Aussie win in GNCC

Australian Josh Strang won Round Eight of the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Championships in North Carolina, USA, on Sunday

Australian Josh Strang won Round Eight of the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Championships in North Carolina, USA, on Sunday, continuing Suzuki’s strong season with his first win in the prestigious off-road championship.

On the fuel-injected Suzuki RM-Z450, Strang took the lead on Lap Four and never looked back, going on to win the three-hour race by almost 80 seconds. The victory is Strang’s first major success in America, his fifth-straight GNCC podium and Suzuki’s third-consecutive win.

“Over the last few rounds we’ve been putting together good results, but to break through for my first win is a fantastic feeling,” Strang, 20, said. “I didn’t get the best start, but we had strong pace to move to the front and take the win. “It gives us a lot of extra confidence for the rest of the year.”

Strang headed a Suzuki 1-2, leading home American rider Charles Mullins. Contesting his second GNCC season, Strang is third in the standings, now just seven points behind his FMF Suzuki team-mate Paul Whibley, who is second after finishing fourth in North Carolina. With five rounds remaining, Strang also closes to within 37 points of championship leader David Knight.

The next GNCC round will be held in Pennsylvania on 6 July.