A second-place finish in the WXC category marked a convincing start to the 2024 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series for new Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing recruit Korie Steede, with XC1 Open Pro Class teammates Trevor Bollinger and Craig DeLong showcasing their front-running capabilities at the Big Buck season-opener.
Steede managed to overcome sickness on her way to a podium result in Round 1 of the season on her Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 250, which hindered her preparation across the weekend but didn’t deny her a runner-up score to open the new GNCC season.
“Coming into today was pretty stressful for me after I picked up a virus on Friday,” Steede said. “I came in with an open mind, just to ride my dirt bike the best that I could today, and it definitely paid off in the race. I feel really good heading into Round 2, we had a good battle and I know the next one will be better for me.”
As for Bollinger, he recovered from a costly fall at the beginning of the XC1 Open Pro Class race and worked his way back into seventh position across the six-lap duration. It was a difficult day at the office on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 350, but one that saw him salvage important points in terms of the championship.
“I actually got off to a good start, but a couple of turns in I came together with somebody and that pretty much set the tone for my day,” Bollinger commented. “I felt good on the bike, it was working well, and once I moved forward luckily I was able to get pretty much the best finish I could with the guys I was around right there at the end. I’m happy I was able to get away with some points and we’ll keep building from here.”
Defending XC1 Open Pro Champion DeLong entered the new season with high expectations in debuting the number 1 plate on his Husqvarna Motorcycles FX 350, quickly establishing himself among the front-runners. DeLong sat well in podium contention until an unfortunate fall on the penultimate lap dropped him down the order, recording an 11th-place finish in class.
“I had a good day going, started around sixth and worked my way up to third, kind of back-and-forth there until the pit stop,” recalled DeLong. “We had a quick pit and I got back into third, but with two laps to go I was pressuring second and made a little mistake – I wasn’t riding over my head, but had a big crash. The bike took a big impact, so I did what I could for the last lap and a half, but my bike was twisted up and I fell right back. It was a frustrating day in the end to start my title defense the way that I did, but it was just one of those days.”
XC1 Open Pro Class Results
1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)
2. Steward Baylor Jr (Kawasaki)
3. Grant Baylor (Kawasaki)
…
7. Trevor Bollinger – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
11. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
WXC Class Results
1. Rachael Archer (Kawasaki)
2. Korie Steede – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Brandy Richards (KTM)
Upcoming Offroad Races – March 2024
3/4: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 2
3/4: National Grand Prix Championship – Round 2
3/11: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 3
3/25: Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 4
3/25: National Hare & Hound Series – Round 2
3/25: U.S. Hard Enduro Series – Round 2
