The second round of the 2025 Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series, the Moose Racing Wild Boar, concluded with sunny conditions and exciting racing at the Wild Boar event in Palatka, Florida.
Johnny Girroir claimed his first win of the season, marking a strong start to the year in what proved to be a thrilling race. Australians Angus Riordan, Lyndon Snodgrass, and Tayla Jones had standout performances, with Riordan finishing second in the XC2 class and fifth overall, Snodgrass earning a top 10 in XC1, and Jones making an impressive comeback to finish second in the WXC class.
The event kicked off with a dramatic battle for the Holeshot Award, which was claimed by Jordan Ashburn. However, it was Kailub Russell who made an immediate charge to the front, aiming for victory in his return to racing after a four-year hiatus. Russell quickly assumed the lead, but the race was far from decided as Girroir and Russell battled back and forth for several laps. Girroir made his move late in the race, securing the lead for the final three laps. Despite Russell’s relentless pursuit, Girroir held strong to take the win, finishing eight seconds ahead of Russell. The victory marked Girroir’s first win of the 2025 season.
Benjamin Kelley secured third overall, though it wasn’t without challenges. Kelley was shuffled back in the field early in the race but worked his way through the pack to finish strong, taking third despite some early setbacks.
In the XC2 250 Pro class, a fierce battle raged between teammates Grant Davis and Australian Angus Riordan. The two swapped the lead multiple times during the three-hour race, but it was Davis who ultimately secured the win, finishing fourth overall. Riordan followed closely, earning second place in the class and fifth overall.
Liam Draper made an impressive recovery after an 11th-place finish on the opening lap. He pushed through the sandy terrain to finish sixth overall and fourth in the XC1 class. Michael Witkowski finished in fifth place in the XC1 class, securing a solid seventh overall. Another Australian, Lyndon Snodgrass, despite receiving a penalty for an infraction, managed to finish sixth in XC1 and eighth overall.
Cody Barnes rounded out the top three in the XC2 class, finishing ninth overall. Ricky Russell earned a top 10 finish overall with a seventh-place finish in the XC1 class.
WXC
The WXC class saw a dominant performance by Brandy Richards, who led the race from the first lap and extended her gap to secure the win. Australian Tayla Jones made an impressive comeback from fifth place to finish second, while Korie Steede claimed third.
“Had a blast sand surfing through Hog Waller yesterday! I got off to a slow start but pushed hard in the last couple of laps to take P2. The WXC field is so stacked this year—it’s awesome to be a part of it! Huge thanks to the entire @phxracinghonda team and my wifey for chasing me around and making sure I made it through the water holes. We’re hungry for more—let’s keep this ball rolling heading into Talladega!” Jones said on social media.
The 2025 Progressive Grand National Cross Country Series continues next weekend on March 8-9 at an all-new location with the Talladega GNCC in Talladega, Alabama.
| Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC Results and Points Standings | |
|---|---|
| Palatka, Florida – Round 2 of 13 – Sunday, March 2, 2025 | |
| Overall Event Results | |
| 1 | Jonathan Girroir (KTM) |
| 2 | Kailub Russell (YAM) |
| 3 | Benjamin Kelley (KTM) |
| 4 | Grant Davis (KTM) |
| 5 | Angus Riordan (KTM) |
| 6 | Liam Draper (YAM) |
| 7 | Michael Witkowski (HON) |
| 8 | Lyndon Snodgrass (KAW) |
| 9 | Cody Barnes (HON) |
| 10 | Ricky Russell (TRI) |
| Overall National Championship Standings* | |
| 1 | Benjamin Kelley (39 Points) |
| 2 | Nicholas DeFeo (37 Points) |
| 3 | Angus Riordan (37 Points) |
| 4 | Joshua Toth (33 Points) |
| 5 | Kailub Russell (32 Points) |
| 6 | Grant Davis (31 Points) |
| 7 | Jonathan Girroir (30 Points) |
| 8 | Lyndon Snodgrass (27 Points) |
| 9 | Michael Witkowski (25 Points) |
| 10 | Cody Barnes (24 Points) |
| *Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2025 National Champion. | |
| XC1 Open Pro Event Results | |
| 1 | Jonathan Girroir (KTM) |
| 2 | Kailub Russell (YAM) |
| 3 | Benjamin Kelley (KTM) |
| 4 | Liam Draper (YAM) |
| 5 | Michael Witkowski (HON) |
| 6 | Lyndon Snodgrass (KAW) |
| 7 | Ricky Russell (TRI) |
| 8 | Jordan Ashburn (GAS) |
| 9 | Craig Delong (HQV) |
| 10 | Steward Baylor (KAW) |
| XC2 250 Pro Event Results | |
| 1 | Grant Davis (KTM) |
| 2 | Angus Riordan (KTM) |
| 3 | Cody Barnes (HON) |
| 4 | Josh Toth (KAW) |
| 5 | Nicholas DeFeo (KAW) |
| 6 | Jason Tino (GAS) |
| 7 | Jonathan Johnson (HON) |
| 8 | Jhak Walker (BET) |
| 9 | Alexandre Gougeon (KTM) |
| 10 | Hunter Bush (KAW) |
