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  Welshman
Jason Thomas
Clinches GNCC XC2 Pro Lites ChampionshipDuvall Secures First Overall Victory of the 2015 Season Round 11 of the 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC), presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, took place in Somerset, Pennsylvania on Sunday with the Car-Mate Mountain Ridge GNCC. The weather may have cooled down with the threat of Hurricane Joaquin, but the racing action only heated up going into the last three rounds of the season. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/FAR's Thad Duvall secured his first overall win of the 2015 season, while DirtWise/Maxxis/KLIM-backed Jason Thomas claimed the XC2 championship with his second place class finish. Obermeyer Suzuki/Fly Racing/Maxxis Tires' Chris Douglas led the way through the first turn, grabbing the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot Award and took the early lead, followed closely by N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn on the opening lap. Ashburn was able to quickly capitalize on the weather conditions and move to the front of the pack.
"My goal today was to get a good start and to get out front," said Ashburn. "A gap on the rest of the pack always helps out, and after I had my rear tire replaced I knew I needed to get back to the front because I had the speed to be there. I plan to be on the podium for the rest of the year." Meanwhile, N-Fab AmPro Yamaha-backed Grant Baylor got off to a not-so-favorable start, where he tipped over in the first corner. Baylor was able to rebound from the trivial mistake and work his way up to the front-runners checking in second on the first lap.
Within the second lap Ashburn had extended his lead by 37 seconds, but the running order tightened up immensely on the third lap when Duvall closed the gap by less than 10 seconds. Duvall would immediately move into the lead when Ashburn had to exit the track to make an extra pit stop due to his rear wheel's bib disintegrating. The N-Fab AmPro team was able to make a quick change and Ashburn re-entered the track where he left off still holding onto a top five position. Ashburn's misfortune opened the doors not only for Thad, but also Baylor, to gain a position in the overall running. Baylor's race management skills allowed him to catch up to Duvall, only trailing by 10 seconds. Baylor eventually passed Duvall as he stopped to get a splash of gas, but Duvall would not stay behind for long. "Going into today's race I was already excited because I tend to ride good in conditions like these," reported Duvall. "I don't necessarily like riding in the mud, but I always seem to do good. Baylor caught back up to me with two laps remaining and we battled it out, but I felt like I had a lot to give and I ended up in the middle of the box."
Duvall's stellar performance vaulted the West Virginia native into the lead for the final four laps, and also second into the overall points championship chase. Ashburn finished out strong, capturing third place in the XC1 Pro class and overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Josh Strang proved that he is still in the game by getting fourth overall, and behind Strang was JCR's Honda-backed Chris Bach. AirGroup/Rockstar Energy/Husqvarna's Ryan Sipes dealt with handlebar issues, putting him sixth. Following behind Sipes in seventh was N-Fab AmPro Yamaha rider Daniel Milner, Beta's Cory Buttrick in eighth, Douglas in ninth, and rounding out the XC1 top ten was Funmart Cycle/FLY/RidePG.com's Adam Bonneur. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/FAR's Nick Davis was able to jump out to the quick lead claiming the $100 Hot Cams Holeshot Award, but struggled with holding the lead on the first lap to Thomas and Raines Riding University/Atlas Yamaha/OffRoadViking.com's Ricky Russell. However, as the race wore on, Davis picked up his pace drastically, where he rode on uncontested for yet another win in the class, as well as an impressive fifth place overall finish.
"It was really hard to see at the start, and all I could think was ‘this is going to be a long three hours,'" reported Davis. "Then everything just started clicking, and I got back ahead of Thomas and Russell, and started pulling away." Thomas was able to hold on for a second place finish, which was a good enough placement to result in being crowned the 2015 XC2 Pro Lites champion. Thomas will remain in the XC2 division throughout the end of this season, but will move up to the premier XC1 Pro division starting in 2016. Newly crowned 2015 XC2 Pro Lites class champion, Jason Thomas, celebrates with his dad. "It's been a long year, and we've done a lot of hard work behind the scenes. Everyone has been a big part of this, it wasn't just me," said Thomas. "My dad was able to make it this weekend, and it's a big deal because he isn't here every round like majority of the other guys' dads. It really meant a lot to me that he could be here." Following behind Thomas was Connecticut's Benjamin Kelley in the third place position. Kelley first made an appearance this season at the previous Unadilla round where he finished eighth in the XC2 class. Mason Atherton went home with the $125 American Kargo Top Amateur Award, after claiming his first win in the 250 A class and finishing 16th overall.
