Ashburn Clinches GNCC Championship
J
ordan Ashburn has been the
epitome of consistency all
year while positioning himself
at the top of the Grand National
Championship series point stand-
ings, missing only two podiums
in the last 11 races. However,
at Burr Oak GNCC in Millfield,
Ohio, September 25, the Magna1
Motorsports/Husqvarna rider
showed a bit of aggression on his
way to his second win of the sea-
son, passing Rockstar Energy
Husqvarna's Craig DeLong in the
"John Penton" section on the
final lap of the Burr Oak course
to take the lead, and two miles
later, the win. With the victory,
Ashburn also wrapped up the
2022 GNCC Overall National title
with two races remaining on the
schedule.
DeLong turned in his best
performance since moving to the
XC1 division last year, and led
for most of the final lap before
"hitting a wall" in the Penton sec-
tion and settling for second. Not
counting FMF/KTM's Ben Kelley,
who had already announced he
was done for the year due to a
leg injury; DeLong was the only
rider with a mathematical chance
of locking Ashburn out of the
title, or at least prolonging it until
the next race. However, inspired
by the thought of wrapping the
championship up early, Ashburn
was not to be denied.
"What a day," said Ashburn.
"I put myself in a good position
early on by getting the holeshot.
We got passed there at the
second pit, but I just tried to stay
on Craig; he was riding so good.
He's the guy I had to beat today,
and I really had to push hard to
IN
THE
WIND
P32
GNCC veteran Jordan Ashburn
clinched his first career title in
leading an all-Husqvarna podium at
the Burr Oak GNCC.
PHOTOS: KEN HILL
