Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Korie Steede has claimed victory at the 2026 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) season finale, the Buckwheat 100, securing second overall in the WXC standings following a closely contested championship battle. Teammate Ryder LeBlond also continued his podium form this weekend, finishing third at Round 4 of the AMA EnduroCross Championship in Salt Lake City.
Grand National Cross Country Series – Round 13
Korie Steede entered Round 13 of the GNCC series targeting victory as she looked to defend her WXC Class title, and delivered the round win in style aboard her Husqvarna FC 250 Factory Edition, recording a wire-to-wire victory.
Despite doing all she could to retain the number-one plate, strong results from her title rival Brandy Richards ultimately saw the 25-year-old fall just seven points short of the championship, following a determined campaign throughout the 2026 season.
Steede posted her first victory of the season at Round 3 in Talladega before claiming back-to-back wins at Rounds 9 and 10 at Snowshoe and the John Penton GNCCs. Combined with her season-finale victory, she recorded four wins alongside an additional eight podium finishes, remarkably never finishing outside the top three throughout the 2026 campaign.
“I got off to a solid start at the Buckwheat 100, and led every lap – just as planned,” recalled Steede. “I’m disapointed to come up short in the championship, but we went out with a win and have momentum on our side for next season, so that’s all we can really ask for. Thank you to the whole Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team for a great year.”
Former GNCC champion Craig DeLong wrapped up his season with a solid fourth-place finish in the XC1 Open Pro Class, earning fourth overall in the championship standings.
Consistency defined DeLong’s 2026 campaign, with podium finishes at Rounds 5 and 7 among the highlights. He added a further four top-four results across the 13-round series, completing a strong season for the 29-year-old aboard the Husqvarna FX 350.
“It was a decent day,” commented DeLong. “Another come-from-behind ride after being a little slow in the beginning, but we made some solid passes to ride up into fifth place. Overall, happy that the season is over as it has been a challenging one, but we’ll reset and come out swinging next year.”
XC1 Open Pro Class Results
1. Kailub Russell, Yamaha
2. Liam Draper, Yamaha
3. Grant Davis, KTM
4. Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
8. Ben Kelley, KTM
12. Johnny Girroir, KTM
WXC Class Results
1. Korie Steede, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
2. Danielle McDonald, Yamaha
3. Brandy Richards, KTM
EnduroCross Championship – Round 4
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s LeBlond arrived at the Maverik Center targeting another strong performance following three-consecutive podium finishes to open the season, and immediately demonstrated his speed by recording the second-fastest time in practice.
Aboard the Husqvarna FX 350, LeBlond was positioned second during the early stages of Race 1 before losing ground while navigating lapped traffic, ultimately crossing the finish line in third position.
The second race saw LeBlond produce an impressive charge through the field. He worked his way into the lead and established an advantage over his rivals to secure a convincing race victory, putting himself in contention for the overall.
LeBlond was again battling for the podium positions in the final race before crashes disrupted his progress, including a heavy fall that threatened his overall result. He recovered to finish eighth, with 3-1-8 scores earning him third overall for the fourth-consecutive round.
The result keeps LeBlond in title contention with two rounds remaining – only nine points outside of the lead – as he looks to capitalize on his race-winning pace when the series reaches its finale in Idaho Falls next weekend.
“That’s a wrap on Salt Lake City for round four of EnduroCross,” commented LeBlond. “Third on the night, and I’m definitely lucky to be on the podium after a pretty big crash in the last moto, but it is what it is. We’ve got two races to try and make something happen. We’re not too far out of it, but further than I would have liked. I know I can win – I was this close again tonight, and I definitely feel like I got it kind of taken away from me. We’re coming out swinging at the next one, and I’m going to be fired up!”
EX Pro Class Results
1. Trystan Hart, KTM
2. Jonny Walker, Triumph
3. Ryder LeBlond, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
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