2024 GNCC Round 9 Results

Shan Moore | June 26, 2024

Hot off a big come-from-behind victory at the previous round in Pennsylvania—the Mason Dixon GNCC—FMF KTM Factory Racer Johnny Girroir claimed his second win in a row and fifth XC1-class win and fourth overall of the season at this year’s Snowshoe GNCC held at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, in Snowshoe, West Virginia. Girroir ran second for most of the race behind the two Baylor brothers, Steward and Grant. First behind Steward and then Grant.

2024 Snowshoe GNCC race start — **Steward Baylor (514) leads the unique start at the Snowshoe GNCC in West Virginia.**

By Shan Moore | Photography by Ken Hill/Mack Faint

This year’s Snowshoe GNCC, held for the 18th year at Snowshoe Mountain Resort, is considered the crown jewel of the Grand National Cross-Country Series not only because it’s held in an upscale ski village but also due to its magnificent vistas, accommodations, and numerous activities in the vicinity. It’s also considered perhaps the toughest event on the schedule thanks to its rugged and rocky terrain and elevation.

Paying tribute to the original GNCC race, the Blackwater 100, the Snowshoe GNCC race starts in town on an asphalt road with a live-engine start, five riders leaving at a time every 10 seconds. In contrast to previous events, this year’s was dry and dusty.

Jonathan Girroir at 2024 Snowshoe GNCC — **Jonathan Girroir scored a hard-fought win.**

Red Bear Rocky Mountain Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor squeezed through the asphalt first turn ahead of Coastal Racing GasGas’ Jordan Ashburn, with FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Grant Davis and Girroir in tow.

“The Snowshoe start is definitely unique,” said holeshotter Steward Baylor. It’s modeled after the old Blackwater-style race, and personally, I’ve ripped a lot of holeshots here, but I’ve also ended on my head three times. It’s funny, the years that I’ve fallen on my head are the years where I’ve done well, and the years I get through clean, I seem to have a bad day.”

Grant Baylor started from the second row and slowly moved to the front from sixth.

Grant Baylor at 2024 Snowshoe GNCC — **Runner-up Grant Baylor was fighting for the win and was slowed by fading brakes on the last lap.**

On lap two, Girroir, who came into the event holding a substantial points lead over Steward in the standings, passed Jordan Ashburn (followed by Steward), as he and Steward pulled away from a pack that consisted of Ashburn, Grant Davis, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong and Grant Baylor.

On lap three, Girroir passed Steward on one of the faster sections of the course to take the lead. In the meantime, Grant Baylor was on the move and, not long after, passed Steward to take second.

Grant Davis, 2024 Snowshoe GNCC — **Grant Davis started on the first row with the “big boys” due to his third-place finish at the last round.**

Known to come on strong late in races, Grant Baylor set his sights on Girroir. With two laps to go, Grant passed Girroir to move into the lead and hold it for a lap and a half until he lost his brakes on the final lap and gave way to Girroir at the finish by one second, with Steward finishing third.

“On the final lap, I turned around at about the nine-mile mark and Grant’s right on me,” Girroir said. “I’m like, ‘Man, there’s a little bit of ski slope, and the dust is in my advantage. So, I pinned it down there a lot faster than I wanted. It came down to about a second between us on time, so that was a good race. With about two laps to go, Grant came by me like I was standing still, and I was like, ‘Holy cow, I got to get going.’ I latched on to him, and we were ripping, and then he lost his brakes and made a couple mistakes, and I was able to sneak by.”

Steward Baylor at 2024 Snowshoe GNCC — **Steward Baylor was an early leader but was third at the finish.**

Girroir had been looking forward to this race all year. “I’m from New England, and I just love the rocks and roots,” said Girroir. “And there’s just nothing quite like that place, starting on the asphalt and making that first corner, trying not to slide out and at the same time trying to make it around that corner first.”

Grant Baylor was visibly disappointed at losing the race due to a mechanical failure. “I’m just freaking frustrated,” said Grant. “I got out off the line first on my row and caught up to the front-row guys, and on the second lap, I got around Davis and Craig, and then freaking went down and fell under my bike. I was sitting under the bike, and all three of those guys passed me back, and I just caught them back and then caught the leaders, Steward and Johnny. I had a lap and a quarter to go, I lost my rear brakes. I was just freaking hanging on for dear life. I knew if I could just keep Johnny behind me in some of this slower technical stuff where there’s more one line, I’d be good and then just bust him out here in the open stuff. But I made a little mistake, not having rear brakes I kind of missed the track and went off the hill.”

Steward finished third, after leading the first part of the race. “We had a good day going, just a couple of mistakes and I ended up on my head a few times,” said Steward. “It was just a bad call on my part on settings. This track was not a normal Snowshoe. It was extremely high-speed with very little technicality, so I think I should have stuck with just normal settings. I felt really good in the lead, and I was trying to play that dust game and keep a little bit of dust between me and the other guys, and it was working out. I ended up on my head and Johnny went by. I got him back in Howard’s Hole and then had a pretty big one and ended up on my head. After that, the bike was all twisted up, ripped apart.”

Grant Davis at 2024 Snowshoe GNCC — **Grant Davis was the top XC2 250 Pro rider and fifth overall.**

Ashburn was running strong in second on the first lap and eventually landed in fourth. “I’ve ridden every one of these, and this one was certainly unique,” said Ashburn. “I’ve never seen it this dry and dusty. I had problems in some of the rocks, because dust would get on them and make them slippery.”

Grant Davis was the top XC2 250 Pro rider and fifth overall. He started on the first row with the “big boys” due to his third-place finish at the last round.

FXR/Husqvarna’s Evan Smith has been making big strides this year and rode a steady race at Snowshoe, garnering him sixth overall.

Seventh overall and second XC2 250 Pro rider was Enduro Engineering GasGas’ Josh Toth.

FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Dante Oliveira, JS7 Sherco’s Josh Strang and Red Bear Rocky Mountain Kawasaki’s Thad Duvall rounded out the top 10. Duvall was also third in the XC2 250 Pro class.

In the WXC division, Kawasaki rider Rachael Archer got a big win. At the end of lap one, Archer had built up a 36-second gap, which continued to grow on each lap for the rest of the race. The top three gapped each other and rode alone most of the race.

Rachael Archer at 2024 Snowshoe GNCC — **Rachael Archer dominated the WXC Pro class.**

The winner of the previous round, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Korie Steede, finished second, more than a minute behind Archer, with GasGas rider Shelby Turner in third.

Korie Steede at 2024 Snowshoe GNCC — **Korie Steede landed the runner-up spot in the WXC class. Photo: Ken Hill**

In the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class, Sawyer Carratura (Yamaha) claimed his first win of the season, beating Jhak Walker (Beta) and Dakoda Devore (KTM) to the line.

Sawyer Carratura at 2024 Snowshoe GNCC — **Sawyer Carratura (Kibuk Cycle/Steel City Medical Center/Josh Lojak’s House of Speed) earned his first FMF XC3 class win of the season. Photo: Ken Hill**

The GNCC Series will continue with the Buckwheat 100 in Newburg, West Virginia, on September 1. CN