2007 GNCC Racing Series
Chris Borich & Bill Ballance Closer than Ever
Heading to Unadilla
Round 10 - New Berlin, NY - September
15 & 16
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Chris
Borich leads Bill Ballance through a turn |
New Berlin,
NY (9/12/2007) - This weekend’s
third-annual Can-Am Grand National Cross Country
Series stop at the famed Unadilla Valley Sports
Center may become the biggest GNCC ever, and certainly
it will hold huge title implications for Yamaha’s
Bill Ballance and East Coast ATV’s Chris
Borich. A head-on collision between Ballance’s
search for a record-breaking eighth-straight GNCC
title and Borich’s quest for his first championship
has taken the series to a new level, as the “Killer
B’s” have never been this close in
points this late in the year. Borich leads Ballance
by three points with four races remaining in the
2007 GNCC tour.
Further complicating matters, young
sophomore pros Chris Bithell and Adam McGill seem
to find more speed each weekend as Bithell finished
in front of Ballance at the previous race despite
starting in last. Throw veterans like Matt Smiley,
Chris Jenks and William Yokley in the mix, and
the stage is set for a wild weekend.
Unadilla joined the GNCC tour in
2005 and drew 1800 riders—a record turnout.
Last year’s event matched those numbers,
putting 1800 within sight again this year. A full
slate of amateur classes is available with ATVs
racing on Saturday and bikes on Sunday—and
each race will use portions of the world famous
Unadilla motocross track.
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| #1
Bill Ballance |
#2
Chris Borich |
Ballance and Borich will square
off in a two-hour fight on Saturday at 1 p.m.
in the premier ATV division, XC1 Pro. Ballance
won the first two rounds of the series in March
and positioned himself for another title run,
but then Borich fired back with four-straight
wins, and one more at the previous round in Pennsylvania.
Last year at Unadilla, Borich and Ballance dueled
all day until mechanical troubles sidelined Borich—he
is determined to prevent that from happening this
year.
The XC2 Class for up-and-coming
pros features GT Thunder Yamaha’s Brandon
Sommers, who has won all but one round of the
series this year. The GNCC morning race at 10
a.m. is a start-studded affair, with the Women’s
class and the 4x4 and Utility Classes competing
for overall honors. Warnert Racing/Can-Am has
dominated the proceedings in the 4x4 classes,
sweeping the podium at the previous race with
Michael Swift (Outlander 800, 4x4 Limited Class)
Scott Kilby (Outlander 800, 4x4 Open Class) and
Cliff Beasley (Outlander 500, 4x4 Lites) grabbing
the three overall morning race podium spots.
The Can-Am Grand National Cross
Country Series is the largest off-road racing
series in the nation. The top pro racers make
a lucrative living in the sport, reigning in six-figure
salaries and endorsements, as well as a share
of a $130,000 prize purse and over $3 million
in contingency and bonus money. GNCC events also
offer classes for amateur riders of all skill
and experience levels. Four-wheeled ATVs will
compete throughout the day on Saturday, September
14, and dirt bikes will race on Sunday, September
15. Riders can sign up at the track. The amateur
racer entry fee is $40.
Spectator passes run $12 for the
full weekend, with pro pit access and pro autographs
at no additional charge. On both Saturday and
Sunday, 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.
Directions: Located on State
Highway #8, five miles north of New Berlin, New
York. From the north take NYS Thruway (Rt. #90)
to exit 31 (Utica). After the tollbooth, begin
following signs for Route #8 SOUTH. Turn right
after the tollbooth and make another right at
the first light. You will go about 50 feet and
exit to your right. Continue about 1 ½
miles and you will exit again at Route #8 south/
Route 5/12. Approximately 4 miles later you will
exit one more time at “Route #8 South-New
Hartford”. Once you exit here, you will
stay on this road right to the racetrack.
From the south, take Rt. #81 north to Rt. I-88
east. Exit at exit #9- Sidney. At the top of the
ramp, turn left onto Route #8 NORTH. Do not go
to the Town of Unadilla.
What: Can-Am Grand National
Cross Country Series, Round 10, Can-Am Unadilla
GNCC in New Berlin, NY. The best four-wheeled
ATV and off-road dirt bike riders in the world
will compete, chasing national championship points
as part of a 13-round tour. The event will draw
riders from Australia, New Zealand and Europe,
as well as all regions of the U.S., and the best
local talent. Racers compete on a custom-built
extreme off-road course featuring mud, rocks,
hills and jumps.
Where: Unadilla Valley Sports
Center. Located on State Highway #8, five miles
north of New Berlin, New York.
When: Racing on Saturday, September
14, for four-wheeled ATVs. Youth riders age 6-15
race from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Beginner adults race
from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Pros race from 1 p.m.
to 3 p.m. Bikes race on Sunday, September 15,
following the same schedule as the ATVs.
Tickets: $12 per person for
a weekend pass, children five and under are free.
Primitive camping is available on site for no
extra charge. Pro pit access and autograph sessions
are included in the admission charge.
For more information, check out the official
series website at GNCCRacing.com
or call 304-284-0084.
About
GNCC Racing:
The
AMA/ATVA-sanctioned Grand National Cross Country
series is America’s premier off-road racing
series. The 13-round series is produced exclusively
by Racer Productions. Cross-country racing is
one of the most physically demanding sports in
the world. The nearly three-hour long GNCC races
lead as many as 1800 riders through tracks ranging
from eight to twelve miles in length. With varied
terrain including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks
and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests
of both survival and speed. GNCC Racing airs weekly
television shows on Versus (formerly Outdoor Life
Network) every Saturday at 3 p.m. and Thursday
at 4 p.m. beginning on April 14. GNCC featured
sponsors include Parts Unlimited, Moose, Maxxis,
Pirelli, Wiseco, Acerbis, Elka, Geico, Klotz,
FMF, ITP and Tire Balls, and riders compete for
over $3 million in series prizes and contingency
money. Associate sponsors include Alpinestars,
Cometic, EK Chain, HiPer Technology, Laegers,
Motion Pro, Moose Utility Division, Powersport
Grafx, Pro Clean, Race Tools, REM, Scott, Thor,
Twin Air, Weekend Warrior, and MotoTee’s.
Media Sponsors include Racer X Illustrated, ATV
Rider, ATV Sport, www.ATVRiders.com,
Dirt Rider and ATV Insider. For more information
log on to www.GNCCRacing.com.
www.gnccracing.com
122 Vista Del Rio Drive,
Morgantown, WV 26508
304-284-0084
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