ROCKCRUSHER SPRINT ENDURO-KAILUB RUSSELL AGAIN!

Kailub said after the race “I was able to get the win on day one,” said Russell. “On day two, I rode well for the most part, although Strang picked it up. I had a fall in the first Enduro test (second test of the day), and pretty much threw away the opportunity to open up a lead and kind of break their spirits. I still won the test, even falling, but I was pretty frustrated with that.”
Photo Kenny King

FMF/KTM’s Kailub Russell claimed the overall win at this weekend’s Rockcrusher Full Gas Sprint Enduro; round three of the 2020 Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series, held at the Rockcrusher Farm in Young Harris, Georgia. The overall win was Russell’s third of the season, although he split the individual day win with Team Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Josh Strang, who won Sunday’s event by 2.5 seconds.

In the end, however, Russell took the overall win by just under 13 seconds.

Josh Strang said,  “The only real test I lost time on was that first Enduro test on Saturday. It was a little wet and I honestly think I was just too cautious and Kailub put over 10 seconds on me. Every other test I was fairly close.”
Photo Kenny King

The weekend started out wet and slick, after spotty rain showers on Friday left the course a little greasy on Saturday morning, although it tacked up nice by Saturday afternoon. Russell ripped off an incredible time in the second test of the day, the Enduro test, which was 11 seconds faster than Strang and Strang’s teammate Jordan Ashburn, who was actually second-fastest in the test.

Russell’s “burner” put the North Carolina rider in a position no one else could touch all day, leading to Saturday’s individual win by over 16 seconds, with Strang second and Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Johnny Girrior in third (First Pro2 rider), another half second behind Strang.

Johnny Girrior “The tests were tight, so it was basically one line. Even the field got rough, but I’m just getting in better shape and smoothing out. I got a wild riding style from back in the day at J-Days and from riding two-strokes. But I’m just smoothing out and hitting all my marks, and that’s made the difference.”
Photo Shan Moore

Russell carried that cushion into Sunday, and although Strang topped Russell in Sunday’s results by over 2 seconds, Russell took the overall victory by a comfortable margin.

“I was able to get the win on day one,” said Russell. “On day two, I rode well for the most part, although Strang picked it up. I had a fall in the first Enduro test (second test of the day), and pretty much threw away the opportunity to open up a lead and kind of break their spirits. I still won the test, even falling, but I was pretty frustrated with that. I’d like to have the win and the five points on both days, but we are tied on points again. I’m bummed I let it slip away though.”

Strang continues to ride well in his second year on the Kawasaki, and has been a thorn in Russell’s side all year.

Third in the Pro class and fourth overall went to AmPro Yamaha’s Layne Michael. On Saturday, Michael struggled in the Enduro test. “I was battling for test wins all weekend. In the cross test I didn’t get one, but I was close all weekend so that’s good. I just need to figure out the Enduro test on day one. It seems that’s where I’m losing most of my time.”
Photo Kenny King

For the second race in a row, Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Johnny Girrior finished third overall and first in the Pro 2 division, winning the third test outright on Saturday. “It definitely got super rough in the woods, due to the moisture, but I just mentally know I can do it now,” said Girroir.

Jordan Ashburn battled with Liam Draper on Sunday, finally edging out the Tely energy KTM rider for 5th overall.
Photo Kenny King

 

After crashing in the Cross test early in the day, Team Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Jordan Ashburn spent much of Sunday battling with Tely Energy Racing KTM’s Liam Draper, but in the end, Ashburn topped Draper by 15 seconds for fifth overall.

Beta USA’s Ben Herrera, an extreme racer from Chile, turned in some smooth rides on his two-stroke and nailed down eight overall, some 12 seconds behind Jesse Ansley. Ex-motocrosser Ben Nelko continued his run of top-10 finishes with a ninth overall. The 760 Husqvarna rider also rounded out the Pro 2 podium with a third for the class.

Who won the 40A class? How about Destry Abbott!
Photo Kenny King

 

Mackenzie Tricker battled with Tayla Jones and won the Women’s Pro class with a strong ride on Sunday.
Photo Shan Moore

In the Women’s Pro Class, Enduro Engineering/ Mepmx/Fly/Grizzly Peak/Traveler’s Rest Speedway/KTM’s Mackenzie Tricker and Rockstar Husqvarna Lan Mills XC rider Tayla Jones split wins, with Jones winning Saturday’s event and Tricker taking Sunday’s. Jones made a mad dash from Tennessee on Friday to compete in the Georgia race after finishing third in the Women’s division at the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur National Motocross Championship in Hurricane Mills. Tricker wound up with the overall win, edging Jones by 49 seconds after Jones nailed a tree on Sunday and injured her hand.

The 2020 Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series resumes on August 29-30 in Bristol, Virginia for round four of the series. For more info on the series go to www.sprintenduro.com.

 

OVERALL RESULTS

  1. Kailub Russell (KTM)
  2. Josh Strang (KAW)
  3. Johnny Girroir (KTM)
  4. Layne Michael (YAM)
  5. Jordan Ashburn (KAW)
  6. Liam Draper (KTM)
  7. Jesse Ansley (KTM)
  8. Benjamin Herrera (BET)
  9. Ben Nelko (HSQ)
  10. Dalton Seals (YAM)
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