2024 Big Buck GNCC Report
America’s Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series kicked off with the season opener at the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC in Union, South Carolina. Cold temperatures but some red hot battles on the track throughout the course of the weekend.
As the afternoon race got underway it was AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell jumping off the line first to grab the holeshot. However, it didn’t seem to take FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Jonathan Girroir long to make the pass for the lead as they made their way through the course on the opening lap.
Girroir continued to hold the lead with Russell behind him in second for the first four laps of the race. Russell would unfortunately fall back to sixth as they came through the finish line with one lap remaining. Rocky Mountain Red Bear Steward Baylor had made the necessary moves coming from sixth place to third and then into second by the time the white flag was flying. Girroir was ahead by 25 seconds, but Baylor continued to push on as they came into the finish line it was Girroir earning his second career overall win with an 11 second lead over Baylor who earned second overall at the opening round in South Carolina.
Team Green’s Grant Baylor had his work cut out for him as he started back in 14 place on the first lap. Grant put his head down and kept on pushing as the laps continued, Grant made the necessary moves to put himself in contention for a podium on the last lap before then making the pass on Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn for third on the last lap, and ultimately crossing the finish line to earn the last podium spot.
After running inside the top five for the duration of the race, Ashburn had found himself in third place during the last lap, however, Baylor would make the pass stick on Ashburn before coming into the finish line. Ashburn held on to finish out the day fourth overall.
Evan Smith put in a great ride at the opening round of the 2024 season as he battled back from a 13th place start to the day to having his career best finish of fifth overall and in the XC1 Open Pro class. AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell would have a good start to his day as he was running in second at the beginning, but would ultimately fall back to sixth in the XC1 class and eighth overall.
Another rider having to battle back after a rough start to the day was Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Trevor Bollinger. As the race got underway, Bollinger would find himself back in tenth and then as far back as 14th on the second lap. However, Bollinger continued to push on and would make his way up to seventh in the XC1 class and tenth overall on the day. FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Dante Oliveira returned to race some GNCC events while team-mate, Ben Kelley, is recovering from surgery due to a lingering injury. Oliveira remained inside the top ten of the XC1 competitors for the duration of the race as he crossed the line eighth in class.
Aboard his new ride, JS7 Sherco Racing’s Josh Strang had his work cut out of him as he did not get off to the start he hoped for. The Australian came through at the back of the pack on lap one, but steadily made his way up to inside the top ten of the XC1 class by the conclusion of the race. Strang finishing ninth in XC1, and would come through just outside of the top ten overall with a 12th overall finishing position.
Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski would round out the top ten XC1 class finishers after three-hours of racing, and would find himself 13th overall at the season opener.
Unfortunately for the defending National Champion, Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig DeLong he would finish 11th in the XC1 class, and 14th overall on the day after running up in third for the first half of the race. DeLong would make a little mistake with two laps to go, ending in a significant crash which twisted up his bike. DeLong would try to push on but would fall back again before crossing the finish line.
Josh Strang
“A LOT of hard work has gone into building this team! By no means am I satisfied with my result but I’m very happy with how the first race went. We missed the mark on a bit of bike setup but I also missed the mark on how I rode, so for the first round we will take it. Excited to start the year and look forward to more! Was cool to see so much interest in the new program!”
XC1 Pro Event Results
- Jonathan Girroir (KTM)
- Steward Baylor (KAW)
- Grant Baylor (KAW)
- Jordan Ashburn (GAS)
- Evan Smith (HQV)
- Ricky Russell (YAM)
- Trevor Bollinger (HQV)
- Dante Oliveira (KTM)
- Josh Strang (SHR)
- Michael Witkowski (HON)
Overall National Championship Standings
- Jonathan Girroir (30)
- Steward Baylor (25)
- Grant Baylor (21)
- Jordan Ashburn (18)
- Evan Smith (16)
- Angus Riordan (15)
- Liam Draper (14)
- Ricky Russell (13)
- Grant Davis (12)
- Trevor Bollinger (11)
XC2 250 Pro
The XC2 250 Pro was an exciting one to watch at round one as FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers’ Angus Riordan and defending champion, AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper, went back-and-forth for the majority of the race.
Draper would come from behind to make the pass on Riordan, but as the checkered flag flew it would be Riordan coming through just 2.2 seconds ahead of Draper to earn the win at round one.
FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers’ Grant Davis would hold on to finish third in the class, and land himself on the podium. Team Enduro Engineering’s Josh Toth and XC2 rookie, Bells Electric Race Team’s Toby Cleveland would round out the top five finishers in the XC2 250 Pro class.
XC2 250 Pro Event Results
- Angus Riordan (KTM)
- Liam Draper (YAM)
- Grant Davis (KAW)
- Joshua Toth (HON)
- Toby Cleveland (HQV)
- Thad Duvall (KAW)
- Jonathan Johnson (BET)
- Jesse Ansley (KAW)
- Brody Johnson (HON)
- Ruy Barbosa (HON)
XC2 250 Pro Series Standings
- Angus Riordan (30)
- Liam Draper (25)
- Grant Davis (21)
- Joshua Toth (18)
- Toby Cleveland (16)
- Thad Duvall (15)
- Jonathan Johnson (14)
- Jesse Ansley (13)
- Brody Johnson (12)
- Ruy Barbosa (11)
FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am
Devore/KTM/FXR/SRS Suspension’s Dakoda Devore would come through to earn the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class win at round one in South Carolina. Devore would have to work his way up to first after running back in third on the opening lap.
Halls Cycles/Walker Builders LLC/O’Neal’s Jhak Walker is the one Devore would need to pass as he held the lead position for the first three laps of the race. Walker would remain second as he crossed the finish line at the end of the race. Destructo Racing/Dixie Fuel/Prescription Tune Suspension’s Dustin Simpson had a consistent race in the FMF XC3 class at round one, cruising into land the last spot on the podium with a third in the class.
Earning the Top Amateur honor was Jason Tino, who came through in the 18th overall finishing position, and also crossed the finish line first in the 250 A class. Nicholas DeFeo came through 21st overall and took second on the Top Amateur Podium as he also scored second in 250 A. Gavin Simon rounded out the Top Amateur Podium as he came through in 23rd overall and third in the 250 A class.
In the 10 am race it was the WXC racers taking off first with FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers’ Brandy Richards earning herself the first $100 Kanati Performance Tires WXC Holeshot Award.
Richards would continue to lead the race for the opening lap before Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer made the pass stick on Richards. Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede would follow Archer, making the pass for second on Richards and look to battle for the win.
As the race continued on, Archer would continue to hold the lead while Steede and Richards continued to push on behind her. Archer would come through to earn the first WXC bike win of the season, while Steede and Richards held on to round out the top three WXC podium. Cade Henderson of Sportsman A (12-24) class would come through first overall in the race.
Due to the number of riders, the bike amateur race is split into two separate races on Sunday, and in the 8 am morning race it would be Cayden Johnson coming through to earn the overall win and 250 C Schoolboy (14-17) class win.
Logan Renninger would come through second overall and to take second in the 250 C Schoolboy class as well. Maddox Moretz would round out the top three overall finishers, while earning himself a 4-Stroke C Lites class win. Austin Franklin would come through to earn the Warrior class win in the 8 am race, while Evan Yoest and Matt Modic rounded out the class podium.
With the modified scheduled at Big Buck, the Bike Youth race took place at 4 p.m. on Saturday, and saw the defending Youth Overall Champion, Caleb Wood earn the overall and YXC1 Super Mini Sr. (14-15) class win.
Brayden Baisley would contest for the win also, as he and Wood battled back and forth for a couple of the laps. However, Baisley would hold on and cross the finish line second overall and in the YXC1 class. Brody Amos had a consistent race at Big Buck as he held third for the majority of the race, crossing the line with the final overall and YXC1 podium position.
After making the switch late last year to the YXC2 Super Mini Jr. (12-13), Travis Lentz would battle through to earn the class win with an over a 30 second lead. Hayden Dupuis would battle with Lentz at one point in the race, but would be unable to hold him off. Dupuis would finish second in the class, followed by Colby Goodman rounding out the YXC2 podium.
Colton McQuarrie would come through to take home the 85 Big Wheel (11-15) class win, while Ace Tokar earned the 85 (12-13) class win. In the 85 (11) class it would be Deegan Caplinger capturing the class win, as Gage Lane earned the 85 (7-10) class win.
