Josh Strang will make his Kawasaki debut next week in the GNCC opener.

Australian Josh Strang will make his official full time return to the American-based AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series next Tuesday, 12 March, at the Moose Racing Westgate River Ranch GNCC opener.

After wining the 2010 GNCC championship, Strang broke his leg at the season finale in 2011, which caused him to miss the mark for GNCC scouting the following season.

The 24-year-old eventually signed a deal to race the WORCS series for the remainder of 2012.

After a one-year hiatus, Strang returns to GNCC this season aboard an all-new Rocky Mountain ATV/MC team on a privateer-backed KX450F, adding yet another twist to the 2013 fight for the title.

New Zealand’s Paul Whibley captured his second GNCC title in 2012, outlasting his competition throughout the 13-round series.

This season, the 34-year-old Whibley now finds himself facing the pressure to defend against a rising tide of young off-road racers just about to step into their prime, as well as a solid group of GNCC veterans.

In addition to the two-time champ Whibley, several other GNCC past champions including Strang will line up at next week’s season opener with hopes of securing the first win of the season in Southern Florida.

Whibley’s toughest competition last season, Ohio’s Kailub Russell, will return in 2013 aboard a familiar Factory FMF/KTM 350 XC-F and an even bigger desire to win the title.

Russell’s teammate and 2011 XC1 champion Charlie Mullins also returns to the FMF/KTM squad, after going through a rough post-championship season in 2012, plagued with injuries and mechanical issues.

Perhaps two of the rising stars this season could be West Virginia’s Thad DuVall and New Zealander Rory Mead, who each secured their first XC1 career win last season. Mead makes the jump to the FMF/RPM/KTM Team Maxxis squad.

The XC1 and XC2 classes will race for three hours on a demanding, whooped-out sand track at the Westgate River Ranch.