Ontario, Calif. - Team ITP ATV racers competed at round 11 of the Amsoil Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series, coming away with three overall class victories and five podiums despite horribly muddy conditions. Longtime ITP-backed racer Dave Simmons won the Super Senior (45+) class at the inaugural Car-Mate Gusher GNCC in Foxburg, PA, to secure his 11th GNCC title of his career.
"The Gusher GNCC was literally a mess with sloppy conditions and heavy rain, but ITP racers came away with three class wins and a Super Senior class championship for Dave Simmons," Pat McGuire, Public Relations/Race Support, said. "We have five other ITP racers who are currently leading their class in points and will be pushing hard at the final two GNCC events."
GNCC
The all-new Gusher GNCC featured a fresh, 11-mile course but its debut was dampened a bit by extremely wet conditions. Riders not only had to navigate a new course, but they also had to deal with heavy rains, slippery terrain and overweight, mud-caked quads. Despite the miserable conditions, ITP-supported racers achieved three class overall wins, including Dave Simmons' overall win in the Super Senior (45+) class. After grabbing the class holeshot and leading the first lap, Simmons kept pouring it on the competition as he expanded his lead after each lap. Upon the completion of the fourth-and-final lap, he won by more than 11 minutes and also secured his 11th career amateur GNCC championship. Simmons has now won four races in a row and eight on the season.
Another veteran ITP-backed racer, Kenny Rich Sr., also had a good showing in the Gusher slop. Rich Sr. pulled the Masters (50+) class holeshot and led every lap on his way to his sixth win of the season. Rich Sr., who finished runner-up in the class a year ago, has a sizable 31-point lead with two rounds remaining in 2013, and could clinch the title with another solid finish at round 12.
Mark Batson, winner of seven consecutive 35+ C class wins after taking the top class spot at the Gusher GNCC, is the points leader heading into round 12. The ITP-supported amateur missed two rounds early in the season and also posted a 20th place finish early on, but since that time has been untouchable in his class.
Other ITP racers to earn podiums were Kristen Deloach (Women's Amateur 15+) and Carter Kerens (125 Sr. 12-15). Deloach took second in her class, but still retained the class points lead going into round 12. Although she missed round one in Florida, Deloach has six victories and 10 podiums this year and currently owns a five-point advantage over second place. Kerens has also competed at 10 rounds this year in the 125 Sr. class, winning five times and reaching the class podium nine times. He owns a 19-point lead after 11 rounds of racing. Brian Schmid, despite his DNF at The Gusher, is the points leader in the Senior A/B 40+ class.
In the Pro-level classes, ITP racer Adam McGill (Lonestar/Precision/Axis/Baldwin Racing) finished fourth in the XC1 Pro class in Foxburg, PA, but put in a valiant effort after trouble at the start of the race. He was in 12th after the first lap, but pushed hard to move into the top five by lap three. McGill, who has one overall victory and nine top-five finishes this year, could not catch the top three and had to settle for fourth overall. He's currently 10 points behind third place heading into round 12. Hilltop Motorsports/ITP XC2 Pro-Am class teammates Chad Jones and Nathan Wallpe also competed at The Gusher. Jones took seventh overall, while Wallpe ended up 15th.
The next round is the ITP Powerline Park GNCC, Oct. 12-13, in St. Clairsville, OH.
