August 2023 On the Pegs Magazine

SMAGE.I.CAL

adjective:

1. Of or relating to, or describing 14 time AMA Trials Champion Pat Smage

Congratulations to FactoryONE Sherco rider Pat Smage on his 14th Championship aboard his Sherco 300 ST.

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USA DEALERS

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CONTENTS

FEATURED ARTICLES

PG 32 - ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A MINDER

PG 24 - MOTO MOTION FREESTYLE TOUR

PG 60 - NATC RHODE ISLAND

PG 100 - AHRMA AT ASHCRAFT FARMS

PG 46 - RED BULL ROMANIACS

PG 82 - RATTLESNAKE ENDURO

photo by Steph Vetterly

Steph Vetterly ADVERTISING

Steph Vetterly

stephanie@onthepegsmagazine.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Abigail Buzzelli

Brian Pierce

Jordi Trey

Tom Trantow

Sam Fastle

Future7Media

Mihai Stetcu

Logan Densmore

Mack Faint

Rick Schill

Rob Fox

Joshua Schucker

Penny Hoch

The Mecatecno factory has been producing the Dragonfly electric trials bikes for over a month now with deliveries to many countries. The bikes are working very well, as my test/demo has been since I received it last November. The bike is very light (132 lbs) and easy to ride with the option of three modes of power that will suit the requirements of any rider. The clutch, if needed, is very soft and the battery will provide five hours of moderate speed riding with a 2.5 hour re-charge time. Retail price is $11,299, not including shipping to your destination. The first container of 24 bikes is due to arrive at my warehouse around May 24th. They are almost all sold out, so contact me to order and for any further information.

www.midwestmototrials.com

• The T-18 Dragonfly is direct-drive 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

• Weight 132 pounds

• Seat can be added for trail riding comfort

DEMARTILE SIGNED FOR TWO MORE YEARS

courtesy of BETA

Beta Motorcycles & Dare DeMartile have agreed to another two-year deal. DeMartile will continue to race the NGPC and WORCS series for the Liqui Moly Beta Racing Team. His 2023 campaign has been interrupted by injury but prior to that, DeMartile was on the podium in both series. Dare is nearing recovery from the injury and will soon race the remaining events of the year in each series aboard a Beta Factory 480 RR.

"We are excited to have Dare for the next two years. His attitude and work ethic is next level and he has the speed to consistently be on the podium. We look forward to continuing our journey together and achieving success in the WORCS and NGPC series with Dare." said Carlen Gardner, Race Team Manager.

"I am super pumped to be signing with Beta USA again!" said DeMartile. "The whole company is building and I’m blessed to be a part of it! It’s going to be a great two years!"

LIPSCOMB SIGNED FOR TWO MORE YEARS

courtesy of BETA

Beta Motorcycles has re-signed Jason Lipscomb to the Liqui Moly Beta Racing Team for two more years. Lipscomb is currently third in the points in the GNCC XC3 class with four podiums and a win this year. Lipscomb will look to carry this momentum to next season as he will move up to compete in the XC2 class at the GNCCs. He will also race the NE Pro2 class at the National Enduro, his first time competing in that series. Jason will be riding a

Beta Factory 250 RR next year in both series.

"Jason has been very strong in the XC3 class for the past 2 years. He has the speed and skill to compete at a high level. I look forward to him finishing this year off strong and continuing his strong riding into the next couple of seasons." said Carlen Gardner, Race Team Manager.

"I’m excited to continue riding for Beta USA in the XC2 class for the next 2 years," said Lipscomb. "We’ve had some success in the XC3 class and I’m looking forward to moving up and carrying what I’ve learned into the new class!"

TRY TRIALS AT THE NEPG WITH BETA

For anyone who has been curious about trying to sport of Trials, Beta Motorcycles will be providing demos and basic training on its Trials EVO motorcycles at the last three rounds of the National Enduro. Trials is a great way to cross-train and improve enduro riding. Each session will be up to 10 people and roughly an hour long. The first part of the session will be instruction on basic trials technique and then the second half will be riding the 2 or 3 laidout sections. Helmets, boots, and gloves will be available for use in addition to the use of the trials bike.

After the session participants will receive a $500 discount coupon for an EVO bike should they decide to purchase one in the next 6 months. There will be three to four sessions at each of the National Enduros this year starting September 10th. Please sign up on-site at the Beta Trials Tent at National Enduro. Must be 18 years or older to participate.

The final three rounds of the 2023 Magna 1 AMA National Enduro Series will have Beta on site to Try Trials on Saturday starting with the Little Raccoon National Enduro in Wellston, OH in September.

courtesy of BETA

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT

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Part # - 23-1024

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SPOTLIGHT

BULLET PROOF DESIGNS SWINGARM GUARD

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The chain guide tabs are part of the cast swingarm design; the thinnest, lowest part of the bike and takes

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massive amounts of stress and impacts. If the chain guide tabs are damaged, the swingarm will need to be replaced, or repaired which is costly. Prevent costly damage by installing the Bullet Proof Designs Swingarm Guard.

Made in the USA and includes our Lifetime Warranty.

#10X12Challenge

Earlier this year, we introduced a new initiative from Abigail Buzzelli called the 10x12 Challenge, designed to get more people on the pegs, riding motorcycles. We're back to celebrate everyone who completed their second month's challenge - riding at least 10 days in the month of July

Congratulations to the following riders:

Beth Ali

Chris Bankston

Tyler Bankston

Keith Bell

Kevin Bobal

Heidi Brenner

Nick Bryant

Lara Burnett

Abigail Buzzelli

Chris Buzzelli

Michael Chrisman

Beckett Dandignac

Emmy Dandignac

Kyler Dandignac

Ellis Daw

Max Dracha

Brad Evans

Karl Faruzel

Norman Foley

Rob Fox

Bradd Fox

John French

Zackary Guelde

Kenny Gwyn

Ash Harrison

Cheyenne Hawkins

Brittney Hoy

Tommy Justice

Caroline Kent

Roman Lomaya

Kayla Lovejoy

Mike Mazak

Don Mealor

John Montoya

Terry Ottinger

Annsley Owens

Will Owens

Wyatt Owens

Becky Owens

Josh Owens

Al Paradis JR

Hank Paradis

Stevie Paradis

Adam Partin

Toni Profer Roach

Jason Robb

Nicole Robinson

Michelle Robinson

Jimmy Sharpe

Martin Sturla

Tom Trantow

Seth Vorseth

If you don't see your name on the list, visit www.10x12challenge.com to see the challenge rules and get your July swag.

