The GNCC Opener took place last month in River Ranch, Florida where fans witnessed a hard fought battle in some of the toughest conditions this series will see. The XC1 class was about as stacked as it gets with riders like former champ Josh Strang, Paul Whibley and Charlie Mullins. These riders were locked in a 3 hour grudge match with Kailub in the mix. Nearing the end, it came down to Kailub and his teammate Charlie battling all the way to the finish. The KTM riders finished 1-2 with Kailub trailing Charlie by 7 seconds. The second round of the series held in Washington, Georgia was just as intense. Russell grabbed the win after yet another hard fought race with his teammate with just seconds between the two. The points were now tied up heading into the third round of the series! As if the points battle wasn't close enough- Steele Creek provided yet another round of grueling racing in Morganton, North Carolina. Kailub was edged out by Charlie once again making it a 5 point difference. If this is any indication on what the rest of the season will look like, fans are in for a treat.
Q&A with Kailub
Age: 23
Years riding pro: 6
What age did you start riding and on what: started riding at age 4, on a PW50
What do you ride now? I ride a KTM 350XC-F
Hometown: Kingston, OH
Career highlights: 2009-2010 XC-2 champion
Other sports participated in: When I was in school I use to play everything. Well at least tried to play everything!
Other hobbies/interests: My main hobby is golf, I try to play as much as possible. And I enjoy mountain biking as well.
What got you started? My dad got me started racing, and I just continually improved to where I am now.
Motto you live by if you have one? What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.
If you weren't racing what would you be doing now? I have no idea what I would do. I'm guessing I would have a 9-5 somewhere though.
What advice would you give a younger rider? I would just say keep at it, stay focused, and not get into things that become distractions and lead you down the wrong road.
What's your favorite racing moment? Crossing the finish first and just feeling that weight lifted right off your shoulders.
Is there a past or present rider you study to improve your race? I have always tried to do my own thing. I can't really say I have looked at someone's riding and tried to copy it. But I do check out other riders' style to see if I can improve on an area I may struggle.
What's your pre-race ritual? I always eat an orange on the starting line. Seems to sooth my stomach.
