May 2024 On the Pegs Magazine

Dirt Riders West

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25 YEARS OF INNOVATION

1999

Graham Jarvis

Rides His Sherco

2.5 to Victory at the Scottish Six Days Trial, the Most Grueling Trials Event in the World.

25 YEARS

SHERCO’S HISTORY OF INNOVATION HAS KEPT RIDERS ON TOP OF THE PODIUM

Team Sherco takes Multiple Podiums at the Scottish Six Days Trial! Jack Price P1 | Jack Peace P2 | Dan Peace P5 | Arnau Farre P11 (Top Non Uk Rider) | Emma Bristow with her 12th P1 Woman | Harry Turner P2 125cc Class | Sherco Top Team With Jack, Jack, and Arnau.

YEARS OF WINNING.

PODIUM FOR OVER 25 YEARS.

CONTENTS FEATURED ARTICLES

PG 54 - HEWC WALES

PG 36 - ENDURO GP PORTUGAL

PG 104 - GNCC OLD GRAY

PG 140 - NEPG BLACK BUFFALO

PG 76 - NATC ARIZONA

PG 128 - USSE OLDE MILL

USA Montesa Honda-backed Toby Martyn takes back-to-back wins at the opening round of the NATC National Mototrials Championship in Kingman, AZ.

Observing the Trials and Enduro community with a single-track mind.

PUBLISHER/EDITOR

Steph Vetterly

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stephanie@onthepegsmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Pierce / Seat Time

Pole Position Communications

Future7Media

Red Bull Content Pool

Pete Flores

Abigail Buzzelli

Talon Smith

Pawel Bistram

Kayla Bolton

Mack Faint

Ken Hill

Jenny Keller Photography

Shan Moore

Art Pepin

Logan Densmore

ECR EMOTO CLASS RETURNS TO TKO

courtesy of TKO

The ECR eMoto (Electric Motorcycle) class was introduced at the 2022 Red Bull Tennessee Knockout (TKO) and has rapidly grown in popularity. Twentysix riders competed in year one and that number jumped to thirtyeight riders in 2023 when eMoto was recognized as an AMA Grand Championship class. The ECR eMoto class will be back again in 2024 as an AMA Grand Championship class and the format will again provide a path for electric motorcycles to earn their way into the Sunday TKO final. Canadian Spenser Wilton came up just short of qualifying for the final riding an Electric Motion last year.

For 2024, Surron motorcycles has

increased their involvement to become a TKO presenting sponsor with the goal to further expand the participation level and build awareness for how capable and fun electric motorcycles are. Nearly half of the ECR eMoto participants raced a Surron motorcycle at the 2023 TKO and hundreds of riders got to test ride a Surron on the free demo course. The free electric motorcycle demo rides will be back again in 2024 and open to anybody that

wants to give one of the bikes a test ride.

The ECR eMoto AMA Grand Championship will include three rounds of racing, starting with a hot lap on Friday to set the Saturday morning starting order. On Saturday morning, the eMoto riders will compete in a qualification race. Up to the top fifteen riders that complete the course in two and a half hours will qualify to compete in the Sunday championship race, which will utilize the tougher pro course.

The ECR eMoto class is an open format that will allow electric

motorcycles of all power levels with a minimum rear wheel size of 16 inches. Trials style motorcycles (but no Trials tires) are allowed for the eMoto class. Riders of all skill levels that are 16 years of age and older will be eligible to enter the ECR eMoto class.

The 2024 Red Bull Tennessee Knockout will again be a three-day format with a Prologue on Friday to set amateur racer starting positions followed by two rounds of amateur racing on Saturday and a multi round Sunday competition for the pro riders, which will include the top thirty finishers from Saturday.

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

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DIRT RIDERS WEST PHOENIX AZ (602) 370-7546

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Dirt Bike Enduro Nutrition Cheat Sheet

words BRIAN PIERCE // SEAT TIME

Let’s set some guidelines. We’re talking about racing dirt bike enduros, which these days are anywhere from 4-6 hours long. If the one you’re racing is longer, take what’s written below and extend the per hour recommendations as needed.

Another note is all of these numbers and recommendations are guidelines. When it comes to hydration and nutrition, feel special, because we’re all snowflakes. So many factors come into play for the amount of nutrition and hydration your body needs, and your body is unlike any other. So take these numbers, get started, and adjust up or down as you get bloated (too much) or bonk (too little).

1-2 DAYS BEFORE RACE DAY

“Carbo-loading” isn’t reserved only for the night before the race. You can add 100-200 calories of food, 20-40 grams of carbs, each day leading up to the event. The concept here is to top off your glycogen stores in your muscles and your liver for use on race day.

A cup of rice, a cup of potatoes, a cup of pasta, or two slices of bread are all examples of complex carbs that you can add to your diet, per day, leading up to a race.

This is also a great time to start eating more fruit and drinking more water. Fruit has a lot of electrolytes, making it the perfect ramp up snack during the days before a race weekend. You’ll also want to make sure you’re hydrating. Our bodies

don’t store water, so we need to continuously replenish as we go throughout the day.

If fruit isn’t your thing, you should do the hard thing and get over it. If you’re stubborn and choose to “not like fruit”, adding an electrolytes supplement like LMNT to 32oz of water to sip on throughout each day will work.

RACE MORNING

We want carbohydrates the day of the race, but we want to start staying away from foods with high fiber, fat, & protein. Bagels are a good race day breakfast food. You can add some honey, bananas, or other bits for flavoring. Stay away from too much nut butter due to the fat content. Oatmeal is another

option, but it starts to get high in macronutrients that can keep the body from focusing on energy production.

I personally like to eat two cups of rice with a small amount of butter and himalayan sea salt. I eat this while drinking my coffee and slowly sipping on 32oz of water mixed with an LMNT packet. Coffee is a diuretic, it makes you pee, so don’t drink too much of it. Try not to pee completely clear.

I’m a believer in a small amount of protein on long enduro days due to how much we’re breaking down our muscles. If you’re going to have whey protein (10~ grams) in the morning, finish it two hours before go time. It also can help those with stomach issues due to too much carbohydrate consumption.

Whatever you choose to eat for breakfast, you want to be done eating it within 60-90 minutes before your start time. The more complex the food, the longer it will take to digest so your body can utilize the nutrients.

30 MIN BEFORE START

I can start to feel hungry as my nerves run their course before the start of an enduro. I like to have a supplement drink ready to sip on during these times to start the process of liquid carbs. 30-45 minutes before the start of your

race is the time to begin your liquid carbohydrate intake.

You should already be consuming electrolytes. If you use a supplement that has both (Tailwind Nutrition), great! If not, make sure you’re drinking electrolytes or taking an electrolyte tablet.

EVERY HOUR

If you’re drinking from your hydration pack during a test section, we need to get you away from this. We need to focus on attacking the trail, not hydrating. If you feel the need to drink during a test section, you need to focus on hydrating more before the race weekend and race day.

Transfer sections, and awaiting the start of the next test section, are the places to rehydrate and eat. Since every enduro is different, you’ll have to do the math for your speed and time on course. Per hour of racing, we’re looking to consume 500 – 750 milliliters (16 – 24 oz) of water and 100 calories of food, which should get you around 20 – 40g carbs.

Electrolytes are extremely important to continue to take in as well. These sexy little minerals are electrically charged, they help muscles contract and balance fluids inside and out of our cells. That’s why we’re seeing more balanced forms of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride and calcium) in electrolyte

supplements instead of just salt. Sodium is most important, start with 200-500mg per hour, 40-100 mg of potassium and 12 – 30 mg of magnesium as some rough numbers to play with.

If you can’t handle drinking all of this mixed up in your hydration bladder, make sure you carry some gels or supplements with you. I like the Ucan Edge Gels because it’s a great addition to the Ucan energy powder and LMNT I have mixed in my 3L USWE bladder. Most gels average 100 calories, and 20-30 grams of carbs, per packet. Keep it simple, one gel an hour.

GAS STOP / HALF-WAY POINT

If you’re already hungry or thirsty, you’re trying to play catch up. Trying to catch up on your hydration and nutrition is a slippery slope toward low energy, cramping, or bonking. The good news about enduros though is typically a gas stop gives you a few extra minutes to gas up the bike and gather yourself. Plan to use this time wisely so you can continue to fuel the body for the trail ahead.

If you haven’t had any whole foods since the race started, this is a good time to leverage fruit (I like oranges) and/or a more complex carbohydrate (I like a ½ cup of rice).

5 – 10 grams of whey protein mixed into a drink will also serve your muscles well for what’s to come.

A pain reliever (ibuprofen or tylenol) and caffeine gum are also great additions to store in your Utility Can Caddy to consume during the gas stop. Racing all day is a lot of wear and tear on the body, and a well planned pain reliever can help stave off the compounding effect of muscle fatigue and tree bashing. Caffeine gum is a simple way to get a nice mental pick me up without all the extra chemicals included in most energy drinks.

POST RACE

Though we’ve been consuming water and calories throughout the day, we’re still undernourished for the amount of activity performed. A recovery shake (carbs, protein, electrolytes) ready to go for when you ride up to the motovan is perfect to quickly get sustenance into the body. All our numbers from before still ring true here, though adding more carbs and protein is totally fine.

Yes, there are carbs in beer, but there is also alcohol. Just know that the body will begin processing the alcohol first. If you want to feel back to normal quicker, drink a N/A beer, HopWtr, or HopLark after the race. Save the Busch Heavy’s for the next evening.

PUT INTO PRACTICE

This cheat sheet is to help you have a place to start. You can’t do it all in one weekend, and you shouldn’t try. You’ll be overwhelmed and probably ineffective. Start small; What’s the easiest thing to add into the mix that you can try out the next time you go riding.

An important note is that you shouldn’t try new processes, foods, or supplements on a race weekend. If you’re going to fail, or poop yourself due to using a new supplement, you want that to happen when trail riding.

GASGAS TECH TALKS

New for 2024 is a brand-new GASGAS video series focusing on the technical side of dirt bikes. Something we like to call – GASGAS Tech Talks!

Breaking down various components, what they are, and how they work, as well as guiding you through things like suspension set-up, there really is something for everyone. So, what are you waiting for? Take a moment to start watching and learning!

CLICK TO WATCH THE VIDEO

This video is definitely one for those serious about suspension. Talking you through the difference between open and closed cartridge forks, the features and benefits of both, and why we use open style on our enduro bikes and closed on our motocross bikes, this episode features everything you need to know and so much more.

