Posted October 23, 2006

Chris Borich Wins GNCC Finale in Crawfordsville, Indiana

By Jason Weigandt. Photos by Raymond Gundy

GNCC Nationals Round 13
With the Suzuki Grand National Cross Country ATV title wrapped up, there was nothing but bragging rights on the line at the final round of the series, the Klotz Ironman GNCC at Crawfordsville, Indiana. But bragging must be important, because East Coast ATV Honda's Chris Borich and Team Yamaha's Bill Ballance—the infamous Killer B's of GNCC racing—battled wheel-to-wheel in perhaps the best race they have ever had together.

Borich came out on top.

"This has to be one of the best battles we've ever had," said Borich. "I can't even count how many times we passed each other on the last lap. We were going inside and outside of each other in every corner, and every pass was clean."

"Man that was fun!" said Ballance (right). "That was probably the most times I can ever remember passing each other in my whole career. We were out there in the fields just crossing it up and going inside and outside of each other. It was just a ball—it really brings back the fun of it. We had a shot, we were right there. I was in front maybe three our four occasions on the last lap, but it was just so close it came down to who made one little mistake. But it was cool."

The duo put on a show in front of one of the largest crowds ever seen at a GNCC race. The fans were everywhere in the woods pushing the racers and cheering them on, and the Killer B's delivered a classic battle.

Behind them this year's trio of rookie contenders put in a great race for the final podium spot of the season. Duane Johnson grabbed the $100 ITP Holeshot Award and held third most of the day. But then the flying duo of Adam McGill and Chris Bithell caught him on a charge from deep in the pack. All three battled hard, and McGill won it to take third.

"We came from way back," said McGill, who might be the wildest, funniest rider on the tour right now. "Me and Chris (Bithell) got hooked up on the first lap, and then Yokley jumped the creek, and I rode into it and it just stopped me and I went over the bars! I had to stop for gloves and goggles.

"I finally got hooked up with Chris again, and I remember Chris Borich told me once, you've got to pin it to win it. So I just tried to charge and be smooth. We got here about a mile from the finish line, and Duane saw me and I saw him, and a lapper split us. I was just hoping Duane was gonna lift and I just managed to get past him. It was a great race."

Johnson rebounded to hold to fourth, and the consistent finish made him an amazing third overall for the season.

"I was able to sneak inside of those guys and get the holeshot," said Johnson. "I tried to set a good pace. Borich got by me, and Ballance, we all pulled away from everybody. Then we came down the big hill and I got stuck in the other side of the ditch. It seems like if I lose sight of them, I start losing concentration. I just start losing focus and losing time. Once McGill and Bithell started catching me, it finally got me riding right again."

Bithell, who was tangled up in the first turn like McGill, was fifth. Sixth went to Suzuki privateer Jeremy Rice, with Duncan/Dirt First Honda's Andris Lagzdins in seventh, and Pro Am winner Jarrod McClure in eighth. Ninth went to Team Excell Motorsports' Bryan Cook, and tenth to Pro Am rider Ryan Morphew. Morphew's ride gave him the Pro Am Championship after a season-long battle with Tyler Lenig.

Favorites William Yokley and Chris Jenks had bad luck plague their days. Yokley bent a rim and needed a wheel change, and Jenks broke a spindle on the first lap. Four-Stroke A Champion Brandon Sommers rode very well in a tryout in the pro class. He ran sixth most of the day before flipping his machine on the last lap and taking on water, which dropped him back.

In the two-hour morning race, Novice 35+ rider Glenn Pritchard won the overall for the second race in a row on his Suzuki LT-R450. Yamaha's Traci Cecco won the Women's class by topping Angel Atwell. Rick Cecco won the Utility Modified Class, Michael Swift won the Utility Stock Class, and Jonathan Bowers won the Utility Unlimited Class.

© 2006, All Terrain Vehicle Association