With four different winners emerging from the opening four rounds, The Dukes GNCC was primed to become a defining round five showdown in this year’s Grand National Cross Country Series. Phoenix Honda Racing’s Jordan Ashburn rose to the occasion, outrunning AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper in a relentless late-race battle. Ashburn executed a decisive final-lap pass and never looked back, sealing the victory and becoming the fifth different winner in as many rounds, further underscoring the unpredictability and intensity of this year’s championship fight.
Photos: Mack Faint
Debuting as a first-time GNCC venue, Mine Made Adventure Park delivered a fast, rough mix of fresh trails and wide-open dual track—and the chaos started immediately. Ashburn sliced underneath series points leader Ben Kelley in turn one as the FMF/KTM rider drifted wide, snatching the holeshot.
Charging from a fifth-place start, Red Bear Rocky Mountain Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor Jr knifed through the silty, rock-strewn course to grab second, with Kelley settling into third. FMF/KTM Factory Racing standout Grant Davis, fresh off a dominant Camp Coker win, ran sixth behind Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong and AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper.
Then came the heartbreak: Baylor’s bike flamed out just before the pits at the end of lap one, ending his day and reshuffling the leaders. Kelley moved into second behind Ashburn, with DeLong into third. Meanwhile, Liqui Moly Beta’s Jhak Walker paced the XC2 class, running fifth overall on adjusted time.
Davis hit the dirt on lap two and dropped back to midpack, leading to an extended pit stop and ultimately a non-finish.
On lap three, DeLong latched onto Kelley’s rear fender, turning up the pressure and dragging Draper into the fight. The stalemate didn’t last long. Before the lap was out, Draper struck decisively, slicing past both riders to seize second. From there, he went on the attack, pouring everything into a desperate charge as he reeled in Ashburn at the front.
It was go time for Draper on lap four of the seven-lap race, as the Kiwi drew alongside Ashburn on several occasions, eventually taking the lead at the exit of the pits as both riders stopped for fuel.
Phoenix Honda Racing’s Mike Witkowski entered the conversation at the midway point of the race, moving just behind Kelley to take over fifth, with FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Jason Tino now leading the XC2 class after Walker took a spill.
On lap six, AmPro Yamaha’s Kailub Russell passed Kelley to move into fifth overall, with Witkowski now in fourth.
Draper looked poised to secure his first ever overall victory, stretching his advantage as he and Ashburn completed the penultimate lap. But the drama was far from over. In the closing miles of the final lap, Ashburn clawed his way back to within striking distance, closing to just a few bike lengths before making a decisive pass heading into the final stretch to take the win.
The race ultimately hinged on a bold pre-race decision. Draper gambled on a trials tire, banking on its traction in the rocky conditions, while Ashburn opted for an FIM tire with more traditional (albeit shorter) knobs. For six of the seven laps, Draper’s choice proved brilliant. By the time he crossed the finish line, however, his rear tire was completely worn smooth, making it clear how Ashburn was able to reel him in so decisively at the end.
“I tested the tire all week, and it didn’t wear too much—it felt really good,” Draper explained. “I thought it would last, but I’m hard on tires. It worked when it worked, and I don’t regret it. Everything was flowing, and I could stretch it out a little, then Jordan would bring it back in. He was faster toward the end of the track than I was. Those last two laps were tough.”
With the win, Ashburn not only bolstered his championship hopes but also reinforced his reputation as one of the series’ most dependable riders when conditions turn brutal.
“It was super sketchy out there, but the testing we’ve done over the past few weeks really paid off,” said Ashburn. “I felt comfortable early and was just cruising. Liam was ripping and got away for a bit, but I was able to bring it back in on the last lap and make the move. It was an eventful day—I had some close calls. It was a gnarly track, no doubt about it.”
Ashburn’s victory carried added significance. In addition to becoming the fifth different winner in the series, he was also the first rider to claim an overall win at the new Kentucky venue.
Meanwhile, DeLong delivered his strongest performance of the season, with the former XC1 National Champion rounding out the podium in third.
“I put myself in bad situations the first couple of races,” DeLong admitted. “Today I got a good start, made some early moves, and put myself in position. I was tight early on, but once I loosened up, I felt strong. Everything’s still close, so I just need to capitalize moving forward.”
AmPro Yamaha’s Kailub Russell relied on years of experience and conditioning, the eight-time GNCC Champion settling into fourth overall after a midpack start.
Witkowski rounded out the top five ahead of Kelley in sixth. Despite the finish, Kelley maintained the lead in the series standings, although Draper, with his second overall, moved to within three points of Kelley in the championship fight.
Jason Tino (KTM) was seventh overall and topped the XC2 class.
Red Bear Rocky Mountain Kawasaki’s Grant Baylor was eighth overall, with Walker and Husqvarna-mounted Gavin Simon rounding out the top 10 and finishing second and third, respectively, in the XC2 division.
In the WXC Pro Women’s class, FMF KTM Factory Racing standout Brandy Richards charged from fourth place to take the victory ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede.
Richards was second off the line but settled into a safe, steady pace on the tricky course, dropping to fourth on the opening lap as Phoenix Honda Racing’s Tayla Jones led early.
“I wasn’t that ready to go in these rocks, and it was a little slippery the first lap on the hard-packed stuff,” said Richards. “I was just trying to be patient, knowing you could make one mistake and be out of the race.”
Once AmPro Yamaha’s Danielle McDonald and Steede got around Jones, Richards picked up the pace.
“Danielle made a mistake, and I got by her,” added Richards. “Then I got behind Korie, and we came up on a bottleneck. I had a good line through it and took the lead.”
Steede finished second ahead of McDonald. Jones was fourth with Jocelyn Barnes (Husqvarna) in fifth.CN
2026 GNCC Round 4 Results
OVERALL (Top 10)
- Jordan Ashburn (Hon)
- Liam Draper (Yam)
- Craig DeLong (Hus)
- Kailub Russell (Yam)
- Mike Witkowski (Hon)
- Ben Kelley (KTM)
- Jason Tino (KTM)
- Grant Baylor (Kaw)
- Jhak Walker (Bet)
- Gavin Simon (Hus)