Tom Trantow

Ash Harrison

Beth Ali

Tyler Bankston

Episode 23.7 is all about finding a balanced bike. It starts with spring rate, setting your sag, then fork tube height, and we tweak from there. The goal in all of this is to find a baseline setting that keeps the rider comfortable, stable, and propelling the bike forward.

Alan “Doc” Cotton is a Race Tech Suspension tuner out of his shop, 812 Suspension, in Round Rock, Texas. This is the second time he’s been on the Seat Time Podcast, as he was a guest back in 2021 on Episode 21.3. For this episode, we discuss all the things that go into a balanced dirt bike setup.

EP 23.7 | Finding a Balanced Bike - Alan "Doc" Cotton

Toward the end, we also discusses a few Bike, Body, Mind things that keep Doc enjoying himself while #GettingSeattime!

First Ride Does it REALLY work?

words BRIAN PIERCE // SEAT TIME

The CounterShox is said to provide high frequency smoothing for sharp impulse frequencies that reduce rider ‘Death Gripping, reduce front wheel deflection, and reduce rider fatigue. That’s a lot of big words! Did it do that?

CounterShox has created a tuned mass damper (TMD) for motorcycles. We believe there is a mountain bike version in the works as well. The concept is the device will help tame forces that interact with the front wheel. This way, less forces get brought to the suspension, the chassis, and the handlebars. Their website and

marketing material says it “allows riders to get back on the throttle harder, it reduces fork topouts (better front fork effectiveness), and improves front wheel traction, tracking, and rolling”. Over time, we’ll see if we agree that the CounterShox does these things. So far, in rocky, fast terrain, we’re impressed with the results.

Open up new possibilities.

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.

MotoMotion at AMA

AMA Vintage Days

words and photos STEPH VETTERLY

For those of us who spend time around dirt bikes or trials bikes, seeing flips and tricks may seem like the norm, but for those noninitiated, seeing bikes upside down (on purpose), doing nose-wheelies and stoppies, it's like seeing a whole new world.

This is part of the reason why Jordi Trey brought the Moto Motion Freestyle Tour to life.

Beginning his trials career at the age of 14, Jordi worked up his skill set to ride the High School class in the AMA NATC National Mototrials Championship Series in 2013 and 2014. He found an opportunity to join fellow trials rider, Karl Davis Jr, on the Marvel Universe LIVE stunt

show at the age of 18, learning tricks and the art of running a business.

Two years ago, the Moto Motion Freestyle Tour began, and it's been growing ever since. We had a chance to talk with Jordi at one of the tour's most recent venues - AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days with fellow performers Karl Davis Jr (PRO trials rider) and Logan Bolopue (PRO trials rider turned PRO hard enduro racer) - to learn a bit more about the show, it's creator, and Jordi's vision for its future.

What shows have you been part of over the years?

With the Marvel shows, I learned a lot of stuff off the bike, actually, so

that kind of brought me into more stunts for film, a lot of fighting, martial arts, falling, things that sound silly – it’s what you do as a kid, but now it’s our jobs [laughs] full-time to do in front of the big screen. It’s been more so a lot of live shows – the Marvel show was obviously a big one – but really from there, I branched into film and tv.

I lived in Atlanta for a few years and could utilize my trials background to introduce that to other bikes; we do Harley stunt shows, wheelieing Harleys and supermotos, just taking these trials bike skills, taking it to a film set and introducing it to people, showing them pictures, videos, concepts, so that they can put trials bikes into movies, dress them up

and look cool. We can still do these stunts.

It's been really big with film and television more than the live stuff. We’re back on the Marvel show now; it really doesn’t stop – every weekend is something.

Anything people may have seen you in?

A lot of tv shows on Netflix; a big one was Outer Banks. I did a lot of stunt-doubling for a character called Rafe. Really cool guy. Outer Banks has been a really big tv show over the years. I didn’t even watch it before I was on it [laughs], and realized it’s a really big deal.

Logan Bolopue

Tulsa King is a big tv show with Sylvester Stallone. A few really cool movies, a lot of smaller movies; there’s probably 15 or 20 movies you’d never hear of or know of, but they all need stunts, they all need cool things. I got to do some fighting with Sylvester Stallone in Tulsa King, and I got to do a lot of fighting and riding. I have tattoos, and I can play the biker at the bar, I can double a lot of people. It’s pretty different, though. I’ve had to shave my head completely bald for roles to double people, but it’s taken me all around the country. It’s a whole other avenue to still be on a motorcycle and make money. It’s just been unreal.

What is a typical show like?

It’s called Moto Motion because we’ve got guys on the bike flipping, we’ve got guys off the bike flipping some events, events with aerialists, martial artists, tumblers, gymnasts. Typically, our show will have an announcer, then two riders, maybe some people flipping and doing tricks off the bike. It’s all freestyle, we’re all just having fun.

We’re still pretty small, but to do events like Nascar, MotoAmerica, the Superbike series, AMA Vintage Days – one of the biggest motorcycle events in the entire country –Daytona Bike Week, Sturgis, anything and everything in between.

Karl Davis Jr

Why trials bikes?

