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Buttrick To
Race JNCC
Photo
By: Shan Moore
Cory Buttrick
The Can-Am Grand National Cross Country
(GNCC) Series celebrates its strong alliance with the
Japan National Cross Country Series with the
announcement that it will send XC1 rookie sensation
Cory Buttrick to represent the GNCC at the final round
of the JNCC series, the AAGP, at the BigDeer Circuit
on November 21st near Hiroshima.
Buttrick, winner of this year's John
Penton GNCC, will compete in the race as guests of the
JNCC Series, and will be accompanied by his father
Dennis Buttrick and KTM factory mechanic Tony Hall.
"It's a great honor to be
selected to the team and I look forward to
representing America and the GNCC in Japan," said
Buttrick. "I think it's really cool to get to go
over there; I enjoy traveling and this is a great
opportunity to race and to see another country."
Buttrick follows GNCC racers Josh
Strang and Kailub Russell who competed in the AAGP in
2009, a race that was won by Russell. Defending GNCC
champ Paul Whibley won the 2006 edition, Charlie
Mullins came out on top in 2007, and Nate Kanney was
victorious in 2008.
It is a tradition for JNCC President
Masami Hoshino to invite GNCC riders to the event, in
exchange for Japanese riders that will compete in the
opening rounds of the GNCC series, and he sees the
continued cooperation of Japanese and American racers
as a way to boost racing in Japan. In March, Hoshino
accompanied a contingent of Japanese riders and
crewmembers that competed in the opening round of the
GNCC Series at the Westgate River Ranch Resort in
Florida.
"I cannot show my appreciation
enough for the GNCC Series," says Hoshino.
"They have also chosen great racers from GNCC for
the AAGP, so in Japan, enduro riding will rise."
The three-hour AAGP follows the same
format as an American GNCC round, and the race winner
receives 100,000 YEN. The racers head to Japan on
Wednesday, November 17. GNCC organizer Racer
Productions will also send Media Director Shan Moore
on the trip to send back reports and photos, so look
for updates all week long on GNCC
Racing.com. |
