Can-Am Race Report: Maxxis General GNCC

It may be a new season, but Can-Am 4×4 ATV racers continue to outshine the competition in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series. Can-Am machines swept all five 4×4 class and placed two riders on the overall morning podium at the Maxxis General GNCC in Washington, Ga.

In the first round of side-by-side vehicle racing in Georgia, a total of 11 Can-Am Maverick 1000R racers competed with four Can-Am vehicles earning a podium finish in each of the four UTV classes.

“Having Can-Am ATV racers dominate their morning 4×4 classes and to see Kevin Trantham and Robert Smith on the morning podium was great. It was a good weekend in Georgia overall, as we had numerous podiums, including two for the new Can-Am Maverick 1000R in its GNCC side-by-side racing debut,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “It was a close finish for Kyle Chaney and his Maverick 1000R X rs in its first GNCC side-by-side event, as he narrowly missed taking the overall race win. This was a good debut for the Maverick and we fully expect to improve our results at round two in late April.”

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GBC Motorsports: 2012 Year in Review

GBC Motorsports decided to celebrate its successful year in ATV and UTV racing by looking back at the performance of its sponsored riders in 2012.

WORCS Series

Kayla Smith made her mark in 2012 with impressive performances throughout the year. Kicking off the WORCS season with a third place finish in the SXS Production 700 class, Smith would go on to land on the podium five more times in six races. With class wins at Race Town 395 and the Honolulu Hills finale, Kayla proved that she is capable of racing at a high level for any racer. The fact that she is 16 years old (and that some of her competitors have been racing since before she was born) makes her talent and vision behind the wheel even more remarkable. Smith finished the series in third place in her class aboard her GBC Dirt Commanders.

Yamaha Quad-X Racing Series

Dylan Dixon was one of the most talked-about up-and-comers on the West Coast racing scene, and his strong performances in the Quad-X Racing Series have something to do with that. Finding the podium in seven out of ten races, Dixon’s run through the Pro-Am class was highlighted by a Round 8 class win at Speedworld MX. Dixon improved on his second place 2011 finish by winning the Pro-Am class in 2012, and is on the verge of breaking into the Pro ranks.

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Can-Am Racers Earn Five GNCC Championships

After the dust and mud settled at the final round of the 2012 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series, Can-Am racers walked away with five class championships.

Team UXC Racing / Can-Am racer Cliff Beasley rode his Can-Am Renegade to a second-place finish in the U2 class and repeated as the class champion. Bryan Buckhannon successfully repeated as the 4×4 Open class champion with his fourth-place run aboard his Can-Am Outlander 800R. Kevin Trantham won the 4×4 Lites class on his Outlander 500, finished third overall on the morning podium and notched his third GNCC championship. Despite suffering his first DNF of the year at the season fiinale, 4×4 Senior (40+) racer Forrest Whorton successfully defended his title on his Can-Am ATV. The final Can-Am champion was Tanner Bowles, who wrapped up the 4×4 Novice class at an earlier round.

“Loretta Lynn’s proved to be a challenging finale for a lot of racers, but we had two Can-Am-mounted riders on the morning overall podium and won a total of five classes in Tennessee. And more importantly, we earned a total of five class championships so, overall, our 2012 campaign is something we can be proud of,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “I was pleased to see Robert Smith and Kevin Trantham on the morning podium and happy to see Cliff Beasley finish strong in his final GNCC race.”

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Can-Am Racing Report: GNCC, NEATV-MX and WORCS

With the GNCC returning from its annual summer break, Can-Am racers got back to work and picked up five class victories at the Unadilla GNCC in New York state. In the New England ATV Motocross (NEATV-MX) series, three Can-Am DS 450 racers swept the Pro class at round 10 held in Epping, NH. At the final round of the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS), Can-Am-mounted racers won four classes in Taft, Calif.

“I was extremely pleased with all of our 4×4 racers’ efforts on the challenging Can-Am Unadilla GNCC course. Having five class wins was a nice way to start the second half of the season,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Josh Creamer kept his perfect season alive, winning both the Pro and Pro-Am classes and earning the 2012 Pro and Pro-Am titles. It was gratifying to see Josh Frederick finish second in the SxS Production 1000 class and also take second overall in the ATV Pro ranks. Both he and Dillon Zimmerman put in a solid year for team Motoworks / Can-Am.”

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Can-Am Race Report: John Penton GNCC

Can-Am UTV and ATV raced to five class victories this past weekend at the John Penton GNCC in Millfield, Ohio.

