VOLUME 56 ISSUE 22 JUNE 4, 2019 P39
paddling around after that and I
lost the flow a little bit, Thad and
I both, just because we were try-
ing to get around lappers. Then
the stuff got so thick it would just
pull you left and right. It was hard
to keep that momentum driving
forward, but we had a good time.
It's a muddy mess and tough
on everybody and everybody's
equipment."
Duvall challenged Russell,
swapping leads with the defend-
ing champ, Russell, several time
during the race. Like Russell,
Duvall was tired but pleased with
his second-place finish.
"Some days I'm not very happy
with second, but I gave it my best
today," said Duvall. "I felt like I
really laid it out on the line and
just came up short. It was fun.
We passed each other I don't
know how many times, but it was
fun riding. When the rain came
down, it was just hard to stay in
a groove. The main thing was
to keep your goggles on today.
I had to stop a couple times for
goggles. I gave it my best. Just
came up a little short."
One of the big stories of the
day centered around Ben Kelley
who led the first lap on adjusted
time from the XC2 250 Pro class.
The Trail Jesters KTM rider took
the early lead when he sprinted
to the front of the XC2 250 Pro
class, and never dropped lower
than third overall.
At the finish, Kelley was physi-
cally third on the course and third
overall, obviously winning the
XC2 250 Pro class, as well. His
finish marks the two races in
a row that he's finished on the
overall podium.
After starting the race outside
the top 20 due to a bad jump off
the line, Tely Energy Racing/
KTM's Steward Baylor Jr. over-
came a long pit stop to replace a
bent throttle tube to finish fourth
overall and third in the XC1 Pro
class.
Still looking to earn his first-
career overall win, Trevor Bol-
linger (Rockstar Energy/Factory
Husqvarna Racing) managed to
stay upright most of the day en
route to fifth overall. Meanwhile,
Am Pro Yamaha's Ricky Russell
finished a solid sixth in just his
third race back with the series.
Having one of his best sea-
sons thus far is Craig DeLong
(Phoenix Honda Racing); the
Pennsylvania rider finished sev-
enth overall for the second round
in a row. The finish also gave
him second in the XC2 250 Pro
division.
XC Gear/Enduro Engineering
Husqvarna's Cory Buttrick was
eighth overall, with Beta USA's
Mike Witkowski finishing third
in the XC2 250 Pro class with a
ninth-place finish.
FMF/KTM Factory Racing's
Josh Toth rounded out the top
10.
Nick Davis won the FMF XC3
125 Pro-Am class. Davis was
making his return to racing after
missing the last several months
due to injury. Austin Lee (Phoenix
Honda Racing) was second with
Cody Barnes (Beta USA) in third.
Shan Moore
OVERALL
1. Kailub Russell (KTM)
2. Thad Duvall (Hus)
3. Ben Kelley (KTM)
4. Steward Baylor Jr. (KTM)
5. Trevor Bollinger (Hus)
6. Ricky Russell (Yam)
7. Craig DeLong (Hon)
8. Cory Buttrick (Hus)
9. Mike Witkowski (Bet)
10. Josh Toth (KTM)
Ben Kelley was flying
in the XC2 class. At
one point, he was the
overall leader.