Just the novelty of a trials bike; busting it out, people haven’t even seen one, even at an event like AMA Vintage Days where there’s an actual vintage trials on site. A lot of people haven’t even seen this, so when we can still show them what the bike is made for, and then show them what it’s not made for – the freestyle, kind of our slogan – it’s really interesting. We can fit into such a small area. We’ve done shows inside dealerships, Harley dealers, and just all over the country. Even before this, we were in Orlando, Gettysburg at a motorcycle rally, we do fairs, we do stuff at like high schools and middle schools.

Where would you like Moto Motion to go? What does the future look like?

I think about that every five seconds. It is cool – I’ve obsessed over business stuff when I was a kid. I went to business college for a year in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania. I really didn’t like it too much. Then, as soon as I left, I joined the Marvel show. And that was kind of a kick, like “wow, maybe it was a good decision to leave school, what most people are doing, to go and do this, and do actual business.” As far as the future of it, just keep doing it, keep getting bigger and bigger. We work with a lot of other martial artists, a lot of other performers that people aren’t super familiar with –

fire performers, aerialists, everything – so mixing that all together to the brand. Eventually, I’d love to have a venue that has performances, kind of an outdoor nightlife venue where people can come, have a good time, see performances, and just grow it bigger and bigger. We started with a small van and small trailer, then we got a bigger van and a bigger trailer, now we have two trailers and a couple vans. It’s only been two years that we’ve been doing this, so it’s realistically been growing pretty exponentially. Just seeing people in the shirts, walking around the event is enough for us – that’s why we do it. We can have four or five people at a show, our friends who are

world-class performers, that are all performing and having jobs – I think that’s the coolest part. Obviously, we get to make money doing it, and that’s just a treat for us because we just love doing it.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT

MOTO MOTION ENTERTAINMENT

THE ADVANTAGES OF HAVING A MINDER

words TOM TRANTOW photos STEPH VETTERLY

What is the purpose of having a minder at a mototrials event? How does an individual sport like observed mototrials work when there is a team? Recently, I had the opportunity to serve as a minder for pro rider Sam Fastle at the Rhode Island AMA/NATC national event. Sam’s regular minder, his brother Jordan, was not able to attend. Since Sam and I have been riding together and making video content, he asked me if I would join him for this event. This was my first time at a national event, and my first time as a minder. You can see just how the event went from my perspective in video format by following the link at the end of this article. However, I want to explore here the many roles that a minder can have.

There are many hats that a minder can wear to assist the rider. It all depends on what the rider needs. Sam told me that he primarily needed someone to help him keep time during the sections, to carry tools and water, and to help catch the bike. Each of those can be elaborated on, so let me start with the last one.

CATCHER/SPOTTER -

As the level of mototrials increases in difficulty, it also becomes more dangerous since the obstacles get bigger. There is a paramount need to keep the rider safe and the machine operational. A minder needs to position themselves in such a way as to be available to catch and hold the motorcycle so that it does not fall back on the rider or get damaged should the rider not make it to the top of an obstacle. Most often this failure occurs at the top of large rock ledges that are exceedingly difficult to ride.

Through practice, I learned to be ready to grab the front fork or the front wheel and anchor myself down. It is vital to avoid grabbing the motorcycle only to be pulled off the ledge along with the motorcycle.

This key safety responsibility of the minder is what I was most nervous about. What if I didn’t catch his motorcycle and it resulted in a bad crash? That happens. Minders make mistakes, just like riders do. This was the hardest part for me to cope with as I had my share of missed catches. A month before the event, I asked Sam to practice this aspect with me. It takes some repetition to get comfortable standing at the edge of a ledge positioned close enough to the rider's intended line to quickly grab a 300 cc motorcycle revved at near max RPM. It is easy to recoil back and then not be in a position to make the save. There is a trust that starts to develop when the minder can safely say, “I’ve got you. If you don’t make it up, I will catch the bike. But I won’t touch you or the bike unless you are going to fall.”

PACK MULE -

Tools, water and nutrition are an important part of riding, but being able to ride without the extra weight is a big advantage. Due to the size of the obstacles at the professional level, they are more likely to endure damage to their motorcycles and need spare parts and tools. This was an easy part for me. Just suck it up and ride with an extra 30 lbs. on my back, which included my water as well. However, it wasn’t just carrying the pack that was important. I also needed to help ensure that Sam was drinking enough to stay hydrated and taking in enough calories to replenish all that he was burning. The 1st day of competition was extremely hot and humid and we saw a rider down with heat stroke. Being somewhat of a nutritionist, I know it is important for the rider

to stay ahead of their hydration and nutrition. It plays a big part in their mental and physical ability to compete at an elevated level. Not only hydration, but also caloric intake during the event is critical as riders are usually competing for over 6 hours. If their mind loses focus, they are already starting to get behind on their nutritional needs. Having endurance sports experience allowed me to be very familiar with utilizing powders, gels, and bars for rapid calorie intake. Sam utilized Hammer Nutrition products and they came in clutch to keep him from bottoming out especially on Saturday when the weather was so hot.

TRAINING PARTNER -

Sam and I started riding and training together with a more focused intentional effort during the months leading up to the Rhode Island National. Having a training partner can be a real catalyst to push the rider to their next level and develop the chemistry that is needed in critical moments of a section. Despite my riding skills being way below Sam’s, I was still able to encourage him in his training and workout efforts leading up to the event. Sending texts, setting goals for running and lifting, and having a partner to help you be accountable can really make a difference.

TIMEKEEPER -

Learning how to communicate clearly and effectively is essential for the quick adjustments that are often needed during the 90 seconds allowed in a section. Rear tire placement for optimal traction was one of my main responsibilities along with keeping time and shouting out at regular intervals how much time he had remaining. This proved valuable as there were longer sections where time was a challenge and it was better to at least finish within the allotted time, even if it meant taking points for dabbing multiple times.

