DUVALL TOPS TOMAHAWK GNCC
T
had Duvall made it back-to-
back wins in the 2017 Amsoil
GNCC Series after coming from
way back in the field to take the
win at the Dunlop Tomahawk
GNCC in Odessa, New York,
June 11. Duvall is now within
sight of points leader Kailub
Russell who had tough day with
a mechanical issue and a crash
that ultimately led to a fifth-place
finish in the XC1 Pro class (sev-
enth overall). Duvall now trails
the defending champ, Russell,
by just 10 points.
Duvall crashed early in the
race and was at one point as far
back as 12th place on the first
lap, while fellow Husqvarna rider
Ryan Sipes led the way. Once
Duvall found his groove, the
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rid-
er climbed his way to the front of
the pack. By lap two he was in
fourth, a lap later he was in third,
and by the fifth lap, he had got-
ten around Sipes for the lead,
which he never relinquished. He
ended up taking the checkered
flag one minute and 10 seconds
ahead of Sipes, on the Coastal
Racing Husqvarna.
Steward Baylor and Josh
Strang ended up battling it out
for the final spot on the podium.
Strang actually led the race right
off the start but dropped back to
fifth before picking up the pace
again and getting into third, but
that's when Baylor came call-
ing. The two then engaged in a
good battle, with Baylor taking
third away from Sipes on the
sixth of the seven-lap race.
Baylor crossed the finish line
approximately 15 seconds ahead
of Strang.
Russell, on the FMF KTM,
finished the race a few minutes
behind Strang—a little worse
for wear. Early in the race his
shift lever "got sheared off" and
he was forced to ride around
stuck in second gear for a while
before he could get it replaced,
though he was still able to hold
on to third. He then got back up
to speed again and got to the
front of the pack before taking a
header in the woods. The crash
IN
THE
WIND
P40
Thad Duvall is
making a run on
points leader
Kailub Russell
after scoring his
second straight
win in the GNCC
Championship.
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
KEN
HILL
