ITP Racers Earn 8 GNCC Racing Championships
ITP's Tim Farr wins Ironman GNCC
2015
GNCC Racing
Ironman - Round 13
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Ontario, CA
(11/6/2015) - ITP ATV and side-by-side
vehicle racers concluded the 2015 AMSOIL Grand National
Cross Country (GNCC) season with impressive finishes
at the series finale in Indiana. ITP racers won
six classes and notched 11 podiums, some of which
help secure season championships.
"Our group of ITP ATV and SxS racers had an outstanding
GNCC season, winning eight championships and having
eight other riders finish in the runner-up spot
in their class," said Pat McGuire, ITP Public
Relations / Race Support. "From the youth classes,
to age classes to the SxS Pro ranks, our team
of racers showed a lot of resiliency this year
and proved, once again, ITP manufactures the most
capable tires for conquering the formidable GNCC
terrain for an entire season. Congrats and thank
you to our entire team and, of course, those who
took home a championship."
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(From left)
Tim Farr, along with co-pilot WXC Champ
Angel Knox, took the XC1 Pro SxS class
win at the AMSOIL Ironman GNCC in Indiana.
Farr ended up third overall in the XC1
Pro class standings in 2015, tallying
two wins and four podiums in his Can-Am
Maverick outfitted with ITP TerraCross
tires.
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The AMSOIL GNCC series finished its 13-round
tour at the highly popular Ironman outside of
Crawfordsville, Ind. Known for its high-speed
farm field runs, hills, mud holes and creeks,
the course is one of the most friendly for spectators.
It's also enjoyable because it's often the deciding
round in the pursuit of a prestigious GNCC championship.
Whether it's going for an unbeaten season, a successful
defense of a title or a first career title, the
GNCC season usually rides on Ironman performances.
Longtime GNCC competitor and Team ITP racer Dave Simmons capped his amazing season by winning his class at Ironman, making him a perfect 13-for-13 this season aboard his Yamaha. Not many racers have been able to etch their name in the GNCC history books, but Simmons is now one of the few to accomplish this feat.
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Dave Simmons (seen climbing one of the infamous Ironman hills) was super again at round 13, winning not only the Super Senior (45+) class championship, but also capping his 2015 season with a perfect 13-for-13 victory streak using ITP tires.
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"Not the overall finishes I would (have) liked
to have, but I think it was a good year," said
Simmons on his Facebook page. "Thanks ITP for
making a great tire (zero flats)! At first glance
I think (it's) the only perfect season in all
of GNCC racing this year. Thanks (to) everyone
who helped and cheered me on all year."
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ITP racer Westley
Wolfe had a banner year end with yet another
win. Wolfe, who had already won two ATV
motocross titles this season, wrapped
up the College A 16-21 GNCC title last
round and then moved up to the XC2 Pro-Am
ranks at round 13. Wolfe, who took the
class victory in his first ever attempt,
stood atop a GNCC podium for the ninth
time in 2015.
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Suzuki racer Westley Wolfe, who had previously
wrapped up the College A (16-21) title the previous
round, won the XC2 Pro-Am class in his first entry
in the class. The victory was Wolfe's ninth of
the year and his 11th-place, all-around run equalled
his best afternoon overall finish of the season.
In fact, he was the official race leader on every
lap of the four-lap race and won by more than
two minutes. With the GNCC title and two additional
ATV MX championships, Wolfe had to make more room
in his trophy case and he looks ready to make
room for another one come 2016.
"After three championships this season, this just tops it off," said Wolfe in the GNCC press release. "I can't thank my family enough for helping me make to the move to XC2."
Can-Am / JB Racing / Liquid Wrench / Houser Racing / ITP driver Tim Farr put on quite a show in Indiana, overcoming serious challenges and recovering from an early run-in with a tree to record his second straight XC1 Pro SxS class win in a row. Despite trading the lead several times over the first four laps, Farr held the lead going into lap five. After dropping back one spot, the experienced racer and multi-time Pro ATV champion used his elite driving skills to make a last-lap pass. He ended up winning by roughly two seconds.
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Tim Farr
has now won the XC1 SxS class at the Ironman
finale for three straight years. His victory
this year pushed him into third overall
in the class standings.
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The victory put the Ohio native on the XC1 Pro
SxS season podium in third, despite two uncharacteristic
finishes at the first two rounds this season.