STRATEGIST -

In addition to the above roles, certain riders will benefit from a minder who can help them strategize in a section. What lines to take, gear choices and which technique to use are often sorted out by chatting with other riders and minders. This was an amazing opportunity for me to listen and learn from superior riders. Hanging out with pro level riders definitely changed my perspective on what is possible on a motorcycle. There were multiple places I could not walk up or climb up and these guys were riding motorcycles up these boulders. Seeing the near impossible done routinely began to

normalize the difficult terrain for me. I was able to come back to my home practice spot and think - this stuff seems small and easy.

COACH -

Parents often mind for their children and provide wisdom from previous years of experience. I occasionally get the opportunity to ride with Adam Blumhorst as he minds for his son, Preston. I have had the privilege of gleaning from Adam’s wisdom and learning what lines to ride by eavesdropping on their conversations. Riders often get emotional about their performance

and having a mental coach to keep the rider focused during or after sections is huge. Sam’s a very levelheaded guy, so I did not have to play this role very often. But for many riders, this role can make the difference in whether they get on the podium.

MEDIC -

Ideally, you don't need a minder to assist as a medic or mechanic, but accidents and bike issues do happen. It is always good to ride and train with others so that you are not alone.

RIDING BUDDY -

During these last few months, I think developing a friendship with Sam was among the best highlights for me. He knew that I was not able to bring to the table all the above qualities, but that I would give it my best effort. Sam is a really easygoing guy to work with. There was no pressure, but just to have fun and stay safe. That made the experience one that I will never forget.

If you have considered going to a national or local mototrials event or want to be a better rider yourself, hanging out with higher level riders is the best way to do that. Offering to be a minder will teach you things and allow you an opportunity to serve someone other than yourself. Whether it's helping the next

generation of riders as a parent or uncle or learning from better riders than yourself and serving their needs, becoming a minder will grow your character. Minding is about another person's success, and being able to put that ahead of your own riding development can be challenging. It is not for everyone, but it will teach you humility and to serve others. Riding mototrials is a humbling sport. The terrain usually humbles you. But you can also learn to humble yourself by serving others and speed up the character development in your own life.

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2023 Ryan Young Training Schedule @ TTC

April 22-23

June 24-25

July 15-16

September 9-10

October 7-8

November 11-12

Trials have always been my passion and my livelihood. Throughout the years I have learned so much and I became a 6x National Champion and then a Teacher, I love sharing all of my Knowledge, Techniques and experiences as well as riding trials and meeting new people to encourage and help them become a better rider whether you ride a Trials Motorcycle, Enduro motorcycle or any type of motorcycle. I just enjoy supporting the motorcycle community and their Clubs. I have been perfecting my trials schools over the past 35 Years teaching all around North America. My Trial Schools cover every Trials Technique needed to become a CHAMPION, I will be covering over 20 Techniques that are extremely well broken down, methodically taught, instructed and demonstrated. It is a step by step process working your way from the basics to the most advanced techniques. I will watch you perform each Technique taught and critique you so you get a better understanding of the technique and performance. Ryan Young's Trials schools have produced many National Champions in many different classes over the years. I'm looking forward to teaching the next champion! -Ryan

Young

LETTENBICHLER EXTENDS LEAD AT RED BULL ROMANIACS

words HEWC

photos FUTURE7MEDIA AND MIHAI STETCU, RED BULL CONTENT POOL

2023 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship

Round 3 Romania

July 30, 2023

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler has won round three of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship at Red Bull Romaniacs. In what’s been a superb week-long performance by the German, he secured his fourth victory at the world’s toughest Hard Enduro Rally by over one hour, while also claiming his third consecutive win of the 2023 season.

Trystan Hart

In the battle for the remainder of the top three, FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart took a debut podium in the race with second overall, becoming the first Canadian to do so. By taking the final Offroad Day win, ECONT Bulgaria’s Teodor Kabakchiev overhauled Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt for third.

And just like that, the 20th edition of the Red Bull Romaniacs has been decided. In what’s been an incredibly exciting, demanding, and exceptional week of racing, it was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler who ultimately raced his way to the overall victory at round three of the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.

Entering the fourth and final Offroad Day with a virtual grasp on the winner’s trophy, Lettenbichler’s race lead of 58 minutes would prove impossible to catch. A strong start to his day saw him top the opening checkpoint. With a smart, safe, and controlled ride, he managed his pace well throughout the day.

Arriving second to the finishing arena behind Kabakchiev, the KTM rider took the final climbs in his stride and crossed the finish line as the overall winner to make it a hat trick of wins in 2023.

For Kabakchiev, the final Offroad Day marked a great chance to finish on the overall podium. Starting the day trailing Bolt by five minutes,

the Bulgarian pushed for all his worth. Fastest in three of the four checkpoints before the service point, Teodor was on a mission. Clean and fast through the remainder of the day, he won Offroad Day 4 on corrected time and with it earned his place on the podium with third. Knowing he had a sizeable cushion over both Kabakchiev and Bolt in their battle for third, Trystan Hart rode to maintain his position of runner-up in Red Bull Romaniacs. Ending his day sixth, he did more than enough to not only secure his debut podium in the race, but also become the first Canadian to stand on podium in the world’s toughest Hard Enduro Rallye. That result now bumps him up to second overall in the championship standings heading into his home race at Red Bull Outliers.

For Bolt, hopes of a debut Red Bull Romaniacs podium didn’t materialise. Despite holding third overall until the final day, the Britwho’s been battling a shoulder injury - couldn’t hold the flying Bulgarian at bay. Ending his day seventh, he slipped to fourth in the final result.

Arguably getting stronger and stronger as the race grew tougher, Sherco Factory Racing’s Mario Roman enjoyed another solid day in the saddle. The Spaniard put together a consistent day to take third, just edging out teammate Wade Young in fourth. Young

Manuel Lettenbichler

Billy Bolt

however would ultimately get the better of his teammate in the overall standings to end the 20th edition of the Red Bull Romaniacs in fifth.

