Andrew DeLong, Husqvarna’s recently crowned AMA National Enduro Champion was back in action today at the Powerline Park GNCC this weekend where riders were destined to battle muddy conditions at the St. Clairsville, Ohio venue.
DeLong got a good start on his FC 350, but shortly after his day soon took a turn for the worse. ?”I was running out front with the lead pack in the first two laps,” Andrew recalled. “I saw a mound of mud in the road and I thought I’d try a different line than everyone else, but that mud pile turned out to be a big old rock. As soon as I hit it, it was like I hit the eject button. It was really one of the hardest crashes I had in my whole life.”
The crash vaulted DeLong and his bike into the air and it was several minutes before he regrouped and more minutes in the pits to get his bike back in shape for the remainder of the race. Both bike and rider were beat up in the incident but DeLong was determined to see out the race. He rode to a modest tenth place finish in the XC1 Pro class but still managed to pick up some valuable championship points. He now has three weeks to rest and heal before the next and final round of the GNCC Series on October 26.
CAPTION: Andrew DeLong survives a high-speed get-off to finish a respectable tenth in Ohio. Photo by Ken Hill
Powerline Park GNCC XC1 Pro
Results:
1, Josh Strang
2, Kailub Russell
3, Jordan Ashburn
4, Charles Mullins
5, Steward Baylor
6, Chris Bach
7, Daniel Milner
8, Paul Whibley
9, Takeshi Koikeda
10, Andrew DeLong (Husqvarna)
GNCC Series XC1 Pro Championship Points Standings:
1, Kailub Russell (323/8 wins)
2, Josh Strang (235/1 win)
3, Jordan Ashburn (222)
4, Charles Mullins (199/3 wins)
5, Paul Whibley (190)
6, Andrew DeLong (171) Husqvarna
7, Chris Bach (163)
8, Thad Duvall (149)
9, Ryan Sipes (140)
10, Takeshi Koikeda (139)