The WXC front-runners dominated the 10 a.m. race once again, with two female competitors even making the overall podium. Factory FMF/KTM's Kacy Martinez captured her 10th victory of the season, followed by N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Becca Sheets in second, and her teammate Tayla Jones came in third for her first podium appearance of the season.
"This was one of the best GNCC events I've ever raced," said Sheets. "The track was so fun, but the hardest part was keeping your goggles clean and dealing with vision issues." KTM's Jesse Ansley added another Youth overall victory, as well as the Super Mini (14-15) class win. This would allow Ansley to move to the first place position in the Youth Overall Championship standings, by one point. Ansley was joined atop of the podium by North Carolina native Connor Smith who finished second overall, and Jayce Knopp who worked his way from 11th on the first lap to third overall. The 1:00 p.m. Pro race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as an archived video now. Please click HERE to view the full three-hour race coverage. In addition to the archived live race coverage on RacerTV, a highlight show featuring the event will air on NBC Sports Network will feature a highlight show Sunday, December 6 at 4:30 p.m. Complete results from today's bike racing can be found HERE. The 2015 AMSOIL GNCC series will head to St. Clairsville, Ohio on October 17 and 18 for the ITP Powerline Park GNCC. For more information on the series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Stay up-to-date with exclusive content from the 2015 AMSOIL GNCC Series by following the official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Car-Mate Mountain Ridge, Somerset, Pennsylvania - Round 11 of 13 - Sunday, October 4
Russell Crowned 2015 GNCC and National Enduro Champion Becomes First to Clinch Both Championships in the Same Year Factory FMF/KTM rider Kailub Russell made history this past weekend by claiming the 2015 Kenda AMA National Enduro Championship, just one week after securing the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) National Championship. Russell is the first racer in the history of off-road racing to clinch both the GNCC and National Enduro Championships in the same season. Both championships come after the official announcement that Russell had, in fact, torn his ACL during the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Slovakia just two weeks ago. Pushing through his injury, Russell was able to finish on the podium this past weekend at round nine of the National Enduro Championship with a third place overall. Kailub Russell earned the 2015 GNCC and National Enduro Championships just one week apart from each other. Photo: Shan Moore. "A few weeks ago when I hurt my knee, I wasn't sure what I would be able to do with the two championships I had on the line," said Russell. "I am so thankful I was able to ride through this injury and win these championships. I had a great season and I am very grateful to my team for their support." In addition to becoming the first rider to ever claim the GNCC and National Enduro championships in the same season, the National Enduro championship is also historically significant as he and his father, Jeff Russell, became the first ever father and son duo to claim AMA National Enduro championships.
Kailub and Jeff Russell have become the only father son duo to earn National Enduro Championships. Photos: Shan Moore For more information on the GNCC series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Also follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for exclusive content and to catch the latest news.