After a big week of racing in the Carpathian Mountains for the world’s toughest Hard Enduro Rallye, the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship enters the second half of the season with round four at Red Bull Outliers, Canada on August 26-27.

Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM): “I’m super stoked with how the whole week has gone. To get my fourth Red Bull Romaniacs win and hat trick of victories in the championship this year is kinda crazy. After last year’s frustration, it feels like redemption to come back and win again. Each day I gave it my best because you just never know what is around the corner here. With three wins from three starts we’re in a good place in the championship too as we enter the second half.”

Trystan Hart (KTM): “I’m blown away by how good this week has gone for me. To get my first podium here and to be the first Canadian on a Red Bull Romaniacs podium is special. I feel like I’m still learning this race every day we ride. It’s been a hell of week and it didn’t let up, even in the finishing arena. My home race of Red Bull Outliers is next, so I’m excited for that.”

Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM): “It’s been a big comeback all week to get this podium result. With my 30-minute penalty on Offroad Day 1, I just kept pushing to see what I could do. In the end I won two days and got third. I’m proud of that. You can’t give up in this sport!”

Billy Bolt (Husqvarna): “It’s been a tough week. Red Bull Romaniacs is never easy but coming here with limited bike time and still nursing an injury added to the difficulty of it. It started out great, but as the race

continued it wore me down. I would have loved to take the podium, but ultimately the goal was always to reach the finish line.”

Wade Young (Sherco): “This edition of Red Bull Romaniacs didn’t let up. Each day was hard, at the limit of possible. Overall I feel like I had a good week and was able to put a consistent race together.”

RESULTS:

1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM)

2. Trystan Hart (KTM)

3. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM)

4. Billy Bolt (HSQ)

5. Wade Young (SHR)

6. Michael Walkner (GG)

7. Mario Roman (SHR)

8. Graham Jarvis (HSQ)

9. Sonny Goggia (KTM)

10. Matthew Green (KTM)

SERIES STANDINGS:

1. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM)

2. Trystan Hart (KTM)

3. Billy Bolt (HSQ)

4. Teodor Kabakchiev (KTM)

5. Michael Walkner (GG)

6. Graham Jarvis (HSQ)

7. Wade Young (SHR)

8. Mario Roman Serrano (SHR)

9. Alfredo Gomez Cantero (RIE)

10. Matthew Green (KTM)

Michael Walkner

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Photo: F. Montero

SMAGE TAKES

TAKES 14

words and photos STEPH VETTERLY

Rounds 7&8

Exeter, RI

July 29-30, 2023

FactoryONE Sherco's Pat Smage can add another championship title after dominating both final rounds of the 2023 AMA NATC National Mototrials Championship Series, presented by Trial Store USA.

The last time the series visited Rhode Island, the PRO class looked very different. It was 2017. After battling with Montesa Honda's Marc Freixa and narrowly missing out on the 2016 championship, Team RYP's Pat Smage was back with a vengeance, more determined than ever to reclaim the title. Team RYP's Andrew Putt was getting better and better, leading many to believe he might be capable of taking the championship win in the near future.

Alex Niederer was still wearing red, but under the GasGas banner. There was still a Roper on the roster, but it was older brother, Bryan running the PRO plate while Josh was working his way up the Expert class with Alex Myers.

Having hosted nationals and world rounds, the Rhode Island venue in

the Arcadia Management Area is no joke. The terrain boasts big and technical rocky areas that get slick and slimy in the rain (as was the case on Saturday back in 2017).

The return to Exeter played very much like a song on repeat, with high humidity and the threat of rain, which thankfully held off until noncompetition hours.

With a full roster of 125 riders, Saturday's competition started off on a short 3.6-mile loop. The first few sections eased the PRO class into a much more difficult trial than they'd seen this season. FactoryONE Scorpa's Alex Myers made some unfortunate mistakes early in the loop, leaving a lot of ground to make up. Dropping 36 points on his first loop, he fixed some of his hiccups to follow up with 25 points on each of the remaining loops for a total of 86 points on the day for a fifth-place finish.

Beta's Alex Niederer had a slightly better start to the day and was able to hold fairly consistent, going 2731-22. After having a solid hold on third place during the first loop, a five on section 11 dropped him to fourth; with some extra points in his second loop, he wasn't quite able to break onto the podium.

Getting his third PRO-class career podium was FactoryONE Sherco's Will Myers. Despite a few sections

Will Myers

giving him trouble throughout the day, Will made some smart decisions to sacrifice a few points to conserve energy (and save some bike parts in the process). Section 8 and 9 were side-by-side in massive rock gardens and were essentially sections of survival. Section 8 added an extra challenge for the PRO class by posting a gate at the very top of the rocky hill, which most Pros learned was near impossible.

"[The] first couple sections are always the most stressful," explained Will. "Once we got to section three or four, I finally found my groove. I realized it wasn’t going to be a very easy day; it was going to be a clean-or-five trial – either you make it up the big rock or you don’t. There were quite a few hits

that freaked me out a little bit, honestly. I believe it was in section 4, we had a big roll-up that was pretty high. Luckily, I never had to come back off that or anything. I was able to get it up there my last loop. Section 8 definitely freaked me out the most; we had a big step on the top that was really huge. I did fall off of it my first lap; it scared me and freaked me out a little bit. I ended up punching that one the rest of the day, just because we didn’t have a whole lot of time to fix any broken things, and I didn’t want to break myself, I didn’t want to break the bike. We weighed the pros and cons; the only person to make it was Pat [Smage]. I watched Josh [Roper] fling his bike off of it, and thought 'I’ll definitely pass on that one.' "

Rhode Island was going to be the true test to see if GasGas's Josh Roper had the full skillset to take the championship from Pat. Everyone was busy calculating what place each rider had to finish in order to win. While Josh's skills have taken a tremendous leap forward in recent years, this weekend revealed some areas he'll need to focus on if he wants the number one plate.