Hunter Jones would come through to take the 65 (10-11) class win, Brinn Buly would earn the 65 (9) class win and in the 65 (7-8) class it would be Kane Morrison earning the win. The Girls Super Mini (12-16) class saw Madison Kazmir come through to take the class win at round one, and in the Girls 85 (7-13) it was Sahara Robinson taking home the win. Vaida Lavergne earned the Girls 65 (7-11) class win and Riley Bauer would take part in the Trail Rider (7-15) class, earning the win.
The second round of the 2024 Progressive GNCC Racing Series will take place on March 2 and 3, 2024 in Palatka Florida with the Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC at Hog Waller Mud Bog and ATV Park.
$10 Million Contingency for 2024 Pro Motocross Championship
MX Sports Pro Racing has announced the financial contribution that will be made available by competing manufacturers this summer during the 2024 Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing.
Collectively, GASGAS, Honda, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki, and Yamaha have combined to provide $10,496,200 in posted contingency awards for racers this summer. The addition of Triumph Motorcycles to the starting gate for the 2024 season adds an eighth manufacturer to American motocross competition and the storied British brand is currently in the process of developing its own contingency program that will bring even more financial benefits to racers.
The contingency resources contribute to the growing financial investment around the SuperMotocross World Championship, which features nearly $26 million in combined OEM contingency across the Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship, the Pro Motocross Championship, and the SuperMotocross World Championship Playoffs and Final, in addition to the more than $10 million in prize money up for grabs across each respective championship and postseason.
Roy Janson – Commissioner of Motocross, MX Sports Pro Racing
“Thanks to a steadfast financial commitment from our competing manufacturers, the competitive foundation of the Pro Motocross Championship, and the SuperMotocross World Championship as a whole, is healthier than ever, with the primary intent to benefit our highly skilled athletes. In Pro Motocross alone we’ve seen an increase of more than one million dollars in OEM contingency for the upcoming season and are eagerly anticipating a further diversification of motorcycles in our paddock with the addition of Triumph Racing. Under the unified effort that is the SMX League, the sport is bigger and better than ever, with a bright future ahead as organizers and manufacturers alike continue to prioritize the very individuals who make SMX the premier level of off-road racing by laying it all on the line each and every weekend.”
The 2024 Pro Motocross Championship is the centerpiece of the SuperMotocross World Championship, with an 11-round summer schedule that will visit 10 different states from late May through the end of August. The season will kick off on Memorial Day Weekend in Southern California with the Fox Raceway National on Saturday, May 25, from Fox Raceway at Pala.
Luke Killeen wins 2024 West Australian Speedway Motorcycle Solo Championship
David Cheshire has shared the down-low on the West Australian Speedway Motorcycle Solo Championship from over the weekend where Luke Killeen cleaned up:
2024 ProMX Championship awarded FIM Oceania status
In a nod to the increasing stature of the Penrite ProMX Championship presented by AMX Superstores, the 2024 instalment has been awarded FIM Oceania Motocross Championship status. The FIM Oceania appointment will apply to the Thor MX1 class for the eight-round 2024 season, which begins in Wonthaggi (Vic) on Sunday, March 17.
The top three Thor MX1 riders at the end of the season will be officially acknowledged at the ProMX Championship presentation ceremony with an FIM Oceania trophy and medallions.
After shaking off the vestiges of the pandemic, ProMX has been on a relentless growth curve over the last two years – and the FIM Oceania status confirms its benchmark status as the premier motocross championship in the Oceania region.
ProMX also introduced the MAXXIS MX3 class to help fast-track the development of emerging talent into the senior ranks.
Peter Doyle – President of FIM Oceania
“What ProMX has been able to achieve in just three seasons is incredible. It was basically rewriting all the old national motocross rules across just about every metric, which was a huge challenge but one where everyone rose to the challenge of providing an international-standard product. In 2024, the level of professionalism, buzz and excitement around ProMX is amazing, and the FIM Oceania had no hesitation in acknowledging that success with championship status. With round one of the 2024 ProMX and FIM Oceania Championships only a month away, I wish teams and riders all the best in the build-up to another brilliant season.”
Team Australia at 2024 Trial des Nations applications open
Motorcycling Australia (MA) have called for applications from both riders and minders to join Team Australia for the 2024 FIM Trial des Nations (TdN), which will be held in Spain on September 21-22.
For locally based personnel, the time commitment away from Australia will be approximately 10 days, which will include a pre-event training camp.
For more information on the 2024 TdN, click here.
