FMF/KTM
Factory rider Charlie Mullins earned his fourth podium finish of the
season with a 3rd
place result in the GNCC XC1 class at the fifth round of the GNCC
Series held in Patton, PA.
This
round, originally scheduled as the seventh round of the series will
count as the fifth race after the previous two rounds have been
cancelled due to unruly rain storms that damaged the courses and
warranted them unrideable on race day. Finally, the third attempt at
a fifth round was successful as riders geared up for a race which
would prove to be the complete opposite in terms of track conditions
than the previous two attempts.
“The
weather was very hot today, completely unlike any of the other GNCC
races this season,” remarked FMF/KTM rider Cory Buttrick. “It was
also extremely rocky and fast. There were rocks everywhere, some
planted in the ground and others loose on top of the hard-packed
course.”
Two of
the FMF/KTM team members, Mullins and Buttrick got off to a good
start during Sunday’s 3-hour main event. Mullins rounded the first
turn in 3rd
position while Buttrick was around 6th. The third FMF/KTM team
member, Kailub Russell, had a poor jump off the start which resulted
in a mid-pack start for the KTM rider.
Mullins
passed for the lead early on and worked furiously to gap the pack.
Unfortunately he made a mistake early in the race resulting in a
crash and the loss of two positions. He recovered in 3rd
place and set to work once again to catch the leaders. As he began to
push he suffered another crash and lost more time to the leaders.
“After my second crash I realized I was riding over my head a
little bit and I needed to ride more controlled and just salvage a
podium position,” remarked Mullins. He did just that and went on to
earn 3rd
overall behind winner Paul Whibley and the 2nd
place finisher Josh Strang.
Mullin’s
teammates, Buttrick and Russell, battled each other for the majority
of the race around 5th
position. The two teammates remained close until the fourth lap when
Buttrick suffered from some technical difficulties. Buttrick dropped
to 12th
overall while Russell went on to finish the race in 5th.
The XC2
class had a handful of KTM riders up front. The podium was all orange
as KTM support riders Steward Baylor, Jessie Robinson and Brad Bakken
finished 1,2 and 3 respectively. The 4th
place position was also taken by the KTM ride of Andrew Delong. Five
rounds into the series, Baylor now holds an 18 point lead in the
championship points.
Next
Event: Snowshoe, WV – June 25-26, 2011
Overall
Results XC1 –
Paul
WhibleyJosh
StrangCharlie
Mullins – KTMMike
LaffertyKailub
Russell – KTMChris
BachNate
Kanney – KTMRory
MeadKenneth
Gilbert – KTMNick
FahringerJedidiah
HainesCory
Buttrick – KTM
Overall
Point Standings XC1 –
Josh
Strang – 123Charlie
Mullins – 121Paul
Whibley – 103Cory
Buttrick – 81Nathan
Kanney – 72
Overall
Results XC2 –
Steward
Baylor – KTMJessie
Robinson – KTMBrad
Bakken – KTMAndrew
Delong – KTMJason
ThomasJordan
AshburnScott
WatkinsZack
Nolan – KTMRyan
LojakTed
Mullins
Overall
Point Standings XC2 –
Steward
Baylor – 131Jason
Thomas – 113Andrew
Delong – 94Brad
Bakken – 90Jesse
Robinson – 83