RIEJU E-TANGO

ENERGETICALLY ELECTRIFYING

As the concern for preserving the environment around us grows, the industry is facing new challenges to make its way towards sustainable mobility. Faced with this paradigm shift, the Spanish manufacturer has presented its new and charismatic RIEJU E-Tango 2024.

The ideal synthesis between motorcycle and bicycle capable of giving us the best of both worlds without having to give up anything at all. An ideal combination where the compact dimensions, reduced weight, versatility and agility of an e-Bike are mixed with the power, performance and capabilities of a conventional motorcycle. In other words: a perfect cocktail of pure fun and practicality on wheels. This is undoubtedly a stylish, revolutionary and addictive electric bike for Offroad enthusiasts, which is the best place to exploit its great skills to the full.

The new E-Tango is equipped with a 4 kW electric drive (L1E version), with moped-equivalent approval, energy regeneration function and 3 different riding modes that allow you to adjust the behavior of the bike to the preferences of each rider:

Turtle Mode: optimizes battery life and limits speed and power output.

Rabbit Mode: ideal for off-road riding. Balanced battery life and performance.

Rocket Mode: maximum performance to overcome any obstacle on the road.

A very interesting proposal aimed at all ages and riding levels. In addition, this small and playful E-Tango has a maximum speed of 45 km/h in its homologated and registrable version, and offers a great autonomy. More than enough arguments to turn every getaway into an incomparable experience.

In addition, this model is characterized by its quick charge function, reaching 100% capacity in less than 4 hours. Undoubtedly, a great incentive for all those users who want to make the most of their time. In addition, given the capacity of its 43 AH removable battery and its excellent autonomy, we can say that this is a really efficient model that guarantees long hours of fun.

MR HARD ENDURO REPLICA

ALFREDO GÓMEZ REPLICA

The new MR HARD ENDURO ALFREDO GÓMEZ Replica has arrived on the market, a Limited Series of 100 Numbered Units that has generated great expectation. Fans of this tough discipline, with special mention to the fans of the Spanish rider, will be delighted to know that this year a new MR Hard Enduro lands in the segment that pays tribute to our Great Champion, RIEJU Factory Racing rider.

Inheriting the same competitive DNA as the standard version, but with an exclusive design and a specific degree of customisation. It has the essential elements for the practice of this tough speciality, which are exactly the same as those that the rider carries on his bike in the Hard Enduro World Championship.

The main differences between an Enduro and a Hard Enduro bike are, essentially, the differentiated Power Delivery and the Vehicle Protections for the harsh conditions the bike is subjected to.

It is important to note that many of the components fitted to this model are Exclusive and not found on any other version. Unlike Enduro, Hard Enduro requires immediate and explosive

power delivery to be able to tackle the difficult trails of this discipline. To achieve these characteristics, changes have been made to the Cylinder, placing the Intake Transfers lower. A customised OXA "Alfredo Gómez" exhaust and a specific Keihin PWK 36 carburettor. All of this with a single purpose; to improve the performance of the bike with a total adaptation to the particularities of the Hard Enduro.

• radiators covered with metallic protectors

• stainless steel footpegs

• electric fan installed in the radiator that is automatically activated to prevent overheating

• transmission shorter by including a 12-tooth sprocket

• LED headlight with high illumination capacity and incorporates a lens protector

• Mitas Terraforce tires

• Kayaba suspension

• 48mm closed cartridge fork

• fully adjustable DLC anti-friction treatment bar

HISTORIC VICTORY FOR SHERCO AT THE SSDT

courtesy SHERCO

The SSDT, “6 days of Scotland”, is the Trials competition of all superlatives: the longest, the most trying and the most demanding in the world, both for the riders and for the machines. Six days of racing across the Scottish Highlands, daily routes of more than 100 miles, each interspersed with 6 crossing zones.

This weekend, the Sherco riders made SSDT history and became legendary! Jack Price wins the event on his Sherco 300 ST-F Factory, ahead of his teammate Jack Peace, Arnau Farre is 11th and wins the "Non-British Rider" category, Harry Turner finishes second in the 125 cc category, Emma Bristow wins the women's category and her 12th victory in the event.

And finally, Team A composed of Jack Price, Jack Peace and Arnau Farre wins the Team category!

“Winning the SSDT is surreal!" said Jack Price. "It's so hard to explain how I feel right now, I'm on cloud nine.I now feel like an accomplished British trials rider!

The SSDT was the last goal to achieve on my list of victories. I am very grateful to Sherco for giving me the opportunity, the bike, and the technical conditions to make this victory possible - I am so happy!

I felt really comfortable in the zones on the new trials bike, and it was

a dream to ride it this week. All I changed was the air filter and tires, otherwise my bike was spotless and ran wonderfully, making this event super fun. When the water got deep on Thursday, I knew I had a good opportunity if I could make some good runs, which I did after a bit of a shaky start to the day.

I would like to thank the Sherco UK team and AG Bikes for their support during the event, for the great training ground and the preparation of the bike before the event.

I'm so happy for the team, not only for my individual victory, but also because we also won the Manufacturer's Prize, the women's category with Emma and the foreign rider category with Arnau Farre.

What an incredible week for this new motorcycle which is just incredible!”

”What a week at the 2024 SSDT," said Jack Peace. "Achieving second place at such a competitive event was a great result, and I’m looking forward to next year already. There were lots of highlights throughout the week, but I think one of the coolest ones was sharing the yellow leaderboard with my brother Dan who also had a really good ride. The support from Sherco UK and AG Bikes throughout the week for all the Sherco riders was brilliant, and I’m pleased that we won the

manufacturer’s award. Now it’s time to head off to Japan for the first rounds of the World Championship!”

“After a long week in the Scottish Highlands, I won the Women's award and finished in 43rd position overall," said Emma Bristow. "It’s been a long week, I have really enjoyed it and it’s a beautiful place to ride. The bike was fantastic all week! I also enjoyed helping other Sherco riders in the parc ferme after their days riding and we had a really nice team atmosphere. A perfect week for the Sherco team!”

• Full Service HeadquartersMotorcycle We sell Gas Gas, Sherco, Beta, Montesa & Scorpa

2024 SCHEDULE

March 1-3: Downhill Southeast Mountain Bike Race

March 16-17: Trials Training Days

June 22-23: NATC Mototrials National Rd 3 & 4

June 24-27: Family Camp

June 28-30: AMA/NextGen Mototrials Youth & Women's Regional Championship

August 2-25: TKO: 14th Annual Red Bull Kenda Tennessee Knock Out Extreme Enduro

October 12-13: 32nd Annual 58K Fall Trial (STRA)

December 7: Toy Trial

* All dates are subject to change

HOLCOMBE LEADING ENDUROGP

words by ENDUROGP

photos by POLE POSITION COMMUNICATIONS & FUTURE7MEDIA

DAY 1

The opening day of racing at round two of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia rule supreme. The Spaniard saw off multiple challenges from his rivals to take the overall EnduroGP win in Valpacos, Portugal.

After the excitement of Friday night’s AKRAPOVIC Super Test, competitors welcomed a slightly later start than normal for the opening day of racing at round two of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Valpacos, Portugal. Despite the first riders rolling off the start ramp at 10am, they still faced a lengthy day.

In total, three and a half laps of the 50-kilometre-long course was on the agenda. Factoring in the hot temperatures and 12 special tests (including Friday’s AKRAPOVIC Super Test), meant day one would be a testing affair.

Determined to reel Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia back in following his Friday night triumph, Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe immediately topped the opening POLISPORT Extreme Test by almost three seconds to put himself into

the lead. However, Garcia was not about to lie down and won both the MAXXIS Enduro Test and ACERBIS Cross Test to end lap one with a three-second lead over Holcombe in second.

GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona was just a further seven seconds behind in third, while Beta Factory Racing’s Brad Freeman had regrouped well following his Super Test penalty to slot into fourth. But with the Fast Eddy Racing pairing of Mikael Persson and Jamie McCanney hot on Freeman’s heels, the fight for a place inside the top five was truly on.

On lap two, while Garcia maintained his lead, Verona took the fight to Holcombe. Setting the fastest time in the POLISPORT Extreme Test and MAXXIS Enduro Test, before placing second to Garcia on the ACERBIS Cross Test, saw him lie just three tenths of a second behind the Brit with only five tests left to run.

But as quickly as that battle formed, the following POLISPORT Extreme Test put paid to the Italian’s efforts. A major mistake from the GASGAS rider handed Holcombe some muchneeded breathing room.

Meanwhile, Garcia continued to have all bases covered. Consistently staying inside the top three, the Spaniard maintained his advantage to bring his KTM home for the EnduroGP class victory on day one.

Unable to make gains on Garcia, Holcombe protected his lead over Verona during the final half lap to take second. Naturally frustrated with his costly mistake, Verona had to settle for third. Expect the Italian to make amends for his errors tomorrow.

Not quite matching the fast pace of the leading trio, Freeman brought his Beta home in a lonely fourth. A reshuffle of the leaderboard in the latter stages of the day saw CH Racing Sherco’s Hamish MacDonald finish strongly for fifth, with McCanney seven seconds behind in sixth.

The FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship saw the third race winner in as many races emerge on day one in Valpacos. Excelling in the high temperatures and physically demanding conditions, Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Francesca Nocera topped the podium. The Italian was incredibly strong in the final four tests of the day. Topping each one, she worked her way from third overall to an eight-second margin of victory as she exited the final ACERBIS Cross Test of the day.

After leading for the majority of the day, RIEJU Factory Team’s Mireia Badia couldn’t hold off the late charge by Nocera and slipped to an eventual second. Fighting for a place on the podium, Team KBS Sherco’s Rachel Gutish saw

her day unravel with a mechanical issue on the penultimate special test. With Gutish losing a lot of time to salvage a result of eighth, it opened the door for Rosie Rowett (RIEJU) to capitalise and take third. Nieve Holmes (Sherco) was fourth, with Beta mounted Justine Martel rounding out the top five.

In Enduro1, Garcia put his KTM on the top step of the podium. Thirteen seconds behind, Holcombe ended his day as runner-up. McCanney could be pleased with his opening day efforts in Valpacos with a strong third place result.

Verona was the undisputed winner of Enduro2 with the Italian winning his class by 73 seconds. Crashing hard on the final MAXXIS Enduro Test, Enduro2 points leader Nathan Watson (Beta) saw his day come to an unfortunate end while sitting second. That opened the door for Samuele Bernardini (Honda) to take the position. Persson completed the podium in third.

