Newburg, WV Buckwheat 100Progressive GNCC Racing
The following is a press release from the Progressive Grand National Cross Country Series.
NEWBURG, W.Va. – The tenth round of the 2024 Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, took place in Newburg, West Virginia at CJ Raceway with the Kanati Tires Buckwheat 100 GNCC. With rain on Saturday afternoon, and overcast conditions throughout the day Sunday, the track would continue to see slick conditions for majority of the final day of racing.
As the XC1 Open Pro class lined up and heard the infamous 10 seconds call, it would be AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper making his XC1 debut and earning himself the $250 Steel City Medical Center XC1 Holeshot Award to start the day. Draper would continue to lead throughout the opening lap, but FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Jonathan Girroir would be right on heels as they continued to push forward.
Girroir would make the pass for the lead while out on lap two, and he would continue to hold that spot for the duration of the race. However, back in the XC2 250 Pro class FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Grant Davis would be putting on his own charge coming up through the pack of riders. Girroir would come through the finish line physically first to earn the XC1 Open Pro class win, while Davis came through and based off adjusted time would clinch the overall win by just two seconds.
Davis became just the second XC2 250 Pro rider to stand at the center of podium as the overall winner, with the first being Josh Toth earlier this season in Georgia. Girroir would stand second overall, while Draper would hold on for second in XC1 and third overall on the day.
The Buckwheat 100 GNCC overall podium: Grant Davis (center, KTM, XC2), Johnny Girroir (left, KTM, X1 winner), and Liam Draper (right, Yamaha, XC1). Mack Faint
Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn would fight his way back to an XC1 Open Pro podium position as he came through third in the class and fourth overall on the day. As he returned from injury, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley would have an impressive ride as he pressured for the top spot at one point during the race. Kelley would continue to push as much as he could, which found him finishing in the fourth place position in class and fifth overall on the day.
After coming through in the back of the pack on lap one, Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor would have his work cut out for him as he tried to push through the slick track conditions. Baylor would make his way up to fifth in class by the time the checkered flag flew, and sixth overall on the day. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Ruy Barbosa would cross the line sixth in class, eighth overall on the day.
Babbitts Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Lyndon Snodgrass found himself running second on lap two, but he would round out the top 10 overall finishers on the day after pushing throughout the race. Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig Delong would try push early on in the race, but he would struggle during the second half of the race, ultimately crossing the line eighth in class.
After making a brand switch, JS Beta Racing’s Josh Strang would come out charging and ready to battle aboard his Beta motorcycle. Strang would continue to push throughout the duration of the race and would cross the line ninth in class. Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski would have a strong start to the day and would finish out his day 10th in the XC1 Open Pro class.
FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Grant Davis not only would win the overall, but he would take home his sixth XC2 class win of the season. Davis now has a 42 point lead over teammate, FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Angus Riordan in the points standings. Riordan would also battle for the top spot on Sunday afternoon as he checked in through timing and scoring as the overall leader for the first couple laps of the race. Riordan would suffer a crash with just two laps to go, throwing him out of his flow, however he would still hold on to second in the class, followed by Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes who made a massive push throughout the race to round out the top three XC2 finishers.
Ben Kelley (KTM) made his return to racing at the tenth round. Mack Faint
As the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class took off it would be Destructo Racing/Dixie Fuel/Total Control Suspension’s Dustin Simpson earning himself the $100 Lojak Cycle Sales XC3 Holeshot Award to start the day. As the XC3 group make their way through the woods, Liqui Moly Factory Beta Racing’s Jhak Walker would make his way into the lead with Devore Racing/KTM/FXR/SRS Suspension’s Dakoda Devore just 2.5 seconds behind him. Walker and Devore would go back-and-forth throughout the race, swapping the lead position multiple times. However, Devore would be able to make the pass stick and hold onto the lead for the last couple of laps until he crossed the finish line. Walker would finish second in the class while Simpson held on to finish third in the FMF XC3 class.
