Babbitt’s Kawasaki’s Josh Strang finished second overall to KTM's Kailub Russell at Round two, Moose Racing Wild Boar, of the 2020 Grand National Cross Country.
As the race got underway it was K. Russell jumping out to grab the All Balls Racing $250 XC1 Holeshot Award. K. Russell would set the pace, and begin to place a gap over the rest of the field. By the halfway point of the race Russell would have over a minute lead, and as the checkered flag flew K. Russell would capture the win by over two minutes.
Strang worked his way through the pack of XC1 Open Pro riders to claim second overall. After a dead last start in the class, Strang would have his work cut out for him. On the opening lap Strang would come through timing and scoring in the eighth place position, but he would put his head down and begin chipping away. As the white flag came out Strang was up to third overall, but he wasn’t done there. He began to apply the pressure to second, and would make the pass stick just miles before the checkered flag.
Coming through to take third overall in the Florida sand was Coastal Racing Husqvarna’s Ricky Russell. After starting the race mid-pack, Russell began to charge and start making passes towards the front. Russell would battle his way up to third and then second by the fourth lap. However, a charging Strang was behind him and ready to battle throughout the entire last two laps. Russell would be unable to hold him off on the final lap, and just a couple corners away from the finish would suffer a crash. However, Russell would be able to remount his motorcycle without losing too much time and take the checkered flag.
In the WXC class it was BABS Yamaha Racing’s Becca Sheets coming through to earn her second-straight overall and WXC class win for the season. Sheets didn’t get off to the greatest start, but she managed to move herself into the lead early on in the race and pull a gap against the rest of the group. Sheets would end up crashing into palmettos and would be forced to push herself once again to regain the gap she had before. Sheets would cross the finish line first, 58 seconds ahead of the competition.
Husqvarna rider Tayla Jones had a mechanical issue before the start of the race, forcing her to pull to the sidelines as the other WXC riders took off. As the problem was fixed Jones took off behind the Sportsman A riders, working her way through the pack she began to pick off riders one-by-one and steadily move up through the ranks. Jones made her way up to the second place position by the time the checkered flag flew, making it her second-straight second-place finish.
Coming third in the WXC class was KTM/Enduro Engineering/Fly Racing/MEPMX’s Mackenzie Tricker. Tricker and Sheets would battle back and forth for majority of the day, as Jones closed the gap on them. Tricker would be unable to hold off Jones, but would manage to earn the last podium position in Florida.
Lyndon Snodgrass, unfortunately, DNFed after crashed hard towards the end of lap one. The Kawasaki rider
XC1 Pro Event Results:
1. Kailub Russell (KTM)
2. Josh Strang (KAW)
3. Ricky Russell (HQV)
4. Jordan Ashburn (KAW)
5. Andrew DeLong (HON)
6. Todd Kellett (YAM)
7. Tyler Medaglia (KAW)
8. Grant Baylor (SHR)
9. Evan Earl (KAW)
10. Layne Michael (YAM)
Overall National Championship Standings:
1. Kailub Russell (60)
2. Josh Strang (46)
3. Ricky Russell (46)
4. Jordan Ashburn (33)
5. Michael Witkowski (31)
6. Jonathan Girroir (28)
7. Craig DeLong (25)
8. Cody Barnes (20)
9. Steward Baylor Jr. (18)
10. Grant Baylor (15)