After his non-finish on day two at round one due to illness, Freeman showed that he’s back on pace by winning the Enduro3 category. The Brit won the first four tests to build an early lead and despite a late charge by MacDonald, Freeman still had enough in hand to seal the deal. MacDonald will need to hit the ground running tomorrow to topple his close rival. Fantic Racing Team’s Albin Norrbin fended off TM Racing’s

Matteo Cavallo by nine seconds to place third.

Josep Garcia (KTM) – 1st EnduroGP: “It was a long day and very physical. The pace at the top of EnduroGP is super high. I made a mistake on the second enduro test and really had to push to overcome that. In every test we were fighting, there was nowhere to rest out there!”

Francesca Nocera (Honda) – 1st Enduro Women: “To take my first victory in the world championship is an amazing feeling. It was a long, tough day, but I feel like I rode well. I managed to win the final tests and that made the difference. I hope tomorrow I can keep this strong pace and battle again for victory.”

DAY 2

Day two at round two of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship delivered an incredible battle for victory with Honda Racing RedMoto Enduro Team’s Steve Holcombe taking the win. Going head-to-head with GASGAS Factory Racing’s Andrea Verona, Holcombe secured the top step of the EnduroGP podium by just one second. Day one winner Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Josep Garcia was third.

The racing was about as close as it gets on day two of the Paulo Duarte FIM EnduroGP World Championship in Valpacos, Portugal. Despite the punishing special tests and hot

temperatures, the world’s best enduro riders put on an incredible display, with close battles the order of the day throughout all classes.

In the EnduroGP class, all eyes were on day one winner Josep Garcia to see if he could put his KTM on the top step of the podium again. However, on the first POLISPORT Extreme Test, Steve Holcombe came out swinging and set the fastest time. Unlike the previous day, Garcia didn’t answer back straight away. Holcombe won the following MAXXIS Enduro Test to build up a ninesecond lead over Beta Factory Racing’s Nathan Watson, with Verona four tenths of a second behind in third.

Lying sixth overall, Garcia had work to do. He finally hit his stride by winning the ACERBIS Cross Test to move up to third overall at the end of lap one of three. But Holcombe was in control with a 10-second lead over Verona in second place. Throughout lap two, Holcombe continued to hold firm in front as Verona and Garcia shared test wins between them. His advantage had lessened though, and as they began the third and final lap, only 10 seconds separated the top three. Enduro fans were in for a grandstand finish.

Holcombe started out strong by winning the final POLISPORT Extreme Test. Verona had the measure of everyone on the final MAXXIS Enduro Test and topped the time sheets. With back-to-back ACERBIS Cross Tests set to close out the day, Holcombe hoped his six-second lead would hold out.

Fending off attacks from both Verona and Garcia, Holcombe kept his cool, like he had the previous Sunday. Shadowing his rivals

in both tests, he did just enough to take victory by only one second after over one hour of timed special test racing. Despite putting everything he had into winning the final test, Verona couldn’t get the better of the Honda rider and had to settle for second. Admitting to going ‘all-in’ on the final test for the win, Garcia pushed the limit that little bit too far and hit the dirt. With his chance of taking a double victory in Valpacos slipping away, the Spaniard had to be content with third.

After shaking off his crash on day one, Watson put in a strong ride for fourth. The Beta rider was still feeling the effects of yesterday’s tumble and wasn’t able to get into the mix with the top three riders. Continuing to put in solid rides, Fast Eddy Racing’s Jamie McCanney claimed fifth overall. The Manxman rode well on day two, enjoying a big battle with Brad Freeman (Beta) and Samuele Bernardini (Honda) to secure his first EnduroGP top-five of the season.

The FIM Women’s Enduro World Championship saw Mireia Badia (#432) take her second victory of the season for RIEJU Factory Team. Taking the opening POLISPORT Extreme Test win, Badia went on to win another five special tests to top the podium by 32 seconds. Day one winner Francesca Nocera put up the biggest challenge to Badia, but the Honda Racing RedMoto

Enduro Team rider wasn’t able to consistently stay on pace with Badia and ultimately took second. Team KBS Sherco’s Rachel Gutish completed the top three, with Rosie Rowett (RIEJU) and Justine Martel (Beta) rounding out the top five.

With his EnduroGP victory in one hand, Steve Holcombe held the Enduro1 class win in the other at the end of day two in Portugal. Garcia, disappointed with his mistakes, finished in second, while McCanney took third in Enduro1 for the third race in a row.

Although narrowly missing out on the EnduroGP win, Andrea Verona was the clear winner of Enduro2. His double win in Valpacos, while benefiting from Watson’s nonfinish yesterday, sees him lead the championship by 15 points at the end of round two. Watson placed second today, with Bernardini completing the top three.

The Enduro3 class saw Brad Freeman top the podium for the second time this weekend. He won by 23 seconds over Matteo Cavallo (TM Racing), with JET Zanardo Husqvarna’s Morgan Lesiardo in third. There was drama for championship leader, and race leader, Hamish MacDonald, when the CH Racing Sherco rider crashed heavily on the final test. The New Zealander limped home to salvage ninth, but suffering a suspected shoulder injury now puts him in a

race to be fit for round three next month in Romania.

Steve Holcombe (Honda) – 1st EnduroGP: “The fight for the win today was incredible. I love to race like this, but yeah, the pressure coming into that final test was pretty wild. It felt good to keep it together and take the victory. I changed my style up a bit today and tried to stay as smooth as possible. I think that helped throughout the course of the day. I’m tied for the championship lead now, so let’s see how Romania goes next month!”

Andrea Verona (GASGAS) – 2nd EnduroGP: “The battle today with Steve and Josep was incredible. Of course I wanted to win, but I can’t be too upset about finishing second

because I gave it everything. The times were so tight, and it could have gone either way. I’m super happy with my speed, fitness and riding. I’m excited for round three.”

Josep Garcia (KTM) – 3rd EnduroGP: “I crashed early this morning and lost some time. With the pace as fast as it is, you can’t make mistakes like that. I regrouped well and was right there entering the final test. I went all-in on it, but another crash ruled me out of the win today.”

Mireia Badia (RIEJU) – 1st Enduro Women: “I’m super happy with the win today. I didn’t make many mistakes and opened up a nice lead. This win puts me into the championship lead!”

CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (AFTER ROUND 2)

ENDURO GP

1. Josep Garcia (KTM)

2. Steve Hlcombe (HON)

3. Andrea Verona (GG)

4. Nathan Watson (BET)

5. Samuele Bernardini (HON)

6. Jamie McCanney (HSQ)

7. Brad Freeman (BET)

8. Zachary Pichon (SHR)

9. Hamish Macdonald (SHR)

WOMEN ENDURO

1. Mireia Badia (RIE)

2. Francesca Nocera (HON)

3. Rachel Gutish (SHR)

4. Rosie Rowett (RIE)

5. Nieve Holmes (SHR)

6. Elodie Chaplot (BET)

7. Justine Martel (BET)

8. Emelie Borg Nilsson (SHR)

9. Vilde Marie Holt (KTM)

• The T-18 Dragonfly is directdrive from the motor to the rear wheel

• An easy-pull diaphragm clutch for maximum control and traction

• New M4 39mm Aluminum AIR FORKS are the lightest on the market

• Linkless Ohlins shock direct to the swing arm

• 5 hour+ quick change and fast charge battery

• new 6.5-hour interchangeable battery also available

• Weight 132 pounds

• Seat can be added for trail riding comfort

The second shipment of Mecatecno Dragonflies has recently arrived with two very helpful features added to the bike’s controller to assist in the performance of the rider: An “Anti-Roll back” feature, which prevents the back wheel from rolling backwards as soon as backward movement is detected by the controller

and an “Inertia” feature, which is similar to the flywheel action on a gas powered trials bike. These new features can also be downloaded by the factory to all previous customer’s bikes to bring them up to date with the present models. This is a tremendous advantage of this controller in that any new changes or upgrades can easily be done with a connection to the factory electronics team. Now your Dragonfly will always be as up to date with the newest revisions as you desire. There will be more exciting additions to come in the new year, such as an extended range battery with a 6.5 hour running time, interchangeable with the present 5 hour battery.

Retail price $11,299.00, not including shipping cost to your destination.

LETTENBICHLER WINS OPENING HEWC IN WALES

The opening round of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship saw Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler take a commanding win at the Valleys Hard Enduro. Sherco Factory Racing’s duo of Teodor Kabakchiev and Mario Roman completed the podium in second and third.

Round one of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship saw riders take to the start line on Sunday for the feature Race. After two exciting days of racing on Friday and words and photos courtesy RED BULL CONTENT POOL

The FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship supported by KLIM saw TTR Squadra Corse’s Mitch Brightmore start his title defence off with a victory in Wales.

Saturday, Sunday’s three-lap Hard Enduro would decide the outcome of the season opener at Valleys Hard Enduro.

As the defending champion and winner of Friday and Saturday’s racing, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler was the red-hot favourite for victory on Sunday.

And he didn’t disappoint. Fast off the line, the KTM rider quickly worked his way into the race lead and was never headed.

Despite the hot and dusty conditions, Lettenbichler found his rhythm and opened up a strong lead. A mid-race charge by Sherco Factory Racing’s Teodor Kabakchiev saw that gap reduce slightly. But as they began the third and final lap, Manuel upped his pace even further and took a very commanding threeminute margin of victory.

Behind Manuel, the battle for the remainder of the podium positions was ever-changing. Initially, it was Red Bull Beta’s Jonny Walker who held second place on lap one. But the Sherco pairing of Kabakchiev and Mario Roman closed in and overhauled the Brit.

Kabakchiev looked strong on the technical climbs and wasn’t suffering in the heat. The Bulgarian did appear to have Lettenbichler in his sights on lap two but couldn’t bridge the gap he needed. Distancing himself from Roman, he crossed the finish line as the runnerup.

Once up into third, Roman wasn’t able to keep the pace of his teammate. Managing a comfortable gap over Walker in fourth, the Spaniard did enough to take third and claim his first podium result of the season.

After a solid start, Walker just missed out on a potential podium result with fourth, while RIEJU Factory Racing’s Will Hoare

completed the top five. Red Bull Leader Tread’s Wade Young was sixth.

In the FIM Hard Enduro Junior World Championship supported by KLIM, it was defending champion Mitch Brightmore who took the win for TTR Squadra Corse. The young Brit was kept honest by his younger brother Ashton, who followed him home for eighth.

Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM): “It wasn’t easy out there. The pace was so fast and the intensity was high. It was difficult to find a rhythm but being able to build a gap helped. However, on the final lap, Teodor began to close in and I had to pick it up again. It’s great to take the win at

round one and get the championship started in such a strong way. I’m really happy and now looking forward to the next round at Red Bull Erzbergrodeo in two weeks.”

Teodor Kabakchiev (SHERCO): “It was an exhausting race. The whole track was rocky, full of big bumps. I started 3rd, ate a lot of dust in the first lap behind J. Walker and made some mistakes here and there. In the second lap I managed to get past him. I found a good rhythm once I had a clear track and finished 2nd. I am happy to see that we have progressed and improved the race pace as a result of the connection between me and Sherco. Thanks to the whole team for the effort!”

CLICK TO WATCH VIDEO

EVENT RESULTS

1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM)

2. Teodor Kabakchiev (SHR)

3. Mario Roman (SHR)

4. Jonny Walker (BET)

5. Will Hoare (RIE)

6. Wade Young (GG)

7. Mitch Brightmore (GG)

8. Ashton Brightmore (GG)

9. Francesc Moret (KTM)

10. Alfredo Gomez (RIE)

BOU BACK ON TOP IN GENEVA 12 YEARS LATER

words

by PETE FLORES photos by X-TRIAL

Toni Bou (Repsol Honda Trial Team) claimed his fourth consecutive victory of 2024, but in the closest Grand Final yet this season. Only in the final Section was Bou able to confirm victory ahead of Gabriel Marcelli and Toby Martyn in an all-Montesa podium.

Bou also conceded only his second Championship point with defeat in the opening Round to Marcelli, setting the tone for a challenging night. A secondRound crash for the 17-times World Champion wasn’t enough to deprive him of top spot after the nine qualifying Sections, but it was enough to leave him with an injured shoulder that restricted his later rides and ultimately his winning margin to just four marks.

Excellent performances in the challenging Section Three proved the basis for a strong night to Marcelli, giving him his first bonus point of the season in Round One, then bringing him back into contention in the Final. But ultimately his failure in Section One proved too costly for him to really take the fight to Bou, who was already 8 marks ahead after just the opening two Sections.

Toby Martyn secured the third podium of his career with an excellent Round Two display, seeing off Jaime Busto (GasGas) who was left to rue his three consecutive fiascos in Round One. Busto’s early elimination for the first time this season

sees him slip behind Marcelli to third in the Championship.

Benoit Bincaz (Sherco) consolidated his place in the series’ top five, and therefore his qualification to X-Trial Andorra la Vella in October, by beating Matteo Grattarola (Beta). Just as in Chalon-SurSaône and Nice it was another miserable second run that ruined the Italian veteran’s night, as this time he went from only three marks behind the podium places to finish a disappointing seventh.

That allowed Gaël Chatagno to claim an impressive scalp after his strong second Round on his and Electric Motion’s X-Trial debut with sixth.

Home rider Noé Pretalli (GasGas) completed the finishers, also on his debut.

Toni Bou (1st): “It has been a tough one today and plenty has happened, but a win is the best reward. In the first Round I misunderstood the rules in Section Four. Then I dominated Round Two until I rushed a bit in the last Section and hurt my shoulder in a crash. That meant I never really felt comfortable in the Final even if I started very well. I am happier with the result than my riding: four wins out of four so far and winning here in Geneva as I did when we last visited twelve years ago.”

Gabriel Marcelli (2nd): “This is a great result and I have to enjoy it. I rode at a very high level in Round One which gave me the bonus point. Then I was second in Round Two and in the Final. In the end a mistake in Section One left me too far from the fight for the win. But it has been a great night and these are good points for the Championship.”

Toby Martyn (3rd): “I am happy to be back on the podium at World Championship level. We have really worked hard this season so far, so this is a great reward. The course was very demanding in all of the Rounds but especially the Final, but the important thing is the result.”

The FIM X-Trial World Championship now heads into its summer break before returning for X-Trial Andorra la Vella on 5th October.

EVENT

RESULTS

Toni Bou (MON)

Gabriel Marcelli (MON)

Toby Martyn (MON)

BONNELL RACING TAKES OVERALL VICTORY

words and photos E-XPLORER

Bonnell Racing’s Tanja Schlosser and Dylan Woodcock saw off tough competition to win Round 2 of the FIM E-Xplorer World Cup in Oslo.

Schlosser took a clean sweep of race victories to achieve maximum points in the Women’s category, winning the round. The big haul of points means she now leads the World Cup, leapfrogging Sandra Gomez and Francesca Nocera.

Woodcock stayed out of trouble and finished third across all three Men’s heats, securing him third place in the men’s category and the overall round win for Bonnell Racing.

Bonnell Racing now lies second in the World Cup standings, only seventeen points behind Team HRC. INDE Racing are now third overall, three points behind Bonnell Racing.

Speaking after her clean sweep, Tanja Schlosser, Bonnell Racing, said: “Every lap felt perfect. I was able to build a lead in every race and I was confident doubling every

jump. The team and my mechanics have been faultless, the bike worked perfectly. I enjoyed every single moment on the bike.”

Home favourite, Even Heibye, won over the crowd in Norway and was victorious in the men’s category, taking two out of three race victories. A debutant in the series, Heibye was a wildcard entry in Oslo with team GF Logistikk.

The all-Norwegian outfit, GF Logistikk, quickly established themselves as the surprise package this weekend. Heibye’s teammate, Vilde Marie Holt, was also fighting at the front in all three of the Women’s heats, but some small mistakes kept dropping her down the order in the races.

Despite this misfortune, GF Logistikk still finished third in the overall standings, a fantastic achievement for the local team.

Even Heibye, GF Logistikk, added: “The day started really well, I had a great feeling on the bike. I managed to get two firsts and a second so I won overall in the men’s category which is super fantastic, and an overall podium for the team. It was really good to be a part of this race.”

The Norwegian rider would be denied victory in the final race by Team HRC’s Tosha Schareina. Schareina took pole position in this morning’s qualifying session but

would lose out to Heibye in the first two races, putting on a show for the home crowd.

In the final race, Schareina looked determined from the outset, passing Gravity’s Alex Andreis for the lead on the opening lap and controlling the race to the chequered flag. This determination would reward Schareina with second place in the men’s category, pushing him into first place on the World Cup leaderboard.

Francesca Nocera valiantly battled through this afternoon’s races after suffering a crash in qualifying. The Italian rider was cleared to race, attaining the vital points to place Team HRC second in the overall standings for Round 2.

The Honda CR Electric Proto split two Stark Future bikes on the podium, and the second-place finish retains Team HRC’s lead in the Hyperbike category.

Missing out on the podium by only four points and finishing the day in fourth, came INDE Racing. Sandra Gomez was stellar throughout the day, taking an often unchallenged second place in every race.

Filling in for the injured Spenser Wilton, local rider Runar Sudmann quickly adapted to the new machinery and got stuck in with the action. Sudmann had great battles all day, particularly with PCR-E PERFORMANCE's Stuart Edmonds,

and this performance helped INDE Racing stay third in the overall World Cup standings.

Gravity consolidated their position in the World Cup and had a solid day in the Norwegian capital. Andrine Olstad replaced Schlosser for this round, as the German rider switched teams to Bonnell Racing. Olstad was another rider who quickly showed her class on the Stark Future, rapidly familiarising herself with the new bike and format. Alex Andreis seemed to battle with Stuart Edmonds all day on track, conceding fourth place in the round to the Irish rider by only a single point.

Fourth-placed Edmonds rode well for team PCR-E PERFORMANCE. The bike looked strong throughout the day which Nieve Holmes took advantage of by qualifying second. Holmes converted this to three solid results in the races, to finish third on the Women’s podium. The points from Oslo lift the team to fifth in the World Cup standings.

Winning the GT class and riding on EBMX, AUS-E Racing extracted everything from their machinery. Jack Field ran in third at one stage in race three, despite having less power than the Hyperbike class. The team will hope to use this

momentum when the World Cup heads to France for the next round where the class is expected to grow in popularity.

Returning to the World Cup, SEVEN Racing had a tough start to their season. Gabriel Jairala and Mette Fidje showed glimmers of quality throughout both days and will use Oslo as a learning experience for the final three rounds of the season. Fidje finished third in race one, but bad luck would hamper her results in races two and three. SEVEN Racing has a lot of experience in the World Cup and will aspire to be back at the front for the next round at the end of June.

EVENT RESULTS

1. Bonnell Racing - 135 pts

2. Team HRC - 121 pts

3. GF Logstikk - 116 pts

4. INDE Racing - 112 pts

5. PCR-E PERFORMANCE - 107 pts 6. Gravity - 96 pts 7. AUS-E Racing - 84 pts 8. SEVEN Racing - 74 pts

MARTYN TAKES KINGMAN WIN

words and photos by STEPH VETTERLY

ROUND 1

KINGMAN, AZ

It was a British Invasion as US Montesa Honda-backed Toby Martyn made an impressive statement at the opening rounds of the 2024 AMA/NATC Mototrials USA National Championship Series, presented by Trial Store USA, returning to the Hualapai Mountain Resort in Kingman, AZ, April 13-14.

Beautiful but chilly weather welcomed everyone back to the competition season. Riders were shaking off the first-round jitters after eight months since the last National round, but those were

short-lived as the competition started bright and early at 6,500 feet. As an attempt to help with potential ottlenecks, the start order was completely reversed, with the Pro class heading out first. It was tight competition, with both Toby and FactoryOne Sherco's Pat Smage taking a completely clean day and forcing a post-event ride-off.

A fresh section was made in one of the creek sections that had previously been used in the 2017 Trial GP World Round, with both Martyn and Smage taking three attempts. Despite cleaning the section on his final attempt, an unfortunate five-point ride on his second attempt cost Smage the round's win.

The rest of the Pro-class finishes were determined by the end of the first loop. GasGas's Josh Roper had a solid hold on third place, finishing with only six points on the day. FactoryONE Sherco's Will Myers went 8-11-4 on the day, putting him in a solid fourth, and big brother and fellow FactoryONE Scorpa rider Alex Myers finished only seven points behind to round out the top five.

"We had a really easy day," said Martyn. "I was happy enough with the trials riding this morning. I was a bit twitchy to start with, just getting used to everything. We had an easy day today, so me and Pat ended up finishing on clean, which I was really chuffed with and I didn't know Pat

finished on clean. We went into a shootout and that's what brought the result around. It was really tense though. We both had a few silly rides the first two times we did it. He had a clean and then I had a dab on the last one, which put me in front.