Husqvarna Sweeps XC1 Podium at Parts Unlimited The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC), presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, descended upon New York's legendary Unadilla MX on Sunday for the tenth round of the 13-race GNCC series. The Parts Unlimited Unadilla GNCC hosted a record number of over 2,000 ATV and motorcycle racers over the weekend, culminating with three-hours of excitement in the XC1 Pro class. In an all-out battle to the finish, Josh Strang secured his first win of the season, while Jason Thomas put forth a dominant performance in the XC2 Pro Lites class. As the green flag dropped for the XC1 Pro bike start, it was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Josh Strang who captured the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot Award. This quick lead ultimately worked to Strang's advantage, allowing him to have an open playing field. AirGroup/Rockstar Energy/Husqvarna's Ryan Sipes stayed close to Strang, but had his hands full when Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KR4/FAR's Thad Duvall entered himself into the mix by the second lap. Throughout the entirety of the race, the duo would swap the second and third place positions. It would ultimately be DuVall taking the second overall, with Sipes following closely in third. "Anytime I get to race I have fun, but especially today," said DuVall. "Ryan and I have become pretty good friends the last few weeks during our time in Slovakia, and racing against someone that I knew I could trust was just awesome." After missing the last four rounds due to a shoulder injury, Strang was able to fully recover and come back fresh for the last half of the season and gain his first overall win. Strang would lead the whole race with the exception of pit stops. "I've never won at this track, and it was good to get my first win here," said Strang. "The track is rough and fast, but it can get frustrating with the lapped riders. Of course that's all part of GNCC Racing, and having the high rider turnout is good for our sport." After many questions, Factory FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell officially announced that his injury at last week's ISDE was, in fact, a torn ACL. However, his presence was still made in the 1 p.m. Pro Race. Russell would need to finish fifth or better to claim the 2015 championship. In the end, Russell would finish in fourth, allowing him to clinch his third consecutive GNCC National title. "I wasn't sure how I was going to feel on the bike, because anything can happen to make my injury worse," said Russell. "It took me about an hour and half to feel like I had warmed up and get my momentum going." Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing backed rider Andrew Delong rode a consistent race finishing fifth overall. Despite running fourth for a majority of the race, JCR Honda's Chris Bach finished in the sixth place position. N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Grant Baylor rode a comfortable pace in the final laps, finishing ninth overall for the day, followed by Canada's Tyler Medaglia. In the XC2 Pro Lites division, it would be Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KR4/FAR's Nick Davis grabbing the $100 Hot Cams Holeshot award. Davis took full advantage of the early lead, until DirtWise/Maxxis/KLIM's Jason Thomas made his way to the familiar first place spot. Davis' bobble during the second lap put him back to fourth. Fortunately, he was able to recover quickly and find himself back in the front. Thomas made a last lap push and eventually took the top spot away from Davis. E & H Honda's Trevor Bollinger had an impressive race, working his way from 20th on the first lap to third when the checkered flag flew. Bollinger suffered earlier on in the race after barbwire wrapped around his rear tire. "I didn't really take a summer break, because I've been busy racing local races and training," reported Thomas. "The lappers didn't affect me today because the local series I've been racing has a lot of riders and a short loop, which is very similar to here at Unadilla." West Virginia's Anthony Stone grabbed another victory in the 250 A class, also securing the American Kargo Top Amateur Award with 27th overall. The next finishing amateur rider was Vance Francis, 250 A, who walked away with 30th overall. In the 10 a.m. race, Factory FMF/KTM backed Kacy Martinez continued her dominance, leading the way by three minutes. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/FAR teammates Sarah Baldwin and Brooke Cosner finish out the podium. The future stars of the sport took to the track first in the 8 a.m. Youth Race. It would be Florida's Jesse Ansley who returned to his winning ways claiming his fifth win of the season. Hunter Williams put in a hard fight against Ansley, but faced some bad luck during lap four. North Carolina's Conner Smith and Maryland's Randall Ervin round out the podium. The 1:00 p.m. race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as an achieved video now. Please click HERE to view the full three-hour race coverage. In addition to the achieved live race coverage on RacerTV, a highlight show featuring the event will air on NBC Sports Network will feature a highlight show Sunday, November 29 at 1:30 p.m. Complete results from today's ATV racing can be found HERE. The 2015 AMSOIL GNCC series heads to Central City, Pennsylvania October 3 and 4 for the Car-Mate Mountain Ridge GNCC. For more information on the series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Stay up-to-date with exclusive content from the 2015 AMSOIL GNCC Series by following the official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. Parts Unlimited Unadilla Location: New Berlin, NY Round 10 of 13 Date: Sunday, September, 20
Chris Bach Earns First Career Overall Win at Inaugural
Tomahawk GNCC The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship made it's way north for an all-new GNCC venue with the Tomahawk GNCC in Odessa, New York. After a hard fought day of racing, coming from as far behind as sixth place on the opening lap, JCR Honda's Chris Bach would emerge with his first ever-career GNCC overall win. "I just kept telling myself to relax and not let it get to me," said Bach "I've never lead one of these for very long much less half the race." As the green flag dropped, it was Husqvarna Canada/Parts Canada-backed rider Tyler Medaglia who shot off the start to claim the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award. However, Medaglia's day would end early due to an ankle injury. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC KR4/FAR Race Team's Thad DuVall soon found himself in the number one spot with AirGroup/Rockstar Energy/Husqvarna's Ryan Sipes and Factory FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell in tow.
