Defending Champion Strang Faces Stacked Field Next Week in GNCC Opener‏

River Ranch, FL (March 2, 2011) - Josh Strang, the
2010 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Champion, already knows that
defending a championship may be harder than winning one. The FMF Makita
Suzuki rider can look to 2009 GNCC Champion Paul Whibley for proof.
While Whibs struggled through much of 2010, Strang went to another
level and claimed his first major off-road championship.

The
opener of the 2011 Can-Am GNCC tour, the Moose Racing Westgate River
Ranch GNCC in River Ranch, Florida, takes place next Tuesday, March 8.
Strang understands the challenges, but the 22-year-old Australian plans
on facing them head on - with even more fitness and speed than last
year. He'll need it, because the competition is stacked.

His
closest pursuer in 2010, Charlie Mullins, is back racing for a new team
this year. The rejuvenated FMF KTM factory team signed Mullins in an
effort to gain back the GNCC Title it held from 2005 through 2008.
Mullins led most of last year's River Ranch event before sucking water
into his bike's engine, which means he'll be out to avenge that next
week. He will ride a 450 XC-F, with two of the strongest young talents
serving as KTM teammates. Kailub Russell graduates to the premiere XC1
class after back-to-back XC2 Lites Championships. And Corey Buttrick
hopes to build on a solid 2010 rookie campaign that saw him win a race
and take fourth in the series. Both Russell and Buttrick will race the
new 350 XC-F.

Then there is Whibley, anchoring the Am-Pro Yamaha
outfit. After a slow transition to Yamaha last year, Whibley hopped on
a YZ450F over the summer and showed up with new-found speed, winning
the last two races overall. No one outworks the New Zealand veteran,
and he hopes to carry his momentum over from last season. His
always-fast teammate Thad DuVall, the 2008 XC2 Lites Champion, hopes to
develop the consistency needed to challenge Strang. The speed is
already there.

And
even Strang's Suzuki squad has strengthened it ranks, adding Arkansas'
Josh Weisenfels to the roster to pursue the XC2 Title on an RM-Z250.
There, he will face FAR Husqvarna's Jason Thomas in an expected duel
for the Lites title, with talented KTM riders Jesse Robinson and
Steward Baylor also in the mix.

Honda
is getting into pursuit of the GNCC Title for the first time since
Scott Summers' XR600 heydays in the 1990s. The GEICO JG Off-Road squad,
which won the 2009 GNCC Title with Whibley, will ride with Honda
backing. Veteran Jimmy Jarrett, who won last year's Unadilla GNCC, will
race the XC1 class with Scott Watkins fighting for the XC2 title.

Beta
debuts a factory effort as well, signing last year's fifth-overall XC1
rider, Chris Bach, to ride their factory machine. With Suzuki, Yamaha,
KTM, Honda, Husky and Beta competing for GNCC wins and titles, the
field is one of the strongest ever assembled.

The XC1 and XC2
classes will race for three hours on a demanding, whooped-out sand
track at the Westgate River Ranch. The race begins at 1 p.m. on
Tuesday, March 8, fitting into the Daytona Bike Week schedule. Classes
are also available for a full roster of amateur riders.

Spectator
passes run $20 for Saturday and Sunday tickets, and $20 for a Monday
and Tuesday ticket. Children five and under are admitted free. On both
Sunday and Tuesday, youth riders race at 8 a.m., beginner riders race
at 10 a.m., and the top amateurs and the pros race at 1 p.m.

The
track is located at the Westgate River Ranch in Lake Wales, Fla. From
U.S. 27, go south to S.R. 60 (Lake Wales Exit), make a left and head
east for approximately 25 miles. River Ranch is on the right.

The
2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series kicks off this weekend,
in conjunction with Daytona Bike Week. Bike practice will take place on
Monday and racing on Tuesday. For more information, go to www.gnccracing.com.

About GNCC Racing:

The
Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series is America's premier
off-road racing series. Founded in 1979, the 13-round championship is
produced exclusively by Racer Productions. Cross country racing is one
of the most physically demanding sports in the world. The grueling
three-hour GNCC races lead as many as 1,800 riders through tracks
ranging in length from 10 to 12 miles, competing for more than $3
million in prizes. With varied terrain, including hills, woods, mud,
dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both
survival and speed. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com.