Press Release

Husky Hangs Tough @ The GNCC

ocscottie
4/11/2011 7:21pm
TEAM HUSQVARNA HANGS TOUGH IN GNCC COMPETITION

Thomas Takes Another XC2 Podium Position, Moss & Kirssi Continue To Battle, Mastin Makes Up Ground



April 11, 2011 – Corona, CA - Things
continue to heat up in the Grand National Cross Country series…
literally as the racers faced temperatures in the 70s at round #4 in
Union, South Carolina. Despite suffering a poor start, Fred Andrews
Racing/Monster/Team Husqvarna Jason Thomas kept his streak of
consecutive podium finishes intact in the XC2 class. Fellow
FAR/Husqvarna XC2 teammate Morgan Moss also had another solid top 10
finish at the Big Buck GNCC on his TXC250. Meanwhile FAR’s XC1 racer
Simo Kirssi suffered another setback in South Carolina as the former
German and European cross country champ continues to get acclimated to
the American GNCC style of racing.



Thomas was still confident after the previous week’s win in North
Carolina and by the end of the first lap of the challenging 13-mile
course, Jason had worked his way up to 5th place. Midway through the
second loop he was up into 3rd and by the halfway point he was leading
the race. “There were two creek jumps and a super tight section that
was a about a mile long,” he explained. “I caught up to the front
runners and was in the lead going into the gas stop.”



When he stopped for fuel in the pits, a couple riders got by Thomas. “I
was trying to catch up and smashed my foot into a tree! It hurt so bad
that at that point I just wanted to finish on the podium.” He put in
into cruise control mode and finished in 3rd. “Four podiums in four
races, I’ll take that,” added team boss Fred Andrews of the GNCC XC2
points leader.



Husqvarna/FAR’s other XC2 racer Morgan Moss also had a slow start. “I
got tangled up on a hill climb on the first lap and lost a lot of
time,” said Moss. “I pushed hard after I finally made it up that hill,
but I could never get to the front.” However, he did work his way up to
a fine 7th place finish.



In the XC1 class, Flying Finn Simo Kirssi had his best race of the
season last week with a solid 6th, but had some issues at the Big Buck
GNCC this week. “Simo got a good jump off the line on his TE310,” said
Farr. “But he was pinched off in turn one and got hung up, leaving him
with a so-so start.” The reigning European Cross Country Champion came
around the first 13-mile loop in 13th position and he eventually
finished 13th in the ultra-competitive XC1 class and 19th overall.



Things were even better for Husqvarna on the women’s side as Mandi
Mastin charged to 2nd (and is in second place in the season standing),
while Veronica Martin was on the podium in 3rd in the Women’s Jr. class
and also sits in 2nd overall in her class. “It was a beautiful day for
racing,” said Mastin. “I moved into 2nd place behind Maria Forsberg and
was able to hang with her for a couple miles before arm pump set in and
I had to back off a bit.”



The arm pump subsided by the start of the third lap and Mandi charged
ahead on her Hall’s Husqvarna TXC250. “I knew it was going to be tough
to make up the time I had lost, but I put my head down and made the
charge! At the end, I crossed the finish line just behind Maria,
5-seconds shy of 1st and in 5th overall,” said Mandi. “I am really
pleased with my ride today, and extremely happy with how well my TXC250
handled.”



“It is great to have Jason, Mandi and Veronica on the podium yet again
and controlling their own destinies in the GNCC series,” says
Husqvarna’s National Marketing Manager Corey Eastman. “It proves the
TXC250 is good enough to win.” In addition to consistently finishing on
the podium, Husqvarna’s $12 million contingency fund also gives riders
good reasons to “Ride More” this season.



After his fourth straight podium, Thomas sits in second in the GNCC X2
championship, just four points out of first. After finishing 7th at the
Big Buck GNCC, Morgan Moss stays in 9th overall in the XC2 Class. Simo
Krissi is just outside the top ten in the XC1 standings in 12th place
and 20th overall. Both Mandi Mastin and Veronica Martin are in close
contention with strong 2nd places in their respective classes on the
women’s side.



Next GNCC Race: April 30-May 1, 2011 – Loretta Lynn's GNCC, Hurricane Mills, TN

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