Can-Am 4×4 ATV racers earned seven of the top 12 overall morning finishes, won a total of five classes and earned all 15 possible class podium positions at round three of the 2013 Amsoil Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) in Morganton, N.C.
JB Racing / Can-Am DS 450 Pro Jarrod McClure earned fifth in the XC1 ATV Pro class. At round two of the Texas Off-Road Nationals (TORN) in Paradise, Texas, Louis Powersports / Can-Am racer Cody Miller won the Pro ATV class and his teammate and Maverick 1000R X rs pilot Hunter Miller took second in the UTV Expert class.
“Our Can-Am ATV racers had a great Saturday at the Steele Creek GNCC in North Carolina, winning all five 4×4 classes and, once again, sweeping the morning 4×4 podium. Michael Swift notched his first U2 class win aboard the Renegade 800R X xc while defending 4×4 Open class champion Bryan Buckhannon remained undefeated in 2013,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am.
GNCC – Round Three
The U2 class featured a fierce battle between Can-Am Renegade 800R racers Michael Swift and class points leader Robert Smith. The two 4×4 racers exchanged the lead multiple times during the five-lap, two-hour race. The race came down to the final lap with Smith holding a narrow lead.
However, a few lapped racers slowed Smith and let Swift (Team UXC / Can-Am X-Team) regain the top spot only a few miles from the finish. Swift earned his first U2 class win in 2013 and first 4×4 class victory since winning round three a year ago at Steele Creek. Third place went to Can-Am racer Jordan Phillips.
In the 4×4 Open class, Buckhannon took an early lead aboard his ATV Parts Plus / Can-Am X-Team 2013 Outlander 800R and never looked back. He crossed the finish line more than four minutes ahead of Tanner Bowles, who was second on a Can-Am. Buckhannon joined U2 class pilots Swift and Smith on the 4×4 overall morning podium. Bo Jones, also on Can-Am, rounded out the 4×4 Open class podium.
In 4×4 Lites action, defending champion Kevin Trantham and fellow Can-Am Outlander ATV racer Andrew Langston clashed early for the lead. However, Trantham won his second straight class victory. Can-Am Renegade 500 racer Michael Edwards was third.
Fourteen racers entered the 4×4 Senior class at Steele Creek. North Carolina resident and Can-Am racer Terry Whiteside won and was joined on the class podium by reigning class champion Forrest Whorton and, in third, fellow Can-Am racer Jerry Roberts. The 4×4 Novice class podium was also an all Can-Am affair. Joseph Sichelstiel notched his first win ahead of Nicholas Eichelberger and class points leader Ryan Smith.
Coming off his recent overall win in the AMA ATV Hare Scrambles National Championship Series, McClure (JB Racing / Can-Am) was hoping to carry over his momentum to the GNCC XC1 Pro class. Unfortunately, a bad start and another mishap slowed his chase for the podium and he had to settle for a very respectable fifth-place finish at Steele Creek.
Round four of the Amsoil GNCC series is Saturday, April 20, in Union, S.C. It will include ATVs and, later in the day, the second round of the six-race side-by-side series.
TORN – Round Two
Cody and Hunter Miller (Louis Powersports / Can-Am) had a good weekend at round two of TORN at Legacy Farms in Paradise, Texas. In the Pro ATV class, Cody won by more than 30 seconds to improve to 2-for-2 on the season is the class points leader with his DS 450 ATV. Hunter, who overcame a mechanical issue that delayed him for more than seven minutes, battled back to finish in third in the Pro ATV class.
In the UTV Expert class, Hunter finished all 10 laps and took second overall for his first TORN podium with the Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs side-by-side. Cody, who challenged for the lead all day, had the lead on the final lap before a mechanical knocked him out of the race. He ended up fifth. The 2013 TORN series returns, April 27-28, for round three at Legacy Farms.
For more information on Can-Am racing, the Maverick 1000R side-by-side vehicle, the entire 2013 schedule, the ’13 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.
