IN
THE
WIND
P46
Russell Wins
X-Factor
Whitetail
GNCC
K
ailub Russell has a seventh
XC Pro1 National Champion-
ship lined up in his crosshairs
after claiming his third win of the
season at the 3rd Annual Yamaha
Racing X-Factor Whitetails GNCC
in Peru, Indiana, May 5, round
five of the 2019 Amsoil Grand
National Cross Country Series.
Four inches of rain leading up
to the race made for one of the
most challenging tracks of the
year, as muddy conditions tested
riders.
Knowing a good start would be
important on the relatively short
course, Russell moved quickly
into the lead soon after the start.
AmPro Yamaha's Ricky Russell,
who has been out of commission
since the off-season due to a leg
injury, celebrated his return to
racing by grabbing the holeshot
to start the XC Pro1 class race.
However, it wouldn't last for long
when the other Russell, Kailub,
shot by him.
Once in the lead, Kailub Rus-
sell never relinquished it, as the
FMF/KTM rider led Rockstar En-
ergy/Factory Husqvarna Racing's
Thad Duvall by as much as one
minute and 20 seconds before
taking the checkers with about
eight seconds to spare.
Russell's win was the 57th of
his career.
"I knew the start was going to
be crucial because you couldn't
really pass in those fields be-
cause it was just train tracks from
the quads yesterday, so I wanted
to be leading by the time we got
to the woods," said Kailub Rus-
sell. "Ricky Russell was in front of
me, and I made a quick pass on
him, and I just sprinted early and
just rode my own race and did my
thing."
Duvall, who was hoping to
land in the center of the podium
for the second time this season,
lost touch with Russell right away
and wasn't able to make up the
distance until the very end.
"I kept looking ahead, and I
didn't see Kailub, but I could see
tire marks, so I knew I was in sec-
ond," said Duvall. "I came around,
Kailub Russell
recorded his 57th-
career GNCC win
in Indiana.
PHOTO: KEN HILL