If you wish to apply:
• Team Australia rider applications (link)
• Team Australia minder applications (link)
Once the application process is complete, the MA Trial Commission will recommend three male and three female riders to MA for final approval. The national team selection policy is here (link).
Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing team gears up for 2024
The Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing team is gearing up for 2024, with three top-tier riders locked and loaded, as well as a winter of intensive preparation in the books, the first gate dropping March 10.
Jorge Prado will defend his MXGP world championship title with Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing, while Simon Längenfelder is eyeing improvement on his impressive back-to-back third place finishes in the MX2 World Championship. New to the team, talent Marc-Antoine Rossi is now living his dream with Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing.
Defending 2023 MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado has taken an unconventional yet effective approach to his off-season, focusing on the US-based Supercross series before returning to Europe to fine-tune his MXGP setup.
Jorge Prado – MXGP
“This off-season has been completely different from the others, as I have been preparing myself for Supercross. I have been in California for a couple of months and have completed four races. But now that I am back in Europe, my focus is on getting the bike dialed for the upcoming MXGP season. We were testing as soon as I got back and are putting everything together for the season now. I think we have a great package. I plan to complete one race before the first GP of the year in Argentina. For the moment, I’m feeling really good – I’m healthy and really looking forward to more training and testing in the run-up to the first race!”
In MX2, 20-year-old Simon Längenfelder enters his third year with the team. The talented German rider has competed in GASGAS colors since the manufacturer debuted in the Grand Prix series in 2020; after which, he signed to the elite Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing awning for the 2022 FIM Motocross World Championship.
Simon Längenfelder – MX2
“Now it’s my third year with the Red Bull GASGAS Factory team. We know each other really well and we know how to work together and how to get the best out of the bike. I’m really happy and looking forward to the start of the 2024 season. I’ve had a great off-season, and to be honest, I have learned a lot from the past few years, so I think I can improve this year. My goals are to stay healthy all season long, keep a cool head, and show everyone what I can do. Then hopefully we will see where we end up – hopefully far out front!”
Newcomer to the team, and a widely tipped breakout talent of the 2023 FIM Motocross World Championship, is Marc-Antoine Rossi. The young Frenchman stated it is a dream come true to have joined the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing team. Rossi’s winter training in Belgium and Italy, under the guidance of team manager and coach Davide De Carli, has focused on enhancing his performance across different terrains.
Marc-Antoine Rossi – MX2
“I can finally say that I am a factory rider for Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing – and it’s a dream come true! I made a big change at the end of 2023 when I moved to Rome – living far from my parents. But in this team, I found an Italian family, so I’m very happy with the whole situation. I have worked hard since day one during the winter, and I spent more than one month in Belgium, improving on my soft pack performance. Now I have headed back to Italy to continue training on hard pack surfaces. Davide is not only my team manager; he’s my coach too. He’s following me step by step. I can’t thank the De Carli family enough! Having the MXGP world champion as a teammate is a real honor for me, and it pushes me to improve even faster. Now my goal in 2024 is to reach the top five, and I’ll do my best for that!”
With the season set to go live on March 10 for the MXGP of Patagonia-Argentina, the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing squad is looking forward to showcasing their hard work, talent, and determination on the global stage.
Davide De Carli – Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing Team Manager
“Looking ahead to the 2024 season, the feeling within the Red Bull GASGAS Factory Racing team is very good. Having Jorge, our defending MXGP champion, alongside the incredible talent of Simon Längenfelder in MX2, and welcoming the fresh energy of our new signing, Marc-Antoine Rossi, in MX2, we are excited for an extraordinary year. Each rider brings a unique strength and determination to the team, and together, we share a single goal: to bring the speed, defend our titles, and reach new heights. We’ve prepared very thoroughly, everyone is feeling in top condition. For sure, the competition is tough, but we are more than ready.”
2024 Junior e-MX Series registrations open
Registration for the 2024 Junior e-Motocross Series is now officially open. Returning for a fourth term after being co-created between Infront Moto Racing and KTM AG in 2021, the 2024 edition of the e-powered racing series will kick off in May at the MXGP of France. With last year’s edition attracting full gates of 40 young riders at every event, parents and guardians of interested riders are encouraged to sign up now to be in with a chance of securing a place.