Tyler Medaglia shot off the start to claim the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award Photo: Ken Hill DuVall would run into brake troubles not once, but twice. After pitting and taking some time to fix the troubles, DuVall's day would ultimately be cut short after suffering from brake failure once again which resulted in a hard crash. Russell would reclaim the lead on lap two, but would soon be faced with pressure from both Bach and Sipes. Russell would come in second place, ending his season win-streak. Sipes would round of the podium with a third place. "It was definitely a man's track, it was rough out there," said Russell "I'm pretty disappointed, it's not the end of the world though I got second."
Ryan Sipes had his best finish of the season, rounding out the podium in New York with a third place finish Photo: Ken Hill N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Grant Baylor put in an impressive ride battling up front and even leading portions of the race. Baylor would finish fourth while Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Andrew DeLong finished fifth and HR Motorsports/Honda's Takeshi Koikeda finished sixth. Maxxis/FLY/Factory Connection rider Chris Douglas had his best finish of the season finishing seventh place in XC1 while Funmart Cycle/FLY/RidePG.com's Adam Bonneur also had his best finish of the season with an eighth place finish. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Josh Strang got off to an excellent start, challenging Tyler Medaglia for the holeshot. However, Strang would quickly fade through the pack, ultimately only completing three laps of the six-lap race.
XC1 Podium: Chris Bach (center), Kailub Russell (left) and Ryan Sipes (right) Photo: Ken Hill In the XC2 Pro Lites class, Sam Evans claimed the $100 Hot Cams Holeshot Award. DirtWise/Maxxis/KLIM-backed rider Jason Thomas would move his way into the lead, but soon face what seemed to be mechanical issues. Thomas maneuvered his way through the remaining laps to hold on and take the XC2 Pro Lites class victory at the Tomahawk GNCC. Husqvarna's Support Rider Craig DeLong would hold the early lead, but after being seen coming through on lap two with both his front and rear fender bent upwards, it was apparent Delong had suffered a hard fall which would cost him time. Ride On Cycle/Moto Playground's Tegan Temple would have his best finish of the season at the inaugural Tomahawk GNCC. Temple held a consistent second place from lap one until the checkers flew. RideMPS.com/AMSOIL/Honda's Layne Michael would make a last lap charge to claim the XC2 Pro Lites third place ahead of Raines Riding University/Atlas Yamaha/OffRoadViking.com's Ricky Russell and Moto-Tech KTM's Trevor Bollinger rounding out the top five.
XC2 Podium: Jason Thomas (center), Tegan Temple (left) and Layne Michael (right) Photo: Ken Hill The 1 p.m. race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as an archived video now online by visiting the GNCC LIVE page on RacerTV.com. Race coverage will also be broadcast on NBCSN on Sunday, June 28 at 3:30 p.m. The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes May 23 and 24 with the Rocky Mountain ATV*MC Mountaineer Run in Masontown, WV. For more information on the series, visit www.gnccracing.com. Stay up-to-date with exclusive content from the AMSOIL GNCC Series by following the series Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Tomahawk GNCC Odessa, NY Round 6 of 13 Sunday, May 10
Kailub Russell Extends Wins Streak to Five-In-A-Row Factory FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell extended his win-streak to five-in-a-row on Sunday at round five of the 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, in Springville, Indiana. Russell now sits third on the All-Time Bike Wins list in GNCC Racing after his 27th career win today, surpassing Ed Lojak who claimed 26 wins through his storied career. N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn took the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award with N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Grant Baylor and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Josh Strang tailing behind. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC KR4/FAR Race Team's Thad DuVall quickly made his way into the lead from his mid-pack start on lap one. Meanwhile, Russell had to work his way through the pack to take over the lead after crashing in the second turn. Russell managed to take over the lead on lap four, but would continue to battle wheel-to-wheel with Grant Baylor throughout the entire three hour race.
