Factory FMF/KTM’s Charlie Mullins has topped a stacked field of riders at the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country season opener in River Ranch, Florida.

Although the win wasn’t exactly handed to the 2011 GNCC champion, as teammate Kailub Russell, former XC1 champ Josh Strang and Paul Whibley contested Mullins throughout the full three-hour battle, presenting a lethal combination of some of the roughest and highest speed terrain on the 13-race circuit.

Mullins only got stronger as the race wore on and his teammate Russell stuck close by as the two came into the VP Racing Fuels Pro Row side-by-side for their first pit stop of the afternoon. Whibley was able to catch Mullins and Russell until he eventually fell back after stopping to fuel the next lap around.

Mullins grabbed the first overall win of the season, continuing on from his Ironman GNCC victory in October of 2012, the last time Mullins raced a GNCC event and his one amd only win throughout last season.

“It’s been a great off-season with my little boy as well as some good practice time,” said Mullins. “I really want to win this year and I’ve been working really hard with my conditioning and my speed to really put everything together for a championship chase this season.”

Making his return to the GNCC series after nearly an entire season away, Australia’s Strang finally got into his groove midway through the race. Strang eventually passed Whibley for a podium position and was able to secure a third place finish at the season opener.

“It was good to get in front and ride steady on the first lap, especially since it’s my first race back in seven months,” Strang said. “I was a little rusty but it was good to be up there with those guys.

“I put in a lot of hard work in the off season and I couldn’t be more thankful for Rocky Mountain ATV/MC kicking in to help me race this season.”

Mullins and Russell kept the battle for the lead very tight all afternoon, coming through the finish only seven seconds apart for the top two podium positions.

“I am happy to get second,” Russell said. “I haven’t been able to finish Florida the last two years so I’m starting off with 25 points that I’ve never had before so it’s a good day.”