Valcourt, Québec – Can-Am Renegade 800R X xc racer Kevin Trantham won the inaugural running of the 4x4 Pro class and 10 a.m. session overall at round one of the 2014 Amosil Grand National Cross Country series in Florida. Can-Am 4x4 racers won a total of two morning classes and earned eight total 4x4 class podium finishes out of a possible 12 at the opening round of the national cross-country series.
“We’re extremely happy for Kevin Trantham and his victory in the first running of the new GNCC 4x4 Open class,” said Jeff Leclerc, Racing Project Leader, Can-Am. “To have him and Bryan Buckhannon go 1-2 is a great accomplishment for two proven champions and a fabulous way to start the season. We’re pleased with the numerous podium finishes and hope to carry this success over to this weekend’s race in Georgia.”
The AMA-sanctioned 2014 GNCC series, presented by MAXXIS, kicked off its season at a new location, the Moose Racing Mud Mucker in Bunnell, FL. The venue and Mud Mucker course proved to be a true fit for its moniker, offering a very wet and challenging course. Classes included youth, amateur and Pro and the 2014 opener also featured the debut of the new 4x4 Pro and WXC Premier Women’s classes.
Trantham, who won the 2013 4x4 Lites championship, completed all five laps on his Can-Am Renegade 800R X xc in a time of 2:01:00 to notch his first win of the year and first career morning overall finish. He also extended his GNCC 4x4-class winning streak to 13 races. Trantham has now won 44 4x4 class races since 2010.
“This is the sweetest win so far,” Trantham said. “The new 4x4 Pro class is great, going up against the best-of-the-best and coming out on top. I am just so happy for this. The Can-Am worked awesome and was pulling like crazy. My Can-Am was packed full of mud and it worked like a charm.”
Can-Am racer and multi-time 4x4 Open class title holder Bryan Buckhannon, who recorded a perfect season a year ago and then retired, came out of ATV retirement this year to do battle in the new 4x4 Pro class aboard a Renegade 4x4. He took second to Trantham by roughly a minute. Buckhannon has amassed 59 wins since 2006, but earned his first trip to the morning overall podium since round 11 of 2012. Can-Am X-Team and Renegade pilot Jordan Phillips finished fourth and BNR Motorsports Rob Smith took sixth place.
The other Can-Am racer to win his class was Terry Whiteside who won the 4x4 Senior (40+) class. Whiteside had four wins a year ago to go along with seven podiums, but ended up sixth overall after missing six rounds. The GNCC veteran started the new season off with a bang, beating reigning class champion and fellow Can-Am racer Forrest Whorton by less than two minutes for the win in Florida. Can-Am 4x4 ATV racers also earned four other podiums. Tanner Bowles and Michael Edwards finished second and third in the 4x4 A/B class, while Willilam Dodson and Brent Tindall did the same, respectively, in the 4x4 C division.
The next stop on the GNCC series tour is March 15-16, at Aonia Pass MX in Washington, GA. This event will also host round one of the six-round UTV series.
