#MaxxisGeneralGNCC

As part of Polaris’ new partnership of the Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) to sponsor GNCC’s newly-added Single Seat Class, The Maxxis General GNCC was the first race of the season to offer the class.

Six Polaris ACE vehicles entered to vie to be the first Single Seat winner for the season. Sam Yokley, nephew to Polaris Factory Racer William Yokley, took the checkered flag of the three-lap race. Doug Fortner of Brocton, NY finished second and Josh Copeland, racing as part of Team UXC Racing, was third.

Can-Am Renegade 800R X xc racer Jordan Phillips won the 4×4 Pro class and took third overall at round two of the 2014 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country series in Georgia. Can-Am 4×4 racers won all four 4×4 morning classes and earned nine total 4×4 class podium finishes out of a possible 12. Marc Burnett and Tim Farr each earned a second-place finishes with their Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs side-by-side vehicles in the Best In the Desert Mint 400 race and GNCC XC 1 Modified class, respectively.

“The Can-Am racing team had a great showing at GNCC round two in Georgia and at the BITD Mint 400. Jordan Phillips’ 4×4 Pro class and overall morning podium finish were big,” says Jeff Leclerc, racing project leader, Can-Am. “Our racers continue to make great strides with the Can-Am Maverick 1000R platform, putting it on the podium in several different series. Marc Burnett and Tim Farr have their vehicles dialed in and it shows.”

Photo courtesy Ernesto Araiza/UTVUnderground.com

This past weekend, Polaris RZRs picked up wins in three different series across the country. From Best in the Desert’s The Mint 400, to WORCS Round 3, to the first side-by-side race in GNCC, RZRs found the top step of the podium.

The Mint 400 is the oldest, roughest, most spectacular off-road race in North America and has attracted thousands of racers and celebrities who have tried to master the harsh Nevada desert. This year, Polaris, once again, sponsored the race and had one of their sponsored teams took top honors in the Pro Class, Jagged X’s Brandon Scheuler and Blake Van De Loo, in the No. 1919 RZR 4 900. Despite their terrible draw of the 28th starting position, Scheuler piloted the No. 1919 to victory for his first Mint win, fourth BITD win in a row and second this season.

Read our Polaris RZR XP 1000 Review

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.”

William Yokley (Polaris / Coastal / CST / National Guard / Yoshimura / Yokley Racing) opened the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series UTV season with a win at the Maxxis General GNCC. Yokley finished first overall and first in the XC1 Modified Class. Team driver Scott Kiger finished fourth overall and fourth in the same class. A total of 46 side-by-sides were competing in the race, including 22 XC1 Modified teams. Yokley’s guest passenger was his wife Tina, and Scott’s passenger was Tyler King.

The 2013 GNCC Side by Side season started out well for the team in Georgia. After a successful 2012 season, the team spent the winter building new race machines and fine tuning the new 2013 Polaris RZR XP-900s.

The General GNCC featured red Georgia clay soil, tight, technical woods sections linked by high-speed open fields. It was 75 degrees, sunny and windy, and the course was very dusty, especially in the fields. The shorter than usual three-mile track made for some tight racing.

New for this season is a dead engine start, and the field lined up in rows of five. When the flag dropped, Yokley’s machine did not immediately fire and he was last going into the woods. Kiger got a good start and ran up front most of the race. The track was short and the leaders encountered lapped machines on the second lap, so traffic played an important part of the race. Yokley worked his way up to where he was near the lead when he heavily rear-ended a disabled machine in the blinding dust. He was fortunately able to continue once he got unhooked, thank goodness for a strong front bumper!

Team ITP was out in full force at the Maxxis General GNCC, picking up four class victories and eight podiums. Leading the way was defending Super Senior (45+) class champion Dave Simmons, who won his class and also took his second straight morning overall. Team ITP racers also earned class victories in A 22+, A/B 40+ and College B (16-21).

“Team ITP had another great GNCC weekend earning four class victories. Of course class wins are wonderful, but when we consistently see many of our team riders earning podiums we’re very pleased,” says Pat McGuire, public relations and race support at ITP. “Having our racers earn podiums in different age groups, the 4×4 classes, on sport quads and in side by sides really shows that ITP is dedicated to the racer and product development no matter the vehicle.”

Simmons, who has now won 23 consecutive races since 2011, won the Super Senior (45+) class by more than 11 minutes. He also earned the top spot on the morning overall podium finishing more than a minute ahead of the second-place finisher. The other four Team ITP racers to win their class were William “Duck” Lloyd (A 22+), Brian Schmid (A/B 40+) and Justin Paul (College B 16-21). Lloyd, who also finished in the top 25 in the morning overall, is 2-for-2 in 2013 racing on ITP tires. Schmid notched his first win and climbed into the class point’s lead after Georgia. Paul, Hilltop Motorsports / ITP, is three points in front of his teammate Brigham Patterson, who took fourth at Aonia Pass.