Grand National Cross Country Racing (GNCC) round nine landed in Snowshoe Mountain Ski Resort for typically tough off-road racing conditions and one-two results for Rocky Mountain red bear Kawasaki boys Josh Toth and Steward Baylor – FMF KTM’s Ben Kelley opens slender points lead ahead of summer break.

As the traditional last GNCC round before the summer break, which this year again includes the ISDE for many of the riders, the annual visit to Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia marks a milestone for the off-road racing season in the US.

2025 proved no different with what points leader Ben Kelley called “the hardest Snowshoe I’ve ever done”, it was the most like a sprint race you could get.

Ricky Russell set the pace early in a race for the physically and mentally tough, but also for the riders who can mix-up their lines, and prove it is not all about outright speed.

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A mid-race charge from Josh Toth on the Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Racing saw the Pro 2 class rider ahead on the track and the time sheets in front of FMF KTM’s Ben Kelley and Landers KTM Grant Davis who later have bike problems.

Steward Baylor was in the mood for a Kawasaki win also and charged hard to catch and pass Toth in the second half of the six lap race. The final lap saw Baylor working overtime to break the tow from Toth who only needed to keep Stew in sight for the overall.

At the flag the RMRB Kawasaki riders crossed the line three seconds apart allowing Toth to take overall and Pro 2 victory, his first of the 2025 GNCC season, ahead of Stew Baylor, second OA and XC1 Pro winner, with Ben Kelley third.

With third place, and Grant Davis down in P11, Ben Kelley opens a small eight-point lead heading to the summer break: “That was gnarly! It was the hardest Snowshoe I’ve ever done. It was hot today and on lap four I was already suffering. I made a mistake at the beginning, so I had to charge through the pack, and I was then yoyo-ing with the leaders, but it was a struggle. I’m so pumped to get to the podium, all things considered, and it feels awesome to bank solid points toward the title.”

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2025 Snowshoe GNCC PM race results:

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Archer untouchable in WXC

WXC class also saw Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team on top but it was no surprise as reigning champion and points leader Rachael Archer grabbed the early lead and held the number one position until the checkered flag for a near six-minute advantage over her nearest rival in class.

Archer holds a 25-point WXC National Championship lead as the series heads into its summer break.

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Enduro Engineering’s Shelby Turner battled from fourth and then fifth on the second lap to get herself in contention for an eventual second place in the tough conditions.

AmPro Yamaha’s Danielle McDonald, again impressing in her debut GNCC season, took third in the WXC class after a hard-fought battle throughout the race to better Korie Steede.

AM Snowshoe overall race results:

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Overall National Championship Standings (after Rnd9):

  1. Benjamin Kelley (194)
  2. Grant Davis (187)
  3. Angus Riordan (148)
  4. Steward Baylor (139)
  5. Cody Barnes (136)
  6. Liam Draper (119)
  7. Josh Toth (106)
  8. Kailub Russell (96)
  9. Craig Delong (96)
  10. Michael Witkowski (93)

 

Photo Credit: Mack Faint

Video Credit: Racer TV