Camp Coker GNCC – Round 4 March 29-30
Round 4 of the GNCC series continues in the sands of Society Hill, SC. It was a good weekend to be on blue! Mother nature was kinder to us than she has been giving us a beautiful weekend to go racing. Saturday morning in the youth race, AMPRO riders all pulled the holeshot! Hunter Carey took his yz85lw to another win in the 85 Big Wheel class extending his points lead. Krue Russell pulled the holeshot on his yz65 and put it on the podium with a 2nd place in 65 (9) class. Shawn Remington Jr. finished 5th in 65 (10-11). Moving on to the following race with the AM amateurs, Colton McQuarrie had his work cut out for him but successfully put his yz125x on the top of the box with a 1st in 150 B Schoolboy extending his points lead going into round 5. Danielle McDonald pulled the holeshot on the WXC line and dug deep to claiming her first podium in the class with a respectful 3rd. As the pros lined up, the boys got off to a good start on the XC1 line, Liam Draper led some laps and had a good battle for the lead going on putting his YZ450fx on the box with a 2nd place & 2nd overall. Kaliub Russell had a good start and ran 2nd for a but but claimed 5th place in XC1. Evan Smith returned to racing off an injury and worked his way up to 7th in class. Next round is in 2 weeks in Tennessee!
Yamaha Podium Finishers:
85 Big Wheel (14-15)
85 Big Wheel (11-13)
85 (12-13)
65 (9)
1st- Hunter Carey
3rd – Braxtyn Chaney
1st- Evan Porter
2nd-Krue Russell
WXC
Women
Women (+30)
Women C
3rd-Danielle Mcdonald
1st-Lilly Sheets
1st-Jamie Brown
1st-Kate Ansley // 2nd-Cassie Lis
150 B Schoolboy
1st-Colton Mcquarrie // 3rd-Ryder Reick
Silver Masters A (55+)
Super Senior B (+45)
Masters B (+50)
2nd-Michael Grizzle
1st-Josh Kos // 3rd – Johnny Gallagher
3rd-Todd Senger
XC1
XC3 125
150 A
Junior A (+25)
250 B
4-Stroke B Lites
Junior B (+25)
2nd -Liam Draper
1st-James Jenkins // 2nd-Huck Jenkins
1st-Colby Goodman // 2nd-Joe Schriver
3rd-Payton Hardin
1st-Dylan Mcdonald
2nd-Maddox Moretz
2nd-Trey Jefferson // 3rd-Josh McCoy
Micro (4-6) Shaft Drive
1st -Liam Cox
2nd-Tucker Rodeheaver
3rd-Carson Helmueller
Talladega GNCC – Round 3 March 8-9
This was our first year at Talladega and what a beautiful property. Unfortunately, mother nature couldn’t let us go without her on Sunday. The youth race kicked off early Sunday morning ending up being a 2 lap race due to lightning in the area so for riders and everyone’s safety, the race was called early. YZ65 rider Shawn Remington Jr. had an impressive ride in tough conditions putting his YZ65 on top of the box in 65 (10-11) class. In the same race, Hunter Carey dominated the 85 big wheel class on his YZ85LW extending his points lead. Following when the weather let up was the 10 a.m. race where Danielle McDonald returns to GNCC racing on her YZ250FX in WXC off an injury. A couple of rows to start behind was Colton McQuarrie on his YZ125X in 150 B Schoolboy who rode to a dominating win. As the pro guys lined up to tackle the Talladega mud, Liam Draper was off to a great start with a hole shot and leading the first part of the lap. Unfortunately out of his control he bent his front rodar but salvaged a 4th place. Kailub Russell also rode a strong race taking his YZ450FX through the line in 5th place putting himself 2nd in the points chased of XC1. Ryder Sigety rides his YZ125X to 3rd in 150B. The team is ready for Camp Coker March 29-30.
