KTM GNCC Race Report: Round 2
March 11, 2010, 2:35pm
Washington, GA – FMF/KTM rider Kailub Russell earned his first win of the season in the XC2 class at the second round of the GNCC Series dubbed “The General’ while his XC2 teammate Steward Baylor also put in a decent ride to finish 4th.
Russell was out front early after earning a 2nd place start. He spent the majority of the race swapping the lead position with competitor Jason Thomas. Baylor started in 9th position and quickly worked his way up through the pack. The cold, soggy conditions seemed to fit the South Carolina native well as he blitzed by riders to the front of the pack. At one point Baylor actually took the lead but shortly after got stuck in the mud and lost time. After he recovered from the mud hole he collided with a lapper and lost a few more positions. He eventually finished in 4th while Russell pulled away out front to take the win with a 38 second lead over Thomas. KTM privateer Jesse Robinson rounded out the podium in 3rd. All top three XC2 riders finished 6th, 7th and 8th respectively in the overall standings for the day from all classes combined.
“It feels great to get my first win of the season. This round went a lot better for me than the first week. I felt comfortable all day and really had fun on my bike,” commented Russell after the race.
In the XC1 class, FMF/KTM rider Nate Kanney got a good jump off the line rounding the first corner in 7th position right behind the 2009 AMA National Enduro Champion and FMF/KTM rider Russell Bobbitt. The third factory KTM rider, Cory Buttrick came around the first lap in 9th. Kanney and Bobbitt quickly sprinted into the top five within the first half of the race. At one point, Kanney took the lead and Bobbitt was as high up as 3rd. At the end of the race both riders had trouble with lappers causing Kanney to drop to 5th and Bobbitt to 7th. Buttrick who climbed through the pack early in the race got stuck in one of the tracks six deep mud holes and was fortunate enough to recover and finish 6th for the day.
Once again, KTM privateer Chris Bach, surprised fans in the XC1 class earning his second podium of the year. Bach rode a smooth race and finished 3rd overall showing all race fans that his podium in Florida was not a fluke.
In the Women’s class, RPM/KTM rider Maria Forsberg finished on the podium with a 3rd overall. Forsberg was looking to earn another win, but like her FMF/KTM teammates, a mistake in the mud hole set her back and she recovered in time to earn the final podium position.
The second round of the series was a great weekend for KTM having 5 of the top 10 riders in the XC2 class and 6 of the top 10 in the XC1 class finish aboard KTM motorcycles.
Next Round: March 20-21, 2010 – Morganton, NC – Round 3
Overall XC1 –
1) Joshua Strang
2) Paul Whibley
3) Chris Bach – KTM
4) Charles Mullins
5) Nate Kanney – KTM
6) Cory Buttrick – KTM
7) Russell Bobbitt – KTM
8) Homero Diaz – KTM
9) Kenneth Gilbert
10) Eric Bailey
Overall XC2 –
1) Kailub Russell – KTM
2) Jason Thomas
3) Jesse Robinson – KTM
4) Steward Baylor – KTM
5) Dustin Gibson – KTM
6) Scott Watkins
7) Jake Korn – KTM
8) Brad Bakken – KTM
9) Josh Weisenfels
10) Robby Norwood
Russell was out front early after earning a 2nd place start. He spent the majority of the race swapping the lead position with competitor Jason Thomas. Baylor started in 9th position and quickly worked his way up through the pack. The cold, soggy conditions seemed to fit the South Carolina native well as he blitzed by riders to the front of the pack. At one point Baylor actually took the lead but shortly after got stuck in the mud and lost time. After he recovered from the mud hole he collided with a lapper and lost a few more positions. He eventually finished in 4th while Russell pulled away out front to take the win with a 38 second lead over Thomas. KTM privateer Jesse Robinson rounded out the podium in 3rd. All top three XC2 riders finished 6th, 7th and 8th respectively in the overall standings for the day from all classes combined.
“It feels great to get my first win of the season. This round went a lot better for me than the first week. I felt comfortable all day and really had fun on my bike,” commented Russell after the race.
In the XC1 class, FMF/KTM rider Nate Kanney got a good jump off the line rounding the first corner in 7th position right behind the 2009 AMA National Enduro Champion and FMF/KTM rider Russell Bobbitt. The third factory KTM rider, Cory Buttrick came around the first lap in 9th. Kanney and Bobbitt quickly sprinted into the top five within the first half of the race. At one point, Kanney took the lead and Bobbitt was as high up as 3rd. At the end of the race both riders had trouble with lappers causing Kanney to drop to 5th and Bobbitt to 7th. Buttrick who climbed through the pack early in the race got stuck in one of the tracks six deep mud holes and was fortunate enough to recover and finish 6th for the day.
Once again, KTM privateer Chris Bach, surprised fans in the XC1 class earning his second podium of the year. Bach rode a smooth race and finished 3rd overall showing all race fans that his podium in Florida was not a fluke.
In the Women’s class, RPM/KTM rider Maria Forsberg finished on the podium with a 3rd overall. Forsberg was looking to earn another win, but like her FMF/KTM teammates, a mistake in the mud hole set her back and she recovered in time to earn the final podium position.
The second round of the series was a great weekend for KTM having 5 of the top 10 riders in the XC2 class and 6 of the top 10 in the XC1 class finish aboard KTM motorcycles.
Next Round: March 20-21, 2010 – Morganton, NC – Round 3
Overall XC1 –
1) Joshua Strang
2) Paul Whibley
3) Chris Bach – KTM
4) Charles Mullins
5) Nate Kanney – KTM
6) Cory Buttrick – KTM
7) Russell Bobbitt – KTM
8) Homero Diaz – KTM
9) Kenneth Gilbert
10) Eric Bailey
Overall XC2 –
1) Kailub Russell – KTM
2) Jason Thomas
3) Jesse Robinson – KTM
4) Steward Baylor – KTM
5) Dustin Gibson – KTM
6) Scott Watkins
7) Jake Korn – KTM
8) Brad Bakken – KTM
9) Josh Weisenfels
10) Robby Norwood
