The 2025 Grand National Cross Country season picks back up after the summer break with the Buckwheat 100 GNCC in Newburg, West Virginia and a third win of the season for Landers KTM rider Grant Davis ahead of a freight train of riders fighting for the podium.

After consultation with the riders and teams, the traditional start rows were amended to instead set riders off in championship position order. This meant the front row of 20 was a mix of XC1 and XC2 riders, a move to make the racing more equal given the two classes both race for the overall championship.

Getting a good start at a race acknowledged as harder to pass than some venues, the eventual race winner Grant Davis dropped the Landers KTM right off the start, at turn three, putting himself at a deficit from the get-go.

Check that crash in the recap highlights: 2025 Buckwheat GNCC Round 10 Recap

Baylor lets the lead go

Trading the lead for much of the Buckwheat 100 was a determined-looking Steward Baylor who headed a train of riders, proving the point that the Buckwheat is one of the most competitive races in the calendar as riders come back from the summer break pumped and ready for a result. Unfortunately for Baylor he and his team made a fuel miscalulation and Kawasaki ran dry, dropping him to P11.

The last lap of seven saw Davis on a serious charge, climbing back for not only his seventh XC2 250 Pro Class win of 2025, but third overall victory of the year: “I was chasing a good start today, I got one, and then I was too pumped up about it and went down in turn three! That wasn’t a great way to begin, and making passes here was so hard, so I made it difficult on myself coming back through.

“I made a pass for the lead on the final lap, and then I managed to pull away a little bit, so I’m pumped to come away with the overall win. I wanted that win today – I’m comfortable on my bike right now and ready to bring it at the next race.”

Posting remarkably consistent lap times, Jordan Ashburn claimed the runner-up spot on the Buckwheat podium after a race-long battle with, well, everyone in the top six or so.

Three of Ashburn’s seven laps were down to exactly the same second as the fast riders dipped just under the 30-minute mark per lap. The former champion Ashburn just got the better of Liam Draper and Craig Delong as that trio came in within seconds of each other after an intense final lap.

Cody Barnes came home second in XC2 and fifth overall ahead of the demoted points leader Ben Kelley and another rider fresh off ISDE special tests, Josh Strang. Mike Witkowski, Angus Riordan and Kailub Russell completed the top 10.

Buckwheat 100 PM race results:

2025 GNCC standings after round 10:

Steede back from ISDE with a bang

Korie Steede took victory in the AM race, overall and in class, with the top three WXC riders – Steede, Brandy Richards and Danielle Macdonald – also claiming the scratch podium. All three are also fresh back from Italy and the ISDE and put the short tests behind them to tick off the results ahead of championship leader Rachael Archer in fourth place. Archer continues to lead the WXC series by 257 points to 244 for Steede.

Buckwheat 100 AM race results:

Photo Credit: Mack Faint