FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Kailub Russell Got back to his winning ways after the 2016 AMSOIL GNCC summer break by carding his seventh win in 10 rounds of racing at the 12th Annual Parts Unlimited Unadilla GNCC in New Berlin, New York, Sunday.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing/Bel-Ray’s Josh Strang netted the $250 All Balls Racing holeshot award when the XC1 competitors left the starting line. Russell was mired in the middle of the pack off the start, but he quickly made his way to the front and amassed a 43-second lead by the end of lap one. Russell continued to build that lead throughout the three-hour race while Strang and Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/KR4 Arrive-N-Ride Team’s Thad DuVall engaged in an intense battle for second place. DuVall wsa able to take over second place when Strang made a pit stop.
The race intensified when Russell crashed in the late going while holding a 2-minute gap over DuVall, but the multi-time GNCC series champ was able to get back on the trail and hold the lead to the finish.
“I did what I wanted to do the first half of the race and then just maintained from there,” Russell said. “I was having fun until the last lap where I ended up going over the bars on the railroad ties and clipped another rider and it jerked my hands off the bars.”
Strang moved back into second place when DuVall pitted for a splash of fuel on the last of the eight laps. While DuVall was able to catch Strang before the finish, he could not find a way past to retake second place. The pair was separated by just three hundredths of a second at the finish, but Strang was able to secure the runner-up spot. it was a good finish, but not the one he was hoping for, as main title rival Russell was able to extend the series points lead to 20 points with just three rounds of the series left to run. Russell took over the lead from Strang after winning the previous round of the series, the AMSOIL Snowshoe GNCC, on June 26, and he now leads Strang, 256-236, in the battle for the coveted off-road championship.
“Second isn’t too bad it’s just not what we are after,” Strang said. “We are after points. The track was good, the fans were great, and the weather ended up being perfect so overall it was a good day.”
Despite just missing out on second place, DuVall said that felt like he had ridden a great race.
“We decided to pit on the last lap because we didn’t want a repeat of Georgia when I ran out of gas,” he said. “I may have been a little tired the last lap when I was trying to pass Josh back, but I gave it my all. You can never be unhappy when you know you left it all out on the track.”
SRT/KTM/Kenda Tires’ Steward Baylor Jr. finished fourth after working his way up from outside the top 10. Coastal Racing/Rockstar/Husqvarna’s Ryan Sipes completed the top five.
Another Coastal Racing/Husqvarna rider, Layne Michael, pulled the holeshot in the XC2 Pro Lites class, but Trail Jesters Racing’s Ben Kelly took over the lead before being passed by N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha’s Josh Toth. Michael pressure Toth for the lead on the last lap, but Toth held on to claim his first XC2 Pro Lites win via a 9-second margin of victory. Michael finished second, and Beta USA/Fly Racing/Kenda Tires-backed Nick Davis was third.
“It’s awesome to pull my first win at what I consider my home race,” Toth said. “All my friends and family came out, and it was great to have them cheering me on around the track. I pumped up in the beginning, but I was able to loosen up and move through the pack. Once I made it in the lead I just kept my head down and stayed focused, and I’m just excited to be standing here.”
2016 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series
Parts Unlimited Unadilla GNCC
New Berlin, New York
Results: September 11, 2016 (Round 10 of 13)
XC1 Pro
1. Kailub Russell-KTM
2. Josh Strang-Hus
3. Thad Duvall-Hus
4. Steward Baylor Jr.-KTM
5. Ryan Sipes-Hus
6. Grant Baylor-Yam
7. Ricky Russell-Suz
8. Jordan Ashburn-KTM
9. Scott Grills-Kaw
10. Tyler Medaglia-Hus
2016 AMSOIL GNCC Series ONational Championship Points Standings (after 10 of 13 rounds)*
1. Kailub Russell-256/7 wins
2. Josh Strang-236/3 wins
3. Trevor Bollinger-139
4. Jordan Ashburn-131
5. Craig Delong-118
6. Grant Baylor-117
7. Steward Baylor Jr.-116
8. Chris Bach-105
9. Thad Duvall-105
10. Ricky Russell-99
*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2016 National Champion.
XC2 Pro Lites
1. Josh Toth-Yam
2. Layne Michael-Hus
3. Nick Davis-Bet
4. Ben Kelley-KTM
5. Craig Delong-Hus
6. Trevor Bollinger-Hon
7. Michael Witkowski-KTM
8. Vance Francis-Hon
9. Jason Klammer-KTM
10. Samuel Evans-Yam
2016 ASMOIL GNC XC2 Pro Lites Series Points Standings (after 10 of 13 rounds)
1. Trevor Bollinger-246
2. Craig Delong-218
3. Layne Michael-180
4. Jesse Groemm-158
5. Benjamin Kelley-148
6. Joshua Toth-135
7. Vance Francis-108
8. Samuel Evans-107
9. Trevor Barrett-100
10. Tegan Temple-95
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