When the rocks have grip and the terrain is solid, it can be anyone's trial - one dab can make or break a podium position. But when the rains come on the east coast, and

the rocks can't be trusted to help you with traction, that's when Pat's talent really shines - being able to find traction when there is no traction.

For the first two loops, the Sherco rider dropped only two points. Finishing the third loop with an additional four points, it was a pretty sizeable lead for first place - Pat with six points, Josh with 56 points.

"Today went great for me," said Pat. "This was definitely the best I’ve felt on the bike this year and I really put it together right away with two

one-point loops. After the first one, I was thinking I wouldn’t be able to pull it off again, but I kept focus and tried my best and just kept riding really well. I had another one in the third loop and a three in section 11 –it was getting pretty slick and pretty muddy and had to pull myself up a rock. I think the sections were the best they’ve been all year, definitely much more difficult than the other rounds. I think it’s on the right path of what we need for section difficulty. They were technical; there was some big stuff, but it wasn’t all just big hits, it was a medium-sized hit with a really tricky run and stuff like that. I’m happy and surprised to ride this well because it hasn’t been feeling that great until this [event], and I hope I can continue it into tomorrow.

[Today] was a good test because there was quite a bit of mud out there. They found the mud holes to send us through [laughs]; typically I don’t like that, but today I was feeling good enough to enjoy the challenge. The sections were changing loop to loop. I just tried to ride like my old self. I broke away from everybody and picked my own lines. Even when some of the guys weren’t liking the lines I was looking at when we were walking them, I wanted to stick with what I thought I could do and it worked out for me."

"Today was very very slippery," said Josh. "There were some really tricky lines out there that I just couldn’t

quite figure out. They did a fantastic job with the sections; I thought it was a really good event, I just really need to work on my wet, slippery riding and awkward approaches and stuff like that because that’s what killed me today. There was a pretty big uphill and a pretty big wall at the very end that I wasn’t able to get, but I got pretty close. I ended up with a pretty nasty crash on my second lap [in section 8] – we’re all good though. Today was more about making sure you made it clean on the easier-type sections and making sure you still try your best through the hard sections."

Josh's crash in section 8 resulted in a broken airbox and damaged exhaust, which meant some time spent doing trailside maintenance.

Coming back for more of the same, the total rider count dropped a bit as Rhode Island really put riders to the test. Still, 105 riders were back at it to battle in the last round of the season.

Starting out with more fives than he cared for, it was 33 points out of the gate for Josh, missing the mark on five sections. While this was the first trial of the year that allowed some leeway in dabs, it would be a tough score to come back from when Alex Myers took a solid 20 points on the opening loop.

Despite improving each loop (3320-13), it wasn't quite enough, with

Josh missing out on second place by a single point, the first time this season, to Alex, despite the Scorpa rider having both a mechanical issue and flat tire on his later loops.

Alex was extremely happy to take a second-place finish, the second time in his PRO career (the first being Sunday in Nebraska 2019).

"The first loop was going really good," explained Alex. "I made a very very conscious effort to move up in the pack; I was the last PRO to go out. I really fought hard to get to the front runners, the guys who were leading. Pretty much the whole first loop, I was only the third or fourth rider to go, right in the slot – perfect. Just enough to see

them ride. The lines got really really slippery; that’s what got me on Saturday. The lines got so slippery after eight guys go over them, just eight is all it takes and the lines are trashed, especially on the first loop when it’s wet and dewy. Sunday, I made sure to stay ahead and just keep riding. Luckily, I was able to do that on the first loop.

I couldn’t be happier. It's been a long fight for this. This year, we have a brand-new bike, so there’s a whole learning curve there, how to work on it, how to tune it. I’m happy that we could finally show what it’s capable of. A Sherco-Scorpa 1-2, you really can’t ask for much more. Congrats to Pat [Smage] for 14

championships. I’m hoping to carry this momentum into the off-season and fight hard next year."

Unfortunately the only rider in her class, GasGas's Maddie Hoover had a discussion with the NATC Officials and decided to take the leap and move up to ride the Expert line. With the trials community being what it is, numerous riders stepped up to help Maddie's dad, Gary, mind for her when it was her turn. Riders and minders like Beta's Jay Gregorowicz, Vertigo's Dalton Land, Nick Fonzi, and Trials Superstore's Payden Campbell, stepped up to help out, showing that it doesn't matter what brand you ride (or ride for).

Taking a pretty solid finish, Maddie

dropped 124 points on Saturday, which would equate to an 11thplace finish compared to the Expert class. Dropping a few more to finish with 135 points on Sunday would have put her in the top 10 (ninth place).

"The championship [for Women’s Pro] was already wrapped up," explained Maddie on her move to the Expert line. "There were no other women riding the Women’s Pro this weekend, so the NATC and I decided that it would be alright for me to ride expert as the Women’s Pro line, just to try it out and see what the next level would be. This winter, I can take steps to hopefully ride Expert as the Women’s Pro line for the next season.

Alex Myers with minder Lewie Bolopue

It was definitely a big jump between ES (blue line) and Expert (red line); we knew that going into it. The obstacles were a bit bigger, it was definitely more technical, and it was very slippery today, so that probably added a big factor to it. I was making progress every lap and I was noticing that the sections were the right level for me to start pushing in order to get better. I really enjoyed today; I thought it was good. I was making it through at least half of the sections each lap. Even though I was a little inconsistent, I was still making progress.

I’m happy with the season. Obviously, getting the championship is super exciting. I wish the ES class was a little bit harder throughout the year so we could’ve pushed a little bit, but riding Expert class was definitely the highlight of the year for me. Just being able to feel confident enough to attempt every section was a small win for me, and I would definitely like to try again next year to do Expert as the Women’s Pro line."

