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Photo By: Jason Hooper
Glenn Kearney made the red and white look good this year.
Name: Glenn Kearney
Nicknames: Red
Hometown: Picton, New South wales, Australia
Current Residence: Hickory, N.C.
Date of Birth: 3/14/1981
2010 Team: Husqvarna
Mechanic: Ben Kearney
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 156 lb
Marital Status: Single
Any Amateur or Professional Championships?: 3-time Australian Enduro Champion, 4-time ISDE Gold Medalist
Favorite GNCC Track: Steele Creek, N.C.
Favorite terrain: Loam or grippy clay
Siblings: 2 brothers
Role Models: Juha Salminen, Stefan Merriman, Ricky Carmichael
Hobbies: Training, squash, wake boarding, music, reading
How did you get started racing?: I started racing at age 7 through my dad's friend.
How/When did you first hear about GNCC?: I heard about GNCC in Australia when I began racing enduro around 2001.
A former motocrosser, Glenn Kearney rose to prominence as an off-road racer in Australia, riding for the factory Yamaha team and putting their WR250F up front in a variety of series. But Glenn wanted more - a move to the U.S. and the GNCC Series. He tried a few races here and battled with 5-Time GNCC Champion Rodney Smith, and Smith was so impressed that he recommended that his FMF Suzuki team hire Kearney for the following season. Kearney has proven one of the hardest-working riders in the series, with a fanatical training program and plenty of heart and determination on the track. On the downside, the Aussie struggles in muddy races, and in 2007 his determination proved a detriment. He came into the season fighting an illness but refused to back off, leading a grueling race in North Carolina and battling Barry Hawk all the way to the finish. He ended up collapsing in exhaustion after finishing second, and the sickness sapped him of his strength. He wasn't quite the same after that, and he ended up looking for a new ride for 2008. He found it with Husqvarna, and both the storied brand and Kearney himself found a breakthrough by battling for wins and podiums all season long. With confidence renewed and a full year of testing under his belt, Kearney, one of the nicest guys in the sport, may just break through for a win soon.
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