The 2024 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series concluded the Yamaha Racing Ironman GNCC in Crawfordsville, Indiana and a last race win for defending champion, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig Delong.

As the green flag flew and the XC1 Open Pro class took off into the woods, it would be Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Lyndon Snodgrass emerging as the early leader. The Australian has been hampered by bad luck in his maiden XC1 season and howed he has the speed at this final round.

2023 champion, Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig Delong made a pass mid-race and went on to finish almost a minute lead over the rest of the field – a week off in Spain for the ISDE must have done the defending champ some good!

Snodgrass continued to battle with AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper for the second place position and in the end succumbed to the New Zealander with Aussie Snodgrass rounding out the podium at the season finale.

Active Air/Max Motorsports/FXR/Husqvarna’s Evan Smith claimed his best ride of the year with a fourth.

After a mid-pack start, AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell claimed fifth ahead of Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn also suffered a bad start and was only able to make his way up to sixth in XC1 and ninth overall on the day. Ashburn did enough though to finish runner-up (yet again!) in the XC1 behind Johnny Girroir.

Finishing seventh in XC1 was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Ruy Barbosa after a rollercoaster day of back-and-forth inside the top 10. FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Benjamin Kelley would battle his way towards the front, but he would experience some trouble with his rear tire near the end of the race and dropped back to eighth.

JS7 Beta Racing’s Josh Strang would end the season with a ninth in XC1, while Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski rounded out the top 10 in the class.

Championship protagonists absent

New GNCC champ, FMF KTM’s Johnny Girroir sat out this final round with the immenant birth of a child (good luck team Girroir) while a broken wire brought Steward Baylor and Rocky Mountina Red Bear Kawasaki’s season to a disappointing end. 

Maiden win for Toby Cleveland in XC2

In the XC2 250 Pro class, Bells Electric Race Team’s Toby Cleveland took a well-earned victory after grabbing a fast start off line two.

Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes came from behind to take second in the XC2 class after working his way up from a top five start.

FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Angus Riordan had his work cut out from seventh on the opening lap to cross the line third.

FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class

Liqui Moly Factory Beta Racing’s Jhak Walker holding the early lead but would fall victim to a mechanical issue that would take him out of the race on the third lap and putting him sixth in the class and out of the championship contention.

Devore/KTM/FXR/SRS Suspension’s Dakoda Devore would take over the lead on lap two, and went on to claim the win ahead of Enduro Engineering/Wossner Pistons/FXR’s Raley Messer and DW Cycle/G2 Ergonomics’ Jayson Crawford third in class.

PM race results:

Richards rounds out debut season

It was a final WXC class win of the season for “rookie”, FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Brandy Richards. Fresh from the ISDE win, Richards got herself out front from a holeshot and went on to take home the class win at the season finale at Ironman Raceway.

The 10am race saw an all-star cast of MX/SX racers including Ryan Villopoto and Marvin Musquin. RV kickstarted his YZ 250 to ninth overall.

Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer was also settled in second second for the duration of the race, while Tayla Jones made her second appearance of the season and to take third place home in the WXC class.

10 AM race results:

Cade Staats would battle through to earn third overall in the 10am morning race, while Sportsman A (25+) racer Triston Landrum would physically come through in the lead. Other notable finishers in the 10 am morning race were Phil Nicoletti, who finished 4th overall and second in Sportsman A 25+, Ryan Villopoto finishing 9th overall, Barry Hawk finishing 11th overall and Damon Bradshaw finishing 13th overall. Marvin Musquin would also take part in the race but would only complete one lap during the morning race.

In the 8 am Bike AM Race 1 it would be Sam Cline coming through to take overall win and his class, 4-Stroke C Lites, win. Jameson Bolyard would finish second overall and first in the Open C College (16-24) class, while Logan Renninger would round out the top three finishers and earn the win in the 250 C Schoolboy (14-17) class.

More information: www.gnccracing.com 

Photo Credit: Ken Hill