YAMAHA PODIUM FINISHERS – ROUND 3
YXC2 SUPER MINI JR (12-13)
2. BENTLY SAXTON
85 BIG WHEEL (14-15)
1. HUNTER CAREY
85 (12-13)
1. EVAN PORTER
2. KARSON GEORGE
65 (10-11)
1. SHAWN REMINGTON JR.
150 B SCHOOLBOY (12-17)
1. COLTON MCQUARRIE
2. TRAYVEN BRUMMETT
SUPER SENIOR A (45+)
3. JOE POTTER
MASTERS A (50+)
1. SHAWN REMINGTON
2. CHRIS HUDDLESTON
WOMENS AM
1. HAILEY BLANTON
XC3 125 PRO-AM
2. JAYSON CRAWFORD
3. ISAIAH BROWN
150 A
1. BRADEN HASHMAN
2. KYLE GRENEWICZ
3. RYDER SIGETY
JUNIOR A (25+)
2. ANDREW BOGGS
3. PAYTON HARDIN
VET A (30+)
2. DANNY HAFTL
4-STROKE B LITES
2. OWEN JAMES
MICRO (4-6) SHAFT DRIVE
1. BODI ALERING
2. CARSON MACK
3. LIAM COX
Wild Boar GNCC – Round 2 March 1-2
The team had a successful weekend in the sandy Florida whoops and mud. Saturday morning, the amateurs started off in the Youth 8am race bright and early. Hunter Carey backed up his win from round 1 and dominated round 2 with over a 5 minute win in 85 Big Wheel. Shawn Remington Jr. grabbed another 2nd place on his YZ65 in the 65 (10-11) year old class. The following class, Krue Russell took his YZ65 to an impressive 2nd place. Colton McQuarrie goes back to back wins on his YZ125x in the 150 B Schoolboy class in the 10 am race with a 5th overall. As the XC1 boys line up to go out for the afternoon pro bike race, Kailub Russell was off to a great start and putting himself battling for the lead all day in XC1. At the end of the day, he landed himself a 2nd place on the podium in XC1. Liam Draper dug deep coming from the back of the pack to 4th place coming through the checkered flag. Great comeback from round 1. Round 2 is at a new venue in Talladega, AL. Lets shake n’ bake.
YAMAHA BLUCRU PODIUM FINISHERS:
85 (12-13):
Evan Porter
65 (10-11):
Shawn Remington Jr.
Maddox Welborn
Silver Masters A (55+):
Michael Grizzle
XC3 125 Pro-Am:
James Jenkins
Luke Brown
150 A:
Lucas Rubinstein
4 Stroke B-Lites
Ethan Fitzgerald
Junior B (+25):
Walker Hashman
Micro (4-6) shaft drive:
Liam Cox
Tucker Rodeheaver
Riley Hite
Big Buck GNCC – Round 1 Feb 15-16
Kicking off the series down in Union, SC was round 1 of the GNCC series. Mother nature did show up for the weekend putting the riders to the test. Saturday, AmPro Amateurs raced in the youth race in the evening for this round. Defending 85 Big Wheel champion Hunter Carey, grabbed the holeshot and never looked back landing himself on top of the box. Shawn Remington Jr. finished 2nd in 65 (10-11) on his YZ65. Starting the row behind him, Krue Russell finished 5th in 65 (9) on his YZ65 as well. Sunday AM race, Colton McQuarrie lines up in the 150 B Schoolboy class on his YZ125x and sets off to an impressive ride finishing 1st in class and 2nd OVERALL out of the whole AM race. Following was the afternoon pro bike race with the toughest conditions all day. Kailub Russell fought hard finishing 5th in XC1. Unfortunately, Liam Draper ended his race early with a mechanical out of anyone’s control. Round 2 will be down south in the Florida sand March 1-2.
