(Left to right) Paul Whibley, Charlie Mullins and Josh Strang celebrate on the podium at the Mud Mucker GNCC in Floriad. Photography by Ken Hill.
Charlie Mullins got the 2014 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series started off with a big win at the inaugural Moose Racing Mud Mucker GNCC in Florida, March 9.
It was an impressive victory for the FMF/KTM Team rider. He and teammate Kailub Russell were involved in a multi-rider first turn pile-up that forced both riders to come up through the pack. By lap two, Mullins was already in second and engaged in a duel for the lead with former GNCC champ Paul Whibley. They went back and forth for a while until Mullins broke through and took command in the last part of the race to take the win.
Whibley held on to finish second on the AmPro Yamaha, while Rocky Mountain ATV-MC/AmPro Yamaha’s Josh Strang netted third.
Ride MPS.com/AMSOIL Honda rider Thad DuVall finished second, while Husqvarna’s Andrew DeLong, who also went down in the first turn, rounded out the top five overall.
Defending champ Russell ended up ninth.
Maxxis/KLIM/DrirtWise KTM Race Team’s Rory Mead took the lead two laps from the finish and went on to win the XC2 Pro Lites division. Ricky Russell, on the University/OffRoadViking.com Yamaha, ended up second and Shane Hufford, on the KR4 Performance KTM took third.
In the two-hour 10 a.m. race, the all-new WXC Women’s Premier class went to Factory FMF/KTM’s Kacy Martinez, with Mandi Mastin and N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha’s Jessica Patterson rounding out the podium.
RESULTS
Moose Racing Mud Mucker GNCC
Bunnell, Fla.
Round 1 of 13
Sunday, March 9
XC1:
1. Charlie Mullins (KTM)
2. Paul Whibley (YAM)
3. Josh Strang (YAM)
4. Thad DuVall (HON)
5. Andrew Delong (HSQ)
6. Steward Baylor (KTM)
7. Jordan Ashburn (YAM)
8. Ryan Sipes (KTM)
9. Kailub Russell (KTM)
10.Takeshi Koikeda (HON)
XC2
1. Rory Mead (KTM)
2. Ricky Russell (YAM)
3. Shane Hufford Jr (KTM)
4. Trevor Bollinger (HON)
5. Chris Douglas (KTM)
6. Grant Baylor (KTM)
7. Callan May (YAM)
8. Garrett Edmisten (KAW)
9. Kyle Hangos (KTM)
10. Michael McGinnis (KTM)
