Cycle News Staff | April 10, 2017
2017 Steele Creek GNCC Results – Except for two brief moments, FMF/KTM’s Kailub Russell led the whole way at the FMF Steele Creek GNCC in Morganton, North Carolina, April 9, to claim his fourth win in a row in the 2017 Amsoil Grand National Cross Country Series, presented by Maxxis.
2017 Steele Creek GNCC Results
(Left to right) Thad Duvall, Kailub Russell and Steward Baylor made up the Steele Creek podium. Photography by Ken Hill
Josh Strang nabbed the holeshot to start the race, but it wasn’t long before Russell had moved passed him to take the lead. Later on, Russell surrendered the point position to Thad DuVall for a moment following a scheduled pit stop for fuel. Besides that, Russell led it the whole way.
“It was a tough day out there, it wasn’t what I was expecting,” said Russell. “I thought the track would have more moisture. In some places you would have good traction, and other places it would just go away. I laid down a good pace on the first lap and Thad hung on there all the way to the end.”
Duvall, on the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, kept Russell honest the whole way and was close enough to him to take the lead after having a quicker pit stop. Duvall, however, could not hold Russell off on the trail and found himself running second again.
“It was hard to get into the flow there at the beginning and I was kind of a little timid with the traction because some places you would have good traction and other places you’d just go away so it was kind of unfamiliar territory on the first lap,” Russell added. “But then we got into a good groove and I felt comfortable and laid down a pace that I knew was going to be really fast. I felt really good and solid on the bike. I made a few mistakes, nothing major, but I’m happy to come away with the win.”
Russell and Duvall ran 1-2 the whole race, with never more than a second or two separating them as they completed each lap of the seven-lap race. It wasn’t until the final lap that Russell was able to pull away a bit from Duvall. Russell ended up taking the checkered flag 18.7 seconds ahead of Duvall.
2017 Steele Creek GNCC Results
The race for third was also intense between Steward Baylor and Trevor Bollinger. Bollinger, on the JCR Honda, held third for most of the race as Baylor worked his way up from an eighth-place start. Baylor got into fourth on the fourth lap and was 16 seconds behind Bollinger. The FMF/KTM rider, Baylor, steadily closed the gap on Bollinger and passed him for third on the sixth lap and then opened up a small gap on the Honda rider. Baylor ended up winning the battle for the final step of the podium, crossing the finish line about 11 seconds ahead of Bollinger, and about three and a half minutes behind Duvall.
“It was a tough day,” Baylor said. “I was coming in here to salvage points because I tweaked my wrist last weekend and have been struggling. I was trying to avoid the bumps but this is a hard place to do it—there is no smooth line. I was able to make it out and still finish somewhat strong so I’m happy with the day. I’m proud to get third on a day like today and keep it consistent.”
Strang, on the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna, finished out the race fifth, just under a minute behind Bollinger.
Sixth went to Beta’s Jordan Ashburn, followed by Ricky Russell, on the N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha.
Eighth overall went to the top-placing XC2 250 Pro (16-24) rider Josh Toth, also aboard an N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha.
FMF/KTM’s Russell Bobbitt was ninth overall, followed by runner up in the XC2 class, Craig Delong (Coastal Racing/Husqvarna). RPM/KTM’s Mike Witkowski was third in XC2.
Coastal Racing/Husqvarna’s Jack Emondson, 13th overall, continued his domination of the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class. Jason Thomas and Hunter Neuwirth went 2-3.
In the WXC division, Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/KR4 Husqvarna’s Tayla Jones took top honors over Rachel Gutish (KTM/Maxxis/FMF) and Becca Sheets (Fly Racing/Maxxis/Seat Concepts/KTM).
FMF Steele Creek GNCC
Morganton, North Carolina
Round 4 of 13
Sunday, April 9
XC1 Open Pro Event Results:
- Kailub Russell (KTM)
- Thad Duvall (HSQ)
- Steward Baylor (KTM)
- Trevor Bollinger (HON)
- Josh Strang (HUS)
- Jordan Ashburn (BET)
- Ricky Russell (YAM)
- Russell Bobbitt (KTM)
- Grant Baylor (HUS)
- Scott Grills (HUS)
*Overall National Championship Standings:
- Kailub Russell (115)
- Steward Baylor (93)
- Thad Duvall (75)
- Josh Toth (61)
- Ricky Russell (57)
- Trevor Bollinger (50)
- Russell Bobbitt (43)
- Jordan Ashburn (41)
- Mike Witkowski (40)
- Grant Baylor (39)
*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2017 National Champion.
XC2 250 Pro Event Results:
- Josh Toth (YAM)
- Craig Delong (HUS)
- Michael Witkowski (KTM)
- Austin Lee (HON)
- Layne Michael (HUS)
- Jesse Groemm (KTM)
- Drew Higgins (BET)
- Nick Davis (BET)
- Ben Kelley (KTM)
- Trevor Barrett (YAM)
XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:
- Josh Toth (120)
- Craig Delong (86)
- Mike Witkowski (79)
- Layne Michael (74)
- Jesse Groemm (52)
- Austin Lee (59)
- Zack Hayes (53)
- Ben Kelley (48)
- Trevor Barrett (36)
- Jesper Borjessen (35)