YAMAHA BLUCRU PODIUM FINISHERS:
85 (12-13):
Evan Porter
Karson George
Micro (4-6) shaft drive:
Steele Crocker
Carson Helmneller
Liam Cox
Women amateur:
Hailey Blanton
Masters A (50+):
Shawn Remington
Silver Masters A (55+):
Andrew Davis
XC3 125 Pro-AM:
James Jenkins
Luke Brown
Isaiah Brown
250 B:
2. Dylan McDonald
150 A:
Braden Hashman
Ryder Sigety
4 Stroke B Lites:
Brayden Slade
Junior A (+25):
Andrew Boggs
Junior B (+25):
2. Walker Hashman
Vet A (+30):
3.Danny Haftl
Senior A (+40):
2.Joe Potter
AmPro Yamaha Reveals 2025 Off-Road Team
January 28, 2025, 12:30pm
MARIETTA, Ga. – AmPro Yamaha Racing is excited to reveal its pro team for the 2025 off-road racing season, featuring a formidable lineup with a mix of seasoned champions and promising new talent to battle for top honors in the premier off-road series in the east. In the Grand National Cross Country Series, eight-time GNCC XC1 Champion Kailub Russell and 2023 GNCC XC2 and National Enduro Series Pro 2 Champion Liam Draper will lead the campaign in the premier class, with Draper also making a title run aboard the YZ450FX in the U.S. Sprint Enduro Pro 1 Championship. The team is also pleased to announce the addition of Evan Smith, 2024 JDay Off-Road Pro and Pro 125 Champion Brandon Gregoire, and multi-time Australian National Champion Danielle Mcdonald. Smith will head the team’s efforts in the National Enduro Pro 1 Championship as well as race select GNCC XC1 rounds, with Gregoire defending his JDay Off-Road titles and racing select rounds of the GNCC XC2 Championship. McDonald will make her full-time U.S. debut in 2025, racing for top honors in the GNCC WXC Championship.
Russell, the winningest rider in Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) history, makes his highly anticipated return to full-time racing in 2025. With an already storied career, earning an unrivaled eight consecutive XC1 titles and 67 overall victories from 2013 to 2020, the North Carolina rider is looking to add to that tally as he makes his debut with the team aboard the AmPro Yamaha YZ450FX. The 2025 GNCC season kicks off in less than a month’s time at the Big Buck Farm in Union, South Carolina, on February 15-16.
Returning for his third year with the team, Draper looks forward to his first full season in the XC1 class. In 2023, he made a stellar debut with AmPro Yamaha and earned a pair of 250 titles. The New Zealand rider has also enjoyed success aboard the YZ450FX, making an impressive GNCC premier class debut at the end of last season with four consecutive overall podiums in XC1 and finished runner-up in the U.S. Sprint Enduro Series Pro 1 Championship. This year, Draper is primed to race for the title in both the GNCC XC1 and U.S. Sprint Enduro Pro 1 Championships. Last weekend, he got his Pro 1 title campaign off to a good start with a runner-up finish at the U.S. Sprint Enduro season opener in Hephzibah, Georgia.
New to the team for 2025 is Smith, who will lead the team’s campaign in the National Enduro (NEPG) Pro 1 Championship and will also race select GNCC XC1 rounds this season. The rider from Georgia showed strength last season, finishing third in the Enduro Pro 1 category and sixth in the GNCC XC1 class. Smith is eager to make his debut aboard the AmPro Yamaha YZ450FX and to get his title campaign underway as the NEPG season kicks off at the Sumter National in South Carolina on February 9.
Hailing from Monson, Massachusetts, Gregoire is another exciting new addition to the team. The 2024 JDay Series Champion in both the Pro and Pro 125cc categories will lead the team’s campaign in the competitive Northeast Off-Road series and looks to defend his titles aboard the AmPro Yamaha YZ250FX and YZ125. Gregoire will also race select rounds in the GNCC XC2 Championship.
McDonald joins the team in 2025 to make her full-time racing debut in the U.S. At a young age, the 17-year-old has enjoyed a lot of success with multiple national titles in Australia, including four Australian Enduro Championships, four Hattah Desert Racing Championships, and an Australian Motocross Championship. She has also excelled in international competition, earning two silver medals from the FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE). Last year, McDonald made her GNCC debut, racing a few rounds with the AmPro Yamaha Racing team, and comes on board full-time in 2025 to race the WXC Championship. Still working on returning to full fitness from a knee injury late last season, the young Australian is eager to get the 2025 season started. An update on her first round of the season will follow at a later date.
