By: Jennifer Dearborn
Grand National Cross Country(GNCC) Racing has named 8-year-old and third grader at TVEMS, Rece Lambruno, The Mountaineer GNCC Hometown Hero.
The Hometown Hero Program was established in 2015 to help grow and promote the GNCC Racing industry. Each race, four individuals are chosen for this award. Award Recipients hang up posters and use #GNCCHometownHero and #GNCCRacing hashtags to share their involvement on social media. In return the rider gets free entry into the race and a pair of free goggles.
Lambruno comes from a family of racers. His dad, papaw, uncle, and cousins all race as well. Lambruno got his first dirt bike at only eighteen months old and mastered it quickly. By the age of three he was riding without training wheels and at age four he raced his very first race.
When Lambruno is not racing he likes to ride his mountain bike and play basketball. He wants to be a professional dirt bike rider when he grows up. His favorite brand is KTM, orange and black, all the way. He has picked up a couple nicknames along the way, Rece Man and Rough and Rowdy Rece. His mother says this is due to his in-your-face personality. “He’s nonstop, always on the go.”
Lambruno does have a few of his favorites as well. Kaleb Russell and Ben Kelley are his favorite off-road racers. Ken Roczen and Cooper Webb are his favorite motocross racers.
Lambruno is the son of Dani and Steve Lambruno of Parsons. He is the grandson of Jim and Sandy Summerfield and Bill and Sherry Simmons all of Parsons, Steve and Joyce Lambruno of Cadiz, KY. He is the great grandson of Emily and the late Jack Lambruno of Thoms, Lou Sponaugle of Parsons, and Elsie and the late Bob Greaser, Parsons, and JD and Barb McClain also of Parsons.
Lambruno was recognized at Round 10 GNCC “The Mountaineer” Race. This race was held September 11-12, 2021 in Beckley.