Cycle News Staff | April 24, 2017
2017 Camp Coker Bullet GNCC Results – Kailub Russell and Thad Duvall continued their heated rivalry in the 2017 Amsoil Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship. This time it was at the CST Tires Camp Coker Bullet GNCC in Society Hill, North Carolina, April 23. And, once again, it was the defending champion Russell who came out on top.
2017 Camp Coker Bullet GNCC Results
Kailub Russell fought hard for another win. Photography by Ken Hill
Both Russell and Duval got off to fast starts, but not as fast as Josh Strang, who grabbed his third $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot money of the season. However, it wasn’t long before Russell and Duvall made their way to the front, this time with Duvall leading and Russell doing the chasing.
Duvall was flying on his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Husqvarna, holding a 20-second lead over Russell after the first lap. He even extended it by a few seconds after the second lap, but that’s when Russell started creeping forward.
In what would end up being a seven-lap race, Russell whittled the lead back down to 21 seconds after the third lap, and then 17 seconds after the fourth lap. Pretty soon it was down to 13 seconds, then nine seconds, at which time things got really exciting.
Heading into the final lap, Russell actually passed Duvall for the lead but moments later, he had to pull in for his schedule pit stop for fuel; Duvall, on the other hand, chose not to come in and retook the lead. But with just four miles to go, Russell caught up and made the pass on Duvall for the lead!
Duvall didn’t give up but his Husky did after running out of fuel, which happened not far from a KTM crew member who was able to give Duvall enough fuel to keep going, and to keep third place Steward Baylor from passing him. As soon as he could, Duval stopped for more fuel from his own crew so he could finish out the lap. Duvall managed to keep second place but by just eight seconds over Baylor, with Russell finishing 25 seconds ahead of everyone.
However, there is some dispute as to whether or not Duvall pitted for fuel in a designated area; officials are looking into the situation and until a final ruling is made, results are currently provisional.
The top three finishers—Russell, Duvall and Baylor—finished well ahead of the fourth-place rider, N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell, who had more than a minute lead on fifth overall Strang. It was Russell’s best finish of the season.
Beta’s Jordan Ashburn was sixth, followed by Grant Baylor and XC2 250 Pro (16-24) winner Josh Toth. For Toth it was his fifth straight class win, which means that the N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha Team rider has won every race so far.
2017 Camp Coker Bullet GNCC Results
Josh Toth is unstoppable in XC2.
Toth’s nearest class rival was the rider who finished behind him about two minutes back, Jesse Groemm.
Rounding out the top 10 overall was Russell Bobbitt.
Craig DeLong was 11th overall and the third rider filling out the XC2 podium.
“It was a good day,” said winner Kailub Russell. “I just wasn’t flowing at the beginning, those guys gapped me in the first lap and a half and once I got to second I knew I was going to have my work cut out for me, but I just put my head down and kept charging. I went to work all day, chipped away at it and never gave up. Thad was riding well so it’s going to be an interesting rest of the season for sure. These guys are keeping me on my toes and making me strive a little harder so it’s time to raise the bar again and it’s time to get better.”
In other classes, there was a new winner in the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class. This time it was Jason Thomas taking the win over points leader Jack Edmondson (Coastal Racing/Husqvarna).
SRT/KTM’s Mark Heresco Jr. was third.
Cody Barnes was the top 250 A rider in 23rd overall.
In the WXC class, which is held in the morning race, was won for the fifth time was Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/KR4 Husqvarna’s Tayla Jones. Becaa Sheets was second and Mackenzie Tricker third.
CST Tires Camp Coker Bullet GNCC
Society Hill, South Carolina
Round 5 of 13
Sunday, April 23
XC1 Open Pro Event Results:
- Kailub Russell (KTM)
- Thad Duvall (Hus)
- Steward Baylor (KTM)
- Ricky Russell (Yam)
- Josh Strang (Hus)
- Jordan Ashburn (BET)
- Grant Baylor (Hus)
- Russell Bobbitt (KTM)
- Ryan Sipes (Hus)
- Trevor Bollinger (Hon)
*Overall National Championship Standings:
- Kailub Russell (145)
- Steward Baylor (114)
- Thad Duvall (100)
- Ricky Russell (75)
- Josh Toth (74)
- Trevor Bollinger (57)
- Jordan Ashburn (56)
- Russell Bobbitt (54)
- Grant Baylor (53)
- Josh Strang (46)
*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2017 National Champion.
XC2 250 Pro Event Results:
- Josh Toth (Yam)
- Jesse Groemm (KTM)
- Craig Delong (Hus)
- Layne Michael (Hus)
- Mike Witkowski (KTM)
- Ben Kelley (KTM)
- Zack Hayes (KTM)
- Dylan Macritchie (KTM)
- Trevor Barrett (Yam)
- Brendan Riordan (Yam)
XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:
- Josh Toth (140)
- Craig Delong (101)
- Mike Witkowski (92)
- Jesse Groemm (92)
- Layne Michael (92)
- Austin Lee (68)
- Zack Hayes (67)
- Ben Kelley (63)
- Trevor Barrett (48)
- Sam Evans (41)
FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am Event Results:
- Jason Thomas (Hus)
- Jack Edmondson (Hus)
- Mark Heresco Jr. (KTM)
- Devan Welch (Yam)
- Hunter Neuwirth (Hus)
- Josh Adkins (Yam)
- Jaryn Williams (Yam)
FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am Points Standings:
- Jack Edmondson (145)
- Jason Thomas (126)
- Mark Heresco Jr. (91)
- Hunter Neuwirth (86)
- Paul Whibley (67)
- Jaryn Williams (65)
- Josh Adkins (58)
- Devan Welch (45)
- Dustin Gibson (43)
- Nate Smith (29)