The team is also excited to announce their AmPro bLU cRU amateur support riders. 2023 GNCC 85 Champion (11-15), Ryder Sigety returns and will race for top honors in the GNCC 150 A class, with Colton McQuarrie also returning to lead the campaign in the GNCC 150 B class. Both riders are excited for the opening 2025 GNCC round in South Carolina as they begin their first full season in the bigger bike classes. Joining the team to defend his GNCC 85cc Big Wheel (11-15) title is Hunter Carey.
In addition to their title campaigns in the off-road racing series in the east, the team will be on hand at select bLU cRU special events to support Yamaha riders honing their off-road skills. Additionally, they will be assisting in the development of the AmPro bLU cRU Amateur Team riders at GNCC, U.S. Sprint, and J-Day offroad events. For information on upcoming off-road bLU cRU events, visit yamahamotorsports.com.
The AmPro Yamaha Racing team would also like to thank its partners for their support: Yamaha, Yamalube, GYTR, Moose Racing, FMF, Scott Goggles, Sunex Tools, Shoei Helmets, Sidi Boots, Cycra, Tramell Tire, 02 Blast, Dunlop Tire, Moose Balls, Factory Connection, Flexx Bars, ODI Grips, DP Brakes, TM Design, Fastway, ProFilter, Seat Concepts, VP Racing Fuels, DID Chain, Work Connection, IMS, Antigravity Batteries, Evans Coolant, X-Trig, Bullet Proof, Spec Bolts, G2, Senge Graphics, Matrix, E-Line, Motion Pro, Vortex, Pro-X, Wiseco, and MotoSport.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS) is proud to continue its substantial bLU cRU Off-Road Racing Contingency program in 2025 for the GNCC, National Enduro, U.S. Sprint Enduro, and the JDay Off-Road Series. From the PW50 to the YZ450FX, the program boasts a robust $1.2 million across all four championships to support bLU cRU riders excelling in competition aboard qualified models from Yamaha’s complete line of off-road motorcycles. Riders who compete aboard any qualified Yamaha YZ motorcycles are invited to register for the 2025 bLU cRU Off-Road Racing Contingency Program. For complete details on how to register, visit www.yamahablucru.com.
Donnie Luce – Amateur MX/ ATV / Off-Road Coordinator for YMUS
“The AmPro Yamaha team is coming into 2025 with a lot of momentum after a successful end to last season as well as a renewed focus on strengthening our team with the addition of Kailub, Evan, and Brandon. We are looking forward to showcasing our 2- and 4-stroke Off-Road models in the premier off-road series in the east.
Randy Hawkins - AmPro Yamaha Racing Team Owner
“With our team of riders and mechanics, the 2025 season is going to be exciting and fun. The team has been working hard, testing, and training this off-season, and it’s all coming together. We’re looking forward to the start of the season and seeing the blue wave.”
Kailub Russell- AmPro Yamaha Racing #557
“I’ve had a very steady offseason building and learning this new YZ450FX. I’m excited to kick off the season with the team. I think the bike and myself should be very capable of running up front and battling to win.”
Liam Draper - AmPro Yamaha Racing #198
“I’m super excited to get the 2025 season started! The pre-season training has been going well. Kailub and I have been hard at it and can’t wait to go racing.”
Evan Smith - AmPro Yamaha Racing #347
“I am very excited to be joining AmPro Yamaha for 2025. To be a part of a strong team with such a decorated past in racing and to have them backing me, I can’t wait to go racing. I have my eyes set on the NEPG title, and with such a great program behind me, I can’t wait to see how the year unfolds.”
Brandon Gregoire - AmPro Yamaha Racing #1 and #913
“I’m incredibly excited about the opportunity that AmPro Yamaha has given me for the upcoming race season. I’m stoked to be teammates with Kailub Russell, widely regarded as the best rider to ever compete in GNCC racing, as well as Liam Draper, one of the top riders of our current era. I’m eager to learn from both of them and apply their insights to my own program. This year, I’m focused on defending both of my JDay Off-Road titles and putting my name on the map as a contender in GNCC racing.”
