GNCC Update - seven winners from seven starts
By Team TMX on 23rd May 23
We highlighted in last month's issue of TMX that there had been five different winners at the five rounds of the American GNCC series. Well, two rounds on and it’s now seven winners from seven starts as FMF KTM’s Johnny Girroir and Magna1 Motorsports Jordan Ashburn joined the winner’s circle.
The Hoosier GNCC at Ironman Raceway was the sixth round of the series where Girroir took a career-first GNCC win in the premier class. Already an XC2 champion back in 2021, Johnny’s results early in the season suggested he was struggling to gel with the 350 XC-F KTM. However, he proved the naysayers wrong in what proved to be one of the toughest races of the year as he overcame the conditions and the competition to lead Steward Baylor and Benjamin Kelley home, making it a KTM 1-2-3 in the XC1 class.
With series leader Benjamin Kelley having an off-day and Craig Delong finishing seventh, the championship chase tightened right up with Baylor moving to within six points of the pace-setter and one behind second-placed DeLong ahead of the John Penton Trophy – round seven of the series which was held at Millfield in Ohio.
Plenty of rain made it a messy affair with an inspired Girroir taking the holeshot. He couldn’t hold onto the advantage though and at the end of lap one Ricky Russell would be in the lead ahead of Girroir, Ashburn, Kelley and Baylor.
In one of the best battles seen in recent years, the front runners slugged it out almost all race with Ashburn and Baylor finally breaking free in the final laps. As it turns out, Ashburn was able to take the win and crossed the line around a second ahead of Baylor whose second place was enough to put him into the series lead. Behind the leading pair, Girroir clung onto third after fighting off a late charge from Aussie Josh Strang.
Baylor now holds a 10-point lead in the championship over DeLong as Kelley was unable to finish in Ohio and is now a massive 19 points behind Baylor. Five rounds remain but we’ll have to wait until October before a champion is crowned.
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