Beckley,WV. Dryfork resident Aryanna Neville will competed with the best off-road racers in the world on recently. The eight year-old ATV racer will competed at the The Mountaineer GNCC, in nearby Summit Bechtel Reserve, round nine of the 13-stop Grand National Cross Country Series, presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship.
More than 1,500 racers were expected to compete over the weekend, as the event includes four-wheeled ATV racing on Saturday and dirt bikes on Sunday. Classes range from riders as young as four and as old as the 60-plus divisions. The top GNCC pro classes feature some of the world’s top riders, including talent from England, Europe and Australia.
“The unique thing about GNCC Racing is that an average racer gets to race alongside some of the top racers from across the world” said GNCC Trail Boss Jeff Russell. “Even with all of this talent, local racers always seem to have an advantage because the course is so similar to the terrain they’re used to riding.”
The tough local terrain makes for a great equalizer when it comes to the talent. Racers will start together on a massive Starting Line before rushing onto a course featuring tight trails, mud and rolling hills. Spectators can watch the action from a variety of vantage points throughout the course, which will be marked on race day.
Neville is in the third grade at Davis Thomas Elementary School. Neville has been racing ATV’s for two years, and competes in the highly competitive ATV Micro 50cc SR class. She is currently ranked fifth in her class for the national championship, and rides a 50 DRR with help from her sponsors, Grenade Powder Coating, Spyder Graphics, Hidden Comfort Seat, Precision Racing, J&A Tree Services, and Neville Racing.
So far this year, Neville has competed in GNCC rounds in the states of South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. This is the second year in a row Neville has contested the prestigious series for a national title. In addition to the GNCC, Neville also competes in Mountain State Hare Scramble Series and The New East Coast XC Race Series, which she is second in points.
