Duvall Earns First Victory of 2017 Season at X-Factor GNCC

Courtesy of GNCC

Duvall Earns First Victory of 2017 Season at X-Factor GNCCZach Nolan Wins First XC2 250 Pro Race of 2017

PERU, Ind. (May 21, 2017) - After several days of rainfall in Peru, Indiana the 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, continued today, May 21, with the inaugural X-Factor GNCC. For the first time since 2013's Mammoth GNCC, Racer Productions made the decision to combine the morning amateur race with the afternoon pro race.

At the conclusion of the two-hour race on an 8-mile long racecourse it was Rockstar Energy/Factory Husqvarna Racing's Thad Duvall who took home his first overall win of the season. However, it would not be an easy task for Duvall as it was N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Ricky Russell who got the $250 All Balls Racing Holeshot Award. R Russell led the first two laps, but would eventually fall back two positions ultimately earning his season best finish of third overall.

Thad Duvall (center) earned his first win of 2017 at the inaugural X-Factor GNCC. Josh Strang (left) and Ricky Russell (right) rounded out the top three overall.

- Ken Hill

Duvall's teammate, Josh Strang, was also off to a good start where he would work his way into his first 2^nd place finish of the season by the end of the four-lap race. FMF/Maxxis/RPM KTM Racing Team's Chris Bach finished just off the podium with his second 4^th overall finish in 2017.

After a favorable start behind R Russell, Beta USA's Jordan Ashburn would find himself tangled in a power washer cord after a brief pit stop. Ashburn would fall back to 8^th as he checked into timing and scoring on the first lap, but put on a hard charge eventually ended the day with an remarkable fifth overall.

Ricky Russell was off to a good start, and grabbed the $250 All Balls Racing holeshot award to start his day.

- Ken Hill

After heading into the woods in the back of the XC1 pack, JCR Honda's Trevor Bollinger plowed his way through the mud for a sixth place finish in XC1 and an 11^thoverall. Rocky Mountain ATV*MC/KR4/Husqvarna-backed rider Grant Baylor started the day with an unfavorable 11^th place position as they came around the course after one lap. G Baylor would work his way up to 7^th in XC1, while still finishing just outside the top 10 overall in 12^th.

FMF/KTM Factory Racing and defending GNCC National Champion, Kailub Russell would find himself heading into the woods last off the start after falling in the second turn with another rider. K Russell and teammate, Russell Bobbitt, would finish the day out in the 8^th and 9^th place positions of the XC1 Pro class. K Russell would finish 14^thoverall, while Bobbitt salvaged a 20^th overall finish. SRT/KTM rider, and round 1 winner, Steward Baylor would complete his first lap in the fourth place position. Unfortunately this would be the only glimpse anyone caught of S Baylor, as his race ended after that first lap due to an illness.

Zach Nolan (#721) earned himself the XC2 250 Pro holeshot award, and the class win today in Peru, Indiana.

- Ken Hill

As a result of rule violations, the results from today's XC2 250 Pro (16-24) class and the WXC class are provisional and pending approval of additional evidence. 

Tely Energy's Zach Nolan got a quick jump off the second line earning himself the XC2 250 Pro $100 Hot Cams Holeshot Award. Nolan found himself in first overall as they came through timing and scoring on the first lap, but after four laps of intense racing would finish 6^th overall. However, the West Virginia native Nolan would earn his first XC2 250 Pro class win of the season holding off RPM/KTM's Mike Witkwoski and Coastal Racing/Husqvarna's Craig Delong who rounded out the podium. Current XC2 250 Pro points leader N-Fab AmPro Yamaha's Josh Toth had an unfavorable start, but managed to salvage a 4^th place class finish in the muddy conditions.

Jason Thomas (center), Mark Heresco Jr. (left) and David Quillen (right) rounded out the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class podium.

- Ken Hill

As the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class got off the line and rolling it was Jason Thomas who earned himself the $100 Wiseco Holeshot Award. Thomas never looked back after his holeshot, and earned himself his second FMF XC3 class win. SRT/KTM's Mark Heresco Jr. finished off the day in second, while Spyke's KTM/Grounds Quality Lawn Care/Superfly Racing's David Quillen rounded out the podium.

