standings, just seven points behind second place.

Adam McGill battled back to earn fifth overall at the Black Sky GNCC. (Photo by Ken Hill)

OBOR/Moose Racing/Parts Unlimited/McGill Mafia’s Adam McGill was putting in a great ride in New York with his fifth place start. McGill would make the move to third at one point in the race, but would then fall back to fifth when the white flag came out. McGill was battling it out with M.R. Unlimited/GBC Tires/RJR’s Devon Feehan at one point, but would remain in fifth until the finish line. Hometown favorite, Feehan was returning from injury and put in a great ride finishing seventh in XC1.

Maxxis/Fly Racing/Ye Olde Cycle Barn’s Chris Borich found himself in the seventh place position for majority of the race. Borich would then make a last lap pass to overtake sixth place. New York native, and Custom Axis/GoldSpeed/Houser Racing’s Greg Covert came through to earn eighth overall. This is Covert’s first top 10 overall finish of the season.

Spider Graphix/GBC Motorsports/Moose Racing/Custom Axis’ Martin Christofferson hails from New York as well, and came through timing and scoring ninth overall. This is Christofferson’s second top 10 overall finish of the season. Rounding out the top 10 in the XC1 Pro class was BNR Motorsports/GBC Motorsports/HMF Racing’s Joshua Merritt. Merritt would start out 12th in the class, but would manage to put his head down and push to grab two more positions by the end of the 2-hour mark.

Ronnie Rusch grabbed the XC2 holeshot award, but it would be John Glauda Jr. capturing the class win. (Photo by Ken Hill)

Pierce Performance/Maxxis/Waynesburg Yamaha’s John Glauda Jr. would have his work cut out for himself as he came through fifth on the opening lap. Glauda Jr. would then make the move into third as the XC2 Pro-Am class battled it out on the second lap. However, after pushing throughout the race, Glauda Jr. would find himself moving into the lead position on the third lap. After moving into the lead, Glauda Jr. would not look back, earning his ninth class win of the season. Honda’s Ben Kowalweski and Yamaha-backed rider Jordon Poplaski would both come back from mid-pack starts to round out the XC2 Pro-Am podium in New York.

Kevin Yoho would take home the top amateur honors earning first in the Vet A class with an 18th overall finishing position. Michael McAvoy and Mitchell Kidd rounded out the top amateur podium with their first and second place positions in the Junior A class and 22nd and 24th overall finishes.

Can-Am/OBOR Tires/Derisi Racing’s Landon Wolfe clinched his ninth win of the season in New York after a hard-fought battle throughout the race. Wolfe would hold the lead on the opening lap, but soon would have company from Can-Am/CST Tires/Tire Spine’s Dwight Pollard and Derisi Racing/Cometic Gasket/Savage Designs’ Robbie Pecorari.

Landon Wolfe (center) grabbed the 4×4 Pro class win and 11 a.m. overall win followed by Dwight Pollard and Robbie Pecorari in second and third. (Photo by Ken Hill)

Pollard would take over the lead on the second lap followed by Pecorari coming through second, leaving Wolfe in third. However, Wolfe would put his head down and push coming back up to second by lap three and taking the lead back by the time the white flag flew. Wolfe would manage to put a 53 second gap on the field as he came through to take home the win. Pollard would hold onto second with Pecorari earning third on the day.

As the checkered flag flew, it was GBC Motorsports/Yamaha/Fly Racing’s Traci Pickens taking home her sixth WXC ATV class win of the season. Pickens would start the day out in second on the opening lap, but would soon make her way to the front of the pack working to place a gap over the rest of the field.

Action Offroad/Moose Racing/GBC Motorsports’ Katelyn Osburn made her way to second after coming back from a sixth place start to the day. Osburn would have her work cut out for her as she came through mid-pack. As the race wore on Osburn continued to pick off positions, and would make a last lap pass to clinch second on the day.

Pierce Performance/560 Graphics/Maxxis’ Sadiee Gorrell came through third in the WXC class, rounding out the Black Sky GNCC podium. Gorrell would hold the early lead, but would soon move into the second place position after a battle with Pickens. Gorrell would do her best to hold onto second, but a late push by Osburn would see Gorrell fall to the third place position as the checkered flag flew.

Carson Collins (center) earned the youth overall win, followed by Cooper Stewart and Charlie Stewart in second and third. (Photo by Ken Hill)

Coming through the youth pack at the start of the day was Carson Collins to take his first YXC1 Super Mini Sr. class win, and the youth overall win at the Parts Unlimited Black Sky GNCC. Stewart Boys Racing’s Cooper Stewart came through to take second overall in the youth race and also a second in the YXC1 class. Following Stewart was his brother Charlie Stewart earning third overall, and taking his eighth YXC2 Super Mini Jr. class win.

Johnathan Henry pushed throughout the day, coming through third in the YXC1 Super Mini Sr. class. Rounding out the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. top three were Tavin Cook in second and Tripp Olexo in third.

In the Micro 50cc ATV racing, it was Colton Tennant taking the overall and MXC1 class win. Hunter Short and Logan Sheriff rounded out the top three overall and in the MXC1 class. Ryder McCormick came through in the 90 Stock class to take his seventh win and fifth overall on the day.

As the Micro 50cc bike racing took off it would be Landon Husted in the MXC1 class coming through to the checkered flag first, following him would be Colby Goodman in the MXC1 class and Nash Peerson in the MXC2 class. Colton McQuarrie took fourth overall and the 50cc Sr. class win. Mason Tsakanikas came through to earn third in the MXC1 class and fifth overall.

Walker Fowler (center), Jarrod McClure (right), and Cole Richardson (left) rounded out the Parts Unlimited Black Sky GNCC ATV Overall podium. (Photo by Ken Hill)

This event is co-sanctioned with our friends at the New York Off-Road Association (NYOA).

The 2 p.m. ATV Pro race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as archived video online by visiting the GNCC LIVE page online. A highlight show featuring the event will air on NBC Sports Network on Sunday, October 13 at 3:00 p.m. EST.

For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084.

1. Walker Fowler (YAM)
2. Jarrod McClure (HON)
3. Cole Richardson (YAM)
4. Brycen Neal (YAM)
5. Adam McGill (HON)
6. Chris Borich (SUZ)
7. Devon Feehan (HON)
8. Greg Covert (YAM)
9. Martin Christofferson (HON)
10. Joshua Merritt (YAM)

1. Walker Fowler (286)
2. Chris Borich (206)
3. Brycen Neal (199)
4. Cole Richardson (184)
5. Jarrod McClure (150)
6. Adam McGill (145)
7. John Glauda Jr. (116)
8. Hunter Hart (111)
9. Johnny Gallagher (110)
10. Westley Wolfe (104)