"We came to Rhode Island with one goal in mind, and that was to be Top 5 at the end of the year," said Beta USA's Alex Niederer. "Started out with a fourth [place] yesterday, so close to the podium. Felt really good going into today. First loop went so-so; some good rides, some bad rides, it was what it was – really not bad, but not great. Second loop started off absolutely amazing. Clean in section 1, clean in section 2, clean in 3, made it through 4 but timed out – ok – cleaned 5, then epic crash in 6 – smoked my thumb, ended up duct-taping it to finish the loop. Things went a little south from there, but still ended up pulling off almost an identical score to the

first loop. Second loop, Kaitlyn brought out some real tape, fixed me up; I don’t really know how I hung onto the bike, but we got through some important sections, and chose our battles wisely. Here we are, weekend’s over and goal achieved – we’re fifth for the day. There was only one time all season that I wasn’t in the top five.

I think it was probably my most consistent year [laughs]. Not my best year, but definitely my most consistent. Now time to take some time off."

Maddie Hoover

Alex Niederer with minder

Tom Fraser

"Today was tough," said GasGas's Daniel Blanc-Gonnet, who went 6-6 to finish out the season. "I feel like I started the day with almost zero confidence – I wasn’t hitting my lines, I wasn’t pushing the extra mile when I needed to, and it just kept compounding. After a while, I started expecting to get a certain score instead of fighting for a clean, and it just seemed like I couldn’t get traction if it hit me in the face. I was really struggling, but just kept digging and kept working at it and started making little improvements here and there. I would say my last lap was my best, but I know I could’ve done better. I started to put it together and have three or

four cleans my last lap, which was definitely an improvement. I started hitting my marks a little more, but for sure I know the areas I need to improve on. Mentally, I think I wasn’t in a good place, and I haven’t put enough time in the wet, slippery stuff. It was a very physical event, and I don’t think I was fit enough. There’s a lot of homework to do.

Overall, it was a fun season. It feels short but sweet. It’s really hard to complain about the bikes because they’ve run perfect all season. My minder, Brian Stull, has been doing a fantastic job. There’s no bad days on a bike, but there’s some days that are worse than others."

Daniel Blanc-Gonnet with minder Brian Stull

"My riding was terrible today, just about every part of it," said Beta USA's Cole Cullins, who went 7-7. "It was the hardest day of trials of my life. Yesterday was the secondhardest day of trials of my life [laughs]. It was just a really long day of not being able to do what I needed to do, and it was frustrating and embarrassing and just rough to have all the stuff… A lot of it, I think, if I was given enough tries I could’ve done it, but having a minute-and-a-half and doing it consistently was just not something that was happening. Mostly, I was just frustrated. There are definitely a couple things that I know I really need to work on before next year –just working through stuff quicker

and there are a couple of techniques I need to get down a little better.

I would’ve liked to have done better... I know I could’ve done better, but it’s not that far off from what I expected. I think it’s just a lot of frustration knowing all the stuff I could’ve done better and just kind of didn’t. It is what it is. Move on. Get better for next year, because I am not down to struggle that hard again [laughs]. I’ve got some work to do. Hopefully, I can go back home, ride with Josh [Roper] and all those guys a bunch. Josh said he’s got a bunch of stuff to work on, too, so hopefully we can go ride some stuff together and struggle less next time."

Cole Cullins with minder Chris Cullins

"I rode some sections," said TRS Kentucky's Sam Fastle, who went 8-8 for the weekend. "There were a lot of fives, one clean, a few dabs here and there… so it was horrible [laughs]. I had a lot of fun; they were great sections and great riding. I just couldn’t put all five obstacles together, so a little frustrating. Tough that this was the one event I got to ride this year and it’s just incredibly difficult, but I had fun. Thank you to everyone that helped put it on; it was great. Thanks to my minder, Tom [Trantow], he had some amazing catches out there, cause I found myself under the bike way too

many times just flipping off ledges and cliffs and he did a great job. It was fun to be out here hanging out with my friends, but it was tough and hot. Big shout out to Hammer Nutrition; I probably would’ve died if I didn’t have my nutrition stuff here! The electrolytes, all the fizzies, kept me alive."

Sam Fastle with minder Tom Trantow

"[Today's riding was] not so good, really," explained Richard Midgley, aka "Milky." "It was a little bit too hot for me. I’m from the north of England, and it’s not very hot there. The humidity got to me. My first lap was ok, my second lap was shot, and my last lap was really good. I enjoyed it, but I rode terrible.

Back in Europe, especially in England, it’s more like straight line at everything. Section 7 was my jam; if all the sections had been like section 7, I’d have been on a clean today. It’s very different. Compared to the European Championships and National Championships and stuff, the amount of riders and the atmosphere and the friendship between everyone is totally different, in a good way. Everybody encouraging everybody

– everybody’s been here since like Tuesday or Wednesday, which is not normal. If you go to a British Championship or a Belgian Championship, where I’m living now, everybody turns up on a Sunday, everyone’s miserable, they take the bikes out of the van, ride, then they go home, whereas everybody’s here. The support from the manufacturers is really amazing to see, especially from working in the industry and going to Championships. There are Championships where the manufacturers go, but the support that everybody gets here – I don’t know whether the riders pay for parts, but they go in and the manufacturers are like “what do you need?”… air filter, change the oil, whatever they need… it’s really good to see."

Congratulations to Pat Smage on his 14th career title. Congratulations to everyone who took a regional or national title. Big thanks to the Rhode Island Trials Club for putting on a challenging trial.

The series will return in 2024 for more excitement.

