square him up on a different line and just take his line away coming into the finish . I was determined to get second .”
“ We got out front and led about half the first lap ,” said Ashburn . “ But then Stew got around me and he was cooking . I just tried to latch onto him … That last lap , I think I had a minute on Ben [ Kelley ]. In the last hard section back there , I didn ’ t end up making the hill and lost some time and he kind of closed up real close and then it was a battle . I was pretty gassed after I didn ’ t make it and had to flip around . He got me right here before the finish , just a split line choice . I gave it all I had .”
FMF KTM Factory Racing ’ s Josh Toth had a comfortable day of racing . After working up to a top-five position early on , he settled into fourth after Kelley made a pass on his way to the front of the pack . He would ultimately cross the finish line 45 seconds behind Ashburn .
In the XC2 Pro class , it was the Husqvarna machine of Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing ’ s Craig DeLong who would earn the $ 100 Hot Cams XC2 Holeshot Award . Soon on his heels was the Coastal GasGas Factory Racing machine of Johnny Girroir , who not only passed DeLong , but worked to
VOL . 6 ISSUE 10 - OCTOBER 2021 // PAGE 137