Hunter Hart Earns First Pro Win at Ironman GNCC

The 2019 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, concluded with ATV racing for the season on Saturday, October 26 at Ironman Raceway with the 25th Annual AMSOIL Ironman GNCC in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The rain began to fall early in youth race then would steadily increase as the day wore on, making some of the most treacherous conditions the GNCC season has seen all year.

Those conditions did not stop XC1 Pro rookie Maxxis/Ithaca Recreation Sports/Fly Racing’s Hunter Hart from battling his way up to the front after a sixth place start on the day. Hart would stay consistent, which was hard to do in such conditions, and pick off the positions throughout the three-lap race. As Hart came to the finish battling with fellow XC1 competitor JMR/Maxxis/Elka/Moose Racing’s Jarrod McClure, he did not even know that he had just taken his first-ever overall and XC1 Pro ATV win. After realizing what had just happened, you could see the shocked expression on his face as the congratulations started pouring in from fellow racers, fans and family.

McClure would come through 1.7 seconds behind Hart to take second overall on the rainy day at Ironman Raceway. McClure started the day off with a fifth place position, but would put his head down and ride smart through the tough conditions that presented themselves each lap. McClure secured fifth in the points standings as the season came to a conclusion.

Jarrod McClure battled back to earn second overall. (Photo by Ken Hill)

Rounding out the top three overall was Maxxis/Fly Racing/Ye Olde Cycle Barn’s Chris Borich. Borich would come through third in the first lap, then swap positions back and forth during the next two laps before crossing the finish line third on the day. Borich would also lock in his third place position in the National Championship standings.

Coming through to take fourth overall on the day Yamaha/AmPro/Action Off-Road/GBC’s Cole Richardson. After battling throughout the duration of the race, Richardson would fall 0.962 seconds short of the podium. However, Richardson would put in a good run this season, earning his second overall win of the season at round 11 and placing fourth in the championship.

LanMills XC/CST Tires/Houser/Yamaha’s Brycen Neal came through to take home the fifth place position on the day. After running second for the first two laps, Neal would run into trouble on the final lap causing him to fall back to fifth. Neal did secure his second place position in the points standing by three points. Coming through to take sixth in the XC1 Pro class was GBC/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Johnny Gallagher. On the opening lap Gallagher would come through ninth in his class, but after closing the gap and pushing his way through the muddy conditions he would make the move up to sixth when the checkered flag flew.

Brycen Neal took home fifth at the season finale, but holds onto second in the points standings. (Photo by Ken Hill)

One of the last pro riders to complete all three laps of the afternoon pro race was M.R. Unlimited/GBC Tires/RJR’s Devon Feehan coming through in the seventh place position. Feehan would work his way up to that place after starting his day in 10th. After missing six rounds throughout the 2019 season, Feehan held onto a 13th place position in the overall points standings.

After leading the first two laps WFR/GBC/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Walker Fowler, news broke that something had happened to Fowler and his machine on the last lap. Fowler would be unable to complete the last lap, ultimately taking eight in XC1. Fowler took to social media after the race to help clear up rumors swirling around the pits, saying that he is ok and could ride again soon if needed. Fowler also said that more details were to come at a later time. Fowler had already clinched his fifth-straight title at round 11.

Also completing two laps and rounding out the top 10 in the XC1 class were BNR Motorsports/GBC Motorsports/HMF Racing’s Joshua Merritt and Pierce Performance/Maxxis/Waynesburg Yamaha’s John Glauda Jr.

Michael McAvoy came through to earn his first-ever XC2 Pro-Am class win.

Michael McAvoy made the jump from the Junior A (22+) class, after winning his championship, to the XC2 Pro-Am class for the last round of racing in 2019. That jump would look to pay off as McAvoy would come through to take his first XC2 win. Tanner Walker would work his way through the muddy conditions earn his second XC2 podium finish of the season. Jordan Poplaskie rounded out the XC2 Pro-Am class podium coming through in third.

Top amateur honors were a Vet A class sweep with James Green as he finished 7th overall on the day. Kevin Yoho would come through 11th overall to take second on the top amateur podium and Jeff Pickens came through with a 12th overall to round out the podium at Ironman Raceway.

As the rain intensified in the 10:30 a.m. morning race, it was Derisi Racing/Cometic Gasket/Savage Designs’ Robbie Pecorari coming through to take his first-ever morning overall and 4×4 Pro class win. The win would not come easy has he would have to work his way back from a seventh place start, and battle not only his fellow competitors but the changing conditions on the track each lap. Can-Am/OBOR Tires/Derisi Racing’s Landon Wolfe would battle throughout the duration of the four-lap race for a second overall and in his class at the season finale in Indiana. Coming through to take the third overall position and third in the 4×4 Pro class was BNR Motorsports/Can-Am/GBC Tires’ Robert Smith.

Robbie Pecorari battled through the conditions to take home the 4×4 Pro class win. (Photo by Ken Hill)

Action Off-Road/Moose Racing/GBC Motorsports’ Katelyn Osburn came back from a fourth place start to earn her second WXC class win of the season. Osburn managed to battle back through the conditions that quickly deteriorated, and pull off the win to end her 2019 season. Coming through in second was Honda-backed rider Hannah Hunter after her fifth place start in the race. Hunter concludes her season sitting fourth in the points standings. Rounding out the Ironman WXC ATV podium was GBC Motorsports/ Yamaha/Fly Racing’s Traci Pickens. After leading the first two laps Pickens would find herself slip back to second and then third on the final lap of the day. Pickens had previously clinched her 12th WXC Championship at round 11.

In the 8 a.m. youth race it was Tyler Cox coming from the second row in the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. class to take the overall win. Coming through for second overall in the youth race was YXC1 and 2019 youth overall champion Parker Henderson. Nicholas Dearing came through to earn third overall on the day.

Garrett Cox (center), Parker Henderson (left) and Nicholas Dearing (right) came through to take home the top three youth overall podium positions. (Photo by Ken Hill)

In the micro ATV class, it was Khyler Davis coming through with the win and earning herself the #1 plate. Bodie Buckhannon was putting up a fight back in second, and it was a battle to the checkered flag between Davis and Buckhannon. Garrett Cox earned third overall in the micro ATV.

As the micro bike riders came to a conclusion it was micro bike National Champion Colby Goodman coming through to take the win. Nash Peerson battled his way through the muddy conditions to take second overall followed by Indiana’s own Dawson Starnes coming through third overall.

The GNCC ATV Banquet will be held Friday, December 6, 2019 and the Bike Banquet will take place Saturday, December 7, 2019 in Morgantown, WV at the Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place. The ATV Banquet will also include ATV Micros and eMTB classes, while the Bike Banquet will include Bike Micros. For more information click visit www.gnccracing.com.

Hunter Hart (center), Jarrod McClure (left) and Chris Borich (right) rounded out the AMSOIL Ironman overall podium. (Photo by Ken Hill)

1. Hunter Hart (YAM)
2. Jarrod McClure (HON)
3. Chris Borich (SUZ)
4. Cole Richardson (YAM)
5. Brycen Neal (YAM)
6. Johnny Gallagher (YAM)
7. Devon Feehan (HON)
8. Walker Fowler (YAM)
9. Joshua Merritt (YAM)
10. John Glauda Jr. (YAM)

1. Walker Fowler (377)
2. Brycen Neal (258)
3. Chris Borich (256)
4. Cole Richardson (246)
5. Jarrod McClure (215)
6. Adam McGill (177)
7. Hunter Hart (168)
8. John Glauda Jr. (133)
9. Westley Wolfe (132)
10. Johnny Gallagher (129)