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Baylor Brothers put Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green™ on the Box at Watkins Glen GNCC
The Baylor brothers were back at the front of the pack this weekend at the Watkins Glen Grand National Cross Country race in New York. Grant Baylor earned his first overall win of the season, and brother Steward Baylor battled his way to a third-place finish after one of the wildest races of the year.
Grant's day got off to a rough start after an early crash into a tree left him feeling the effects of the impact, but thankfully he was able to regroup and charge back through the field. A strong pit strategy from the team helped him gain positions late in the race. "The team made a great strategy call in the pits," Grant said. "We stayed out an extra lap, put in a hot lap, and that helped move me into position.”
The final lap turned into an all-out battle as the leaders worked through heavy lapped traffic. "That last lap was wild," Grant said. "The lappers were everywhere. You had to be aggressive but smart at the same time.” After retaking the lead in the closing miles, Grant kept things together to secure his first GNCC overall win of the 2026 season.
For Steward, it was another strong ride after fighting through traffic and spending much of the day battling with the leaders. "There had to be six or seven lead changes on the final lap," Steward said. "At one point I was back in fifth, then leading again. It was a dogfight from start to finish.”
XC1 teammate Josh Toth continued to show progress in the premier class, putting together a consistent ride against a stacked field. After battling the technical terrain and intense competition, Toth crossed the line 12th in the class.
With Grant taking the win and Steward landing on the podium, the Baylor brothers continued their strong run in the GNCC championship as the series heads into the second half of the season.