For 2024, the Junior e-Motocross Series will once again be contested over five rounds. The same racing format is also retained for the new season with all 40 riders taking to the track for a short qualifying session to determine gate pick, before lining up for two races in front of thousands of spectators. And just like the stars of the FIM Motocross World Championship, the top three riders overall will climb onto the podium to celebrate their success after their second moto.
The simple entry requirements for 2024 are that riders must be aged between 6-8 years old (age taken on January 1, 2024) and ride an electric-powered KTM SX-E 5, GASGAS MC-E 5, or Husqvarna EE 5. A commitment to entering at least three rounds must also be made with successful entrants receiving a special care package consisting of branded merchandise dependent on the bike they will compete on.
To secure a place on the start line and discover everything there is to know about the Junior e-Motocross Series, visit – www.junioremotocross.com
2024 Junior e-Motocross Series Calendar
- Round 1: 19 May – MXGP of France – St. Jean d-Angely
- Round 2: 2 June – MXGP of Germany – Teutschenthal
- Round 3: 20 July – MXGP of Czech Republic – Loket
- Round 4: 21 July – MXGP of Czech Republic – Loket
- Round 5: 25 August – MXGP of Switzerland – Frauenfeld
Team HRC dominate E-Xplorer opener
The E-Xplorer season opener was dominated by newcomers Team HRC, claiming victory in their native Japan at the opening round of the 2024 FIM E-Xplorer World Cup.
Team HRC’s competitors were not giving the newcomer an easy ride however, and with 132 championship points, Round 1 was secured by the factory team by just one point.
Hot on their heels and finishing the weekend in second place was Robbie Maddison Racing (renamed from Madwill in 2023) achieving 131 points. RMR riders Zaragoza and Germond pushed Team HRC right to the end but were ultimately pipped to the post.
Just behind RMR in third place came the second of the new 2024 teams, INDE Racing with 121 points. Achieving a podium position on debut laid down a strong marker for the Indian-based outfit and they will look to retain their pace throughout the season.
HRC riders Francesca Nocera and Tosha Schareina battled 14 other riders over three individual races at Osaka’s Expo ’70 Commemorative Park, putting in consistently fast times despite the unique conditions and challenges.
In the rider stakes, INDE Racing’s Sandra Gomez took the honours as the weekend’s fastest female rider, while RMR’s Jorge Zaragoza stood on the top spot as the fastest male rider.
Congestion at the start of the women’s first of three races caused an altercation between AUS-E rider Jess Gardiner and Team HRC’s Nocera, pushing both riders to the back of the pack. That left Gravity’s Tanya Schlosser and Gomez to fight it out for first with the INDE Racing entry crossing the line first.
With another clean start, Schareina led at the start of the men’s second race but had the lead snatched from him at turn two as a dominant Zaragoza capitalised on small errors. As the RMR rider defended the front spot, a second battle emerged in the mid-pack with Alex Andreis of Gravity, Bonnell rider Dylan Woodcock and INDE’s Spenser Wilton exchanging places right up to the line.
German rider Schlosser’s consistently fast and flawless starts shot the Gravity rider into the lead during the second of the women’s heats, but Nocera’s aggression and experience soon closed the gap and the Italian rider passed to take the lead, while Gomez also managed to push past into second.
However, Nocera held onto the lead and claimed a win in the second heat, securing Team HRC’s first-ever win in an electric series and a historic milestone in the venerable brand’s motorsport story.
An unstoppable Zaragoza quickly established the lead in the third and final Men’s race, finding his way to the front and staying there. Despite a consistently paced ride from Schareina and Woodcock, the Spanish RMR rider pulled out an impressive 20-second lead over the eight-minute race.
The women’s final race for the day appeared to be a carbon copy of the second with Schlosser blasting into the lead at the start before being hunted down and passed by Nocera. Simultaneously, a fired-up Gomez overtook third-place Bonnell rider Kristie McKinnon for wall-to-wall action across the track.
In the individual standings, Gomez dominated for an overall first place, Nocera finished the day in second, while Schlosser was the day’s third fastest female rider.
Both Gomez and Schlosser ran on Stark, giving the manufacturer a double podium in the Women’s individual category.
With almost unbeatable pace, Zaragoza was the fastest male rider, Schareina ended the day in second place while Woodcock took third place on the podium – a particularly impressive feat given the British rider had switched to a less powerful spare bike for the day.
With the first round of the 2024 FIM E-Xplorer World Cup successfully wound up, all eyes look to round two which returns to Europe and Norway in early May.
