Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1513380
INTERVIEW I 2023 GRAND NATIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPION CRAIG DELONG P78 if he didn't have that issue, he would have pushed his way up to where I was at in the front. I think it would have been a battle just because of what we both had on the line. I think it would have turned into a three- way or four-way battle between Stew and the other guys. But he had his issue. I was aware of that soon after it happened. I think it was that same lap, prob - ably a couple of miles later, that I got a pit board that he was in the pits. I knew he was com - ing. I could see him coming, so I was kind of getting ready for him, calming down a little bit and getting ready. I knew once he got to us, he was going to put heavy pressure on. So, I was kind of preparing myself for that." DeLong was still working on his confidence even after that first win, and coming out of the summer break, he still wasn't sure if he could pull it off. "Honestly, coming out of summer break, I wasn't sure. It was me, Ben Kelley, and Stew, and we were all within five points of each other. We were close. So, I didn't really know. I rode with Ben all summer at Kailub's, but practice is one thing and racing is another. So, I didn't really know how Ben was going to show up, and I didn't know how Stew was going to show up. Stew was winning the National Enduros. It was kind of getting hot up there a little bit. He won the Pennsylvania race, and then he won the next one in Ohio. He was starting to kick it up. I didn't really know what to expect. I just knew that I was ready, and I was going to ride as good as I could to put myself in the position to win. That's what I did all year and what I needed to do the last couple of races. That's what I did. It's easy to say, but to do it is another thing." DeLong talked about the day he wrapped up the title. "It was weird, but I was both nervous and excited. I wasn't too nervous. The morning of the race, I was a little bit nervous. I didn't sleep the best. I can deal with that. I still got sleep; I just didn't get my normal eight hours. My goal was to win again. That was one of those things where if that's your goal, then that's the only thing you've got to worry about. I wanted to be out front, and I can decide from there. The Pennsylvanian is no stranger to mud but also knows how to ride well in rocks, dust, and just about anything.