JOHN PENTON GNCC RACE
GNCC: Brycen Neal Earns Overall ATV Win
JOHN PENTON GNCC RACE
The 30th Annual Wiseco John Penton GNCC, round six of the 2019 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, was greeted with hot and humid temperatures along with slick yet tacky track conditions in Southern Ohio. LanMills XC/CST Tires/Houser/Yamaha’s Brycen Neal came out on top, earning his second career overall ATV win, after an intense race.
Neal would start the day out in third but would work his way up battling with Yamaha/AmPro/Action Offroad/GBC’s Cole Richardson throughout the duration of the race. Richardson and Neal would swap positions multiple times, and on the last lap, Neal would make the pass for the lead stick. Neal would come through timing and scoring first as the checkered flag flew, with Richardson 2.6 second behind him.
WFR/GBC/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Walker Fowler did not get the start he was looking for this weekend and would find himself in sixth as the XC1 pack came around on the first lap. By the third lap, Fowler had moved into an overall podium position but was unable to make up the gap the two front-runners had built. Fowler would finish third overall after a brutally hot and humid race.
JOHN PENTON GNCC RACE
After running fifth for the majority of the day Maxxis/Fly Racing/Ye Olde Cycle Barn’s Chris Borich would make the move up to fourth by the halfway point. Borich would engage in a battle for third with Fowler, but on the last lap would be edged out and come through fourth overall at round six.
Maxxis/Ithaca Recreation Sports/Fly Racing’s Hunter Hart had a disappointing finish last round but would come through fifth overall at the conclusion of the two-hour race. Hart had started back in eighth, but would steadily work his way up each lap. By the time the white flag flew, Hart had made his way to fifth overall and would stay there until the checkers flew.
Currently sitting sixth in the points standings is Ryland Johnson Racing/GBC Motorsports/Ye Olde Cycle Barn’s Westley Wolfe. Starting out in fourth place, Wolfe would find himself falling back to seventh for a couple of laps. As the race was coming to an end, Wolfe would make a last-lap push and come through sixth overall.
BNR Motorsports/GBC Motorsports/HMF Racing’s Joshua Merritt worked his way up to seventh in the XC1 Pro class after coming through 14th on the opening lap. GBC/Fly Racing/HMF/Yamaha’s Johnny Gallagher has raced at every John Penton GNCC. He was racing in the youth division when it first started and has continued on to the Pro ranks. Yesterday he finished eighth in XC1 and ninth overall.
Rounding out the top 10 overall yesterday was Spider Graphix/GBC Motorsports/Moose Racing’s, Martin Christofferson. After a consistent day of racing, Christofferson ran inside the top 10 majority of the day, ultimately finishing 9th in the XC1 class. M.R. Unlimited/GBC Tires/RJR’s Devon Feehan grabbed the $250 Wiseco holeshot award and finished 10th in the XC1 class.
Pierce Performance/Maxxis/Waynesburg Yamaha’s John Glauda Jr. kept his XC2 Pro-Am win streak alive by earning his sixth-straight win of the season. Glauda Jr. also earned his best overall finish of the season with a 7th overall.
LanMills XC/CST Tires/Moose Racing’s Drew Landers came back after only completing one lap at the previous round to take home second place in the XC2 class at The Wiseco John Penton GNCC. SSi Decals/Hinson Racing/GBC/Roman Empire MX’s Ben Kowalewski rounded out the XC2 top three.
The John Penton AMSOIL Moto Hero was awarded to Steve Pallo of Glouster, Ohio. Pallo may not be a racer himself but has been around racing for many many years. Pallo was a medic in the Navy, deployed multiple times including trips to the Middle East and counter Drug Ops in South America. Pallo became a paramedic and has been serving for 20 years.
He has worked as a medic at multiple raceways for different series. Pallo’s niece and nephew race the GNCC Series, and he is always in attendance at their home races. Pallo was nominated by his wife and awarded a $250 AMSOIL Shopping Spree and a free set of Kanati light truck tires as a gesture of gratitude for his service.
JOHN PENTON GNCC RACE
GNCC Racing continues June 1 and 2 with the Dunlop Tomahawk in New York. This event is co-sanctioned with our friends at the New York Off-Road Association (NYOA). Taking place on June 1 at 5 p.m. will be round four of the Specialized Turbo eMTB GNCC National Championship.
The 2 p.m. ATV Pro race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as archived video online by visiting the GNCC LIVE page online. A highlight show featuring the event will air on NBC Sports Network on Saturday, July 27 at 1:00 p.m. ET.
For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCC.
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