2010 Can-Am GNCC
ATV Racing Series Season Preview
Round 1 - River Ranch GNCC - Lake
Wales, Florida - February 28, 2010
Morgantown, WV (2/25/2010) -
The opening round of the Can-Am Grand National
Cross Country Series, America's largest off-road
racing series, is just days away and riders around
the country are revving their engines as they
make the long drive to the Parts Unlimited River
Ranch GNCC in Lake Wales, Florida. ATVs will race
on Sunday, February 28th.
The biggest surprise of the upcoming season is
the new GNCC Champion Chris Borich, who after
a phenomenal 2009 season broke the nine-year championship
winning streak of Yamaha's Bill Ballance. Despite
10 wins and 100 point margin over his nearest
competitor, Taylor Kiser, Borich wasn't offered
a full factory ride with Suzuki due to budget
constraints. Now back to his own program with
some Suzuki support, he will return on his familiar
yellow machine looking to repeat on his 2009 success.
Word is that the Pennsylvania rider has spent
months in Florida to train and prepare for the
opener.
Last year at the opening round, Ballance had
just begun to recover from surgery just a few
weeks prior to remove a cancerous mass from his
ribs. Ballance still raced, but it was Alva, Florida
native Taylor Kiser who would go on to take the
win, with Borich in second. Kiser continued on
to complete a strong seaso, collecting the "most
improved rider" award at the GNCC banquet.
This winter, he and Ballance tested and trained
together on their Yamaha's in hopes of challenging
Borich this season.
The opening round will gauge which top pros have
been staying in shape during the off-season. Ballance,
who at first said he would hang it up after 2009,
will return in perfect health. Fellow Yamaha rider
Brandon Sommers, who finished fifth in the XC1
class last year, may not be able to race the first
round of the season. Sommers recently found out
he has a case of mono that may have come about
after surgery for the broken leg he sustained
at the Ironman GNCC in October.
West Virginia native Adam McGill, who finished
third in the points in 2009, will switch teams
this season with a move to Warnert Can-Am on the
DS450. McGill spent most of 2009 on the podium,
but a few midseason mechanical problems took him
out of the running for the championship. He joins
Chris Bithell on the Can-Am Team. New to the FRE
KTM team is former privateer Bryan Cook, who had
a solid season in 2009 with a win at Steel Creek
and had several top 5 finishes.
Veteran Johnny Gallagher will also be in the
hunt, as well as National Guard Polaris' new recruit,
Jarod McClure.
In the XC2 class, FRE KTM's Josh Kirkland will
return to battle against Brian Wolf and Parker
Jones, as well as Yamaha's Walker Fowler, who
won a A-class title last year and has been training
with Ballance and Kiser. In the Women's class
FRE KTM's Angel Atwell will defend her championship
win against biggest competitor, multi-time champion
Traci Cecco. The Florida race also kicks off battles
for Utility Championships in four different classes.
The event will begin on Saturday, February 27,
with practice for the four-wheeled ATV racers,
and the ATVs will race on Sunday, February 28.
The amateur racer entry fee is $40.
Spectator passes run $15 for Saturday and Sunday
tickets, and $15 for a Monday and Tuesday ticket.
Children five and under are admitted free. On
both Sunday and Tuesday, youth riders race at
8 a.m., beginner riders race at 10 a.m., and the
top amateurs and the pros race at 1 p.m.
On Monday, Parts Unlimited will be on site for
the first meal of their 2010 Dinner Tour. The
Parts Unlimited Dinner will start at 5 p.m.
The event runs as part of the massive Daytona
Bike Week scene, which includes competitions throughout
Florida in a variety of motorcycle and ATV disciplines.
The Westgate River Ranch offers a variety of
activities beyond the race, including horse back
riding, fishing and hiking. Information is available
at www.wgriverranch.com.
The track is located at the Westgate River Ranch
in Lake Wales, Fl. From U.S. 27, go south to S.R.
60 (Lake Wales Exit), make a left and head east
for approximately 25 miles. River Ranch is on
the right.
About
GNCC Racing:
The
Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series is
America's premier off-road racing series. Founded
in 1973, the 13-round championship is produced
exclusively by Racer Productions. Cross country
racing is one of the most physically demanding
sports in the world. The grueling three-hour GNCC
races lead as many as 1,800 riders through tracks
ranging in length from eight to 12 miles, competing
for more than $3 million in prizes. With varied
terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks
and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests
of both survival and speed. For more information,
please visit www.gnccracing.com..
About
Racer Productions:
A West Virginia-based motorcycle and ATV event
production company, Racer Productions has been
a leader in the off-road racing industry for more
than 30 years. It's repertoire of facilities and
events includes the 13-round Can-Am Grand National
Cross Country Series, since 1973; professional
and amateur national events at High Point Raceway
in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania, since 1977; and
professional and amateur ATV events at Loretta
Lynn's Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. For
more information, please visit www.racerproductions.com.
www.gnccracing.com
122 Vista Del Rio Drive,
Morgantown, WV 26508
304-284-0084
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