VOLUME ISSUE FEBRUARY , P77
DeLong would eventually take
the lead and hold onto it for a
short stint before falling.
Girroir turned up the heat on
the final two laps to make his
way into the lead and ultimately
take the win.
"I would ride great, but then
I'd make a mistake," said Girroir.
"He'd go by me, and he'd make
a mistake. It was just brutal out
there, but it was good. I pulled it
off in the end."
Ashburn was impressive,
finishing second overall in his
first GNCC on a Honda. "I got in
the front really quickly after we
dropped into the woods," said
Ashburn. "I just got pushed hard
and harder by Draper and Davis
but still was able to feel the
track out to see where the deep
holes were and tried to play it
safe the first three laps, and
then just kind of settled in, and
then I got a little bit of a gap. I
which means the winner will be
the rider who runs through the
trees fastest.
Ashburn, known for his mud-
riding skills, followed Draper in
second but soon took the lead
with Davis right behind, while Gir
-
roir stayed outside of the top five.
When the front pack hit pit
row for the first time, it was
Ashburn in the lead, followed by
Davis and Draper. Meanwhile,
Nick DeFeo, on the Red Bear
Rocky Mountain Kawasaki, who
won the Big Buck last year as an
XC2 rider, was moving up from a
good start in the XC2 row again
and had taken over first overall
on adjusted time.
On lap four, Davis pulled out
of the race after sucking water in
his engine, leaving Ashburn and
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Fac
-
tory Racing rider Craig DeLong—
who was finding his form—in
second and third, respectively.
(Below) Honda-
mounted Jordan
Ashburn led early
and went on to finish
second overall. (Right)
Nick DeFeo gave
everything he had,
and it paid off with
the XC2-class win and
third overall.
