Morgantown, W. Va. (December 5, 2011) – Over 1200 racers, fans and family from all over the country came together in Morgantown, W. Va., to celebrate not only a season of Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series racing, but to honor their GNCC family members and reminisce the good times on and off the course. Hosting the GNCC awards banquet for the first time ever, Waterfront Place Hotel and Convention Center provided a stellar setting for this year’s celebration that took place Friday, December 2 (ATV) and Saturday, December 3 (bike).Emotions poured out on stage when the Specialty Awards were presented to individuals and groups who have somehow impacted GNCC Racing. Amy McConnell received the Wiseco Performance GNCC Sport Ambassador Award for her continued efforts in raising awareness of the sport to the outside community.
Much to no one’s surprise, Glen Pritchard received the Bad Ass Award for the second year in a row, as the 52-year-old continues to attack his battle with cancer, in addition to overcoming race-induced injuries over the years and winning almost every race he entered this season.
Buckhannon and Swift nearly shared the 4×4 Open Championship, ending the season tied for points. Buckhannon took the tie-breaker in an exciting battle Chris Borich took home Rider of the Year, in addition to his third consecutive GNCC title and championship hardware-including a third diamond to his championship ring and an end-of-the-year bonus to sweeten the pot. As this year’s champion, Borich presented Youth ATV Champion Hunter Hart with the Youth Rider of the Year Award.
“Hunter is definitely a good rider and I’m looking forward to watching him come up through the GNCC ranks,” Borich said. “He’s pretty young yet, so I don’t think I’ll have to worry about him coming after me for a few years!”
Clifton Beasley received the 4×4 Rider of the Year for his nearly perfect season in the U2 class and XC1 Pro racer Jarrod McClure took Most Improved Rider, in addition to sixth in his class.
Race Manager, Jimmie O’Dell accepted awards on behalf of Can-Am Can-Am BRP took top honors in the non-racer categories, securing Sponsor of the Year once again for their generous support of GNCC Racing as well as the RacerTV television package on VERSUS Network. Can-Am also received the Manufacturer’s Cup after a successful season of competition aboard Can-Am machines.
2011 Specialty Award Winners
- Rider of the Year: Chris Borich
- 4×4 Rider of the Year: Clifton Beasley
- Youth Rider of the Year: Hunter Hart
- Most Improved Rider: Jarrod McClure
- Bad Ass Award: Glen Pritchard
- Rough & Ready Pit Crew: GT Thunder
- Sport Ambassador: Amy McConnell
- Award of Media Excellence: ATV Insider
- Sponsor of the Year: Can-Am BRP
- Manufacturer’s Cup: Can-Am BRP
- State Championship: Indiana
The 2012 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series kicks off once again in Florida in conjunction with Daytona Bike Week on March 10-13. ATV practice will take place on Saturday and racing on Sunday, followed by bike practice on Monday and racing on Tuesday. For more information visit www.gnccracing.com.
About GNCC Racing
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country series is America’s premier off-road racing series. Founded in 1975, the 13-round championship is produced exclusively by Racer Productions. Cross-country racing is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. The grueling three-hour GNCC races lead as many as 1,500 riders through tracks ranging in length from eight to 12 miles. With varied terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both survival and speed. Riders compete for more than $3 million in prize money, which draws talent from all over the U.S., Europe, Australia and New Zealand. GNCC Racing is televised and airs every week on the Versus Network. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com.