In the WXC class, Fly Racing/Maxxis/Seat Concepts/KTM rider Becca Sheets earned her first win of the season, while Trail Jesters/KTM's Mackenzie Tricker came in second and Spyke's KTM/Maxxis/FMF's Rachel Gutish finished in the third place position.

After delaying the youth bike race until 9 a.m. it was Illinois native, Tommy Fortune who came out on top of the sloppy conditions after 7 laps. So far this was Fortune's only race with the GNCC Series in 2017. Mack Riemer would find himself in the second overall position at the conclusion of the hour-long race, with Ryder Leblond rounding out the podium. After winning the first five rounds, Zachary Davidson would succumb to the muddy conditions after five laps and ultimately end up 8^th in his class for the day.

Tommy Fortune found himself on the top step of the podium at his first GNCC race of 2017 in the  9 a.m. bike youth race.

- Ken Hill

The 1 p.m. race was broadcast LIVE in its entirety on RacerTV.com and can be viewed as an archived video now online by visiting the GNCC LIVE page online. A highlight show featuring the event will air Saturday, June 17 at noon.

The 2017 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series resumes next weekend, May 27 and 28, with the Wiseco John Penton GNCC in Millfield, Ohio.

For more information on the series, visit the official website at www.gnccracing.com or call (304) 284-0084. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and be sure to always hashtag #GNCC.

X-Factor GNCC
Peru, Indiana
Round 6 of 13
Sunday, May 21 

XC1 Open Pro Event Results:

1. Thad Duvall (HSQ)
2. Josh Strang (HSQ)
3. Ricky Russell (YAM)
4. Chris Bach (HON)
5. Jordan Ashburn (BET)
6. Trevor Bollinger (HON)
7. Grant Baylor (YAM)
8. Kailub Russell (KTM)
9. Russell Bobbitt (KTM)
10. Scott Grills (HSQ)

*Overall National Championship Standings:

1. Kailub Russell (152)
2. Thad Duvall (126)
3. Steward Baylor (118)
4. Ricky Russell (96)
5. Josh Toth (85)
6. Jordan Ashburn (72)
7. Josh Strang (71)
8. Trevor Bollinger (67)
9. Grant Baylor (62)
10. Mike Witkowski (58)

*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2017 National Champion. 

XC2 250 Pro Event Results (Provisional):

1. Zach Nolan (KTM)
2. Mike Witkowski (KTM)
3. Craig Delong (HSQ)
4. Josh Toth (YAM)
5. Austin Lee (HON)
6. Dylan Macritchie (KTM)
7. Layne Michael (HSQ)
8. Jesper Borjessen (HSQ)
9. Sam Evans (KTM)
10. Zack Hayes (KTM)

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:

1. Josh Toth (158)
2. Craig Delong (122)
3. Mike Witkowski (117)
4. Layne Michael (106)
5. Jesse Groemm (94)
6. Austin Lee (84)
7. Zack Hayes (78)
8. Ben Kelley (71)
9. Trevor Barrett (54)
10. Sam Evans (53) 

FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am Event Results:

1. Jason Thomas (HSQ)
2. Mark Heresco Jr (KTM)
3. David Quillen (KTM)
4. Dustin Gibson (KTM)
5. Matthew Sims (YAM)
6. Jaryn Williams (YAM)
7. Hunter Neuwirth (HSQ)
8. Joshua Adkins (YAM) 

FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am Points Standings:

1. Jason Thomas (156)
2. Jack Edmondson (145)
3. Mark Heresco Jr. (116)
4. Hunter Neuwirth (100)
5. Jaryn Williams (80)
6. Josh Adkins (71)
7. Paul Whibley (67)
8. Dustin Gibson (61)
9. Devan Welch (45)
10. Nate Smith (29)                                                                       

About GNCC Racing 

The AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis is America's premier off-road racing series. Founded in 1975, the 13-round championship is produced exclusively by Racer Productions. Cross-country racing is one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. The grueling three-hour GNCC races lead as many as 2,400 riders through tracks ranging in length from eight to 12 miles. With varied terrain, including hills, woods, mud, dirt, rocks and motocross sections, GNCC events are tests of both survival and speed. The series draws talent from all over the U.S., Central America, South America, Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. GNCC Racing is televised weekly on NBC Sports and RacerTV.com. For more information, please visit www.gnccracing.com. 

About the American Motorcyclist Association

Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com. Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join.

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