Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/117782
Round���2 GNCC���RACING Russell took the win at The Maxxis General, tying Mullins for the points lead Photo by Ken Hill / GNCC Russell���Wins���The���Maxxis���General���GNCC,���Tying���Mullins���for���Points���lead Delong���Makes���it���Two���in���a���Row���in���the���XC2���Division WASHINGTON, Ga. (March 17, 2013) - Only five days after going to battle in the sandy woods of Southern Florida, Factory FMF/KTM teammates Kailub Russell and Charlie Mullins put in yet another three-hour duel at Sunday's Maxxis General GNCC. This time, it was Russell who grabbed the win over Mullins by less than two seconds at Round 2 of the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series. AmPro Yamaha's Paul Whibley got off to a great start, grabbing the All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot Award. Meanwhile, Russell got caught in a first corner crash and began the race in the back of the pack. Whibley led Mullins, Russell and the rest of the field into the woods but the remainder of the day didn't go quite as planned for the 2012 champ. Rocky Mountain ATV/MC's Josh Strang got a mid-pack start, immediately engaging in a three way battle with Shenandoah Honda/USWE-Sports.com's Thad DuVall and KR4 Arrive-N-Ride/B.R.E/Carolina KTM's Chris Bach early in the race. It didn't take long for DuVall to set his sights on the lead pack as he made his way around Strang to take over the third place spot on Lap 2. From there, DuVall made a charge for Russell and Mullins - getting as close as one second behind the KTM duo. 26 Trail Rider Mullins is now tied with his teammate for the XC1 points leadPhoto: Ken Hill / GNCC Bach and Strang battled all afternoon, flip-flopping the fourth place position throughout the 3-hour race. Bach eventually made a push past Strang as the 2-Lap card fell, but the former GNCC champ Strang reclaimed the fourth place spot on the final lap. Russell stopped in the pits for a drink of water on Lap 5 and that's when DuVall made his move for the lead. However, halfway into the very same lap DuVall stalled his bike and Russell moved back into the lead position. Russell and Mullins then broke away from DuVall on the final lap. "I was riding really good out there and was able to get past a few guys at the end but I had some goggle problems on the last lap and got some dirt in my eyes, which slowed me www.TrailRider.com