The Wiseco John Penton Grand National Cross Country (GNCC)
event, held June 1 in
Millfield, OH, featured both ATV and side-by-side
vehicle racing. Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs pilot Kyle Chaney won the UTV
XC1 Modified class in the third round of the six-race SxS series. Can-Am X-Team
racer Michael Swift finished third on the UTV XC2 Limited class podium with his
Team UXC Racing-backed Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs. During round seven of the
ATV portion of the series, Can-Am 4x4 racers won five morning classes, led by
U2 class winner Rob Smith, who also earned second overall on the morning podium
with his Renegade 800R X xc.
"I was very pleased with our Can-Am racers' results at The
John Penton GNCC round in Ohio,"
said Can-Am race manager Jimmie O'Dell. "We had the most successful weekend of
racing ever from our side-by-side racers. Kyle Chaney drove an outstanding race
to earn the first GNCC UTV XC1 Modified class overall victory with the Can-Am
Maverick 1000R X rs. We had six Can-Am side-by-side vehicles finish inside the
top 10 of the XC1 class and earned at least one podium in every GNCC SxS class.
Our Can-Am Renegade and Outlander racers continue to dominate the morning
racing as we won all five 4x4 classes, highlighted by Rob Smith's second-place
finish on the GNCC overall podium."
Starting from the third row, Kyle Chaney and co-pilot Denny
Napier pulled their row's holeshot and were quickly on the heels of the
second-row racers. From there, the JB Off-Road/Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs pilot
set his sights on the leaders. He quickly moved into sixth after lap one on
adjusted time. With two laps remaining, Chaney caught up with the race leaders
and kept his Can-Am in contention for the race overall. He became the overall
XC1 class race leader on the final lap, based on adjusted time. Chaney went on
to win his first GNCC UTV XC1 Modified class victory with the Can-Am Maverick
1000R side-by-side. He is tied for second in the UTV XC1 Modified class with
three UTV rounds remaining.
"The Maverick 1000R worked awesome," said Chaney. "I knew the
speed and ability was there; we just needed some luck and we got it. I know
that this will be the first of more wins. My setup is dialed in, so I am not
changing anything heading into the Masontown GNCC."
Can-Am drivers earned six of the top 10 UTV XC1 Modified
class finishes. JB Off-Road's Tim Farr and co-pilot Julie Farr earned sixth
place in Ohio.
Team Zakowski Motorsports' Zac Zakowski edged Louis Powersports/Can-Am X-Team
racer Cody Miller for seventh. Larry Hendershot (Team HP/NC 44) was ninth ahead
of Team NC Powersports' Stuart Weeks.
In the UTV XC2 Limited class, Michael Swift (Team UXC Racing/Can-Am)
drove his Can-Am Maverick to a podium finish. The third-place finish was his
best of the UTV season.
In ATV action, Rob Smith (Can-Am X-Team) won the U2 class,
took second on the GNCC overall morning podium and the top spot on the 4x4
podium. Round seven was his third class win with his Can-Am Renegade ATV.
Can-Am Renegade racer Jordan Phillips took second. Swift, who also competed in
the ATV morning race on his Team UXC Racing/Can-Am Renegade, finished third and
trails Smith by four points heading into round eight.
Bryan Buckhannon led the 4x4 Open class from the first lap
to the finish, winning by almost a full minute over Can-Am racers Sam Williams
and Zakowski. Buchannon is now a perfect 7-for-7 in the 4x4 Open class this
year on his ATV Parts Plus/Can-Am Outlander 800R.
Can-Am Outlander 500 4x4 pilot and defending 4x4 Lites class
champion Kevin Trantham won his class by more than 10 minutes and also earned
fifth overall in the morning race. Scott Day and Bill Nativio finished second
and third, respectively, on their Can-Am ATVs. Forrest Whorton won the 4x4
Senior (40+) class for the fourth time this year. Chris Gray and David Jessee
made it an all-Can-Am podium, earning second and third. Chad Moret, who won his
first race of 2013, and Ryan Smith went 1-2 in the 4x4 Novice class on their Can-Am ATVs.
JB Off-Road/Can-Am DS 450 Pro Jarrod McClure finished 11th
in the XC1 ATV Pro class and 25th overall. He's currently ranked eighth in
the class points race.
