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August 2026 19 The excitement extended well beyond the motor- cycle classes, as the ATV racers delivered memo- rable performances of their own throughout the Watkins Glen weekend. The a ernoon pro race once again belonged to Phoenix Racing Yamaha's Brycen Neal, but the victory didn't come without a challenge. Neal and Sturdivant Racing/Maxxis/Moose Racing's Branden Owens spent much of the a ernoon locked in a ba le at the front of the field, with Owens applying pressure through the opening laps as the pair navigated Watkins Glen's mix of fast grass sec ons, rocky hillsides and technical woods. The duel remained close well into the race before Neal finally began to create some breathing room on the final lap. A mistake-free finish allowed the Yamaha rider to pull away just enough to secure another overall victory, while Owens crossed the line a well-earned second a er keeping the leader honest throughout the a ernoon. Home- town favorite HHR/Fly Racing/QuadTech's Hunter Hart rewarded the New York crowd with a podi- um finish in third, giving family, friends and local supporters plenty to cheer about. Ac on Off-Road/ Maxxis/Lonestar Racing's Jay Shadron con nued his consistent season with a fourth-place finish, while Stewart Boys Racing/Kenda/Pierce Performance's Wya Wilkin completed the overall top five. Just behind the premier XC1 field, the XC2 Pro class con nued to showcase the depth of ATV racing's next genera on. Maxxis Tires/Sunoco Fuel/Fly Racing/TDR Motorsports' Braxton Grosse deliv- ered one of the strongest amateur performances of the weekend, racing to the XC2 Pro victory and earning an impressive 12th overall finish. Nine2/ Ryland Johnson Racing/Gregs ATV and Cycle's Layne McCormick followed with another steady ride to finish second in class, while TDR Motorsports/Elak/ ATV Four-Play's Jeremiah Wolf completed the XC2 podium a er ba ling through the challenging Wat- kins Glen terrain. Earlier Sunday morning, the ATV compe tors were the first to take on the inaugural Watkins Glen course as the 4x4 racers kicked off another full day of GNCC compe on. Pro Row 784/Victory Golf Cart's Brandon Frazier piloted his Can-Am to the overall victory a er a consistent five-lap perfor- Danielle McDonald Danielle McDonald