OFF-ROAD
AMSOIL GNCC SERIES
ROUND 8 / JUNE 23, 2019
SNOWSHOE MOUNTAIN RESORT / SNOWSHOE, WEST VIRGINIA
P76
be loose and just went down. I
kind of lost touch but was able to
regroup and run them back down
the second lap. I just tried to stay
with them the best I could, but
there near the end, we kind of
got separated."
Fifth behind Ricky Russell
was Monster Energy Babbitts
Kawasaki's Jordan Ashburn, who
moved up into fifth near the end
of the race.
Tely Energy Racing KTM's
Grant Baylor put on a late sprint,
as well, moving from outside the
top-10 at the start to a solid sixth
at the finish.
Coastal Racing Husqvarna's
Craig DeLong put in a gritty ride
to finish seventh overall and
Pro class, which now sits at eight
in a row. Overall, the Trail Jesters
KTM rider claimed an impressive
third-place finish.
Due to Snowshoe's unique live
engine start, Kelley started the
race on the first row along with
Kailub Russell and Baylor, allow-
ing Kelley to battle bar-to-bar with
the XC1 riders.
"I got off behind Kailub and
was following him for pretty much
the whole lap," said Kelley. "I got
passed by Thad and Stew there
halfway through, but through one
of the bike-only sections, I was
able to get back by and get right
on Kailub. Later, I had a gnarly
wreck in the downhill rocks. Just
not holding on tight, trying to
lap. I knew I had the drive. I had
the speed to make it a pass on
the Power Point Hill," said Baylor.
"I had the upper line. It was
the line that I had taken the lap
before, and it was really fast—no
rocks, a lot of dirt. A lapper just
kind of screwed me, but that's
racing. I can't be mad about it. I
had a hell of a ride.
"The last two laps I tried to give
everything I had," Baylor added.
"Kailub was able to match me the
in sections where he had been
weak the lap before. It was right
down to the wire. A couple sec-
onds, and that's how good racing
is. I'm happy with it."
Ben Kelley continued his
unbeaten streak in the XC2 250
Ricky Russell put his Am Pro Yamaha on the XC1 podium.
