Weather, crashes, other riders - nothing seems to stop Kailub Russell.
Russell won his third straight Grand National Cross Country race on Sunday at Big Buck Farm in Union, SC despite getting held up after another rider went down in front of him near the second corner at the start of the race. Russell, a MotoSport-sponsored rider, fought his way through the pack and on Lap 3 took the lead from his Factory FMF/KTM teammate Charlie Mullins, and won by a minute once the checkered flag flew.
"I was about 30 seconds down from Charlie's lead and it was tough to make moves real fast and get around those guys quick so I just chose good lines," said Russell who also received a $150 fastest lap award. "I knew that if I could catch him I was going to win."
Good weather finally greeted the 2014 GNCC series in Round 4 with sunny and warm temperatures rather than the rainy, mud and muck that made up the last two rounds. Russell now has a two point lead in the National Championship standings over Mullins after a Round 1 pile-up left him in 14th place overall just a month ago.
Kailub Russell wins third GNCC race of the season - Photos by Ken Hill
Russell received a good fight for much of the race from Mullins who eventually lost ground after clipping a lapper and hitting a tree. Josh Strang also gave Russell and Mullins some serious competition before crashing and settling for third place. The defending champion Russell rides the white number plate background (denoting points leader) for the first time this season in Round 5.
Former Supercross/Motocross rider and MotoSport-sponsored rider Ryan Sipes finished in ninth-place and 12th overall. In the XC1 class, Sipes has finished in the Top 10 all four rounds.
The GNCC series takes a two-week break before resuming April 26-27 at the Limestone 100 at Lawrence County Recreational Park in Springville, IN.
GNCC Round 4 XC1 Pro Results
- Kailub Russell - MotoSport rider
- Charlie Mullins
- Josh Strang
- Andrew Delong
- Paul Whibley
- Jordan Ashburn
- Steward Baylor
- Jason Thomas
- Ryan Sipes
- Takeshi Koikeda
Overall National Championship Standings
- Kailub Russell (97) - MotoSport rider
- Charlie Mullins (95)
- Josh Strang (79)
- Jordan Ashburn (65)
- Paul Whibley (59)
- Steward Baylor (57)
- Grant Baylor (52)
- Andrew Delong (48)
- Ricky Russell (44)
- Trevor Bollinger (44)