Duvall Wins John Penton GNCC
F
or the second time this year,
Kailub Russell, the FMF/KTM
Factory rider, lost a close race
when on the final lap a lapper got
stuck in a muddy rut right in front
of him.
Earlier in the year, at round
three of the Amsoil Grand
National Cross Country Series
in North Carolina, Russell was
leading the race just miles from
the finish when a lapper got
stuck in a deep muddy rut right
in front of him. Russell became
stuck as well, and it took several
seconds to get going again. Be-
fore he could, Rockstar Energy
Factory Husqvarna Racing's
Thad Duvall passed him to take
the lead and the win.
At John Penton GNCC in
Millfield, Ohio, May 19, Russell
was leading with the race wind-
ing down when lightning struck
again, and he got stuck in a rut
behind a lapper while Duvall
cruised by to take the win.
"I was doing a really good job,
hitting all my marks really good,
then a guy just stopped in a rut in
front of me," said Russell. "I rode
a flawless race other than that. I
just kind of got robbed there on
the last lap. Thad was in posi-
tion. He was riding really well.
Hats off to him. It's just frustrat-
ing. That's twice this year I've just
got held up."
Wet and muddy conditions
dominated racing from one side
of the country to the other, as
a huge entry took to the muddy
course at this year's John Penton
GNCC.
After a bit of shuffling, and
an opening lap that was led
by Jordan Ashburn (Babbitt's
Online/Monster Energy/Kawa-
saki), Russell took control of
the race accompanied by Duvall
and Trevor Bollinger (Rockstar
IN
THE
WIND
P24
Mud was Thad
Duvall's friend at
the John Penton
GNCC in Ohio.
PHOTOS: KEN HILL
