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Steward Baylor Takes it at Talladega
TALLADEGA, Ala. (March 10, 2025) - The historic Talladega Motor Speedway hosted its first-ever Progressive Grand National Cross Country race this weekend, and the action on the track lived up to the hype. Huge amounts of rain on Sunday morning made for a treacherous race track. Being a new venue made for very soft conditions, but the Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green™ riders were ready for it.
XC1 rider Steward Baylor started the race with a tip over in the first turn, but made up for it by passing for the lead by the end of Lap 1. From there, it was a game of strategy, with multiple pit stops for goggles, gloves, and fuel. Baylor played it smart, letting other riders lead until the last lap when he put on a charge and made his way to the front. He won by almost two minutes. "That was a tough, but fun, race. I knew I had to play the long game out there. On the last lap, I really tried to just ride smooth and ride my own race. I went back to hitting the main lines and that worked out for me. I'm happy to get a win after a few tough races."
WXC rider Rachael Archer had an amazing day, leading the race after a few miles and carrying it all the way to the finish. "I felt great out there. It feels good to get another win and get the points lead back. I'm ready for a few weeks off then get back to it at Camp Coker."
In the XC2 class, Nick DeFeo had quite a day going for himself, running second overall for a portion of the race until a mechanical took him out of the race on the last lap, ending his hope for victory. "It's frustrating, but all I can do is keep charging and dig myself out of this hole. I know I can do it."
Fellow XC2 rider Josh Toth had a similar situation. Toth was running third overall the first two laps until a broken shifter slowed him down. "It's hard to ride that track without a shifter. I'm bummed because I felt good out there."
The GNCC series continues on March 30th at Camp Coker Bullet in South Carolina.
