Kelley Wins The Old Gray GNCC
B
en Kelley made a bold state-
ment at The Old Gray GNCC
in Monterey, Tennessee, on April
13, becoming the first rider to
win more than one round over-
all so far in the 2025 series. He
achieved this feat in back-to-
back rounds with vastly different
conditions, proving his all-around
abilities. The GNCC faithful had
witnessed four different winners
in the first four rounds before
arriving at The Old Gray. The
FMF KTM Factory rider had to
overcome a setback at the start
of the race, but just like at Camp
Coker, Kelley got stronger as the
race progressed. He laid down
an absolutely blistering final two
laps to overcome the one-minute
deficit from the defending XC2
250 Pro Champion and current
XC2 Pro points leader, FMF KTM
Factory Racing Team Landers'
Grant Davis, to claim the victory.
Kelley's biggest mishap was
at the start. "I had my finger rest
-
ing a little too hard on the start
button, and I accidentally started
it early and had to shut it off, so
I got a crappy start," said Kelley.
"I knew that they were going to
stop me for a penalty. I was at
the back of the pack and made a
couple of passes on the first lap.
Then I came around and saw the
black flag. I'm like, 'Dang,' and I
just pulled over and started curs
-
ing and swearing. The guy was
just like, 'I know, I know.' Fifteen
seconds went by, and that put
me way back, like a minute plus."
Riding in front of a hometown
crowd, Flatrock Motorsports
GasGas Factory Racing's Jordan
Ashburn, who missed the previ
-
ous two rounds due to a fall in
Florida, grabbed the holeshot
ahead of Phoenix Honda Rac
-
ing's Mike Witkowski to start the
race on the short but technical
and rocky course.
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team
Landers' Grant Davis was already
into the overall lead on adjusted
time by the end of the lap after
turning the fastest lap time of the
opening circuit, closing in on the
tail end of the XC1 riders.
Red Bear Rocky Mountain
Kawasaki brothers Steward and
Grant Baylor got good starts
for a change, and they fought
over third and fourth in the first
couple of laps. At the same time,
the two Russells, AmPro Yama
-
ha's Kailub Russell and Enduro
Engineering Triumph Racing's
Ricky Russell, followed.
WIND
IN THE
P44
Ben Kelley
celebrates his
second win in a
row at The Old Gray
GNCC in Tennessee.
PHOTOS: MACK FAINT
