Press Release - KTM Press Center - All Photos Courtesy of KTM
YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Kailub Russell became the first repeat champion in Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series history over the weekend with a dominant 1-1 performance at the penultimate round in Young Harris, Georgia. Winning six of the first seven rounds, Russell was able to wrap up the Pro title with one round remaining in the 2019 series.
The Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series showcases two full days of racing. Riders race two “special tests” three times each, for a total of six tests per day. One special test is a two-three mile “cross test” consisting of nearly 100% grass track and/or motocross track. The other is an “enduro test” featuring three to four miles of wide, flowing, groomed trails. For the second consecutive round, Russell has emerged as the most dominant rider, winning seven of the 12 tests to claim the overall win by over 30 seconds.
On Saturday, Russell came out swinging as he won the first cross-test and first enduro-test of the day. The multi-time offroad champion went on to sweep the day’s enduro sections, while finishing third and second, respectively, in the final two cross tests of the day. After day one was complete, Russell held about a 20-second margin over the second-place rider after making minimal mistakes throughout the day.
On Sunday, Russell came into the day hot once again as he claimed the first two test-wins. In the second cross test section, he took the opportunity to try out some new lines and speeds, where he ultimately finished second and third in the final two cross sections. As for the enduro tests, he aced the second one and was on his way to claiming a third when he experienced a crash near the end of the final test. He was able to pick himself up, salvage a second-place in the test and still maintain his lead for day two and the overall victory.
Russell: “It’s nice to wrap up my second Full Gas Sprint Enduro Championship a round early. I had a great weekend of racing and was able to win seven out of 12 tests. The cross-test was really dry/slick and it was tough to charge, so we were all close in times. I really enjoyed the tighter, twisty and very rough enduro test and I was able to use that test to get a comfortable lead on day one.”
Trail Jesters KTM Racing’s Jesse Ansley had a great weekend in the Pro 2 division, finishing second overall in the class. Ansley, who races aboard a KTM 125 SX, put up a good fight against the bigger displacement machines as he powered his way to five top-three finishes on Saturday and all six top-three finishes on Sunday, including test-wins in the second and third cross test sections.
Next Race: September 1-2, 2019 – Round 8 – Laurens, South Carolina