RICKY RUSSELL WINS MASON-DIXON GNCC

Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon: Motorcycle Race Report
Coastal Racing’s Ricky Russell and Ryder Lafferty Earn XC1 and XC2 Wins

 

The eighth round, Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon, of the 2022 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, concluded on Sunday June 5, 2022, in Mt. Morris, Pennsylvania. As temperatures began to rise throughout the day, the dry and dusty conditions would make for a challenging day of racing.

 

Starting out the day strong was Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Trevor Bollinger as he grabbed the $250 All Balls Racing XC1 Holeshot Award and led the pack of riders into the woods. Bollinger would soon have company from Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ricky Russell as the two were wheel-to-wheel for the first couple of laps. Russell and Bollinger would swap the lead position throughout the majority of the race.

Russell would make a pass for the lead as the white flag came out, indicating one more lap of racing, while Bollinger would unfortunately suffer a hand injury when he had an incident with a lapped rider. Russell would continue to lead the way as he came through to earn his first overall victory in five years, his second overall win ever.

 

Rev Motorsports/GASGAS Racing’s Grant Baylor would battle his way back up after a seventh place start to the day. Baylor would continue to push his way through the pack as he consistently made his passes stick throughout the duration of the race. Baylor would come through second overall in Pennsylvania.

Returning to the podium with a third overall was Magna1 Motorsports/Husqvarna’s Jordan Ashburn. Ashburn would have a top five start to the day, and he would continue to put his head down and push. Ashburn would earn his fifth podium finish of the season as well as continue to hold the second place points in the points standings.

After starting at the back of the pack Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong would work his way up through as he moved into the fourth place position on the last lap of the race. Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Josh Strang rounded out the top five in XC1 after a tough day of racing. Bollinger would make his way through the finish in sixth after smacking his hand in a last lap incident. FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Joshua Toth would call it a day after four laps of racing after catching his leg on a tree root causing a lot of discomfort. AmPro Yamaha’s Layne Michael would suffer a DNF this past weekend.

 

In the XC2 250 Pro class it was Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder Lafferty coming through to earn his second win of the season. Lafferty would have to battle throughout the race with Tely Energy/KTM Racing’s Liam Draper, who also earned the $250 STACYC XC2 Holeshot Award, as the two would swap the lead position. Draper would unfortunately suffer a mechanical issue and be unable to complete the last lap of the race.

However, Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Lyndon Snodgrass would then pick up the pace and battle Lafferty for that number one position with just one lap to go. Lafferty would make his way back around Snodgrass with just miles to go in the race. The duo would emerge from the woods wheel-to-wheel as they headed towards the checkered flag. Lafferty would hold the lead coming through just 1.3 seconds ahead of Snodgrass. Phoenix Racing’s Ruy Barbosa would round out the top three XC2 finishers after working his way up from an eighth place start at round eight.

 

 

In the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class it was once again Magna1 Motorsports/Husqvarna’s Brody Johnson taking the win, his fifth of the season. However, Johnson would have to battle with Carolina XC/Moose Racing/XC Gear’s Zack Hayes throughout the race as the two would swap the number one position throughout the three-hour race. Johnson would make his way back into the lead and hold that until the checkered flag came out. Hayes would continue to push and hold onto that second place position as Husqvarna/Fly Racing/Coppersmith Racing’s Jake Froman held third in the XC3 class for the duration of the race.

Bringing home the Top Amateur honors at the Parts Unlimited Mason-Dixon was Grant Davis as he took the 250 A class win with a 13th overall finishing position. Trevor Maley came through 18th overall and second in 250 A to earn him the second spot on the Top Amateur podium, with Jason Tino finishing 20th overall and third in the 250 A class.

 

 

 

XC1 Pro Event Results:

1. Ricky Russell (GAS)
2. Grant Baylor (GAS)
3. Jordan Ashburn (HQV)
4. Craig DeLong (HQV)
5. Josh Strang (KAW)
6. Trevor Bollinger (HQV)
7. Joshua Toth (KTM)

*Overall National Championship Standings:

1. Benjamin Kelley (180)
2. Jordan Ashburn (157)
3. Trevor Bollinger (138)
4. Craig DeLong (125)
5. Lyndon Snodgrass (108)
6. Joshua Toth (95)
7. Grant Baylor (94)
8. Josh Strang (84)
9. Ricky Russell (80)
10. Ryder Lafferty (78)

*Indicates that the Overall National Championship Standings will determine the 2022 National Champion.

XC2 250 Pro Event Results:

1. Ryder Lafferty (GAS)
2. Lyndon Snodgrass (KAW)
3. Ruy Barbosa (HON)
4. Benjamin Herrera (KAW)
5. Evan Smith (BET)
6. Angus Riordan (KTM)
7. Mason Semmens (KTM)
8. Cody Barnes (HON)
9. Jonathan Johnson (BET)
10. Simon Johnson (KTM)

XC2 250 Pro Series Standings:

1. Lyndon Snodgrass (167)
2. Ryder Lafferty (157)
3. Michael Witkowski (155)
4. Ruy Barbosa (128)
5. Cody Barnes (122)
6. Angus Riordan (117)
7. Benjamin Herrera (112)
8. Jonathan Johnson (93)
9. Liam Draper (92)