Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1530649
GNCC has seen several first-time champions lately. Girroir is one of them. Girroir successfully defending the number-one plate in the U.S. Sprint Enduro Championship. No one could touch him. He won every round—twice. P80 INTERVIEW I 2024 GNCC & U.S. SPRINT ENDURO CHAMPION JOHNNY GIRROIR handed the lead to Stew Baylor, who went on to win. Johnny would go on to win five rounds and, through con- sistency, was able to wrap up the title two rounds early at the Mountaineer despite finish - ing 12th overall after breaking his clutch line and making an extended pit stop for repairs. Twelfth was just enough to clinch the championship. "It was hectic to say the least, but it feels awesome," said Girroir. "I was super con - sistent all year except due to a freak mechanical." Johnny was equally good, if not better, at sprint racing. One of the qualities that makes John- ny one of the best in the country is that he is a complete rider. His ability to excel at a three-hour GNCC and then to dominate the U.S. Sprint Enduro Series, which consists of 10-minute all-out sprints six times per day for two days, is phenomenal. "They are definitely two dif - ferent types of racing, and they just because the sand is so fine, but I'm used to that from riding at Southwick and The Wild Boar is one of my favorite races." Johnny was on his way to victory at the Hoosier GNCC but missed his pit for the gas stop on the last lap and had to turn around and go back. That for that, and then that made me sick for a while, with my stomach, from the antibiotics." The 2024 season was prob - ably the first year that Johnny actually came into a season healthy, and it showed when he won the first race of the season at Big Buck. Round two, the Wild Boar, was a pivotal race for Johnny this year, with the deep and rough sand. The FMF/KTM Factory rider went down in the first turn and started the race in last but managed to recover to win the race by nearly two minutes, making a statement that he was the top candidate for the title. "Florida was certainly a big race for me," said Girroir. "It was sandy and muddy, and to come all the way back to win was a big confidence booster. It got pretty rough; it gets way deeper