Grant Baylor (#314) XC1 Pro Class Start. Photo Credit: Ken Hill
3 First Place Podiums for Rocky Mountain ATV/MC /KR4/ Husqvarna Team and a Sweet Sixteen for Tayla Jones
The ninth round of the 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series took place, July 9, with the 28th Annual Wiseco John Penton GNCC at the popular Sunday Creek Raceway in Millfield, Ohio. The KR4 team were put to the test facing heavy rain on Saturday and hot humid race conditions, but at the end of the grueling three-hour race Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/ Husqvarna’s Grant Baylor found himself in the middle of the box for the first time in his career.
“A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.” Jack Dempsey (1895-1983) 8 Years Consecutive World Boxing Champion 1919-1926
At KR4, one of our goals is to build champions, and we have a team full of them in the making. A true champion is not defined by the championship itself, but instead what a rider goes through to earn one. Our riders are groomed to get up when others can’t, and to realize what matters most is how you persevere when the going gets tough.
“Our athletes, our crew and our sponsors work hard every week – and we are thrilled to see it pay off for everyone. We are extremely proud of everyone on the team. Grant winning the overall in the 1 PM race and Tayla getting the overall in the 10 AM race is an incredible accomplishment and one we are very proud. ”- Frank Keegan
Special Announcement:
Three of our 5 pros have been invited to represent their respective countries in the prestigious International Six Day Event (ISDE) to be held in Brive-la-Gaillarde, France August 28—September 2, 2017; Grant Baylor, Tayla Jones, Jesper Bjorjesson will prepare for the event over the GNCC break.
XC1 Pro Grant Baylor (USA) took his first GNCC overall win after a protest was filed against Thad Duvall. Grant came back from 10th place and charged through the pack to have the fastest lap of the day and ended up taking the overall at the John Penton GNCC.
“Man what an epic day yesterday! A slow start to the day but caught up to the group quick for some tight racing all day. I managed to work my way through and break away from the pack to put in the fastest lap of the day. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to claim my first ever GNCC Overall.” — Grant Baylor
Women’s Pro Tayla Jones (AUS) took the 1st place podium slot for the sixteenth time this season at the Round 9 of the GNCC John Penton event!
Tayla also raced and won the overall at the Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro located in Virginia Saturday. Tayla’s mechanic, Steward Baylor Sr. prepped her bike between races and made the 5 hour trip with Tayla from Virginia to the John Penton.
Rounding out the triple podium weekend was Hunter Neuwirth ( USA) who secured his first win today in the XC3 class on his Husqvarna TC125. Hunter lead most of the race and after 3 hour racing he secured his first win for the 2017 season.
Kenda Tire Motorsports Director Jason Baldwin raced one of our Husqvarna FX350 motorcycles and he ended placing 3rd in the Senior C (40+) class for his first ever GNCC podium.
“The race was a tough one for me today and by the 3rd lap the bottle necks were pretty bad and I did everything I could to make my way around the course.” — Bill Gold
KR4 Arrive-N-Ride Team Results
Grant Baylor – XC1 – 1st Place
Scott Grills – XC1 -12th Place
Hunter Neuwirth – XC3 – 1st Place
Tayla Jones – WXC – 1st Place
Conner Keegan – 4 Stroke A Lites – 4th Place
Colin Keegan – 4 Stroke A Lites – 6th Place
Bill Gold – Silver Master A (55+) – 2nd Place
Chase Sweda – 250B – 5th Place
Brandon Keegan – 200B – 5th Place
Ambrocio Gutierrez – Sportsman B – 23rd Place
Jason Baldwin – Senior C (40+) – 3rd Place
Maximo Gutierrez – 200C Schoolboy (12-15) – 6th Place
Troy Horbaty – 85cc (7-11) – 5th Place
