Corona, CA – June 11, 2012 – Husqvarna Motorcycles factory rider Cory Graffunder battled to a fourth place finish during round two of the GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series. It wasn’t easy going as he found himself qualifying by way of the LCQ (last chance qualifier) but he put it all together aboard his Husqvarna TXC310 during the main event, besting Mike Brown by little more than a wheel-length for fourth overall.
With troubles early on in the heat race, Cory looked to the semi for his transfer into the main. Matching lap for lap with the race leader, he faltered just before the checkered flag which left him in second and headed to the LCQ.
“Sometimes that’s just how it goes,” Graffunder commented. “This sport is so unpredictable, you just never know what is going to happen. Thankfully for me, the LCQ (which Cory won) gave me one last shot to qualify, but you’re definitely at a disadvantage entering that main with an extra heat race under your belt.”
During the main event, fatigue was not an issue as Cory was engaged in a battle to the checkered flag. “I just held on until the end and gave it everything I had,” Cory said. “Mike (Brown) and I were back and forth the entire time, because I knew that if I kept it close, I could edge him out. All I was thinking was ‘throttle’ at the end. We hit the finish line jump and I launched it. If I hadn’t, I would have been fifth, so it was definitely worth the risk!”
Graffunder powered his bike across the finish line, finishing fourth on the night which was good enough to advance him to a tie for fifth in points. With Summer X Games just around the corner in July, Graffunder finds himself in a very enviable spot.
Cory’s Husqvarna factory teammate, Kyle Redmond was on hand at Sacramento but missing from the race action, forced to sit out the round to allow his fractured tibia to heal. “It’s hard to sit here and watch from the sidelines,” Redmond said. “I want to be out there racing but my leg is still really sore, and EnduroCross isn’t something you do without being 100% ready. I’ll for sure be ready for X Games in a few weeks; we’re all really looking forward to that round.”
The GEICO AMA EnduroCross series resumes on Sunday, July 1 at the Summer X Games in Los Angeles, CA. The Enduro X competition is the final event of the 2012 X Games, and will be televised live on ESPN. Check your local listings for more info.
For more information on the entire 2012 Husqvarna line-up, please go to www.husqvarna-motorcyclesna.com. Head to your nearest dealership to pick up a copy of the 2012 RiDE MORE Catalog, available now!
Be sure to follow Team Husqvarna on Facebook or via Twitter @HusqvarnaNA.
