FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Kailub Russell took home the win at Society Hill, South Carolina GNCC followed by Thad Duvall and Steward Baylor.
Rockstar Energy/Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Josh Strang jumped out to the early lead grabbing his third $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award of the year. N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell accompanied Strang as they headed out of the first turn.
Strang’s teammate, Thad Duvall, also got off to a favourable start and made his way to the lead position by the two-mile mark.
Duvall continued charging where he began to pull a gap on Strang and R Russell.
R Russell made the pass for second on the Camp Coker motocross track, and by this time K Russell wasn’t far behind the podium contenders. Strang would also lose another position in the sand rollers to K Russell who was moving through the pack quick. By the conclusion of the second lap K Russell sat in second while Duvall maintained control of the lead.
Once the two-lap board was out, Duvall and K Russell were rubbing plastic as they approached the pro pits. K Russell made the pass for the lead, but pulled in his pit for a splash of gas, while Duvall neglected to stop where he took back over the lead.
With only four miles remaining in the race, K Russell stole the lead away from Duvall. After leading the past six laps, Duvall didn’t stop the fight until disaster struck and he ran out of gas on the motocross track. A KTM crew member was quick to help Duvall and he was back on-track before Baylor could catch up.
Duvall rode the next mile until approaching his team members who gave him another quick fill up to get him through the rest of the course. After following Duvall the whole race, K Russell crossed the finish line in a champion fashion, taking his fourth-straight overall win. Duvall and Baylor rounded out the overall podium.
“It was a good day, 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,” said K Russell. “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.”
The WXC class made a clean sweep for the overall podium in the 10 a.m. race. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/Husqvarna’s Tayla Jones remains undefeated with five wins. Fly Racing/Maxxis/Seat Concepts/KTM’s Becca Sheets and Trail Jesters/KTM’s Mackenzie Tricker rounded out the overall podium.
*Overall National Championship Standings:
1. Kailub Russell (145)
2. Steward Baylor (114)
3. Thad Duvall (100)
4. Ricky Russell (75)
5. Josh Toth (74)
6. Trevor Bollinger (57)
7. Jordan Ashburn (56)
8. Russell Bobbitt (54)
9. Grant Baylor (53)
10. Josh Strang (46)