I'm well happy with the first day. I didn't think I'd end up like that this early on, but I'm really happy.

I was surprised we were in the river so much. There are so many dry, grippy rocks and so much to ride here, but we had probably half of the trial in the river, which I really wasn't expecting. It’s not my favorite thing to ride, but it's something different. I'm happy with my riding, happy with the result."

"Today was an interesting day," exclaimed Josh Roper. "Woke up this morning and my stomach was uneasy, so it was hard for me to get any food in. It was harder to get warmed up. I don’t know, it was something I’ve never felt before, but for some reason, today just felt bad. I eventually got the groove going; I was able to eat a little bit of food.

The sections are just tricky; you have to be perfectly on line, otherwise you’ll make a few points. Toby [Martyn] and Pat [Smage] were perfect; I had a couple slack dabs here and there. I didn’t need all of them. It was still really fun, really enjoyable, and a great way to start

the season off. I just want to give a big shout out to the whole GasGas USA team, Hammer Nutrition, my minder, Nigel Parker, and my mom and dad."

"Arizona was pretty good," said Will Myers. "Sections started off a bit easy. I had to go in with full mental concentration because with the easier events, you had to take every point seriously; there's little margin for error. I planned to keep my head up and ride and gel with the bike like I normally do, keep everyone else out of my head. That's what I ended up doing. The first loop went pretty well; the second loop, I missed my mark on a few things.

I think I did about three points worse on my second loop, but coming to the third [loop], I just went out there and did my thing like I was riding at home and I ended up with a fourpoint lap. I was pretty stoked on that and really excited to have such a good result on the first round of the year.

I’ve got to give it up to the guys here at Sherco. They brought in some of the guys from Spain and France to help us get these bikes really tuned up. They really helped a lot, just experimenting with different mapping and everything. It's awesome to have them here and this bike is so advanced you can just play with anything that you wanted. Even if it might not work out, it's still fun to just test different things on

practice day. Alex, Pat, and I have come to a set up that we all really like and really works for us. I’m excited to keep pushing the rest of the season."

A new day brings a new round and new sections. Trials Master Todd Roper and his team adjusted several of the sections for round two based on results from the previous day. The focus of the section design was more on the technical aspect of the sport with a few big hits thrown in for good measure. A hnadful of single dabs put Smage in second place right outof the gate, and he was unable to recover the points gap, Martyn finishing with only a single point on the day.

"Today went really well," said Smage. "The sections were tougher. They went out and added some additional splits in there, and a couple got to be a little bit long and made you have to rush them a little bit. The first lap I, I definitely rushed a few things. I just didn't feel perfect. I was a little tired this morning and it was a little hard to get moving. I took a lot of Hammer Nutrition products to get going, and I did, but just made some mistakes early on. A handful of single dabs that just were rushing things or just poor line choice, basically.

I figured it out for the second and third loops and was able to, clean both of those. Definitely happy with my riding and overall good weekend

as far as sections go. Typically out here, there are a lot of big hits; this weekend we just had a few, so it was actually pretty enjoyable to not have to be wide open every section. It was very much about hitting your marks and having your balance on point to be able to get through the stuff."

The top five was a copy/paste from the previous day, with Roper, Will Myers, and Alex Myers rounding out the top five. Beta's Alex Niederer would take consistent loop scores (26-20-27) to finish sixth. Coming out of retirement for this round, Bryan Roper would finish sevent with 94 points, but showed he still remembered how to ride by taking cleans or ones in numerous sections. Beta's Cole Cullins, now in his second year in the Pro class, would finish eighth with 108 points.

"Long story short - the first time I’ve ever ridden well at this location and it still wasn’t enough," explained Niederer. "That’s very frustrating. I’m really bummed with the result, but really happy with my riding. I had some REALLY good rides. Some unfortunate mistakes, but oh well, it is what it is. But I’m pretty bummed that the first time I rode really well here, it just wasn’t enough. But this place will always be special to meit’s where I met my wife seven years ago, so it’s ok."

"I kind of expected this coming into it, but every time the national season

starts on the West Coast, I struggle," said Alex Myers. "I have a hard time adapting to so many things at once. The one thing I will take away is that my fitness level is quite good. I felt strong on the bike all weekend, but I lacked confidence on Saturday at the beginning. Ended up pulling through with some good loops at the end. Still only good enough for fifth. Today, kind of the same thing; I had confidence, but I was just making, stupid mistakes, and then just a gazillion one-point rides all day long. That killed me. Different things each weekend, but seven points off of fourth place both days. We're just close enough. I would say my riding was much better on Sunday. The sections were harder, but I have to be happy with it. I was really close to third and fourth place. I think it was like 40 extra points to sixth place. I'm with that top group, and I’ve got to keep pushing on."

"Arizona could’ve been better, but there’s progress," said Cole Cullins. Cullins has been training with Roper in Arizona and said the terrain was more what he was used to than other events. "I’m getting there slowly but surely. Still figuring it out, even if it doesn’t really seem like it. I’ve got my moments; it’s coming. I’ve just got to keep working at itmaybe it’ll take another five years but we’ll get there.

In the Women's Pro class, GasGas's Maddie Hoover and Trials

Superstore's Kylee Sweeten were relentless in their riding, with both ladies aving close scores each day. Hover took the win for round one with Sweeten taking the top step for round two.

"[Saturday] was slow off the morning," said Hoover. "I went out and had a pretty bad first and second lap; I just couldn’t find a rhythm or a flow – the sections weren’t quite my style. We reconvened and pulled it together for the third lap. Kylee [Sweeten] was on fire, so I knew I had to come in

Michael Meschede won the Sr Clubman class on Sunday on the new Mecatecno Dragonfly; this is the first win of a class on an electrials bike!

with something low. I ended up with a 1-point loop, which I’m ok with, but she kept me on my toes all day which was awesome. I’m really glad to see more girls out here riding."

The AMA/NATC Mototrials USA National Champship Series will continue June 22-23 for rounds three and four, as the series returns to the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie, TN.

1. Toby Martyn (HON) - 0

2. Pat Smage (SHR) - 0

3. Josh Roper (GG) - 6

4. WIll Myers (SHR) - 23

5. Alex Myers (SCO) - 30

6. Alex Niederer (BET) - 45

7. Bryan Roper (MON) - 63

8. Cole Cullins (BET) - 85

1. Toby Martyn (HON) - 1

2. Pat Smage (SHR) - 5

3. Josh Roper (GG) - 15

4. WIll Myers (SHR) - 29

5. Alex Myers (SCO) - 36

6. Alex Niederer (BET) - 73

7. Bryan Roper (MON) - 94

8. Cole Cullins (BET) - 108

TEAM STRA AT THE NATIONALS

introduction by ABIGAIL BUZZELLI

The goal of Team STRA is to encourage Southeastern Trials Riders Association members to participate in the NATC trials nationals by sharing experiences and make participation more accessible. By attending the NATC Mototrials nationals, Team STRA members have fun while

gaining valuable experience that is infused back into the club.

The mission of Team STRA is made possibly with the support of: TrialStoreUSA.com, Beta USA, Ray Peters, On the Pegs Magazine, Trials Training Center and the Southeastern Trials Riders Association.

TALON SMITH

" Hi, my name is Talon Smith and I ride J-ES on a 2023 Factory Beta 125cc. Starting out on round one of the AMA/NATC MotoTrials series I finished the day with a third place position. Starting out with the first five sections I was feeling good on the bike but as the day went on, I started to feel more fatigued. All of the sections were fun to ride and at the end of the day I had an okay performance. After a good night's rest and moving on to day two I was pleased to walk away with a first

Jr Expert Sportsman

Saturday: 3rd

Sunday: 1st

place. Once I got used to the Arizona terrain, I felt much better on the bike. The sections had bigger hits which suited my style more. On a positive note I was very pleased with my results and looking forward to the Tennessee National. Thank you to, On The Pegs, Blue Ridge Yamaha, Trial Store USA, Team STRA, Beta USA and everyone who went and supported."

PAWEL BISTRAM

This is my second year riding trials. After attending many local events, I decided to participate in my first NATC National event.

The team arrived at Hualapai Mountain Park Thursday morning. The park was beautiful, the views outstanding and the weather was perfect for riding.

Clubman

Saturday: 2nd Sunday: 1st

After helping to set up the STRA Team tent and preparing our bikes the team ventured off to the practice area. I was impressed by the large boulders and endless grippy rocks. The afternoon was spent riding then settling in.

Friday consisted of more practice time. It was both inspiring and humbling to

share the practice area among so many skillful riders. Later in the day we had an STRA Team meeting and discussed strategies and preparations for the weekend. The day closed with our bike Tech Inspection and anticipation for the 2 days ahead.

On Saturday morning the pits were buzzing with positive energy and lots of smiles. The Pros started the day & it was fun to cheer the riders as their names were announced. Clubman riders were last to go out and my trial started at 11am. As I rode out of the pits and onto the loop I was excited to start my day.

The sections were cleverly designed and challenging. I was doing well with the allotted time, however I rushed the third loop and carelessly racked up some points. From this, I learned in order to improve, I needed to stay patient, check sections for changing conditions & pay attention to exit gates. I ended up taking 2nd place and was very happy with my results.

On Sunday the sections were a bit more challenging. I kept my focus, remembered what I needed to correct & had a lot of fun riding. I won 1st place Clubman and 1st place overall on the Green Line for the day.

The competition was very well organized & the venue exceptional. Riders and spectators were so welcoming and friendly! I really enjoyed riding with my teammates & friends. I’m looking forward to the next NATC event!

I would like to thank STRA Team Leaders Abigail & Chris Buzzelli and all the sponsors TrialStoreUSA. com, Beta USA, Ray Peters, On the Pegs Magazine, Trials Training Center and the STRA for making this experience possible.

A special thank you to Ray Peters for sharing his knowledge & providing me with the tools to become a better rider.

BRYAN ROPER

FRESH OUT OF RETIREMENT

photos by STEPH VETTERLY

WHAT MADE YOU COME OUT OF RETIREMENT?

That’s a great question. I have my son now and my daughter. I bought my son a Stacyc bike, and he was having fun with that. Now that he’s getting older, I got him a PW50. I started thinking that since I got him a PW50, maybe I should get myself a bike. I didn’t want to get a big bike, because that’s too fast for riding around with him. I knew I could putt around on a trials bike, and that way, we could ride side by side. A trials bike obviously goes slower, and with a PW50, it’s basically the same thing.