Team Travalena took the checkers in the XC2 UTV class in its Can-Am Commander 1000 X, while Motoworks / Can-Am Commander pilot Kyle Chaney picked up a second-place finish in the XC1 UTV class. Meanwhile, Can-Am 4×4 ATV racers Bryan Buchannon (4×4 Open), Clifton Beasley (U2), Kevin Trantham (4×4 Lites) and Forest Whorton (4×4 Senior) all earned class wins in Round 9 of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series.

“All of our riders and teams fought hard and overcame the excessive heat in Ohio. Motoworks / Can-Am Commander 1000 X driver Kyle Chaney led most of the XC1 UTV race. Unfortunately, a lapped racer caused Chaney to crash on the final lap. Thankfully, he recovered to finish a very close second and reach the class podium,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Team Travalena also had great ride, winning the XC2 UTV class. I was proud of the way all our guys raced in the brutally humid conditions, especially our Can-Am 4×4 racers, who earned four class overalls.”

In side-by-side racing action, pilot Kyle Chaney put his Motoworks-backed Can-Am Commander in the top five at the start of the XC1 UTV class race. By the second lap, he grabbed the lead and held it until the final loop. While overtaking a lapped vehicle, Chaney lost control of his vehicle and lost the lead. The team recovered quickly and ended up with a hard-fought second-place finish. In the UTV XC2 class, Team Travelena worked its way up from a top five start and took the class win by over 30 seconds. The team’s impressive charge in its Commander 1000 X also allowed them to finish in ninth overall for the day.

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Can-Am Racing Report: Snowshoe GNCC

It was another successful weekend for Can-Am racers at the Snowshoe GNCC as Motoworks/Can-Am DS 450 racer Chris Bithell finished second overall in the XC1 Pro class, while Andrew Langston (4×4 Open) and Jordan Phillips (U2) each won their class and finished first and second on the morning overall podium.

“Motoworks / Can-Am XC1 Pro Chris Bithell provided this team with some much needed momentum and drive for the remainder of the season after earning his best race finish of the year this past weekend at Snowshoe. He now sits firmly in fourth place in season points, just four points out of third. Some of our X-Team-supported 4×4 racers faced challenges this past weekend, but Forest Whorton and Kevin Trantham continued their winning ways aboard their Outlander ATVs,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “And the depth of Can-Am mounted racers in the field was very evident, as Can-Am ATV racers earned five class victories and the morning overall. It’s great to see Can-Am privateers race their way to victory and take full advantage of the Can-Am Amateur Racing Contingency Program.“

This round of the Can-Am GNCC racing series is staged atop Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia’s Allegheny Mountains at more than 4200 feet and is truly a rider and fan favorite due to its picturesque views and resort-type atmosphere. Snowshoe is considered one of the roughest, most challenging GNCC courses in the series and features a unique asphalt street starting line, demanding hills as well as rough-and-rocky trails.

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GBC Motorsports Racing Report: Snowshoe GNCC

GBC Motorsport riders put together another strong day of ATV racing at what might be the most difficult stop on the GNCC Series – Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia.

Bryan Buckhannon started things off by leading much of the morning race in both the 4×4 Open class and the overall position. A last lap issue would drop Bryan from the leader board; fortunately his fifth place finish combined with his six wins keep him firmly atop the points standings.

Forrest Whorton continued his domination of the 4×4 Senior class this season with his seventh win, as well as scoring a season high ninth overall. BNR’s Ryan Smith earned his second consecutive 4×4 Novice class win, and Scott Day put in his best race of 2012 with a second place in the U2 class good for fifth overall. Kylie Ahart is quickly proving to be a threat in the Pro Women’s class after moving up this season, and her third place finish this weekend marked her second podium appearance.

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GBC Motorsports Race Report: GNCC Round 6, WORCS Round 5

GBC Motorsports riders are coming off another successful weekend of racing, earning class wins in both the GNCC and WORCS series.

Limestone 100 GNCC

Hopes were high rolling into the second consecutive brand new facility for the Limestone 100 in Springville, Ind., and both the track and the team of GBC Motorsports riders delivered.

Leading the way this weekend was sophomore XC1 rider Kevin Yoho, who led early and kept himself within the lead pack through the race, even setting the fastest lap on Lap 3. Yoho finished the race in a season best sixth place and has been steadily improving with each round. Johnny Gallagher put in another consistent run for eighth place and remains in the sixth position in the XC1 season standings.