Danielle Mcdonald - AmPro Yamaha Racing #261
“I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the AmPro Yamaha Racing team this year. It has always been a big dream of mine to race full-time in the U.S. and to finally be here feels surreal. I am extremely excited about the upcoming season and can’t wait to start racing!”
MARIETTA, Ga. – December 4, 2024 – AmPro Racing and Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS) are excited to announce a multi-year deal with Kailub Russell that will see the winningest rider on two wheels in the Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) return to racing the XC1 Championship full time in 2025.
From 2013 until retiring in 2020, Russell reigned supreme with eight consecutive XC1 motorcycle titles and earned an unprecedented 67 overall victories. Reenergized from his time away from racing, the North Carolina rider is eager to return to action and begin a new relationship with AmPro Racing, Yamaha, and the bLU cRU. Russell will make his debut aboard the AmPro Yamaha Racing YZ450FX at the opening round of the 2025 season, where the series will kick off a historic 50th season of GNCC Racing.
Donnie Luce – Amateur MX/ ATV / Off-Road Coordinator for YMUS
“Winning Championships is not new to Kailub Russell, and we are very excited to assist him in adding to his already historic legacy in GNCC and off-road racing on the YZ450FX. Having an eight-time Champion join your team only further validates what Randy Hawkins and his entire AmPro Yamaha team have been building for over 25 years. We look forward to seeing him back in action and representing the bLU cRU in the premier class.”
Randy Hawkins - AmPro Yamaha Racing Team Owner
“When this opportunity came up, I was pretty excited. I’ve known Kailub since he was riding 85’s, and he’s always had such a passion for winning, and that hasn’t changed. So, having him come back from retirement and want to join the team and put his trust in our program is a big deal for us. I also think that it is good not only for the team and Yamaha to have Kailub back racing but also for the sport. We’re really excited for the upcoming GNCC season and to have both Kailub and Liam (Draper) for our 450 program. We are anticipating great things from both riders.”
Kailub Russell - AmPro Yamaha Racing
“I’m very excited to come back to GNCC after four years of watching. I was at a point where I just needed a break from racing. I realize now that life goes by even faster away from racing, and I don’t want to miss out on being able to do what I love.
“I’m very happy AmPro Yamaha is giving me the opportunity to come back. It’s exciting to see how stoked the whole team is to have me join, and I can’t wait to return to the races!”
About Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. (YMUS), is a recognized leader in the outdoor recreation industry. The company's ever-expanding product offerings include Motorcycles and Scooters, ATV and Side-by-Side vehicles, Snowmobiles, Personal Watercraft, Boats, Outboard Motors, Outdoor Power Equipment, Power Assist Bicycles, Golf Cars (sold, serviced, and distributed by Yamaha Golf-Car Company), Power Assist Wheelchair Systems, Surface Mount Technology (SMT) and Robotic Machines, Unmanned Helicopters, Accessories, Apparel, Yamalube products, and much more. YMUS products are sold through a nationwide network of distributors and dealers in the United States.
YMUS has a corporate office in California, three corporate offices in Georgia, as well as facilities in Wisconsin and Alabama. YMUS subsidiaries YMMC, based in Georgia, and YJBM based in Tennessee, each assemble and manufacture selected Yamaha brand products. Additional U.S.-based subsidiaries include Yamaha Marine Systems Company, Inc. (YMSC) with subsidiary Siren Marine and divisions Bennett Marine (Florida), Yamaha Marine Rotational Molders (Wisconsin) and Yamaha Precision Propeller Inc. (Indiana), and Skeeter Boats (Texas) with its division G3 Boats (Missouri).
Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, U.S.A. (Yamaha Financial Services), an affiliate of Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., offers financing solutions to support Yamaha Dealers and loyal Yamaha Customers nationwide. Yamaha Financial Services provides retail and commercial financing for the diverse line of Yamaha brand motor products based out of Cypress, CA and Marietta, GA.