Jordan Ashburn would get to the line first, claiming the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot AwardPhoto: Ken Hill Ashburn, along with AirGroup/Rockstar Energy/Husqvarna's Ryan Sipes, JCR Honda's Chris Bach and Rockstar Energy Husqvarna's Andrew DeLong all challenged the lead pack through the early portions of the race before falling behind, leaving them in a four-way battle amongst themselves. Strang would be challenged by the rough and rutted terrain to come away with a fourth place finish ahead of Ashburn who would round out the top five. After a long day of swapping positions, Sipes would come away with sixth place ahead of Bach and DeLong who finished seventh and eighth, respectively. It was a tough day for HR Motorsports/Honda-backed Takeshi Koikeda, who experienced a mechanical issue early in the race. Koikeda was able to return to the race and complete eight out of nine laps. MotoTech/KTM's Steward Baylor experienced clutch issues that ended his day after completing two laps. N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Daniel Milner would also experience a mechanical issue on lap four, which ultimately ended his day.
Ryder Lafftery captured the $100 Hot Cams XC2 Pro Lites Holeshot AwardPhoto: Ken Hill Ryder Lafferty would come away with the $100 Hot Cams XC2 Pro Lites Holeshot Award. Raines Riding University/Atlas Yamaha / OffRoadViking.com's Ricky Russell headed into the woods in second place followed by Husqvarna Support Rider Craig DeLong and Rocky Mountain ATV*MC KR4/FAR's Nick Davis. MotoTech/KTM's Trevor Bollinger quickly worked his way into the lead on lap one with DirtWise/Maxxis/KLIM-backed rider Jason Thomas close in tow. Thomas was able to make his way through the pack after a bad start, and take the lead on lap four.
Ryder Lafferty (#336) and Craig DeLong (#18) got a good jump off the line in the XC2 Pro Lites classPhoto: Ken Hill Davis made his way into second place on the first lap, where he battled with Bollinger and DeLong as the top three were wheel-to-wheel until Davis did not emerged from the woods. Ultimately Davis would be towed back into his pit as a result of not only running out of gas, but also suffering some mechanical issues. Jason Thomas maintains the XC2 Pro Lites points lead after five rounds followed by XC2 class rookie, Craig DeLong, AMSOIL/RideMPS.com's Layne Michael, Trevor Bollinger and Ricky Russell.
Kailub Russell (center), Grant Baylor (left), and Thad DuVall (right) rounded out the 2015 Limestone 100 podium The 1 p.m. race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as an archived video now online by visiting the GNCC LIVE page on RacerTV.com. The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes May 9 and 10 with the Dunlop Tomahawk GNCC in Odessa, New York. For more information on the series, visit www.gnccracing.com . Stay up-to-date with exclusive content from the AMSOIL GNCC Series by following the series Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Vance Francis took home the $125 for the American Kargo Top Amateur Award for his win in the 250 A classPhoto: Ken Hill Limestone 100 GNCC Springville, IN Round 5 of 13 Sunday, April 26
Kailub Russell Captures Third Consecutive Win of 2015
at the FMF Steele Creek GNCC The 16th running of the FMF Steele Creek GNCC took place on Sunday at the beautiful Steele Creek Campground, where Kailub Russell saw his third straight victory of the 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship season. Russell extended his points lead in the XC1 Pro class to earn his 25th career win in front of a hometown crowd in Morganton, North Carolina. N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn put himself into the early lead after grabbing the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award but Russell quickly made his way to the front on the opening lap. The two-time GNCC National Champion created a gap on the rest of the field early on, leaving an exciting battle to shape up for the second place position.
Jordan Ashburn took the early lead with the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award Photo: Ken Hill AirGroup/Rockstar Energy/Husqvarna's Ryan Sipes jumped into second on the opening lap, with N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn and Daniel Milner right in the mix. Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KR4/FAR's Thad DuVall also put himself into a favorable position off the start, where he joined the front-runners early on to engage in a battle for the podium position.