Team Green Kawasaki’s Nicholas Defeo finished 13th overall and first in the 250 A class, earning him the Buckwheat 100 Top Amateur status. Husqvarna-backed racer, Jason Tino came through 15th overall and second in 250 A, putting him second on the box for the Top Amateur podium, while Coastal GASGAS Racing’s Cole Whitmer rounded out the Top Amateur podium, third on the box, as he came through 23rd overall and first in the Open A class.
250 A Class podium: Nicholas Defeo (center, Kawasaki), Jason Tino (left, Husqvarna), Cole Whitmer (right, GasGas). Mack Faint
As the WXC line took off to start the morning race, it was Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede grabbing the $100 Kanati Tires WXC Holeshot Award as she headed into the woods first. As they continued through the course on lap one, FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Brandy Richards would waste no time making her move to the front of the pack. Richards would come through six seconds ahead of Steede on lap one, but Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer would be lurking back in third as she put on a hard charge towards the front.
Richards would continue to hold the lead, but as the white flag flew indicating one more lap Archer would catch Richards and make a pass for the lead as they headed out onto that last lap of the morning race. Steede would sit third heading into the last lap. Richards would once again turn it up a notch and make the pass back around Archer and hold the lead until she was greeted with the checkered flag at the finish line. Archer would come through to earn second, and Steede would round out the top three WXC finishers.
In the Youth racing action, it was Indiana’s Brody Amos coming through to take the overall and YXC1 Super Mini Sr. (14-15) class win over Illinois’ Travis Lentz and Tennessee’s Brayden Baisley. In the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. (12-13) class it would be Phillip Arnold battling back to take the win over Nash Peerson and Carlo Clary, who rounded out the top three finishers in the class.
Other winners in the youth racing at the Kanati Tires Buckwheat 100 included, Hunter Carey in the 85 Big Wheel (11-15) class, Ace Tokar in the 85 (12-13) class, Deegan Caplinger in the 85 (11) class, Ryder White in the 85 (7-10) class, Hunter Jones in the 65 (10-11) class, Tripp Lewis in the 65 (9) class and Daxton Mullins in the 65 (7-8) class. Sahara Robinson would earn the Girls Super Mini (12-16) class win, while Baylee Arsenault took home the Girls 85 (7-13) class win and Paisley Harris would earn the Girls 65 (7-11) class win. West Virginia native, Wyatt Younker, would try his hand at GNCC Racing and take home the win in the Trail Rider (7-15) class.
On Saturday morning the Micro Bike race got underway, and it would be Tripp Lewis and Daxton Mullins of the MXC1 (8-9) class battling back and forth to take the overall win on the day. Lewis would be able to make a pass stick on Mullins and push for a little bit of a gap by the time he saw the white flag waving. Lewis would hold onto the lead coming through to earn seventh MXC1 and Micro Bike overall win of the season. Mullins would continue to push himself and would cross the line second in class and overall, on the day. Kane Morrison out of the MXC2 (6-8) class would battle through to take the class win, while also landing himself on the overall podium in third.
Rounding out the MXC1 class top three was Ellis Austin, who remains second in the points standings. Cade Propst and Colton Walter would battle back and forth throughout the day as the two came through to round out the MXC2 (6-8) top three finishers. Cash Knecht would take home the 50 Sr. 1 (7) class win, while Carson Zink earned the 50 Sr. 2 (6) class win on the day. Briar Treadway would cross the line first in the 50 Jr. 1 (6-7) class, while Jacobi Duvall would earn his seventh win in the 50 Jr. 2 (4-5) class. Deegan Deel would come through to earn his fifth win of the season in the Micro-E (4-7), while Carson Propst earned another win in the Micro (4-6) Shaft Drive class and remains undefeated thus far in the season. Local Newburg, West Virginia resident, Carter Sapp came out to race and would earn himself the Trail Rider (7-9) class win.
