Tuesday, 27 April 2010 09:51
Charlie Mullins got his first win of the year in Tennessee, Hurricane Mills, TN (April 25, 2010) Mullins has been showing great speed all year. However, the Obermeyer/Am Pro/FMF Yamaha rider has had trouble putting a complete race together in GNCC competition. At round five of the 2010 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series he did just that - he put it all together, claiming his first victory of the year and ending Josh Strang's win streak at four.
Charlie Mullins put it together at round five to take the overall win
The race could have very easily ended in a fifth win for Strang, the FMF/Makita Suzuki rider led just as much of the race as Mullins. In fact, the two riders pretty much ran nose to tail for the last half of the race in one of the most exciting finishes of the year. But it was Mullins who held the upper hand at the finish; taking advantage of a line he spotted on the previous lap to pass Strang for the lead.
"Josh was leading going into the final lap, and on the lap before we went into this creek bottom and at one point we took this line up high on the bank. But I saw another line that went straight through, and I decided if I was in position I would take the other line on the last lap and try to pass him there," said Mullins. "When we got back to that spot, he went high and I took the straight line and came out ahead of him."
Josh Strang finished second, ending his four-race win streak. Strang pushed Mullins for the final few miles, and things got even more exciting when Mullins bobbled within sight of the finish, however, the North Carolinian was able to hold on to the lead and got to the finish five seconds before Strang.
"We had a good race and I just didn't give up," added Mullins. "In the first few races I just made too may mistakes. And at this race I just calmed down and rode mistake-free and that was the difference."
Despite finishing second, Strang still holds a 37-point lead in the series standings over Mullins.
"I think Charlie rode a great race," said Strang. "There were parts of the track where I was faster and parts were Charlie was faster, but I think overall I did the best I could. The goal is to be number one at the end of the year, so to get a second place - I can't be bummed about that. We walked away with good championship points."
Josh Strang leads the GNCC Championship by 37-points after the Loretta Lynn round
Mullins was third at the start of the race behind FMF/KTM's Cory Buttrick and Am Pro/FMF Yamaha's Paul Whibley, who earned the $250 Motorcycle-USA.com Holeshot Award for getting to the first turn stripe before anyone else. FMF/KTM's Nate Kanney was also in the mix, along with Clockwork/RidePG KTM's Chris Bach and Husqvarna's Glenn Kearney.
Nate Kanney rounded out the podium. Whibley dropped off the pace after he damaged his clutch lever, but Kanney and Bach pushed Mullins and Strang for the first half of the race, and then dropped back into their own private battle over third, which Kanney ended up winning.
"Chris and I had a good race out there," said Kanney. "It would have been nice to have stayed up there with Charlie and Josh, but I stalled the bike trying to get around a lapper and once they put a few lappers between us they were able to pull away."
Bach ended the day with a fourth, his best ride since turning in a couple of podium finishes at the first two rounds of the series.
"I actually got off to a decent start and that has been a problem at the last few races," admitted Bach. "When you don't get a good start then you have to deal with stuff you don't have to deal with when you are up front. So we knew I needed to do what ever it took to be with the lead pack at the start and luckily I got a good start and got in that lead pack. Once I got with that lead pack then I was able to get in that lead pace and that made a huge difference. I just stuck with those guys all day."
All photos By: Shan Moore
XC1 Results:
1. Charlie Mullins (Yam)
2. Josh Strang (Suz)
3. Nate Kanney (KTM)
4. Chris Bach (KTM)
5. Cory Buttrick (KTM)
6. Glenn Kearney (KTM)
7. Jimmy Jarrett (Kaw)
8. Paul Whibley (Yam)
9. Eric Bailey (Kaw)
10. Jedediah Haines (Kaw)
XC1 Standings:
1. Josh Strang (145/4 wins)
2. Charlie Mullins (108/1 win)
3. Chris Bach (91)
4. Paul Whibley (88)
5. Cory Buttrick (84)
6. Glenn Kearney (70)
7. Nate Kanney (67)
8. Eric Bailey (54)
9. Kenneth Gilbert (54)
10. Barry Hawk Jr. (52)
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