GNCC Racing Series Heads to Snowshoe, WV
GNCC Racing - Round 9 - Snowshoe GNCC - Snowshoe, WV- June 21, 2014

Morgantown, WV (6/20/2014) - The cards haven't quite fallen in a favorable direction lately for Chris Borich, current XC1 Pro ATV points leader, who lost a substantial amount of ground in the championship standings to his biggest rival and #2 rider Walker Fowler. With a two-race winning streak behind him, Fowler heads into Saturday's AMSOIL Snowshoe GNCC with an eight-point deficit to the champ, the closest that anyone has been in recent history.

Chris Borich holds an eight point lead over Fowler coming into Snowshoe GNCC

The 2014 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, reaches the pinnacle of its season this weekend, June 21 and 22, with round nine of 13 championship races. The Snowshoe GNCC is the toughest, most spectacular and most unique race on the entire GNCC circuit, as the race is set in the upscale ski village at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, West Virginia's largest ski resort.

However, with all the beauty that Snowshoe has to offer, there are a whole slew of obstacles to keep racers on their toes. A few miles of the course make up simply the roughest, toughest section of GNCC track riders will see all year. Deep mud bogs, massive tree roots and hills going both up, and down, are enough to stop almost everyone. The Snowshoe soil is black and loamy dirt that is absolutely incredible in the dry spots, then sticky and nasty when it's wet. Couple that with the rocks, roots, and everything else and it's no wonder why Snowshoe is often times grouped with that of the old Blackwater 100, which was known as "America's Toughest Race."

In the past, the Snowshoe GNCC has seen a multitude of winners, even some first-time winners, due to its unpredictability and tough terrain. However, the stakes are high in the chase for the 2014 GNCC National Championship and there's no doubt that the normal XC1 front-runners will take part in this Saturday's battle.

With five wins in eight rounds, Team Maxxis' Chris Borich continues to lead the way in the championship standings, but for the first time in recent history, the five-time champion has some pressure for the number one spot. Prior to round seven, Borich was on a four-race winning streak with one loss behind him, to Fowler. But in the last two rounds, Borich has been forced to overcome a few obstacles along the way, including an intense battle in the final moments of the Mountaineer Run GNCC, where Borich and Fowler accidentally came together in the final turn, sending Borich off the course just before the finish. Fowler claimed the win, while Borich took second. Then, at the following round in Ohio, Borich ran just outside of the top three all race long, before experiencing a mechanical issue that ultimately kept him from finishing the day.

Borich's misfortune allowed Fowler to earn 30 points on the champ, thus closing the point-gap to only eight. N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Walker Fowler has been the only rider able to beat Borich in 2014, with three wins behind him this season. To top it off, Fowler captured the victory at Snowshoe Mountain in 2013, where he looks to continue with the momentum leading up to this weekend's race. 

Walker Fowler now has two straight victories, and looking to close the gap even more on defending champion Chris Borich this weekend

RacingPowersports.com/CST Tires/PirateMX.com's Adam McGill, who sits third in the championship standings, is a two-time Snowshoe GNCC winner, so there's no doubt that the West Virginia native can handle the rough and tough conditions. McGill has yet to secure a win this season but he sits with five consistent podium finishes through eight rounds. 

Adam McGill McGill is already a two-time Snowshoe GNCC and is looking for another win there this year

DWT Racing's Jarrod McClure moved himself up a notch in the championship standings with third place overall at the last round, marking his second podium finish of the season. After two straight rounds of unfortunate luck, Precision/Maxxis Tires Chris Bithell now sits in the fifth place position in the championship standings. Dave Bayless Motorsports / Dirtworks / DC Cycles-backed Brycen Neal holds the seventh place points position, followed by GT Thunder-backed Brian Wolf in eighth. Wolf is the only back-to-back winner at the Snowshoe event, capturing the overall win in 2009 and 2010. The Ohio-based Wolf is always a favorite to win this event.

SICC Racing/Maxxis-backed Marshal Goings holds ninth overall and DeRisi Racing/Team Woodhead's Braden Henthorn rounds out the top ten as he rebuilds from a recent jaw surgery.

The XC2 Pro Am Championship is tied up at 200 points between N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Cole Richardson and Marshal Goings after eight rounds of racing. Richardson holds the current advantage with five wins behind him, while Goings has three wins for the season. The rookie duo has made the championship battle exciting thus far, and it only looks to get better. Meanwhile, Marty Christofferson holds third in the championship standings with a string of consistent finishes behind him.

Cole Richardson has tied up the XC2 Pro Am Championship with Marshal Goings

With three wins so far, Can-Am X-Team's Kevin Trantham holds a seven-point lead in the 4x4 Pro class. However, with four different winners through the first eight rounds, this championship chase is bound to remain close all season long. Coming off a big win at the last round, ATV Parts Plus/Can-Am's Bryan Buckhannon sits second in the championship standings with two wins under his belt. Another race winner, BNR Motorsports/Loctite Can-Am's Robert Smith, sits in the third place position, just ahead of Factory Polaris/Coldcock Whiskey's Rick Cecco in fourth, while Factory Polaris/UXC Racing's Michael Swift rounds out the top five. 

GNCC Racing Pro Podium (left to right) Adam McGill (2nd), Walker Fowler (1st), Jarrod McClure (3rd)

Youth ATV racing will take place on Saturday at 8 a.m., followed by amateurs, 4x4 Pro and Women at 10 a.m., and the top amateurs and pros at 1 p.m.

Adult (12+) gate admission is $25 for the full weekend and $15 for kids (6-11). Kids five and under are free. All admission includes a ski lift ticket and pro pit access. Local racers are invited to compete at this event, as GNCC Racing offers classes for riders of all skill and experience levels. The amateur racer entry fee is $40 and riders can sign up at the track.

Tune into RacerTV.com on Saturday at 1 p.m. EST to catch LIVE coverage of the Pro ATV race at Round 9. For more information on GNCC Live coverage, visit www.racertv.com. 

Stay up-to-date with exclusive content from the AMSOIL GNCC Series by following the series Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Previous Round Results:

Wiseco John Penton GNCC
Millfield, Ohio
Round 8 of 13
Saturday, June 7

About GNCC Racing
The AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country series is America's premier off-road racing series. Founded in 1975, 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 1,500 riders through tracks ranging in length from eight to 12 miles. With varied terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both survival and speed. The series draws talent from all over the U.S., Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. GNCC Racing is televised weekly on NBC Sports and RacerTV.com. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com.

About AMSOIL
AMSOIL manufactures premium synthetic lubricants for automotive, marine, power sports and recreational two-stroke and four-stroke applications ... and for the vehicles that tow them, for longer equipment life, maximum power, and optimal all weather performance. Tested and proven for more than 40 years and billions of miles of service. The original synthetic motor oil. For more information on AMSOIL, visit www.amsoil.com or www.amsoilracing.com.

About Maxxis International:
For over 43 years, Maxxis International has delivered high-quality tires to both original equipment and aftermarket customers. Maxxis offers products for automotive, light truck, motorcycle, ATV, bicycle, lawn & garden and industrial use. The company has operations in Asia, Europe and North America, and its products are distributed in approximately 170 countries. For more information, please visit www.maxxis.com

www.gnccracing.com