2026 GNCC Round 8 Results

Shan Moore | June 8, 2026

Grant Baylor is back! The younger of the two Baylor brothers didn’t even have a ride coming into the 2026 season, making his victory at the GNCC at Watkins Glen International track in New York on June 7 even more special. Competing for his brother Steward’s Red Bear Rocky Mountain Kawasaki team, Grant surged through the field from a midpack start, executing a determined, calculated charge to secure his first win of the year. Coming into the race, Grant’s best finish of the year had been sixth.

Grant Baylor at 2026 Watkins Glen GNCC — **Grant Baylor ended his winless dry spell with the overall victory at the Watkins Glen GNCC in New York.**

Story by Shan Moore | Photos by Mack Faint

Calling round eight of the 2026 Grand National Cross Country Series “eventful” would barely scratch the surface. Making its debut on the GNCC calendar, the venue delivered a perfect storm of unpredictability, producing a first-time winner and reshuffling the championship, with a new overall points leader. In every sense, Watkins Glen delivered a breakthrough moment, not only for Grant but for the championship. Grant was understandably emotional after the race.

“I don’t even know how to feel,” said Grant. “I came into the season with no help. So this one’s for everyone who didn’t believe in me. And yeah, I’ve still got it. Today is the proof.”

Grant Baylor at 2026 Watkins Glen International GNCC — **Grant Baylor battled through the New York terrain to earn the GNCC overall win at the inaugural Watkins Glen International.**

Phoenix Honda Racing’s Jordan Ashburn, who entered the race holding the series point lead, was first off the line, but it was his teammate Mike Witkowski who led the pack into the woods to start the opening lap. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong followed in third behind Ashburn, with FMF KTM Factory Racing teammates Ben Kelley and Grant Davis in fourth and fifth. Meanwhile, Steward Baylor Jr was left on the starting line when his bike didn’t fire up right away.

Liam Draper at 2026 Watkins Glen International GNCC — **Liam Draper continued to push himself throughout the race, coming through less than one second behind Baylor at the finish for second overall.**

Lap two brought immediate drama as the front of the pack fell into disarray. Witkowski and Ashburn both dropped off the pace, Witkowski due to a crash and Ashburn after choosing a bad line, opening the door for a reshuffled leaderboard. Davis capitalized, with Steward Baylor Jr and Ben Kelley close behind. Ashburn regrouped in fourth, while Witkowski slipped to the midpack, just ahead of a hard-charging Grant Baylor, who was beginning to find his rhythm.

Steward Baylor Jr, known for his ability to master new terrain, struck at the eight-mile mark, sweeping into the lead as Davis tucked in behind, studying Baylor’s lines.

**Defending GNCC Champion Ben Kelley crossed the finish line in a well-earned fourth position in XC1.**

The complexion of the race shifted again on lap three when Baylor Jr picked up a stick in his rear wheel, dropping him to third. Kelley and Davis inherited the top two positions, while AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper moved into fourth ahead of Ashburn.

Over the next three laps, the battle at the front intensified, with Kelley, Grant Baylor, Draper and Steward Baylor Jr taking turns at the point. Meanwhile, Davis slipped to sixth, reeled in by a determined Ryder Lafferty charging through the field.

Top Three at 2026 Watkins Glen International GNCC — **AMSOIL Watkins Glen International GNCC Top Three Finishers: Grant Baylor (center), Liam Draper (right) and Steward Baylor Jr. (left).**

As the race reached its critical stages, Grant Baylor made his move, slipping past Kelley to claim the lead on the white-flag lap. The final circuit unfolded in dramatic fashion. Steward Baylor Jr surged from fifth to first in just a handful of corners, only to suffer a costly fall that dropped him back to fifth. Near the midway point of the lap, Steward latched onto Draper’s draft as the two moved into second and third, where they waged a fierce, bar-to-bar fight for second, closing the gap to Grant in the final miles. In the end, the trio crossed the finish line in a frantic sprint, separated by only a couple of seconds, with Grant first, Draper second and Steward third.

“I was able to come through the pack, and I’ve been struggling to do so all year,” said Grant. “There was some good technical terrain that separated the men from the boys. Overall, it was an incredible day.”

Draper, who has yet to score a win, became the new points leader with a runner-up finish.

“Grant and Stew were ripping towards the end, and it was all a matter of who could get through the lappers cleanly,” said Draper. “That was one of the craziest last laps I’ve ever seen. I was doing everything I could to get through that last lap. I was running into guys, and Stew got around me. Then he balled it up, and I got ahead of him again. It was tight at the end, but I was able to hold him off for second and the points lead.”

GRANT DAVIS - FMF KTM FACTORY RACING - WATKINS GLEN GNCC — **Grant Davis claimed a solid fifth-place in XC1 as he continues to build experience during his first full season in the XC1 class.**

Steward, who had the race in hand a couple of times during the day, was noticeably upset by the mechanical issues he encountered throughout the day.

“I’m pissed,” Steward said when asked about his bike misfiring off the start. “That’s something we can do better. I know when I start up front, I can win. I think I hit every single lapper out there. They dictated the race today. On the last lap, there were about seven or eight lead changes. It was crazy.”

Kelley, who sits fourth in the series standings after a fourth-place finish in New York, appeared to be on pace for the win before Draper and the Baylor brothers picked up the pace.

Davis also had his moment in the lead but settled for fifth at the end of the day.

Angus Riordon at 2026 Watkins Glen GNCC — **Angus Riordon won the XC2 class in sixth overall.**

Jason Tino at 2026 Watkins Glen International GNCC — **Jason Tino battled throughout the day to earn second in the XC2 250 Pro class. Tino and Riordan now sit tied for first in the points standings**

Phoenix Honda Racing’s Angus Riordan, now the XC2 points leader but tied in points with Jason Tino of FMF KTM Factory Racing, held the overall lead on adjusted time through the midway point of the final lap but finished sixth overall and first in the XC2 division. Riordan had a strong battle with Liqui Moly Beta’s Jhak Walker for the top spot in the XC2 class early in the race.

“On the last lap, those boys put 15 seconds on me, which dropped me to sixth overall,” said Riordan. “But I won my class; that’s the main goal.”

Lafferty and Tino finished seventh and eighth, while Walker and his Liqui Moly Beta teammate, Josh Strang, rounded out the top 10.

Danielle McDonald at 2026 Watkins Glen GNCC — **Danielle McDonald came from behind to win the Women’s class.**

In the WXC division, AmPro Yamaha’s Danielle McDonald came from behind to take on FMF KTM’s Brandy Richards and claim the overall win.

“I had to charge from the back on this one,” said McDonald. “Brandy and I were separated by just inches for most of the race. She definitely made it hard for me.”

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Korie Steede rounded out the podium with Jocelyn Barnes (Husqvarna) and Carly Lee (KTM) in fourth and fifth.CN