We don’t usually cover the Grand National Cross Country series (GNCC) here at MD. We probably won’t this year, either. It certainly won’t be in our normal course of things to identify the rider who finished eighth at a GNCC.
Honda’s Scott Summers finished eighth today, in Round One of the GNCC series (taking place in Gilmer, Texas). It is notable, because Summers is a five-time GNCC champion, who won his first championship in 1990 (14 years ago) and his last championship in 1997 (seven years ago). Summers has several Hare Scrambles titles, as well. Summers had a series of injury problems that culminated in a bad femur break three years ago, leading to his retirement from professional racing. Summers won those championships on a huge, air-cooled Honda XR600.
His eighth place finish today marks his return to the GNCC series full-time (he raced a few rounds at the end of last year). He is reportedly aboard a CRF450R suitably modified for cross-country racing, and he defeated some very talented riders in Round 1, including, but not limited to, Fred Andrews and the Pearson brothers. We don’t mind saying that Summers is our sentimental favorite to take the title this year, not only because of his past accomplishments, but because he is a great guy and a great ambassador for motorcycling, in general.
At 36 years of age, don’t think Summers is too old to win the title. The winner of today’s race was 39 year old Rodney Smith (a four-time GNCC champ, himself).
