Strang takes fourth place XC1 Pro finish at Washington GNCC
Factory FMF/KTM teammates Kailub Russell and Charlie Mullins put in yet another three-hour duel at round two of the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series in Washington.
Australia’s Josh Strang sits third overall in the premier XC1 Pro class standings after two rounds.
Only five days after going to battle in the sandy woods of Southern Florida, Factory FMF/KTM teammates Kailub Russell and Charlie Mullins put in yet another three-hour duel at round two of the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series in Washington.
AmPro Yamaha’s Paul Whibley got off to a great start, grabbing the All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot Award. Meanwhile, Russell got caught in a first corner crash and began the race in the back of the pack.
Whibley led Mullins, Russell and the rest of the field into the woods but the remainder of the day didn’t go quite as planned for the 2012 champion.
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC’s Josh Strang got a mid-pack start, immediately engaging in a three way battle with Shenandoah Honda/USWE-Sports.com’s Thad DuVall and KR4 Arrive-N-Ride/B.R.E/Carolina KTM’s Chris Bach early in the race.
It didn’t take long for DuVall to set his sights on the lead pack as he made his way around Australia’s Strang to take over the third place spot on lap two. From there, DuVall made a charge for Russell and Mullins – getting as close as one second behind the KTM duo.
Bach and Strang battled all afternoon, trading the fourth place position throughout the three-hour race. Bach eventually made a push past Strang as the two Lap card fell, but the former GNCC champ Strang reclaimed the fourth place spot on the final lap.
Russell stopped in the pits for a drink of water on lap five and that’s when DuVall made his move for the lead. However, halfway into the very same lap DuVall stalled his bike and Russell moved back into the lead position. Russell and Mullins then broke away from DuVall on the final lap.
The final lap of racing was all about the lead battle as Russell and Mullins were neck-and-neck on lap seven, coming through the finish line less than two seconds apart.
Russell’s win leaves him tied with teammate Mullins for the overall lead after two rounds of racing. Australia’s Strang sits third overall in the premier class standings, just 11 points off of the lead spot.
In just his first year of XC2 Pro Lites competition, 15-year-old Grant Baylor grabbed his first-ever podium finish – a feat that has only been accomplished by his older brother and former XC2 champ Steward Baylor Jr.
The afternoon began on point for Baylor as he grabbed the DigitalOffroad.com XC2 Holeshot Award ahead of a full class of 33 XC2 racers. F.A.R Husqvarna’s Andrew DeLong got off to a back-of-the-pack start but eventually made his way to the front where he and Baylor battled all afternoon.
DirtWise Schools/KTM-Parts.com/Maxxis rider Jason Thomas got off to a mid-pack start and quickly worked his way into podium contention. However, Thomas experienced a hard crash while battling with Obermeyer Yamaha/Raines Riding University/Offroadviking.com’s Jed Haines that left the reigning XC2 champ a little shaken up.
Thomas managed to regain his composure and continue racing to a fifth place finish behind Shane Hufford Jr., who finished a season-best fourth in the class.
GEICO Honda’s Zach Osborne grabbed his second consecutive podium finish as a visitor of the GNCC Series before he heads back to his normal Monster Energy Supercross west region duties. Osborne battled with Thomas throughout the day, eventually sealing the deal with a third place finish.
DeLong leads Baylor by nine points in the XC2 Pro Lites division heading into round three in North Carolina, with Osborne holding down third place another two points behind Baylor.
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