Racing

A Final Look At The Maxxis General GNCC

One more glance at Kailub Russell’s big win at the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series in Georgia

March 22, 2018

Layne Michael’s KR4/Husqvarna gets a fresh front end before the General GNCC. Michael finished eighth in the XC1 division.Darrin Chapman

FMF KTM's Kailub Russell came out on top of a fierce battle with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing's Thad Duvall to win last weekend's Maxxis General GNCC in Washington, Georgia. The victory was Russell's third in a row and it extended his lead in the series standings to 19 points. Here's another look back at the event.

Steward Baylor brought a new title sponsor into the GNCC series this year with the addition of Tely Energy to his program. Baylor was a KTM factory rider a few years ago, but the South Carolinian has had good success finding big-time sponsors to back his privateer programs for the past three years.Darrin Chapman

Josh Strang gets last-minute instructions from his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing mechanic, Michael Thompson. Strang ran with the lead pack for the first half of the race before settling into fifth at the finish.Darrin Chapman

Ricky Russell led the General GNCC until the halfway point, when a punctured radiator forced the AmPro Yamaha rider to retire.Darrin Chapman

Beta USA’s Jordan Ashburn pushed the leaders on laps 1 and 2, and finished the three-hour event in seventh position. Ashburn moves on to Virginia this weekend for round 2 of the Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro series.Darrin Chapman

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Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Thad Duvall says he left everything out on the track in his effort to win the General GNCC. Duvall put himself in great position to get the win but wasn’t able to keep Kailub Russell behind him on the final lap.Darrin Chapman

Michael was a top performer on last year’s US Junior ISDE team. The KR4/Husqvarna rider is getting his first full season in the XC1 class and currently sits sixth in the series standings.Darrin Chapman

Defending national enduro champion Baylor came into the series more prepared than ever and still sits within striking distance of his first GNCC title after taking a second and two thirds in the first three rounds.Darrin Chapman

JDay regular, Jonathan Girroir, from Southwick, Massachusetts, finished 18th overall and eighth in the XC2 class.Darrin Chapman

Russell stalked Duvall for the last few laps, planning his strategy, and then made a winning pass with less than 4 miles to go in the race.Darrin Chapman

Josh Strang ran in the top three during the early stages of the race, before dropping to fifth at the finish due to dehydration, having lost the water from his hydration pack.Darrin Chapman

After finishing sixth in last year’s XC1 final standings, Trevor Bollinger has his sights set on a top-four finish in 2018. So far, the JCR Honda rider has three straight top-four finishes.Darrin Chapman