2021 Wild Boar GNCC | Race Highlights

March 10, 2021

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PHOTOS & VIDEO | GNCC

The 2021 Grand National Cross Country Series returned to racing with the 2021 Wild Boar GNCC and the second round of the East Coast off-road series proved that the championship might be anyone’s for the taking, as a different rider claimed the overall win and other jostled for position in the sands of Florida.

Magna1 Motorsports/Husqvarna’s Jordan Ashburn and Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ricky Russell swapped the lead in the opening laps, but by the third lap of the long race, FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley moved into the top spot and spent the last half of the race pulling away from the field. This was a key win for Kelley, as it made him the second winner in this season and the 30-points awarded propelled him higher in the championship standings.

A series of passes late in the race sent Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green rider Josh Strang up the running order and a key pass on the final lap helped him score a second place finish. The points scored were important for Strang and he’s now second in the championship standings. Strang’s overall rank was aided by Thad Duvall’s absence; the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider is currently sidelined with a thumb injury.

Ashburn’s holeshot and early laps in the led kept him near the top of the final results sheets and he ended the long afternoon in third place. He is now fourth overall in the point standings.

Incoming point leader Grant Baylor started the race near the rear of the field, but after a hard charge, the KLM Milwaukee GASGAS rider crossed the finish line in fourth place, which was just enough to keep him in the top spot of the championship. Baylor holds a two-point advantage over Strang.

FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Joshua Toth rounded out the top-five after a hard push of his own in the final laps, an impressive result for a rider that underwent surgery on his hand last month.

Jonathan Girroir wasted little time getting to the front in the XC2 division. The Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing rider followed holeshot earner and early leader Tely Energy Racing KTM’s Liam Draper on the opening lap, then went unchallenged on his way to the class win. This win moved Girroir to third overall in the championship.

A mistake by Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig DeLong in the early moments of the race sent the defending champion off course and he spent the rest of the race making up for the miscue. DeLong ultimately worked back to second place, a position he secured on the very last lap. DeLong is now second overall in the championship. `

AmPro Yamaha’s Mike Witkowski spent his entire day in the top-three.. Scored second on the opening lap, Witkowski dueled non-stop for position with other riders and crossed the finish line in third place, which was just enough for him to keep the championship lead by one point.

2021 WILD BOAR GNCC RACE RESULTS

XC1 Pro Event Results

1. Ben Kelley
2. Josh Strang
3. Jordan Ashburn
4. Grant Baylor
5. Joshua Toth
6. Ricky Russell
7. Layne Michael
8. Steward Baylor
9. Benjamin Herrera
10. Cory Buttrick

XC2 250 Pro Event Results

1. Jonathan Girroir
2. Craig DeLong
3. Michael Witkowski
4. Liam Draper
5. Cody Barnes
6. Ruy Barbosa
7. Jesse Ansley
8. Benjamin Nelko
9. Ryder Lafferty
10. Hunter Neuwirth