FMF Makita Suzuki’s Josh Strang Takes Second at the Big Buck GNCC

April 12, 2011, 2:40pm

UNION, SC – FMF Makita Suzuki’s Josh Strang stayed in contention for his second straight GNCC title with a solid second-place finish at the Big Buck GNCC in South Carolina, coming up just short of the win at the finish. The FMF Makita Suzuki rider let the leaders get away at the start, but rallied during the second half of the three-hour race to pull within 30 seconds of the leader, Charlie Mullins.

Strang rode a valiant lap at the white flag, posting the fastest lap of the race on his FMF Makita Suzuki RM-Z450 and cutting the distance to 15 seconds before running out of time.

“I caught up with Charlie fairly easy there on the last lap and I think I should have won it,” said Strang. “I felt good today, but I just messed up the first two laps and I let those guys get away. My FMF Makita Suzuki ran good today, but I just ran out of time and had too much distance to make up at the end.”

With four rounds in the books, Strang stands second in championship points, just two back from the leader 100 to 98, with Loretta Lynn’s looming for the next round in the series.

“We’ve got three weeks until Loretta’s and I’m going to go home and work hard and come back and get the win,” added Strang.

The 2011 FMF Makita Suzuki team’s next event is Sunday, May 1st, in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, for the Loretta Lynn’s GNCC, round five of the AMA Grand National Cross Country Series. For more information, visit www.suzukicycles.com. Follow team updates on SuzukiScoopFans on facebook and SuzukiScoop on twitter.

Big Buck GNCC XC1 Class Results:

1. Charlie Mullins

2. Josh Strang

3. Kailub Russell

4. Corey Buttrick

5. Russell Bobbitt

6. Paul Whibley

7. Nathan Kanney

8. Christopher Bach

9. Jimmy Jarrett

10. Mike Lafferty

2011 GNCC XC-1 Class Standings:

1. Charlie Mullins – 100

2. Josh Strang – 98

3. Paul Whibley – 73

4. Corey Buttrick – 72

5. Nathan Kanney – 58

6. Kailub Russell – 53

7. Christopher Bach – 48

8. Garrett Edminsten – 46

9. Mike Lafferty – 46

10. Jimmy Jarrett – 43