Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Korie Steede claimed her first victory of the 2026 Grand National Cross Country Series season at the Talladega GNCC, with the defending WXC Champion charging hard despite the rain-affected conditions in Alabama.
Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 3
Having opened her 2026 campaign with double podium finishes across the first two rounds, Steede entered Round 3 targeting the top step of the podium, powering her Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition toward the front of the pack from the outset.
Demonstrating composure throughout the race, Steede delivered a convincing victory by the time the checkered flag flew, recording a total time of 1:48.51s. With the result, she now sits tied for the lead in the WXC standings, with the Camp Coker Bullet GNCC next on the schedule at the end of this month.
“It was a really good race for me and a rewarding one to win this weekend,” Steede said. “The conditions were tough, but we kept charging and it paid off! A big thanks to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, I’m looking forward to the next one now.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Craig DeLong was also on the pace in Talladega, racing his Husqvarna FX 350 to sixth in the XC1 Open Pro Class and P7 Overall after being able to make his presence felt during the early stages.
Combining his results from the first three rounds of 2026, former GNCC Champion DeLong currently sits sixth in both the XC1 and Overall point-standings – aiming to climb further up the order in the coming rounds.
“Overall, Talladega could’ve been a little bit better for me,” DeLong commented. “I got a decent start, but made a couple of mistakes on Lap 1 that put me all the way towards the back, which had my work cut out for me. I made good progress on the second lap to climb toward the podium positions, but I expended a bunch of energy to reach that point I burned myself out a little bit. The last lap was a real struggle, but no excuses – I need to finish these races off a little better and not let it slip away near the end.”
XC1 Open Pro Class Results
1. Steward Baylor Jr, Kawasaki
2. Liam Draper, Yamaha
3. Ben Kelley, KTM
6. Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
11. Grant Davis, KTM
WXC Class Results
1. Korie Steede, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
2. Danielle McDonald, Yamaha
3. Shelby Turner, Triumph
6. Brandy Richards, KTM
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