Defending AMSOIL GNCC Champion Kailub Russell gets back in the points race with a win in sloppy Georgia conditions.
Factory FMF/KTM’s Kailub Russell rebounded from his disastrous outing at the opening round of the AMSOIL GNCC Series presented by Maxxis with a win at the Maxxis General GNCC at Aonia Pass MX Park in Washington, Georgia, yesterday.
Russell had to be tough, as heavy rain soaked the course. Conditions were so extreme that GNCC race officials decided to shorten the race by one hour. Russell also had to be faster than his teammate, reigning XC2 Pro Lites Champion Grant Baylor, who challenged Russell for the overall win just before the checkered flag. Russell finished with an overall-winning time of 2 hours, 17 minutes and 54 seconds.
Russell said that the sloppy course was just the way he had hoped it would be.
“Last night I was hoping it would hit us hard with the rain because I was looking forward to a mud race,” Russell said. “We changed some things on the bike and it worked out because got some points on Charlie [Mullins],” Russell said.
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC’s Josh Strang grabbed the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot Award by leading the XC1 field through turn one, followed by his AmPro Yamaha teammates Paul Whibley and Jordan Ashburn, when the XC1 field left the starting line. Florida race winner and series points leader Charlie Mullins and XC2 front-runners of Grant Baylor and Maxxis/KLIM/DirtWise KTM Race Team’s Rory Mead would join the Yamaha riders in the lead battle.
Russell didn’t get off to the best start for the second race in a row, and he wasn’t in the lead for most of the race, but he managed to keep his bike on two wheels in the slimy conditions, and he picked his way past the other riders as they either struggled or ran into trouble to pull out the win and pick up 30 valuable points to vault him back toward the front of the series standings. Russell was strongest in the final moments, where he laid down his fastest lap of the day on Lap 5, posting a time of 26 minutes, 59.7 seconds.
“You know, I put myself into these positions where I have to win and I just have to dig deep and keep plugging away to get that points lead,” Russell said.
Despite a valiant effort from the second row, second place overall finisher and XC2 winner Baylor missed the overall victory by only four seconds on adjusted time.
“I was definitely going after the overall and I’m upset I didn’t get it but it was a good points ride today,” Baylor said. “The last three laps I didn’t have any brakes at all and then I got stuck a few times on the last lap so I lost that minute for the overall but I’ll just have to come back and get it next time.”
Ashburn put himself into podium contention right away as he latched onto the lead pack on the opening lap. Ashburn showed his strength in the tough conditions, moving up to the second place position just after the halfway mark. Although Baylor finished ahead of Ashburn in the overall, the Tennessee native took second place in the XC1 Class, finishing less than one minute behind Russell, and third overall for the day.
“I had a pretty good day, just tried to pick good lines and run my own race,” Ashburn said. “It feels really good to be back on the podium again. I’m just looking forward to see what the rest of the year has in store.”
Whibley came in for fourth overall, just six seconds behind Ashburn. Strang captured fifth overall. Whibley said it was a good day for him.
“I had no idea what was going on out there,” Whibley said. “I guess I was leading at some point. It’s one of those days where you have to just keep going, survive and have fun.”
Mullins struggled to finish in sixth place overall, salvaging just enough points to hang on to the National Championship series points lead after two rounds of racing. Factory FMF/KTM’s Steward Baylor secured sixth place in XC1 and eighth place overall (just behind Xc2 runner-up Mead) for the day despite running into issues with his vision. Johnny Campbell Racing (JCR) Honda’s Chris Bach took seventh in the class and ninth overall, while Rockstar Energy/WMR/KTM’s Ryan Sipes finished eighth in the class and fourteenth overall for the day.
It was also a tough day for factory Husqvarna rider Andrew Delong and RideMPS.com/AMSOIL/Honda’s Thad DuVall. Both riders were hampered by mechanical issues early in the race. DuVall was able to complete just one of five laps, while Delong’s day was over before the first lap was complete.
Maxxis General GNCC
Aonia MX Park
Washington, Georgia
Results: March 16, 2014 (Round 2 of 13)
XC1
1. Kailub Russell-KTM
2. Jordan Ashburn-Yam
3. Paul Whibley-Yam
4. Josh Strang-Yam
5. Charlie Mullins-KTM
6. Steward Baylor-KTM
7. Chris Bach-Hon
8. Ryan Sipes-KTM
9. Takeshi Koikeda-Hon
10. Adam Bonneur-Hon
AMSOIL GNCC Presented by Maxxis Overall National Championship Standings (After 2 of 13 rounds)
1. Charlie Mullins-45/1 win
2. Paul Whibley-43
3. Kailub Russell-37/1 win
4. Josh Strang-37
5. Jordan Ashburn-35
6. Steward Baylor-28
7. Grant Baylor-28
8. Rory Mead-27
9. Ricky Russell-22
10. Trevor Bollinger-21
XC2
1. Grant Baylor-KTM
2. Rory Mead-KTM
3. Trevor Bollinger-Hon
4. Ricky Russell-Yam
5. Shane Hufford Jr.-KTM
6. Layne Michael-Hon
7. Sam Evans-Yam
8. Callan May-Yam
9. Zach Love-KTM
10. Steven Squire-Yam
XC2 Series Standings
1. Rory Mead-51/1 win
2. Grant Baylor-45/1 win
3. Ricky Russell-43
4. Trevor Bollinger-39
5. Shane Hufford Jr.-37
6. Callan May-27
7. Sam Evans-20
8. Phillipe Chaine-18
9. Chris Douglas-16
10. Ryan Lojak-15
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