It just happened to work out that this was the same weekend I had a work conference in Phoenix earlier this week; I was there from Tuesday to Friday and left at 3am Saturday morning to come up here. Luckily, I have a great cousin and cousin-in-law to haul my bike all the way from Florida to here. Honestly, it just timed out perfectly to do this. You’ll see me at the Florida national as well; we’ll see about Tennessee. It’s close enough, but just far away, and I’ve got to see what the schedule looks like as we get closer.

HOW WAS YOUR FIRST NATIONAL BACK? WAS IT CLOSE TO HOW YOU REMEMBER NATIONALS BEING?

It was spot on. I just don’t have the stamina. I had some great rides, and I had the squirreliest rides ever; it was a mix of both. There were a few cobwebs. Honestly, I came out here with no real goal or intention. It was more just to come out and have fun. It just worked out that it was the same weekend as my work conference. I didn’t care what place I got; I wanted to go out and see if I could clean some sections. I cleaned a few, and some I didn’t [laughs].

I don’t know if riding Pro was a mistake or anything, but I made it up all the big stuff, and I felt comfortable. I didn’t feel like I was pushing it or over the limit. With that, it’s like ok, I CAN ride Pro. I just need to work on my stamina now. From zero to a minute, perfectly fine; it was just like riding back in the day. But from the minute to minute-thirty, the arm pump was settling in and it wasn’t what I was used to. I was getting a little frustrated because I know I can do this, and you just saw me do this on the first minute, and I just lose it in that last 30 seconds.

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU BEEN PRACTICING LEADING UP TO THIS EVENT?

Total time - today is my eighth time on the bike [laughs]. GOES TO SHOW THAT THE PROS NEVER ACTUALLY LOSE THEIR SKILL. Correct - you just need to work on stamina, and you can be right back in it. For a brief stint in 2020, I rode like four or five times. I haven’t actually ridden a national event in seven years. I did the Fun in the Sun FTA event earlier this year, and it was nice to base myself against Josh [Roper] there. I know it’s a local, and it’s a little bit easier. The way I was riding, I figured I could still ride Pro; it might be a challenge, which it was, but I also didn’t want to ride Expert - I wanted to do the big hits. I don’t know if the Expert riders would want me in their class.

It did cross my mind on the loop that maybe I should just ride Expert for the rest of the event, but then I wouldn’t have been able to hit the big stuff. Hitting the splatter on section nine was fun, hitting the undercut in section eleven was cool. It just brings you back to the old days, I guess. It was a good time.

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE BABY BROTHER, JOSH, SO FAR ADVANCED IN HIS CAREER?

I am so happy with the way he’s riding. Honestly, at my peak, he would smoke me. I think he’s done an exceptional job at training. He’s just so smooth on the bike; I wish I was that smooth back in the day. I would love to see how me back-in-the-day versus him now would’ve gone. It'd be cool to see that and see how it would go, because obviously I would have done much better than I did these past few days.

The stage that I'm at in my life, I have no aspirations or anything to come back. I just want to come out here and just have a good time, see everybody that I grew up riding with. There's a lot of good people here that are just fun to be around.

I’d like to thank all the US Honda Montesa folks. We've been trying to link together for a long time. I need to repay Martin for everything that he's done for my entire career. Even before with all TDN stuff. We were trying to get it worked out and never quite matched up. The support over there is great, the guys are great. Brian Frank with Hammer Nutrition is fantastic to deal with, and obviously their products are good; they’re with almost all the riders at this point. I’d like to thank S3; they made the custom gear for us. It's good to work with the brands that I rode with back in the day and I”m kind of just helping when I can.

STEWARD BAYLOR EARNS FIRST GNCC WIN IN 2024

words by KAYLA BOLTON photos by MACK FAINT & KEN HILL

ROUND 5

THE OLD GRAY GNCC MONTEREY, TN

The 2024 Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, continued yesterday, April 14, with the inaugural Dunlop Motorcycle Tires Old Gray GNCC event. Racers and fans from across the world converged in Monterey, Tennessee to witness Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor claim his first win of the 2024 season.

When the green flag waved Phoenix Racing Honda’s Michael Witkowski found himself getting a quick jump off the line and earning the $250 Steel City Medical Center Holeshot Award, but it wouldn’t take long for the hometown favorite Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn to transition into the lead as they entered the woods.

Meanwhile, the freight train of racers behind Ashburn continued to push forward towards him to battle for that number one spot. FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir and AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell would come through in second and third on the opening lap, but no one could rule out Rocky Mountain Red

Bear Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor as he was just 1.1 seconds behind Russell coming through timing and scoring on lap one.

Ashburn continued to hold the lead as they checked through timing and scoring on the second lap, but a hard-charging Baylor had made his way around Russell and had his sights set on passing Girroir and taking that number one spot from Ashburn.

As the pack of racers came through to complete three laps of racing, Baylor had taken over the lead, but Ashburn did not seem to be going down without a fight as he had a lot of hometown support being from just about 20 minutes away from the track location. Girroir would now sit back in third as Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig Delong started to creep up closer to the front-runners.

As the race wore on, Baylor would continue to lead the way, but a last lap mishap would put Ashburn right on his back wheel as the two came through pro row and then into the woods just before the finish line. Baylor would continue to push all the way to the checkered flag, earning his first win of the 2024 with just a 1.8 second lead over Ashburn who came through to earn second in front his family, friends and a lot of hometown fans.

Girroir would push himself almost to take max as he came through to round out the top three and remain in the points lead after five rounds of racing. Delong would be unable to become a real threat to the top three this round as he fought back to finish fourth on the day. After earning the holeshot award, Witkowski would drop back to sixth fir the first half of the race, but he would be able to make it up to fifth to end his day out.

Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/ Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor had his work cut out of him as he came through tenth on the opening lap. Baylor would continue to push forward and ultimately made his way up to sixth in XC1 Open Pro and eighth overall on the day.

Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Trevor Bollinger had a good start to his day and came through running inside the top five after the first lap. Bollinger would continue to try and remain consistent on his day, finishing seventh in XC1 and tenth overall. Active Air/Max Motorsports/FXR/Husqvarna’s Evan Smith remained eighth in the XC1 class throughout the day, while JS7 Sherco Racing’s Josh Strang and Morgantown Powersports/Tely Energy’s Layne Michael rounded out the top 10 finishers in the XC1 class.

Unfortunately for some other racers they would only be able to complete half the laps as Coastal GASGAS

Factory Racing’s Ryder Lafferty was out after 3 laps, as well as Mitchell Frantz and AmPro Yamaha’s Ricky Russell who suffered a crash that took him out with a tweaked shoulder. For Babbitt’s Online/ Monster Energy/Kawasaki Team Green’s Lyndon Snodgrass he was unfortunately out before completing one lap due to a mechanical issue.

The XC2 250 Pro class would be an exciting one to watch as Great Britain’s Jack Edmondson returned to racing and grabbed himself the $250 Steel City Medical Center’s Holeshot Award to start his return. However, it would not take long for Team Enduro Engineering’s Josh Toth and FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s Grant Davis to begin the long three-hour battle back-andforth for the lead. Toth and Davis would continue to swap the lead multiple times throughout the day, but as the checkered flag came out it was Davis making his way out of the woods first to earn his second class win of the season, moving him into the XC2 class points lead. Toth would hold on to finish second in the class.

A little farther back saw some exciting battles as well as AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper made a last lap pass on Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Thad Duvall to take over the last podium spot in the XC2 class. Duvall would finish fourth in the class, while Phoenix Racing

Honda’s Cody Barnes made his way up to fifth in the class after coming around in eleventh on the opening lap.

As the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class took off it was Kibuk Cycle/Steel City Medical Center/Josh Lojak’s House of Speed’s Sawyer Carratura earning himself the Lojak Cycle Sales Holeshot Award and leading the way into the woods. Carratura would hold the lead for the first three laps of the race, but soon after that Devore Racing/KTM/FXR/SRS Suspension’s Dakoda Devore would begin to apply the pressure and make a pass for the lead.

Devore and Carratura would battle for the next lap, but Devore would be able to begin to place a gap between them on the last two laps of the race. Devore would earn the FMF XC3 class win while Carratura held on for second in the class. Liqui Moly Factory Beta Racing’s Jhak Walker would have a consistent race as he remained in the third place position for the duration of the race.

Earning The Old Gray top amateur honors was 250 A competitor, Jason Tino as he came through to finish 9th overall on the day, while also earning his second class win of the season. Nick DeFeo would be second up on the top amateur podium as he came through to finish 12th overall and second in the 250 A class. Joseph Cunningham rounded

out the top amateur podium with an 18th overall finishing position and third in the 250 A class.

As the morning race took off it was Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede getting the jump off the line and earning herself the $100 Kanati Performance Tires WXC Holeshot Award. It would not take the number one machine of Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer to make her way past Steede as she was on a mission to get to the front of the race this weekend.

Archer would move into the lead on the opening lap and not look back.

She continued to gain momentum and push herself throughout the two-hour race. Archer came through to earn her second WXC class win of the season, and first overall morning race win of the season. Enduro Engineering/GASGAS/FXR Moto’s Shelby Turner would continue to battle behind Archer with Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede throughout the duration of the race. Turner would be able to hold off Steede as she came through to earn second overall and in the WXC class. Steede would hold on to round out the top three overall finishers in the morning race and in the WXC class.

EVENT RESULTS (XC1)

1. Jonathan Girroir (KTM)

2. Jordan Ashburn (GG)

3. Steward Baylor (KAW)

4. Ricky Russell (YAM)

5. Craig DeLong (HSQ)

6. Dante Oliveira (KTM)

7. Trevor Bollinger (HSQ)

8. Grant Baylor (KAW)

9. Josh Strang (SHR)

10. Michael Witkowski (HON)

EVENT RESULTS (WXC)

1. Shelby Turner (GG)

2. Rachael Archer (KAW)

3. Korie Steede (HSQ)

4. Rachel Gutish (SHR)

5. Brandy Richards (KTM)

6. Jocelyn Barnes (HSQ)

7. Prestin Raines (SHR)

8. Jordan Jarvis (YAM)

9. Kayla O'Neill (YAM)

10. Taylor Johnston (KTM)

hart wins battle of the goats

words USHE

photos JENNY KELLER

PHOTOGRAPHY

Trystan Hart won his first US Hard Enduro Series race this weekend at the Battle of the Goats, Presented by the Leaky Mushroom Moto Ranch. Hosted by Tyler Mull at the Brushy Mountain Motorsports Park in North Carolina, the course was designed for both Amateurs and the best Pros in the USA, and was substantially tougher than year’s past. This was the third round of the Bulletproof Designs US Hard Enduro Premier Championship, and the opening round of the AMA East Hard Series, Presented by IRC Tire.

