Grand National Cross Country

GNCC Racing was founded in the early 1980s. It is the premier off-road motorcycle and ATV series in North America. The type of racing is most comparable with that of a hare scramble and/or an enduro. Mainly raced on the East coast of the United States, the GNCC series features many tracks with terrain including mountain/hill climbs, creek crossings, log crossings, open dirt roads, and in the case of the Yadkin Valley Stomp GNCC (located in Yadkinville, NC) an old abandoned house is ridden through.

There are 2 Pro GNCC classes. XC1 Pro Class is for any size bikes. The XC2 Lites Class is mainly for riders who are new to Pro class racing that want to stay competitive without having to race with the big Pro riders. The XC2 class is for bikes up to 125cc 2 strokes and 250cc 4 strokes. These classes are also raced in the ATV race but both classes are 0-525cc

Some professional motocross racers have raced GNCCs, including Doug Henry (winner of the 2005 Orange Crush GNCC), Travis Pastrana, Broc Hepler and John Dowd.

Race lengths

*ATVs: 2 hours
*ATV Youth: 45 minutes
*Bike Youth: 90 minutes
*Bikes AM: 2 hours
*Bikes PM: 3 hours (and no less than 2 hours and 45 minutes)

Course lengths vary from track to track, but generallyATVs run an 8-10 mile course, ATV Youth run a 2-3 mile course, Bike Youth run a 3-5 mile course, and Bikes run an 8-12 mile course.

2007 season

Tracks

# March 3-6: The Triton- Vero Beach, Florida
# March 10/11: Maxxis General- Washington, Georgia
# March 24/25: Steele Creek- Morganton, North Carolina
# April 14/15: Pirelli Big Buck- Union, South Carolina
# April 28/29: ITP Loretta Lynn’s- Hurricane Mills, Tennessee (featured at the home of country music star Loretta Lynn)
# May 12/13: Wiseco John Penton- Millfield, Ohio
# June 9/10: The Tire Balls Spartan- Sparta, Kentucky
# June 23/24: Parts Unlimited Snowshoe- Snowshoe, West Virginia
# Sept. 1/2: Mountain Ridge- Somerset, Pennsylvania
# Sept. 15/16: Moose Unadilla- New Berlin, New York
# Sept. 29/30: Elka Yadkin Valley Stomp- Yadkinville, North Carolina
# Oct. 13/14: FMF Power Line Park- St. Clairsville, Ohio
# Oct. 27/28 Klotz Ironman- Crawfordsville, Indiana

Riders (motorcycles)

=xc0-4
#101 David Knight: XC1 Class Team Red Bull KTM (2005 and 2006 World Enduro Champion; 2005 Endurocross Champion; 2007 Endurocross Champion; 2007 GNCC XC1 Champion)
#2 Barry Hawk: Team Am-Pro Yamaha (2003 GNCC Bike Champion; 7-time GNCC ATV Champion )
#3 Charles Mullins: Team Am-Pro Yamaha (2005 GNCC 250 A class Champion)
#4 Glen Kearney: Team Suzuki (Australian Enduro Champion)
#5 Paul Whibley: Team Moose Honda (5th Overall in 1st GNCC season)
#7 Robbie Jenks: Team Red Bull KTM (2006 AMA National Hare Scrambles Champion)
#8 Jimmy Jarrett: Team FMF Suzuki (3 Time OMA Champion)
#9 Shane Watts: Team Fun Mart Cycles Yamaha (2000 GNCC Bike Champion)
#12 Jesse Robinson: Team Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki (2006 250-A Class GNCC Champion)
#13 Garrett Edminsten: Team Kawasaki
#15 Travis Green: Green Demon Motorsports Husqvarna (2005 AMA National Harescramble 250A Champion, 2005 AMA Mid-South Harescramble 250A Champion))
#20 Bryan Henson: KTM (2004 NCHSA Champion)
#31 Rodney Smith: Team Suzuki (5-Time GNCC Bike Champion)
#100 Jason Raines: Team AM-Pro Yamaha (2-time AMA National Hare Scrambles Champion)
#114 Joshua Strang: Team FMF Suzuki

