Russell Rolls Onward with Penton GNCC Victory

Kailub Russell claims seventh win in eight rounds at the Wiseco John Penton GNCC in Ohio.

Scott Rousseau

Kailub Russell claims seventh win in eight rounds at the Wiseco John Penton GNCC in Ohio.

Josh Strang (2) outgunned Kailub Russell (1) for the holeshot, but Russell went on to take the lead and claimed his seventh AMSOIL GNCC win in eight rounds at the Wiseco John Penton GNCC in Ohio, June 7. PHOTOS BY KEN HILL.
Josh Strang (2) outgunned Kailub Russell (1) for the holeshot, but Russell went on to take the lead and claimed his seventh AMSOIL GNCC win in eight rounds at the Wiseco John Penton GNCC in Ohio, June 7. PHOTOS BY KEN HILL.

There are no guarantees in racing, but it appears as if Kailub Russell is steaming toward another AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Championship title with each passing round, if his dominant performance at round eight, the 26th annual Wiseco John Penton GNCC, is any indication.

Yesterday, at Sunday Creek Raceway in Millfield, Ohio, Russell led the three-hour race almost entirely from start to finish to claim his seventh win out of eight rounds run this season. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Josh Strang led the race off the start, but the FMF/KTM-backed Russell got past Strang to take the lead on the opening lap. And that was all she wrote as far as the battle for the win was concerned. AirGroup/Rockstar Energy/Husqvarna’s Ryan Sipes, who had raced the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship on Saturday in Blountville, Tennessee, chased aftger Russell, as did Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Andrew DeLong and N-Fab AmPro Yamaha’s Grant Baylor, but Russell steadily increased his lead throughout the six-lap race, crossing the finish line with a 1-minute, 37-second margin of victory.

“I am really happy with the race result today,” Russell said. “If I could have written how this race would go, this is very close to how it would have happened.”

Russell dominated the Wiseco John Penton GNCC, winning the race with a healthy 1 minute, 37-second margin of victory over runner-up Ryan Sipes.
Russell dominated the Wiseco John Penton GNCC, winning the race with a healthy 1 minute, 37-second margin of victory over runner-up Ryan Sipes.

With Sipes running second, Grant Baylor and Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/FAR’s Thad DuVall battled for the final podium spot. DuVall had battled with DeLong on laps two through four before making the pass stick during lap five. DuVall then set his sights on Baylor, pressuring the Yamaha rider all the way to the finish. Baylor secured second place over DuVall with a strong finish on the motocross track. The two riders were separated by just 1 tick of the clock on overall time. DeLong crossed the finish line fifth. N-Fab AmPro Yamaha’s Jordan Ashburn was sixth, followed by Moto-Tech KTM’s Steward Baylor. JCR Honda’s Chris Bach, the only rider besides Russell to win a GNCC this season, came in eighth. ahead of HR Motorsports/Honda’s Takeshi Koikeda and Maxxis/Fly/Factory Connection’s Chris Douglas. After getting the holeshot in the race, Strang pulled out of the race on lap four when his still-healing shoulder began to ache.

In XC2 Pro Lites, Husqvarna Support Rider Craig DeLong grabbed the holeshot, but Lojak Cycle’s Ryan Lojak soon led the way, followed by Raines Riding University/Atlas Yamaha/OffRoadViking.com’s Ricky Russell and Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/FAR’s Nick Davis. Russell grabbed the lead on lap two and ran up front while Davis and DirtWise/Maxxis/KLIM’s Jason Thomas tried to pressure him into a mistake.

Davis went on to take the lead during lap four and capture his third victory of the season. Thomas finished 21 seconds behind Davis in second place, followed by Russell in third. XC2 rookie, DeLong was fourth, followed by MCS Racing Callan May who netted his best finish of the season with a fifth place.

The legend himself, John Penton (left), was on hand to present Russell (right) with a very special trophy for winning the Wiseco John Penton GNCC.
The legend himself, John Penton (left), was on hand to present Russell (right) with a very special trophy for winning the Wiseco John Penton GNCC.

2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Championship
Wiseco John Penton GNCC
Sunday Creek Raceway
Millfield, OH
Results: Sunday, June 7, 2015 (Round 8 of 13)

XC1
1. Kailub Russell-KTM
2. Ryan Sipes-Hus
3. Grant Baylor-Yam
4. Thad DuVall-Hus
5. Andrew DeLong-Hus
6. Jordan Ashburn-Yam
7. Steward Baylor-KTM
8. Chris Bach-Hon
9. Takeshi Koikeda-Hon
10. Chris Douglas-KTM

2015 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Overall National Championship Point Standings (After 8 of 13 rounds)*
1. Kailub Russell-235/7 wins
2. Grant Baylor-147
3. Chris Bach-126/1 win
4. Ryan Sipes-122
5. Thad DuVall-120
6. Josh Strang-118
7. Jordan Ashburn-89
8. Jason Thomas-87
9. Ricky Russell-70
10. Craig DeLong-67
*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2015 Grand National Cross Country Champion.

XC2
1. Nick Davis-Hus
2. Jason Thomas-KTM
3. Ricky Russell-Yam
4. Craig DeLong-Hus
5. Callan May-Yam
6. Cory Buttrick-Bet
7. Ian Blythe-KTM
8. Jesse Groemm-Bet
9. Michael Witkowski-KTM
10. Austin Lee-Yam

2015 AMSOIL GNCC XC2 Class Point Standings (after 8 of 13 rounds)
1. Jason Thomas-192
2. Ricky Russell-140
3. Craig DeLong-139
4. Layne Michael-127
5. Trevor Bollinger-118
6. Nick Davis-117
7. Cory Buttrick-109
8. Tegan Temple-99
9. Austin Lee-88
10. Callan May-81

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