The format of this race consisted of two Prologue qualifiers on Saturday that set row position, and the race was decided by Sunday’s 6 hour main race that consisted of two full 16 mile laps, and a smaller third lap. The Prologue was the same course for the Pros and Amateurs in two separate races, and in the Pro race, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart was swapping lead positions with FactoryONE Sherco’s Cody Webb. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Ryder LeBlond and GasGas

Factory’s Will Riordan were also in the lead pack, all battling within 30 seconds of each other. Hart ended up winning the Prologue, with Webb finishing in second place only 14 seconds behind. LeBlond, Riordan, and Beta USA’s Danny Lewis rounded out the top-5.

For Sunday’s main race, the 230+ racers started in rows of five based on Saturday’s Prologue results. This course featured incredibly slick waterfalls, off-camber trails, rock gardens, and very steep hills that traversed up and down the Brushy Mountain Motorsports Park. Wentzel’s Waterslide, Chicken Fight, and Little Romania were just a few of the many infamous sections that challenged both the Pros and Amateurs. The lead pack from Saturday was duplicated on Sunday’s first lap, but slowly started to spread apart as the sections became heavier and heavier. On Little Romania, the top four were traversing back and forth up the neverending hill, when LeBlond shot past everyone and took over the lead with about 20 seconds on Hart. But at the end of lap one, Trystan Hart had a nearly 3 minute lead over Ryder LeBlond, with Cody Webb behind about three minutes in third. Lap two had some splits that took those racers to more difficult sections of the course, with no lapped traffic to work through. On this lap,

Hart extended his lead to about 5 minutes ahead of Cody Webb, who passed LeBlond in Moonshine Creek. Vying for the other top five spots was Will Riordan, Colton Haaker, Quinn Wentzel, James Flynn, and Kawelo Huddy. After lap one, Riordan began to fall behind the top three, but maintained his gap in fourth the remainder of the race. Lap three consisted of the first five miles of lap two, but the top three held their spread, making up and losing time in different sections. Trystan Hart was the first one through the finish with a time of one hour and fifty minutes. Cody Webb finished five minutes behind for second, and Ryder LeBlond finished in third place

only two minutes behind Webb. Riordan placed in fourth, and Colton Haaker held on and finished in fifth place.

The top Amateur racers of the weekend were HTR GasGas’ Braxton Hintze, FactoryONE Sherco’s Riley Bender, and Roberto Isales. Bender had a mechanical issue during Saturday’s Prologue, starting in the 102nd position. He passed 80 racers today and finished in 21st overall.

Trystan Hart: "It was a long race, despite how dry it was, and we did an extra lap than normal – around four hours in duration this weekend. I had some sick battles on lap one, and made some mistakes as well,

but cleaned it up on lap two and was able to get my first win of the year. It's a good feeling, so I want to keep moving forward from here!"

"I rode like an idiot on lap one," said Cody Webb. "I was at a bit of a disadvantage as I wasn't able to walk the course, but for a great reason. My wife and I had a baby girl on Friday morning," continued a smiling Cody Webb. "Lap two, I was able to ride like I am capable of. I was given splits to Trystan, and I kept surprising myself to hear how much ground I was making back. In the end, it wasn't enough but I gave it my all. I am looking forward to the next round already," concluded Webb.

EVENT RESULTS (PRO)

1. Trystan Hart (KTM)

2. Cody Webb (SHR)

3. Ryder Leblond (HSQ)

4. Will Riordan (GG)

5. Colton Haaker (HSQ)

6. James Flynn (BET)

7. Quinn Wentzel (RJU)

8. Logan Bolopue (SHR)

9. Kawelo Huddy (KTM)

10. Ryder Guest (KTM)

GIRROIR TAKES OLDE MILL

words by SHAN MOORE photos by ART PEPIN

ROUND 4

OLDE MILL

CHARLOTTE HILL, MARYLAND

Defending series champ Johnny Girroir had his closest call of the season, coming from behind to take Saturday’s win after topping the final test, beating AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper by 2 seconds. On Sunday, the FMF/KTM Factory Racer picked up the pace and won all but three of the eight tests to take the day win plus the overall win by 16 seconds over Draper, who won all but one of the eight tests on Saturday and added two wins to wins to his total on Sunday. Girroir remains undefeated for the season with the victory.

“I was getting a little nervous there on Saturday, especially going into that last test,” said Girroir. “Liam was on it all day. He was flying all weekend in the woods and especially in the cross-test. I started seven seconds behind him going into Saturday’s last test and I knew it was do or die. I could see him near

the end, so I knew I made up a lot of time. I just went out there and tried to hit my marks and I think he made a few mistakes.”

Girroir had an easier time of it on Sunday, having won six of the eight tests.

“Today was much better,” said Girroir. “I held my lines and hit my marks and didn’t have any problems.”

Draper won the first seven of eight tests to start the event on Saturday and nearly claimed his first-ever day win, but Girroir poured it on in the final test to remain undefeated by just two seconds.

“I was tight going into the last test on Saturday, I had won all seven tests up until that last one,” said Draper. “I could hear Johnny behind me and I made a few mistakes and he made up five seconds on me and that was then difference. He ended up beating, we were virtually tied going into that last test, so that was a bummer. I was pleased to win two more tests on Sunday and I think I’m finally getting used to the 450.”

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong overcame a slow start, which saw him 11th in test one, to finish an eventual third in Saturday’s event. Another third on Sunday left him third overall for the weekend.

“I was a lot more cautious than I should have been in the first crosstest on Saturday and I finished 11th , so I started slow, but I was able to move up the standings near the end,” said DeLong. “I got into third there on Saturday about the third or fourth test. After that, I was trying to get close to Johnny and Liam, but I could never really hook up with them; they were putting about 10 seconds a test on me; they were rippin’. Sunday was better, but I’m still off pace.”

Phoenix Honda’s Cody Barnes battled back and forth on Saturday with DeLong, topping him in three of the eight tests on Saturday.

“I ran competitively for third pretty much both days,” said Barnes. “I had a tip-over on day one in the cross test and that cost me a lot of time. But I was able to rebound today and run some competitive test times, pushing for that third overall spot, so I just need to clean up a few things and I’ll get good.”

Babbitt’s Online Team Green Monster Energy Kawasaki teammates Grant Baylor and Lyndon Snodgrass battled it out for fourth overall. Snodgrass beat out Baylor in all but one test on Saturday, but Baylor knocked off the rust on Sunday and came back to claim the overall win by one second over Snodgrass for fifth, having not raced a sprint event in four years.

“I started out a little reserved, trying to get used to racing the sprint format again,” said Baylor. “I was a little bit rusty there in the beginning and I’m also one of those guys who gets better as the day goes on, especially after the track gets rougher. The enduro test got sketchy near the end of Saturday, but I was able to nail it on Sunday.”

Enduro Engineering’s Josh Toth had a rough weekend going 7 – 5 for seventh overall. Meanwhile, FMF/ KTM Factory Lander’s Racing KTM’s Angus Riordan had what he called an inconsistent day on Saturday. Another ninth on Sunday left him in ninth overall.

Husqvarna rider Jason Tino won the Pro2 division with an eight overall, finishing five seconds ahead of FMF/ KTM Landers Factory Racing Gus Riordan.

“Saturday was a very inconsistent day for me,” said Riordan. “I really enjoyed the cross-test, it’s been the first original cross-test of the year. It was all grass, and it was fast, so it was good for me. I was up and down on Sunday and had a really bad run in the final enduro test, so I ended up ninth overall.”

Babbitts Off-road Monster Energy Kawasaki’s JoJo Cunningham was the first Pro-Am rider with a 10th overall.

“I’m super happy,” said Cunningham. “I do a local race a few miles from my house and it has fast grass track like this, so I was familiar with the cross-test style. My home track is fast and so was this cross-test, so I felt at home. I just struggle in a couple of places in the enduro-test, I think it’s a bike setup, but overall, I’m pleased.”

FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Brandy Richards dominated the Pro Women’s division, winning all but three of the 16 tests for the weekend. Rockstar Energy

Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Korie Steede was second.

“I definitely struggled out there, and I had a crash on the last test on Saturday, so that hurt,” said Steede. “The cross-test was super-fast so you had to be on your toes, but I didn’t lose too many points over the weekend.”

FactoryONE Sherco’s Rachel Gutish finished third, having just returned from an EnduroGP in Europe.

Trevor Jones returned to win the Pro Electric class on his Stark Varg.

EVENT RESULTS (PRO1)

1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)

2. Liam Draper (YAM)

3. Craig Delong (HSQ)

4. Cody Barnes (HON)

5. Grant Baylor (KAW)

6. Lyndon Snodgrass (KAW)

7. Josh Toth (GG)

8. Layne Michael (YAM)

EVENT RESULTS (PRO WOMEN)

1. Brandy Richards (KTM)

2. Korie Steede (HSQ)

3. Rachel Gutish (SHR)

4. Jordan Jarvis *YAM)

5. Brooke Cosner (KAW)

6. Carly Lee (KTM)

7. Ashlee Gage (KTM)

TOTH WINS BLACK BUFFALO

words by LOGAN DENSMORE photos by MACK FAINT

ROUND 3 KINGSTON, AR

Consistent rain all week led to a wet and challenging enduro for the 3rd Annual Redline Oil Black Buffalo National Enduro in Kingston, AR. The area received multiple inches of rain during the week including a quick harsh storm Saturday afternoon. The Sunday race also received rain for the majority of the 55 mile, 6 test event. Some racers may have just been in survival mode while others pushed through the day putting in impressive rides despite the

conditions. Enduro racing is not easy and part of it is tackling the conditions as much as the course.

Josh Toth was able to become the first multi time winner in the 2024 Redline Oil AMA National Enduro Series aboard his Enduro Engineering backed GasGas. Putting in the fastest times in 3 of the 6 tests, Josh was able to build a 29 second win at the close of the race.

Josh said “My day was solid, pretty much had a decent tip over in every test of the day just hitting rocks that I didn’t see. I tried to minimize mistakes and keep moving forward all day. The track was technical and challenging all day, but it made for a true enduro. It was miserable weather conditions but that made it much more rewarding to come out on top.”

After coming into round 3 tied with Steward Baylor Jr in points, Josh now takes the points lead overall with a 12-point margin.

