WITKOWSKI CLAIMS CAREER-FIRST WIN AT 13TH AND FINAL ROUND
Grant Davis really messed with the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) program this year. The XC2 250 Pro riders, who start on the second row at GNCC races, behind the premier XC1 Pro class, aren’t supposed to win the overall race. But Grant Davis of the FMF KTM Factory Landers team helped himself to four overall wins in the 2025 GNCC season, which actually put him in contention for the overall championship. The series’ highest honor came down to the final round, and while the victory went to Phoenix Racing Honda’s mounted Michael Witkowski for his first win of his career, the championship went to FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley, his second-career 2025 GNCC Series title.
Witkowski edged out a tight field to lock in a breakthrough success that marks a major milestone in his off-road racing journey. Coming into the weekend, Witkowski had shown flashes of speed, but this performance underscored his ability to keep it clean, smart, and fast when it mattered most.
“Yeah, honestly last night I was like, ‘Man, I can do this, I’ve just got to put this all together,” said Mike Witkowski. “Today, man, the bike felt so good. I think that was the key factor. I got a good start, and it honestly just felt effortless. They always say when you win it feels easy, but it truly was. Just a special day. It went so smooth. Just a huge thanks to the team, it was incredible. To go into the off-season like this, it will make it so much easier to put in all those hours.”
Witkowski’s teammate Cody Barnes, an XC2 250 Pro rider, and AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper joined him on the overall podium at the Ironman GNCC. Defending champion Johnny Girroir and Kawasaki’s Grant Baylor rounded out the top five.
Kelley finished a modest 10th overall, but it was more than enough to wrap up the championship after Grant Davis crashed out of the race earlier on. Davis still retained second in the overall championship to go with his XC2 250 Pro championship already clinched two rounds previous.
“It’s been a long road with a lot of injuries between now and my first championship, and not many people are able to do it twice,” said Ben Kelley. “It was an honor to battle with Grant all year—he and I were so close all season and it took me to ride at my absolute best to beat him. We had some inconsistencies, but in the end, I was the most consistent and put myself in a good position today off the start. I wanted the win, but I prioritized bringing it home safely in the end with the big picture in mind. It’s a long season, a lot goes into this, and a big thanks to the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team for all the support!”
Get full results from the Ironman GNCC and season final points standings at GNCCRacing.com.