Josh Strang has the consistency down with three second place finishes in 2015 Photo: Ken Hill Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Josh Strang got tangled up with another rider just after the start, knocking the Australia native to the back of the pack early on. From there, the top ten running order continuously changed as riders battled it out for valuable championship points at the third round. JCR Honda's Chris Bach was the next to step into contention for second place after Ashburn made his way into that spot, setting his sights on Russell ahead. Bach chased Ashburn down but it was DuVall who surpassed both riders to inherit the second place position as the three-hour race neared its halfway mark. Strang joined DuVall in what turned out to be an exciting battle between the two Husqvarna-backed riders all afternoon.
Thad DuVall maintains third in the championship standings with a consistent 4-3-3 score Photo: Ken Hill Russell kicked it into high gear in the final moments of the seven-lap race as the Factory FMF/KTM rider finished over two and a half minutes ahead of Strang, who came in second. DuVall finished just twenty seconds behind Strang to round out the top three overall for the day. Russell keeps his winning streak alive with a three-for-three score and a 15-point lead over Strang in the championship standings. DuVall sits another 15 points back in third.
Racing was tight from the green flag to the checkered flag! Photo: Ken Hill XC1 Pro rookie Grant Baylor made a jump in the championship standings on Sunday with an impressive come-from-behind performance to land fourth overall for the day. Baylor began the day just outside the top ten as he pushed his way through the pack all afternoon, ultimately landing just outside the overall podium in his third full-time race in the premier class. Baylor's AmPro Yamaha teammate Jordan Ashburn was able to maintain his top five running from the afternoon, securing fifth overall for the day, where he now sits tied with Grant Baylor for fourth in the championship standings.
XC1 Podium: (left) Josh Strang, Kailub Russell, (right) Thad DuVall Photo: Ken Hill In his first race back from injury this season, Moto-Tech/KTM's Steward Baylor put in an impressive ride to finish sixth overall after being forced to make his way through the pack, alongside his brother Grant. Milner put forth his best GNCC performance of the season with seventh overall, while Factory FMF/KTM's Russell Bobbitt took eighth overall. After experiencing a few crashes along the way, Sipes finished the day with ninth place in XC1 and 14th overall, while Husqvarna Canada/Parts Unlimited Canada's Tyler Medaglia rounded out the top ten in XC1 with 25th overall.
Jason Thomas takes over the points lead in the XC2 Pro Lites class Photo: Ken Hill The XC2 Pro Lites battle heated up at the third round as DirtWise/Maxxis/KLIM's Jason Thomas emerged victorious after three hours of racing. Thomas began the day with the $100 Hot Cams XC2 Pro Lites Holeshot Award and the early lead in the class. Thomas had early competition from the usual suspects like Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KR4/FAR's Nick Davis and Moto-Tech/KTM's Trevor Bollinger, but as the race wore on the top three began to spread out. Thomas and Davis came together about halfway through the race, causing both riders to go down just after the finish line. With Bollinger in the lead, RideMPS.com/AMSOIL/Honda's Layne Michael made his way past the downed riders for second, and the lead duo got back up and began charging once again.
XC2 Podium: (left) Layne Michael, Jason Thomas, (right) Trevor Bollinger Photo: Ken Hill However, Davis ran into a mechanical issue that would ultimately remove him from the race and any chance at salvaging championship points for the day. Thomas went on to capture his second straight XC2 victory of the season, with Michael holding on for second and Bollinger, a Morganton, North Carolina native, capturing a third place finish in front of his hometown crowd.