Braden Henthorn’s rough start landed him in 13th at the completion of Lap 1, but he overcame these early difficulties and climbed all the way to a podium spot. Henthorn finished second in the XC2 Pro-Am class, helping him maintain a slim points lead in the class standings. Randy Hamilton earned his first ever Pro-Am Top 5 finish and continues to improve rapidly in only his second year of GNCC competition.

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Can-Am Racing Report: GNCC Round 6, TQRA Round 5, WORCS Round 5

Can-Am X-Team racers had a very busy weekend in three different racing series, picking up wins on two of them. Competing at the inaugural Limestone 100 GNCC, Can-Am X-Team racers earned four 4×4 class overall wins. As well, Can-Am pilots won both the Pro and Pro-Am classes at round five of the Texhoma Quad Racing Association (TQRA) series. Can-Am ATV and Commander side-by-side racers also went to work in the World Off-Road Championship Series in Southern California.

“Can-Am racers had a busy weekend with mixed results. We competed in three different racing series in three different states. Chris Bithell put in a good effort to finish fourth after he started the Pro class race at the back of the pack at the Limestone GNCC,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Our Can-Am 4×4 racers tamed the new course, as Bryan Buckhannon, Cliff Beasley and Forrest Whorton each posted convincing wins their classes. In the WORCS series, Dillon Zimmerman put in another top-five performance on his Can-Am DS 450 while Josh Frederick salvaged a top-10 finish and still sits second in the points chase. And in Texas, Hunter Miller had a great weekend in the TQRA series winning two classes and finishing third on the UTV Pro class podium.”

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Can-Am Finds Early Success in GNCC Series

With the first two rounds of the 2012 GNCC series in the books, Can-Am ATV and UTV racers are off to a roaring start.

Nobody does 4×4 ATV racing better than Can-Am and that’s showing as Can-Am X-Team racer Bryan Buckhannon dominated both 4×4 Open class races aboard his Outlander 800R, while Cliff Beasley also posted two consecutive class wins on the Renegade 800R 4×4. On the sport quad side of the coin, Team Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 EFI racer Chris Bithell is third in the XC1 Pro class points after two rounds.

“Cliff and Bryan are as fast as ever and are already in the driver’s seat in their respective 4×4 classes,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Even though there is plenty more racing left in the season, we’re content to have our riders positioned where they are after two rounds of Can-Am / GNCC racing. Bithell currently sits third in the XC1 class standings and I predict he’s about ready to show us what he’s made of as the series heads to some of his favorite tracks. I’m proud to see Kyle Chaney put the Commander side-by-side on the XC1 UTV Modified podium in Georgia in his first race with the Motoworks / Can-Am team.”

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Can-Am ATV Racers Wrap Up Successful GNCC Season

Can-Am X-Team Outlander 800R X xc racer Bryan Buckhannon won the 4×4 Open class at the Can-Am GNCC finale in Tennessee, to earn back-to-back class championships. Warnert Racing / Can-Am DS 450 XC1 pro class racer Adam McGill finished second at Loretta Lynn’s Dude Ranch to earn second overall for the season. Warnert Racing / Can-Am teammate Chris Bithell earned fourth at Loretta’s and fourth overall in the XC1 ranks aboard his DS 450.

“I was thrilled to see Buckhannon win his class here at Loretta’s and repeat as 4×4 Open class champion,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “McGill and Bithell rode extremely hard in Tennessee, like they have all season. They each led a portion of the race, but unfortunately couldn’t finish it out. Adam truly earned his second-place podium finish today and it was a good way for him to end the year.”

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Can-Am Racers Earn Podiums at Unadilla GNCC

Team Warnert Racing / Can-Am DS 450 racers Chris Bithell and Adam McGill finished second and third, respectively, in the XC1 class at the 2011 Can-Am Unadilla GNCC in New Berlin, NY.

In the morning ranks, several Can-Am racers finished on their class podium at Unadilla Valley Sports Center complex, including Bryan Buckhannon in the 4×4 Open class and Clifton Beasley in the U2 class. In fact, Beasley also secured the season championship aboard the Can-Am Renegade 800R X xc ATV by notching his ninth win in nine rounds of racing in 2011.

“I was pleased to see both Bithell and McGill reach the Pro class podium in New York. They both led the race at one time and had the speed to win, but unfortunately came up a little short on the rough, fast and short 7-mile course,” says Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “I also have to congratulate Cliff Beasley on winning his 28th consecutive race, another U2 Class Championship and going 9-for-9 this year on his Renegade X xc.”

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