Starting the day a little off the mark was Babbitts online Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Grant Baylor. Grant was able to find his speed by the 3 test and went on to win 2 of the remaining 4 tests on the day to push up into the 2nd overall position by days end.

3rd overall on the day was an impressive ride by NE Pro2 winner Grant Davis. Grant started the day with the fastest time in test 1 aboard his FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers. Grant was building a lead in the NE Pro2 division all day as well as fighting for the overall podium.

Grant said “It was a great day coming out first test and winning the overall in it. I just kept a nice smooth speed all day until test 5 I got stuck on a hill for about 45 seconds and lost some time to 1st and 2nd overall. Other than that, the test we awesome.”

4th overall and 3rd in NE Pro 1 was Rocky Mountain ATV/ MC Red Bear Kawasaki rider Steward Baylor Jr. Steward said he started off the day with a big crash about 3 turns in on the opening test. For a day that didn’t start off great, Steward turned it around to grab a top 3 finish in the NE Pro 1 class.

5th overall was Max Motorsports Husqvarna rider Evan Smith while Coastal GasGas Factory Racing rider Ryder Lafferty was 6th overall.

Reiner Pump Racing GasGas rider Hunter Bush had an impressive ride in the wet

rocky terrain of Arkansas. Hunter is no stranger to rocks and typically does well in the more technical conditions.

Hunter said “It was a good day for me. Came to the race wanting some redemption after a mechanical issue that ended my day early in Louisiana. I stayed pretty smooth all day and only hit the ground once. Somehow, I lost my rear brakes in the transfer to test 6 so I had to ride test 6 with no rear brakes. I really enjoyed the terrain; I always look forward to the more technical rounds.”

Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Red Bear Kawasaki’s Will Sievenpiper grabbed his first podium of the 2024 season with an impressive 3rd place NE Pro2 finish and 8th overall.

“My day was solid for the most part. Pretty frustrated with myself on the 4th test as I got stuck on one of the hill climbs scattered with a ton of guys. I tried to parallel the hill after getting stuck and midway ended up getting stuck in a gnarly rock garden. Had to turn around go back down to eventually get up. Felt like I could have put it in the top 5 Overall for that not happening.” Said Will.

It has been quite some time, but Coastal GasGas Racing Jordan Ashburn made a rare appearance to the National Enduro Series and finished 9th overall. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing rider

Trevor Bollinger rounded out the top 10 overall.

Winning the Women’s Elite class and extending her points lead was Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Red Bear Racing Kawasakis Rachael Archer. Rachael was able to win 4 of the 5 tests in the Women’s Elite Class.

“I had a great day. I crashed hard in test 3 and broke a hand guard off. That hurt my finger but other than that I had a lot of fun in the rain.” Said Archer.

Returning to the National Enduro Series after missing round 2, Rachel Gutish put her Sherco in the 2nd

overall position in the Women’s Elite Class.

“The track was awesome, and I had a blast. I struggled a bit early on. Once the rain hit it shook me out of it and put a smile on my face. I was able to get it together and come away with one test win. Thanks to the NEPG and the Buffalo Trail Riders club for another great event.” Gutish said.

The Redline Oil AMA National Enduro Series will return to racing at the historic Rocky Mountain ATV/ MC Cherokee National Enduro in Greensboro, GA on June 9.

EVENT RESULTS (XC1)

1. Josh Toth (GG)

2. Grant Baylor (KAW)

3. Steward Baylor (KAW)

4. Evan Smith (HSQ)

5. Ryder Lafferty (GG)

6. Jordan Ashburn (GG)

7. Trevor Bollinger (HSQ)

EVENT RESULTS (WXC)

1. Rachael Archer (KAW)

2. Rachel Gutish (SHR)

3. Shelby Turner (GG)

4. Brooke Cosner (KAW)

5. Prestin Raines (SHR)

6. Emma Hasbell (BET)

7. Felicia Robichaud (YAM)

8. Kylie Harris (BET)

9. Tayler Bonecutter (SHR)

a new era of enduro has begun. featuring revolutionary new fuel injection technology, the 2024 te 300 is primed to take you places you have never gone before.

BAYLOR EARNS SECOND STRAIGHT WIN OF THE SEASON

words by KAYLA BOLTON photos by MACK FAINT

ROUND 6

AMSOIL HOOSIER GNCC CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN

Round Six, AMSOIL Hoosier, of the 2024 Progressive Grand National Cross Country (GNCC Racing) Series presented by Specialized, an AMA National Championship, concluded on Sunday, April 28. The world’s fastest off-road racers were put to the test at Ironman Raceway as track conditions became rutted and tacky after the Saturday rainfall.

When the XC1 Open Pro class saw the green flag waving, it was FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnathan Girroir jumping off the line first to earn the $250 Steel City Medical Center Holeshot Award. Girroir would head into the woods first and hold the lead position for the first five laps of the race. While Girroir was out front, Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor was making his way through the pack. Baylor would make the pass right as the white flag came out indicating one more lap to go.

Baylor would lead over Girroir by just 2.9 seconds as they came through and headed out for their last lap. Baylor put his head down and pushed, coming through to cross the finish line in first, and earning his second-straight win of the season.

Girroir would come through second, but he would be penalized one position for pitting outside of his designated pro pit area, ultimately scoring him as third overall on the day.

Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Craig Delong would be up in the mix battling for a top three position throughout the duration of the race. Delong came through in the third place position, but he would be bumped up to second after Girroir’s penalty was assessed. Delong was charging all day, making the necessary passes from his fifth place start to secure his podium finish at round six.

Coming through to earn fourth overall on the day was Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Jordan Ashburn. After mixing it up at the front of the pack for the first couple of laps, Ashburn would fall back to fifth, but eventually make the pass for fourth to conclude his day in Indiana.

Phoenix Racing Honda’s Mike Witkowski would have another great ride in his home state of Indiana as he came through to round out the top five overall finishers. Witkowski would start his day running in third, but he would be unable to hold off some hard chargers for the threehour duration.

Coming through sixth in XC1 and ninth overall was Rockstar Energy

Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Trevor Bollinger as he had a back-andforth day coming back from eighth place at the halfway point of the race. Active Air/Max Motorsports/ FXR/Husqvarna’s Evan Smith put in a good ride battling for the entire length of the race. Smith would finish seventh in the XC2 class, and 10th overall on the day.

Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/ Kawasaki Team Green’s Grant Baylor battled back from a 12th place start to finish eighth at Ironman Raceway, while Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing’s Ryder Lafferty crossed the line ninth in class and 14th overall. JS Sherco Racing’s Josh Strang rounded out the top 10 finishers in the XC1 class after a hard-fought day of racing.

As the XC2 250 Pro class took off it was Phoenix Racing Honda’s Cody Barnes grabbing the $250 Steel City Medical Center Holeshot Award and headed into the woods first. As the XC2 class raced towards the scoring area, the first four riders were separated by just one second each. The FMF KTM Factory Racing Lander’s duo of Angus Riordan and Grant Davis would swap the lead position throughout the duration of the race, along with AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper battling between the two.

Riordan would continue to hold the lead the second half of the race, but Davis and Draper would continue to

hold on and push for the remaining laps as well. Riordan would cross the line first earning the win in Indiana. Davis and Draper would round out the top three in the XC2 class at round six.

In the FMF XC3 125 Pro-Am class it was Destructo Racing/Dixie Fuel/ Total Control Suspension’s Dustin Simpson grabbing himself the $100 Lojak Cycle Sales XC3 Holeshot Award to start off the day. But soon enough Liqui Moly Factory Beta Racing’s Jhak Walker would emerge through the trees and into the timing and scoring holding the lead position on the opening lap. As the race wore on, Devore/KTMFXR/SRS Suspension’s Dakoda Devore would make the pass of Walker and begin to push forward.

Devore would continue to hold the lead until the checkered flag flew, earning his third FMF XC3 class win of the season. After earning the holeshot Simpson would continue to push at the front of the pack and would ultimately cross the line in second. After suffering a crash during the race Walker would be forced to make a pit stop to work on the bike. Walker would still be able to get back on track and round out the top three FMF XC3 finishers.

Taking the AMSOIL Hoosier Top Amateur honors was Husqvarnabacked Jason Tino as he came through to finish 8th overall on the day and earning the 250 A class win.

Kawasaki Team Green’s Nicholas DeFeo would be second atop the Top Amateur podium as he came through 16th overall and second in 250 A. KTM-backed Cooper Jones rounded out the Top Amateur podium as he finished 17th overall and third in the 250 A class.

The WXC race saw some intense battles throughout the morning, as Enduro Engineering/GASGAS/FXR’s

Shelby Turner got the jump off the line and grabbed herself the $100 Kanati Tires WXC Holeshot Award. However, Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki’s Rachael Archer was ready to battle and made the pass for the lead early on. Archer would continue to lead unbothered for the first two laps, but by the time the white flag flew Rockstar Energy Factory Husqvarna Racing’s Korie Steede was just five seconds behind her. Unfortunately for Steede that momentum was short lived as she Archer emerged from the woods first into timing and scoring to earn her third win of the season.

Enduro Engineering/GASGAS/FXR’s

Shelby Turner would also make a couple of last lap passes to overtake second place in the WXC class, and Sherco USA/Moose/Rachel Gutish Racing’s Rachel Gutish would battle at the front of the pack throughout the race to round out the top three WXC class finishers in Indiana. Steede would cross the line fourth on the day.

Charlie Mullins threw his leg over a motorcycle once again and went GNCC Racing as he competed in the Sportsman A class. Mullins would win the overall as he came through five minutes ahead of Archer who finished second overall. Sportsman A competitor, Cody Groves would come through to earn third overall in the morning race.

EVENT RESULTS (XC1)

1. Jonathan Girroir (KTM)

2. Steward Baylor Jr (KAW)

3. Jordan Ashburn (GG)

4. Craig Delong (HSQ)

5. Grant Baylor (KAW)

6. Michael Witkowski (HON)

7. Trevor Bollinger (HSQ)

8. Evan Smith (HSQ)

9. Josh Strang (SHR)

10. Dante Oliveira (KTM)

EVENT

RESULTS (WXC)

1. Rachael Archer (KAW)

2. Brandy Richards (KTM)

3. Korie Steede (HSQ)

4. Shelby Turner (GG)

5. Rachel Gutish (SHR)

6. Jocelyn Barnes (HSQ)

7. Prestin Raines (SHR)

8. Kaitlyn Lindsey (HSQ)

9. Jordan Jarvis (YAM)

10. Addison Elliott (KTM)