The 2024 Grand National Cross Country Series landed in Monterey, Tennessee for the inaugural Old Gray GNCC where Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor claimed his first win of the 2024 season.

Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski jumped off the line fastest for the holeshot, but it wouldn’t take long for the hometown favorite, Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn, to claim the lead as they entered the woods.

Meanwhile, behind them, eventual winner Steward Baylor was picking himself up off the ground after getting tagged in turn three.

Check out the crash in these highlights: 2024 Old Gray GNCC: RAW highlights from the newest race – Steward Baylor hangs on the win

Hometurf boy Ashburn continued to push on the opening laps as FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir and AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell followed second and third and a hard-charging Baylor hauling through the pack to finish lap one just 1.1 seconds behind Russell.

Ashburn continued to hold the lead as they checked through timing and scoring on the second lap, with Baylor making his way around Russell and with his sights set on passing Girroir and taking that number one spot from Ashburn.

As the pack came through to complete three laps of racing, Baylor had the lead from Ashburn with Girroir dropping back in third as Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig Delong started to creep up closer.

Baylor continued to lead, controlling the gap but later admitted the more thoughtful he was the more mistakes he made. A last lap mishap put Ashburn right on his back wheel as the two came through pro row and then into the woods just before the finish line gunning for that chequered flag.

With no more mistakes, Baylor earned his first win of 2024 by 1.8 second lead over Ashburn who came through to earn second in front his family, friends and a lot of hometown fans.

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Girroir rounded out the top three and remains the points lead after five rounds of racing. Delong was fourth and Witkowski ended the day in fifth.

Unfortunately for some the race didn’t go so well with Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder Lafferty out after 3 laps, AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell suffering a crash that took him out with a tweaked shoulder and Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Lyndon Snodgrass who was out on one lap due to a mechanical issue.

XC2 250 Pro class mix it up

The XC2 250 Pro class was exciting to watch as Jack Edmondson returned to racing and grabbed himself the $250 Steel City Medical Center’s Holeshot Award to start his return. However, it would not take long for Team Enduro Engineering’s Josh Toth and FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Grant Davis to begin the long three-hour battle back-and-forth for the lead.

Toth and Davis continued to swap the lead multiple times throughout the day, but as the chequered flag came out Davis came out of woods first to earn his second class win of the season, moving him into the XC2 class points lead. Toth would hold on to finish second in the class.

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AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper made a last lap pass on Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Thad Duvall to take over the last podium spot in the XC2 class. Duvall would finish fourth in the class, while Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes made his way up to fifth.

Respect at the the Old Gray is due to the top amateur riders, 250 A competitors Jason Tino who finished ninth overall on the day, while also earning his second class win of the season. Nick DeFeo was second up on the top amateur podium as he came through to finish 12th overall and second in the 250 A class. Joseph Cunningham rounded out the top amateur podium with an 18th overall finishing position and third in the 250 A class.

2nd WXC win for defending champion Archer

Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede got the jump off the line and earned herself the $100 Kanati Performance Tires WXC Holeshot Award in WXC.

Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer was on a mission and moved into the lead on the opening lap and didn’t look back to earn her second WXC class win of the season, and first overall morning race win of the season.

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Enduro Engineering/GASGAS/FXR Moto’s Shelby Turner battled with Steede throughout the race but held her off to earn second overall. Steede would hold on to round out the top three overall finishers in the morning race and in the WXC class.

Dunlop Motorcycle Tires Old Gray Results and Points Standings

XC1 Pro Event Results:

  1. Steward Baylor (KAW)
  2. Jordan Ashburn (GAS)
  3. Jonathan Girroir (KTM)
  4. Craig Delong (HQV)
  5. Michael Witkowski (HON)
  6. Grant Baylor (KAW)
  7. Trevor Bollinger (HQV)
  8. Evan Smith (HQV)
  9. Josh Strang (SHR)
  10. Layne Michael (YAM)

Overall National Championship Standings:

  1. Jonathan Girroir (131)
  2. Steward Baylor (112)
  3. Jordan Ashburn (91)
  4. Grant Davis (79)
  5. Grant Baylor (62)
  6. Angus Riordan (61)
  7. Josh Toth (50)
  8. Craig Delong (49)
  9. Dante Oliveira (49)
  10. Michael Witkowski (46)

*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2024 National Champion.

XC2 250 Pro Event Results:

  1. Grant Davis (KTM)
  2. Josh Toth (HON)
  3. Liam Draper (YAM)
  4. Thad Duvall (KAW)
  5. Cody Barnes (HON)
  6. Ruy Barbosa (HON)
  7. Angus Riordan (KAW)
  8. Brody Johnson (BET)
  9. Tyler Palmer (HQV)
  10. Jason Lipscomb (BET)

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:

  1. Grant Davis (131)
  2. Angus Riordan (117)
  3. Josh Toth (93)
  4. Liam Draper (91)
  5. Jesse Ansley (67)
  6. Ruy Barbosa (67)
  7. Cody Barnes (66)
  8. Thad Duvall (65)
  9. Tyler Palmer (59)
  10. Brody Johnson (55)

 

Photo Credit: Ken Hill

 

Words credit: GNCC Racing