Mark Heresco once again captured the $125 American Kargo Top Amateur Award with 16th overall and a victory in the 250 A class. Photo: Ken Hill The 1 p.m. race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as an archived video now online by visiting the GNCC LIVE page on RacerTV.com. The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes April 11 and 12 with the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC in Union, South Carolina. For more information on the series, visit www.gnccracing.com . Stay up-to-date with exclusive content from the AMSOIL GNCC Series by following the series Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. FMF Steele Creek GNCC Morganton, North Carolina Round 3 of 13 Sunday, March 29
Kailub Russell Makes it Two-in-a-Row at The Maxxis
General GNCC The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, made its way to Washington, Georgia for the annual Maxxis General GNCC. With rain accumulation through the week leading up to Sunday's race, Aonia Pass Motocross Park presented muddy conditions all weekend long. However, Factory FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell emerged victorious despite the conditions to secure his second straight victory in as many rounds. Russell grabbed the early lead with the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award but AirGroup/Rockstar Energy/Husqvarna's Ryan Sipes tucked in close behind and applied pressure to the two-time champion early on. Russell ran into a few issues on the opening lap, evening dropping back to the fourth place position, but it wasn't long before he made up the time and gained the lead once again.
Sipes pushed hard on the opening lap but the Kentucky rider ran into issues after getting stuck in a mud hole on the second lap. Sipes lost a substantial amount of time working his way out of the mudhole, where he spent the rest of the race catching up.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Josh Strang put himself into a favorable position early on. However, as he worked his way into the second place position, Strang got together with a lapped rider, resulting in a damaged brake rotor on the front side. The 2010 GNCC National Champion came into the pits for a quick front wheel swap and returned to the course a couple positions back. Strang quickly made up that time and returned to the second place position, as a hard charging Thad DuVall began his charge through the pack.
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KR4/FAR's DuVall came from outside the top five off the start and moved into the third place position. The West Virginia native experienced a couple issues throughout the three-hour race that caused him to lose substantial time in the overall running, but a late-in-the-race charge allowed him to maintain a podium position heading into the final lap of racing.
N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn interjected himself into the podium battle early on where he went back and forth with DuVall for a majority of the afternoon. Near the end of the six-lap race, Ashburn went head-to-head with JCR Honda's Chris Bach to capture the fourth place position. Bach, who also began the race outside the top five, charged his way through the pack to battle for a podium position.
N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Grant Baylor finished sixth, with Factory FMF/KTM's Russell Bobbitt in seventh. Visiting Canadian Motocross Lites Champion Tyler Medaglia finished eighth in XC1 on a Husqvarna Canada/Parts Unlimited Canada machine, with Funmart Cycle/FLY/Maxxis/Powersport Graphx-backed Adam Bonneur and Sipes rounding out the top ten in XC1.
The XC2 Pro Lites class saw one of the most exciting battles of the day between DirtWise/Maxxis/KLIM's Jason Thomas and Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KR4/FAR's Nick Davis. Thomas and Davis went back and forth all afternoon, exchanging the lead several times throughout the three-hour race. On the final lap, it was Davis who had the advantage coming into the final segment of the racetrack but Thomas was able to make his move in time to take the checkered flag and his first win of the season just 11 seconds ahead of Nick Davis. Thomas finished an impressive seventh overall for the day with Davis coming in eighth. Following a rough start to the season at round one, Moto-Tech/KTM's Trevor Bollinger landed atop the podium with a third place XC2 finish and ninth overall at round two. Bollinger maintained a steady pace, keeping himself inside the top five all afternoon.
Davis holds a four-point lead over Thomas in the XC2 Pro Lites Championship standings as the series heads to North Carolina in two weeks for the FMF Steele Creek GNCC.
Lojaks Cycle Sales/Yamaha/DP Brakes-backed Ryan Lojak captured the $100 Hot Cams XC2 Pro Lites Holeshot Award and the early lead in the class. Lojak ultimately finished 17th in the XC2 Class at round two.
Pennsylvania's Mark Heresco put in a hard fought performance to capture the $125 American Kargo Top Amateur Award with 22nd overall and a big victory in the 250 A class. Photo: Jen Kenyon The 1 p.m. race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as an archived video now online by visiting the GNCC LIVE page on RacerTV.com . The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes March 28 and 29 with the FMF Steele Creek GNCC in Morganton, North Carolina. For more information on the series, visit www.gnccracing.com .