=XC2 Class=
#11 Justin Williamson: Team Red Bull KTM (2007 GNCC XC2 Champion)
#15 Scott Watkins: Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki
#17 Thad Duvall: Team Am-Pro Yamaha (Two-Time GNCC Youth Overall Champion, GNCC 200 B Champion)
#28 Morgan Green: Green Demon Motorsports Husqvarna (2006 AMA National Harescramble 4-StrokeA Champion, 2006 AMA Mid-South Harescramble Light A Champion)
#31 Rodney Smith: Team FMF Suzuki (5-Time GNCC Champion)
#33 JT Bennett: Team TDI-Geico Racing (2006 GNCC 200-A Champion)
#59 Cole Calkins: Team Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki (2001 GNCC 250 A Champion, 2000 GNCC 200 A Champion, 1999 GNCC 200 A Champion, 1998 GNCC 200 B Champion, 1996 and 1997 GNCC Youth Champion)
#151 P.A. Allen: Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki (2004 GNCC 250 A Champion, Mid-South Hare Scrambles Champion)
#577 Christopher Robertson: Team ThumperTalk.com Yamaha

=GNCC Legends=
#10 Fred Andrews: Team Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki (1993 GNCC Bike Champion)
#111 Juha Salminen: Team KTM Factory Off-Road (2005 and 2006 GNCC Champion, 12-time World Enduro Champion, 2006 ISDE Overall Champion)
#222 Randy Hawkins: Team Am-Pro Yamaha (7-time AMA National Enduro Champion)-Scott Summers: Team Parts Unlimited/Moose Honda (5-time GNCC Bike Champion, 4-time AMA National Hare Scrambles Champion, 1991 and 1992 Blackwater 100 Overall Champion)
-Mark Hyde (4-Time Blackwater 100 Overall Champion)
-Scott Plessinger (2-Time GNCC Champion)
-Ed Lojak (5-Time GNCC Champion)Lojaks Yamaha
Rodney Smith: 5-time GNCC champion Team Suzuki

Riders (ATV)

#1 Bill Ballance: Team Yamaha (8 - Time GNCC ATV Champion)
#2 Chris Borich: Team East Coast ATV (GNCC Amateur ATV Champion)
#3 William Yokley: Team Yoshimura Suzuki
#4 Chris Jenks: Team GT Thunder (Runner-up, 2004 GNCC Pro AM Championship)
#5 Matt Smiley: Team Safari Motorsports/Polaris
#6 Brandon Ballance: Team Ballance Racing Yamaha
#7 Bryan Baker: Team K&K ATV
#8 Andris Lagzdins: Team Dirt First/Duncan Racing
#9 Adam McGill: (2005 GNCC Pro AM Champion)

Teams

There are several big name manufacturers of off-road bikes that have a factory GNCC racing team including;

*Team KTM Off-Road
*Team Am-Pro Yamaha
*Team Suzuki Off-Road
*Team Monster Energy/Pro Circuit Kawasaki

While Honda does not have a factory racing team, Scott Summers, a 5 time GNCC champion, has raced Hondas for a long time running, mostly racing the Honda XRs, typically on the Honda XR 600.

Blackwater 100 and GNCC History

The Blackwater 100 was a GNCC race that was first raced in 1975 and was last raced in 1993. Dave Coombs Sr. started the race which took place in the small town of Davis, West Virginia.

The name "Blackwater" comes from nearby Blackwater falls and 100 for the number of miles in the race. The Blackwater was known as "America's Toughest Race","The Indy 500 of off-road racing" or "The Father's Day Massacre" due to its rugged terrain and other obstacles.

