2026 GNCC Round 1 Results

Shan Moore | February 17, 2026

Filmmaker and martial artist Jackie Chan once said, “He who strikes the first blow sets the tone for the remainder of the effort.” On the other hand, Forrest Gump reminded us that “life is like a box of chocolates—you never know what you’re going to get.” That blend of preparation and unpredictability is exactly why we line up to race. Interestingly, seven former GNCC Champions graced the starting grid for this year’s Big Buck GNCC, making for some very compelling racing.

FMF KTM Factory Racing rider Johnny Girroir set the tone for the 2026 season by drawing first blood at the Big Buck, coming from behind to take a solid win.

Johnny Girroir at 2026 Big Buck GNCC — **Johnny Girroir made the best of a bad situation to win the opening round of the GNCC Championship in South Carolina.**

Girroir spent most of last year watching from the sidelines due to an injury, so many wagerers put their money on Girroir’s young teammate, Grant Davis. And Davis was impressive in his first race on a 350, trading the lead during the first half of the race with Phoenix Honda Racing’s Jordan Ashburn.

Riders were met with deep ruts, chaos from one bar to the next, and the slick Southern mud that turned a race into pure survival. The Pro bike race quickly turned into a slugfest through mud, ruts and standing water that tested even the most experienced veterans.

AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper, winner of last week’s National Enduro opener, grabbed the holeshot to kick off the Big Buck GNCC in what would be a wet and sloppy race, leading to more than one rider’s demise. You could tell the Big Buck was going to be more than your standard mud race by the oversized handguards, foam in strategic places, and rags tucked into riding pants on the starting line. When it’s muddy at the Big Buck, it’s the kind of race that, as the weekend wears on, the course can get a bit rough, so riders need to be smart. New lines often open up throughout the race, so constantly scanning the terrain for a smoother route can save energy and reduce risks. Most of the tough sections, the hills and mud, are pretty basic, which means the winner will be the rider who runs through the trees fastest.

Jordan Ashburn at 2026 Big Buck GNCC — **Honda-mounted Jordan Ashburn led early and went on to finish second overall.**

Ashburn, known for his mud-riding skills, followed Draper in second but soon took the lead with Davis right behind, while Girroir stayed outside of the top five.

When the front pack hit pit row for the first time, it was Ashburn in the lead, followed by Davis and Draper. Meanwhile, Nick DeFeo, on the Red Bear Rocky Mountain Kawasaki, who won the Big Buck last year as an XC2 rider, was moving up from a good start in the XC2 row again and had taken over first overall on adjusted time.

On lap four, Davis pulled out of the race after sucking water in his engine, leaving Ashburn and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Craig DeLong—who was finding his form—in second and third, respectively. DeLong would eventually take the lead and hold onto it for a short stint before falling.

Nick DeFeo at 2026 Big Buck GNCC — **Nick DeFeo gave everything he had, and it paid off with the XC2-class win and third overall.**

Girroir turned up the heat on the final two laps to make his way into the lead and ultimately take the win.

“I would ride great, but then I’d make a mistake,” said Girroir. “He’d go by me, and he’d make a mistake. It was just brutal out there, but it was good. I pulled it off in the end.”

Ashburn was impressive, finishing second overall in his first GNCC on a Honda. “I got in the front really quickly after we dropped into the woods,” said Ashburn. “I just got pushed hard and harder by Draper and Davis but still was able to feel the track out to see where the deep holes were and tried to play it safe the first three laps, and then just kind of settled in, and then I got a little bit of a gap. I felt comfortable, and then my arms were getting smoked there toward the end in all the ruts. It was so physical. And Girroir got me back, and then I got him back on the last lap. I was leading and ended up trying to go around a lapper and slid down, and that cost me first.”

DeFeo rounded out the overall podium and finished first in the XC2 class. “I picked off a couple of guys in my class, and then a couple of guys got stuck in a few of the mudholes,” said DeFeo. “On the third lap, I just found something different, and I pushed to the front of the pack. I just kept getting around people without them even noticing ’cause my bike was so quiet—there’s mud over the exhaust—and then me and Johnny were in a battle. I think he didn’t have any brakes, and he hit me and flipped mud in my eye. I couldn’t see anything. I just made my way to the finish.”

Steward Baylor Jr and Nick DeFeo at 2026 Big Buck GNCC — **Steward Baylor Jr finished fourth overall and acknowledged the battle to the finish with DeFeo.**

Due to the time adjustment, DeFeo bumped his teammate and team owner, Steward Baylor Jr, off the overall podium. Baylor ended up fourth overall and third in the XC1 division.

“It was frustrating out there, just a lot of mistakes on my behalf, especially the first half of the race,” said Baylor. “I didn’t feel like I rode it at all the way that I should have until the very last lap. I was just rushing some things, trying to make quick moves, and I’d make a mistake. But things started to click there towards the end. I lost the front brakes four turns into the race, and I collided with another rider. I think I’ve done something there in the front end, so just right off the bat, no front brake. In the back of my mind, I was going, ‘You know, things will work out.’”

Angus Riordan at Big Buck GNCC 2026 — **Angus Riordan was fifth overall and finished second in the XC2 class.**

FMF KTM Factory Racing rider Angus Riordan rounded out the top five and finished second in the XC2 class. Riordan struggled with the pools of water that littered the track.

“You couldn’t see what was under the water,” said Riordan. “So, you might hit a deep rut or a rock with no notice.”

After running up front early in the race, DeLong settled into sixth overall for a final finish, less than one minute ahead of Phoenix Honda Racing’s Ryder Lafferty.

Jason Tino at 2026 Big Buck GNCC — **Jason Tino was third in the XC2 class.**

Draper struggled with the conditions and ended his race in eighth, ahead of FMF KTM Factory Racing rider Ben Kelley and Phoenix Honda Racing’s Mike Witkowski.

KTM’s Jason Tino was 12th overall and third in the XC2 class.

GasGas rider Cole Whitmer won the Open A class, while Cooper Jones won the 250 A division.

Danielle McDonald at 2026 Big Buck GNCC — **AmPro Yamaha’s Danielle McDonald won a very competitive WXC division.**

If the Big Buck is any indication, the battle for this year’s WXC title looks to be intense. A competitive field with 10 Pro riders battled in the mud, with AmPro Yamaha’s Danielle McDonald topping FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Brandy Richards by 26 seconds for the overall win. Defending champion and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede rounded out the podium, followed by Ellie Winland (Yamaha) and Lilley Sheets in the top five.

Girroir’s sprint near the end of the race secured him the overall victory. However, due to the conditions, many riders faced issues, so the GNCC faithful are still left with as many questions as answers. Meanwhile, in the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Girroir vows, “I’ll be back.” CN