Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider Craig DeLong earned an impressive runner-up finish at Round 7 of the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series, on a weekend where teammate Korie Steede claimed her seventh WXC podium result in a row at the Powerline Park GNCC.
Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 7
Former GNCC Champion DeLong entered the Powerline Park weekend with momentum on his side after recording 3-4 finishes across the previous two rounds in the XC1 Open Pro Class.
That form continued in Ohio, where DeLong powered his Husqvarna FX 350 into the top-five off the start before moving into the race lead on Lap 3.
Battling challenging conditions throughout the three-hour duration, he completed the event with a total time of 3:12:11 to secure his second podium of the 2026 season.
The result sees DeLong climb to third in the overall standings, sitting 16 points from the championship lead entering next month’s Watkins Glen International GNCC.
“We had a good day out here at Powerline Park, where I ended up second,” commented DeLong. “I had a decent start and was in around fifth place for the first lap, and then I made some passes – by the third lap I was in the lead! I felt good, but today was hot, so I got to lead for about a lap and a half, and then I struggled a bit at the end there. I’m happy to be on the box, the bike worked really well, and I’m stoked on the result.”
It was another strong outing for defending WXC Champion Steede, who launched her Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition to the holeshot and remained locked in a race-long battle for victory.
Following multiple lead changes throughout the race, a final-lap attempt to reclaim P1 ultimately fell short, with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider crossing the finish line in second place with a total time of 1:57:48.
“I got off to a killer start – grabbed the holeshot and led the whole first lap,” recalled Steede. “On the second lap, we got into lapped riders and it was getting a little hairy as Brandy [Richards] and I went back and forth a couple of times. I just tried to keep looking and moving forward, and then on the last lap, I tried a really gnarly pass for the lead – I missed my rear brake and my wheels were off the ground! I ended up in a bush, but I rode my heart out and gave it my all. It sucks to come up short of the win, but we’ll be back at the next one.”
Steede is currently ranked third in the WXC Class standings, only eight points out of the series lead with six rounds remaining.
XC1 Open Pro Class Results
1. Steward Baylor Jr, Kawasaki
2. Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Kailub Russell, Yamaha
7. Ben Kelley, KTM
12. Grant Davis, KTM
WXC Class Results
1. Brandy Richards, KTM
2. Korie Steede, Rockstar Husqvarna Factory Racing
3. Danielle McDonald, Yamaha
National Grand Prix Championship – Round 6
Round 6 of the National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC) saw a consistent outing for Mateo Oliveira, with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider finishing fourth in the Pro Class during the MotoFest Grand Prix at Glen Helen Raceway.
Equipped with the Husqvarna FE 450, Oliveira began the race in P5 before advancing to fourth by Lap 2, maintaining that position across the following seven laps to complete the race in 1:32:44. The result sees him retain third place in the Pro Class standings.
“The track was sweet this weekend,” Oliveira explained. “There were a couple of slippery sections, but I didn’t crush the start today, and ultimately I paid the price for that. Eyes forward to the next round!”
The National Grand Prix Championship series will resume on August 28-30 with the Dynamite Grand Prix in Preston, Idaho.
Pro Class Results
1. Dante Oliveira, KTM
2. Mason Semmens, KTM
3. Dare Demartile, Beta
4. Mateo Oliveira, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
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