When the Blackwater was first raced in 1975 the GNCC series had not yet started up, and after a few years the AMA started the National Hare scramble Series with different promoters throughout the country. Meanwhile Dave and Rita Coombs were holding several 100 mile long events and became know as the Wiseco 100 Miler Series, which eventually became the GNCC series. The GNCC series has experienced much growth, 3 wheelers were added in 1983 and ATVs became popular a few years later. By this point, the Blackwater 100 was one of the most famous races in America and its reputation only grew when film producer Jeffrey Grubert produced "Blackwater 100 The Video" in 1990, "Blackwater Revisited" in 1991 "Blackwater Trilogy" in 1992 and "Blackwater Blackout" in 1993. Some of the most insane shots in the videos were of the infamous Route 93 stream crossing. It was a near vertical assault on muddy clay banks and it was even worse when it was raining. The fans would form a human wall on the top of the banks and would catch bikes and ATVs when the riders could not make it all the way up the bank, these fans became known as the "Mud Fleas". Year after year, the fans became more rambunctious. They were in the parking lot mud bogging with dune buggies and 4-wheelers. They would also splash water on the riders as they went through the river crossings. In the video of the 1993 event Dave Coombs said that the party at the race was "an insane asylum, and the patients are running it" he also referred to the campground as "Derelict Drive". After the 1993 event, a study found that e-coli levels in nearby creeks and rivers had risen to unhealthy levels. The local power company, whose land encompassed much of the track, did not want an e-coli outbreak on their property. Once this private land was no longer available the legendary race was history.

In 1990 Tommy Norton won the Blackwater riding a 125cc KTM he was the only rider to win on a 125.Scott Summers won the Blackwater in 1991 and 1992 riding a Honda XR600 which was the biggest bike to ever win the Blackwater.

Past GNCC Bike Champs

2007 David Knight KTM Isle of Man, UK
2006 Juha Salminen KTM Vantaa, Finland
2005 Juha Salminen KTM Vantaa, Finland
2004 Rodney Smith SUZ Antioch, CA
2003 Barry Hawk, Jr. YAM Smithfield, PA
2002 Rodney Smith SUZ Antioch, CA
2001 Rodney Smith SUZAntioch, CA
2000 Shane Watts KTM Maffra, Australia
1999 Rodney Smith SUZ Oakley, CA
1998 Rodney Smith SUZ Oakley, CA
was last raced in 20071997 Scott Summers HON Petersburg, KY
1996 Scott Summers HON Petersburg, KY
1995 Scott Plessinger KTM Hamilton, OH
1994 Scott Plessinger KTM Hamilton, OH
1993 Fred Andrews YAM Salem, OH
1992 Scott Summers HON Petersburg, KY
1991 Scott Summers HON Petersburg, KY
1990 Scott Summers HON Petersburg, KY
1989 Ed Lojak YAM Tarentum, PA
1988 Ed Lojak HUS Tarentum, PA
1987 Ed Lojak HUS Tarentum, PA
1986 Ed Lojak HUS Tarentum, PA
1985 Jim Maltba KTM Mount Clare, WV
1984 Ed Lojak HUS Tarentum, PA

Past GNCC ATV Champs

2007 Bill Ballance YAM Oakland, KY
2006 Bill Ballance YAM Oakland, KY
2005 Bill Ballance YAM Oakland, KY
2004 Bill Ballance YAM Oakland, KY
2003 Bill Ballance LRD Oakland, KY
2002 Bill Ballance LRD Oakland, KY
2001 Bill Ballance ROL Oakland, KY
2000 Bill Ballance ROL Oakland, KY
1999 Barry Hawk, Jr. LAE Smithfield, PA
1998 Barry Hawk, Jr. LAE Smithfield, PA
1997 Barry Hawk, Jr. LAE Smithfield, PA
1996 Barry Hawk, Jr. LAE Smithfield, PA
1995 Barry Hawk, Jr. LAE Smithfield, PA
1994 Barry Hawk, Jr. LAE Smithfield, PA
1993 Barry Hawk, Jr. LAE Smithfield, PA
1992 Bob Sloan HON Martinsville, IN
1991 Chuck Delullo HON St. Marys, PA
1990 Chuck Delullo HON St. Marys, PA
1989 Bob Sloan HON Martinsville, IN
1988 Chuck Delullo HON St. Marys, PA
1987 Tom Tokay HON Webster, PA
1986 Tom Tokay HON Webster, PA
1985 Tom Tokay HON Webster, PA
1984 Ted Trey HON Frederick, MD

External links

* [http://www.gnccracing.com Official website]
* [http://www.juhasalminen.net Official Juha Salminen website]
* [http://www.amproracing.com Official Team AM Pro Yamaha website]