The Stopwatch: Power Line Park

Mullins may not have gotten his first win of the season but he did set the fastest lap and helped his teammate get back in the championship hunt. Photo: Krista Shaw

When Kailub Russell and Charlie Mullins broke away from Paul Whibley following his crash, a lot of us were wondering if Mullins would really race his teammate hard given the current points situation. With KR trailing Whibs by 13-points heading into Power Line Park and Mullins nowhere in the championship picture it would make sense for the KTM teammates to take it easy and let KR cruise in for a W and Mullins act as a buffer. But, on the 5th and 6th laps of the race Charlie Mullins put in a charge to catch and eventually pass his teammate, and the duo set the fastest laps of the race in the process. Coming into the finish Mullins didn’t make any crazy moves on his teammate–I’m sure that wouldn’t have gone over well with the KTM brass–but he proved that he still has the speed to win GNCCs after one awful season. Oh, and he did it with what he found out four days later was a 4th-degree AC separation in his shoulder.

Thomas set the fastest lap, and more importantly took the win and the championship points lead. Photo: Krista Shaw

After burying his bike, and at the time what looked like his championship hopes, in the mud at Unadilla, Jason Thomas came out at the Power Line Park with a point to prove and left with the points lead. Over the last four XC2 Championship seasons we’ve seen Thomas come close to a championship but falter down the stretch and not be able to seal the deal. UK7 took the win at Power Line park and more importantly did it at a race where former points leader Steward Baylor threw away a podium finish with a big crash and only could muster a 5th-place finish. With two races left in the championship Thomas has his focus singularly on the GNCC Series while Baylor is trying to win a National Enduro championship as well, and we can’t forget that Andrew DeLong is still in the mix! Thomas’ four point lead is no sort of guarantee that he’s the favorite, especially considering the chaos we’ve seen in this class so far this year. But, he’s at least still in the hunt down the stretch, something that has alluded him in the past.