VOL. 54 ISSUE 20 MAY 23, 2017 P41
into some bike issues in the
second half of the race so at that
point, I just tried to get the bike
to the finish."
Ricky Russell led the first two
laps after nabbing the $250 All
Balls Racing Holeshot Award,
but Duvall would lead the final
two laps (of the four-lap race)
to claim his first win of the year.
Russell eventually slipped back
to third after Strang, who, at one
point, was as far back as fifth,
passed him on the final lap. It
was Russell's best finish so far
this year.
Strang took the checkered
flag just 28 seconds behind his
teammate, Duvall, with Russell
just a second in back of Strang.
And Chris Bach (FMF/Maxxis/
RPM KTM) was right behind
Russell in fourth.
Approximately three minutes
later came Beta's Jordan Ash-
burn for fifth overall. Ashburn
survived a mishap in the pits
when his bike became entan-
gled in a power-washer hose.
Sixth in class (XC1) and 11th
overall was the 2017 XC2 Cham-
pion, JCR Honda's Trevor Bol-
linger.
Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/
KR4/Husqvarna's Grant Baylor
was seventh in XC1, 12th overall.
Championship contender
Steward Baylor pulled out of the
race after the first lap with an
illness.
KTM rider Zach Nolan, sixth
overall, was the winner of the
XC2 250 Pro (16-24) class,
with Michael Witkowski (KTM),
seventh overall, finishing second
and Craig DeLong (Husqvarna),
ninth overall, third in class.
In the WMX class, Becca
Sheets (KTM), Mackenzie
Tricker (KTM) and Rachel Gut-
ish (KTM) went 1-2-3. However,
results in both XC2 and WMX are
still provisional.
Jason Thomas, fresh off the
OMA race the day before in
Missouri, led from start to finish
in the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am
division in eighth overall, with
Mark Heresco (KTM) and David
Quillen (KTM) rounding out the
top three. CN
OVERALL
1. Thad Duvall (Hus)
2. Josh Strang (Hus)
3. Ricky Russell (Yam)
4. Chris Back (KTM)
5. Jordan Ashburn (Beta)
6. Zach Nolan (KTM) XC2
7. Michael Witkowski (KTM) XC2
8. Jason Thomas (Hus) XC3
9. Craig DeLong (Hus) XC2
10. Josh Toth (Yam) XC2
Jason Thomas (125) was
smoking it on this Husqvarna
125. He won the XC3 class in
eighth overall!