Kailub Russell Wins 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross
Country Series in Florida PALATKA, Fla. (March 8, 2015) - The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, kicked off its 41st annual season on Sunday with the Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC in Palatka, Florida. Factory FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell picked up right where he left off last season with a commanding victory in the XC1 Pro Class. With two consecutive GNCC National Championships behind him, Russell entered the 2015 opener as the heavy favorite. Russell got off to a favorable start behind N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Jordan Ashburn, the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award winner. Ashburn grabbed the early lead but it didn't take long for Russell to make his way to the front.
The major battles took place just behind the leader as Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Josh Strang went back-and-forth with fellow Husqvarna-mounted riders Ryan Sipes and Thad DuVall early on. As the trio charged toward the front, JCR Honda's Chris Bach slowly inched his way into the battle. By the halfway point, Bach had made his way into a podium position while Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KR4/FAR's DuVall charged close behind.
After three grueling hours on one of the most challenging and rough courses that GNCC has to offer, Factory FMF/KTM's Kailub Russell made a big statement with a commanding lead over the rest of the field. Russell's win marks his 23rd career overall victory and his first-ever overall win at a season opening round in Florida. Strang came through over two and a half minutes behind Russell to secure second place overall, while Indiana's Chris Bach put his JCR Honda atop the third and final podium position. Despite a hard charge at the end, DuVall finished the day with fourth overall at the season opener.
Canadian Motocross Lites Champion Tyler Medaglia made an appearance at the opening round, finishing an impressive fifth overall for the day. Medaglia joins an onslaught of Husqvarna machines inside the top ten running with big support from Husky Canada and Parts Canada. Sipes settled into the sixth place position despite a big crash after the halfway point. N-Fab AmPro Yamaha teammates Grant Baylor and Jordan Ashburn finished seventh and eighth places respectively. HR Motorsports-backed Takeshi Koikeda finished ninth and Cory Graffunder rounded out the top ten. In the XC2 Pro Lites division it was Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KR4/FAR's Nick Davis who came away with the first victory of the season at the Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC. Pennsylvania's Tegan Temple shot out to grab the $100 Hot Cams XC2 Pro Lites Holeshot Award but Davis made his way to the front by lap two. Upon recovering from an injury that sidelined him for some time, Raines Riding University/Atlas Yamaha/OffRoadViking.com put in a solid ride to capture the second place position at the season opener.
DirtWise/Maxxis/KLIM's Jason Thomas hung on tight in the final laps of the three-hour battle, finishing atop the podium in third place. Zack Hayes captured the victory in the Open A division, which was good enough to earn a $125 American Kargo Top Amateur Award with 22nd overall. The 2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes March 14 and 15 with the Maxxis General GNCC in Washington, Georgia. For more information on the series, visit www.gnccracing.com. Stay up-to-date with exclusive content from the AMSOIL GNCC Series by following the series Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Moose Racing Wild Boar GNCC Palatka, Florida Round 1 of 13 Saturday, March 7 XC1 Event Results: 1 Kailub Russell (KTM) 2 Josh Strang (HSQ) 3 Chris Bach (HON) 4 Thad DuVall (HSQ) 5 Tyler Medaglia (HSQ) 6 Ryan Sipes (HSQ) 7 Grant Baylor (YAM) 8 Jordan Ashburn (YAM) 9 Takeshi Koikeda (HON) 10 Cory Graffunder (KTM) XC2 Event Results: 1 Nick Davis (HSQ) 2 Ricky Russell (YAM) 3 Jason Thomas (KTM) 4 Tegan Temple (KTM) 5 Craig Delong (HSQ) 6 Layne Michael (HON) 7 Cory Buttrick (BET) 8 Michael Witkowski (KTM) 9 Brad Bakken (YAM) 10 Drew Torrance (KTM)
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AirGroup/Rockstar
Energy/Husqvarna-backed Sipes experienced a big crash just after the halfway
mark that ultimately hindered his chances at an overall podium finish.
Strang capitalized on that, creating a gap between himself and the third
place finisher; however, Russell continued to put time on the 2010 GNCC
National Champion. Meanwhile, DuVall caught up to Bach on the final lap as
the duo finalized their charge toward a podium finish.
