(Left to right) Chris Douglas, winner Austin Lee and Teddy Mullins make up the Pro-class podium at the Thunder On The Mountain AMA MAXC round in Kentucky. Photography by Jeff M. Vanasdal
The AMA MAXC Racing Series hosted its first inaugural Thunder On The Mountain race in Clay City, Kentucky, September 28, where Austin Lee made his way around the challenging eight-mile course to earn the overall victory and the MAXC Racing Pro Bike class win. Joining Lee on the podium were Teddy Mullins and Chris Douglas.
Despite starting almost dead last, Lee charged to the front of the pack and, on lap three, made a pass on Chris Douglas and then Teddy Mullins to take over the lead position for good. The Husqvarna racer was able to hold off Mullins, who finished hot on Lee’s rear fender in second place.
“We started off at the back of the pack and I worked my way up to third and Teddy and Chris were going at it the first two laps. I just got some good lines picked out and I got around Chris in the creek. I then caught up to Teddy and we were pushing pretty hard. I picked a good line and I got around him. I ended up holding him off the rest of the rest but he was still on me,” said Lee.
Teddy Mullins took runner-up honors.
“The race was fun. It was just a good day and we had some good battles, and the last three or four laps it was just me and him [Lee],” said Mullins.
Rounding out the MAXC Pro Bike podium was Douglas. The KTM-backed racer held second for the first part of the race before crashing in the dusty conditions and dropping back a position.
“The track was really dusty but it was fun. Things got a little wild and I crashed but my bike worked flawless. After I crashed, I slowed by down a little and I felt much safer,” said Douglas after finishing third despite crashing in the thick dust.
Yamaha rider Sam Mattingly crossed the finish line in fourth, while Suzuki pilot Ezra Hickerson rounded out the top five in the Pro division.
The Mid America Cross Country Racing Series will head to Lincoln Trail Motorsports in Casey, Illinois, for round eight and the Mid America Challenge on October 18, 2014.