Farr put the hammer down at round three and never
let up, reaching the podium at all four rounds
and winning rounds five and six using ITP TerraCross
tires on his Maverick SxS. Farr has now won the
XC1 Pro class at Ironman for three consecutive
seasons.
"Great end to the season with a win at the Ironman
GNCC. It was a fun battle to the checkers. Thanks
JB and Dave for all your hard work," said Farr
on his Facebook page.
Farr's teammate Larry Hendershot Jr. finished
fifth at Ironman. His steady season, which included
two podiums, helped the Ohio racer secure the
No. 2 spot in the XC1 Pro SxS year-end standings
and improve four spots over 2014. Another ITP
pilot, Jack's Excavating / Can-Am racer Mouse
Pratt ended his 2015 season with a third-place
XC1 Pro class finish. He ended up fourth overall
in the class standings. Teammate Marcus Pratt
ended up eighth overall on the season.
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The Can-Am
/ JB Racing / Liquid Wrench / Houser Racing
/ ITP team put two racers in the final
XC1 Pro SxS class standings, including
the No. 6 car of Larry Hendershot Jr.
He finished fifth in Indiana and second
overall on the year.
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Three other racers ended up with class championships
after their podium finishes in Indiana. In the
Senior A/B (38+) class, Media All-Stars / Suzuki
rider Mark Batson took second, but his solid finish
gave him the edge over the competition. Batson
recorded six wins this year using ITP tires.
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Mark Batson
rode the No. 636, shod with ITP tires,
to the Senior A/B (38+) GNCC championship.
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Youth session competitor and son of popular ITP
race rep Stan "Big Daddy" Digby, Jordan Digby
controlled his own destiny in the 125 Sr. (12-15)
class. With seven wins coming into the finale,
Digby just needed to place first or second to
ensure his championship. The young racer took
second at Ironman, but won the title via tiebreaker,
because he had the most class victories on the
year. Apex / ITP racer Ayden Konkler also scored
a GNCC youth championship this year, posting eight
wins in the 90 (8-12) class.
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Jordan Digby
took second place at the Ironman GNCC
finale, but earned enough points to take
home the 2015 GNCC 125 Sr. (13-15) class
championship for Team ITP.
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Several other ITP racers had already captured
their 2015 class championships, so many of them
moved to a different class. That group included
GNCC WXC Champion Angel Knox, who chose to race
in the Junior A (22+) class and, after grabbing
the class holeshot, took seventh. College B (16-21)
class champion Blake Meyer, who had two wins and
eight podiums this year, moved to the Pro-Am ranks
at round 13. Damien Hawkins, the 2015 GNCC 90
Limited 8-12 class champion, earned a top-five
finish in the 125 Jr. (8-11) class.
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ITP racer Dale Batson, who missed a few rounds due to the birth of his son, saved his best effort for last, winning the Vet B (30+) class at the AMSOIL Ironman GNCC finale in Indiana.
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Runner-up finishers for Team ITP were: Hendershot
Jr., Kenny Rich Sr. (Masters 50+), Steven Covert
(Junior A 22+), Greg Covert (College A 16-21),
Marti Lantz (Girls 8-15), Tanner Talbott (Schoolboy
Jr. 13-15), Parker Henderson (90 8-12) and Brayden
Shick (College B 16-21). Third-place finishers
on the season end were: Farr, Curtis Johnson (125
Sr. 12-15), Keaton Henderson (125 Jr. 8-11) and
Cameron Abee (Schoolboy Jr. 13-15).
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Kenny Rich
Sr. had a great seaon for Team ITP, notching
five class wins and taking second overall
in the Masters (50+) class.
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The ITP ATV and SxS GNCC racing team will gather
one final time in 2015 at the GNCC post-season
banquet, to be held Friday,
Dec. 18, at Morgantown Events Center at
Waterfront Place in Morgantown, W.Va.
About ITP:
In business for more than 30 years, ITP has become the world's #1 ATV/UTV aftermarket tire and wheel source. ITP utilizes its experienced staff of engineers, designers and technicians at its two American tire facilities in Clinton, Tenn., and Jackson, Tenn., to develop award-winning tire-and-wheel designs for virtually all ATVs and side-by-side vehicles. Numerous outlets distribute ITP tires across the United States and in more than 25 countries worldwide. For ITP's full-color catalog, call toll-free: 1-800-859-4740. www.itptires.com
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