In the meantime, if you rode the 2023 season and have a story you'd like to share about your experience, or if you have something going on in the meantime, reach out and let us know. We'll be looking for more trials stories to share and keep everyone entertained in the off-season.

email:

stephanie@onthepegsmagazine.com

PRO EVENT RESULTS (SATURDAY):

1. Pat Smage (6pt/32cl)

2. Josh Roper (56pt/21cl)

3. Will Myers (75pt/14cl)

4. Alex Niederer (80pt/14cl)

5. Alex Myers (86pt/13cl)

6. Daniel Blanc-Gonnet (96pt/12cl)

7. Cole Cullins (145pt/4cl)

8. Sam Fastle (152pt/1cl)

PRO EVENT RESULTS (SUNDAY):

1. Pat Smage (13pt/30cl)

2. Alex Myers (65pt/14cl)

3. Josh Roper (66pt/13cl)

4. Will Myers (86pt/6cl)

5. Alex Niederer (102pt/9cl)

6. Daniel Blanc-Gonnet (109pt/5cl)

7. Cole Cullins (168pt/0cl)

8. Sam Fastle (169pt/0cl)

OVERALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:

1. Pat Smage (246)

2. Josh Roper (212)

3. Alex Myers (158)

4. Will Myers (147)

5. Alex Niederer (131)

6. Daniel Blanc-Gonnet (128)

7. Cole Cullins (56)

8. Sam Fastle (26)

CLICK HERE TO VISIT

WWW.MOTOTRIALS.COM

When asked how title #14 feels, Pat had this to say:

Each year, I doubt myself more and more, and this year especially coming in with a brand new bike that we only had a couple weeks on before going to Nationals. It was a big learning year; I really need to thank the guys at Sherco and FactoryONE for making it possible and putting in a lot of work to get us comfortable and get us everything we need to be successful. It was

pretty stressful at times, it was pretty rough at times, and we were able to push through it and figure some stuff out and get the job done. Huge thanks to them. I’m looking forward to getting more comfortable on [the bike] in the future.

After 10 [championships], it all just feels crazy to me [laughs]. It doesn’t really make sense, but I guess we’ve

got to take it and keep trying to get better, come back and see what happens next year. No matter what, I’m just happy and feel lucky and accomplished to have been doing it this long. I say this every time, too, if it’s the last one, great, but I’ll keep trying.

Back to the Beginning

words and photos STEPH VETTERLY

This year's season finale for the AMA NATC National Mototrials Championship Series in Rhode Island holds a special place in my heart. I had been working on photographing my local trials club, Trials Inc, since 2015 and was slowly expanding my skills and my knowledge of the sport and the people in it. So when my boyfriend, Eric, decided to ride the east coast series, I was obviously all in.

The series' CEO at the time ("Chief Enthusiast Officer" as he liked to refer to himself), Brad Baumert, was part of Trials Inc and was a good friend of mine. He introduced me to Vonda Roper, who set me up with my very first press bib. It

was also at that event that I first met Shan Moore, then owner and editor of On the Pegs. I had been following Shan and his work since I first started photographing trials. Because the sport is so niche, it was difficult to find someone who was showcasing the sport at a high caliber to understand what angles best represented this cool sport. Needless to say, I was very nervous to meet Shan, someone who was well-known in the community, who was published in multiple publications, and very well-established in the motorcycling world. If you've never met Shan, he was, and still is, one of the nicest people I've met. We talked cameras

Same rider (Alex Niederer), same minder (Tom Fraser), same rock. The left shot was my favorite photo for a long time, just being able to capture such a cool moment between rider and minder.

for a bit and then he was off to do his thing.

As I was wondering around the pits, Tom Littlefield started chatting with me and offered to take my photo becuase, as he said, "the photographers never get photos of themselves." So Tom took the photo of me in my first-ever official press bib (with my camera).

Going back to Rhode Island felt like going back to where everything started. Because of Brad, Vonda, and Shan, I was able to go places and get photos I wouldn't otherwise have had access to. It kicked off my friendship with Shan, who helped take my photography to the

First press bib to the most recent. I was so excited that Tom was on-site, so I asked him to take the photo for me again!

That was also my firstever photo of me doing the photographer thing, so it holds a very special place in my heart. Thanks, Tom!

next level and eventually led to me taking over the very publication I had started following to learn more about trials. Because I'm newer to the motorcycling world, I haven't had many opportunities to have those "I remember when..." conversations. I'll say it was a nice surprise when I walked the loop on the Thursday before competition, and was able to recognize sections/obstacles/ happenings from the 2017 event.

I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to the trials and motorcycle community who has welcomed me and supported me since the very beginning. I couldn't have done this without you!

Different bike color, same facial expression! (Will Myers)

STEWARD BAYLOR JR GRABS FIRST

NATIONAL ENDURO WIN OF THE SEASON

2023 Magna1 Motorsports AMA National Enduro Series presented by Moose Racing

Round 6

Cross Fork, PA

July 23, 2023

Racers that came to the rocky fern infested forest of central Pennsylvania for the Rattlesnake National Enduro were meet with near perfect conditions. The event had perfect race weather with sunny skies and upper 70s temperature. The Rattlesnake National Enduro is Round 6 of 9 for the 2023 Magna

1 AMA National Enduro Series

Presented by Moose Racing. Steward Baylor Jr was able to take advantage of the conditions and grab his first National Enduro win of the season.

words LOGAN DENSMORE photos by MACK FAINT

Grant Baylor

Ricky Russell

Starting on the traditional grass track held on the Quiet Oaks Campground property where staging is, PA native Craig Delong took an early lead. Rocky Mountain ATV/ MC Tely Energy Racing KTM rider Steward Baylor Jr then went on an impressive run winning tests 2 through 5 to win his fourth time at the Rattlensake. Steward said “we did a lot of tire testing all week and ended up with a trials tires like we always run here. I think the last 7 winners here used a trials tire so that’s what we did.” Tests 2 and 3 seemed to be rockier than most years and Steward attributed the trials tire for test wins today. “I have not gone this long in National Enduros without a win since I started these things, as long as I had my leg over a bike anyway. A win sure does feel nice.”

Grabbing a second place overall finish was younger Baylor brother and Babbitts/Monster Energy Kawasaki Rider Grant Baylor. Grant Baylor was hovering between second and fourth place all day before finally throwing down the fastest time in the sixth and final test which was the longest of the day at nine miles. “I just tried to have a smooth day here. I know the rocks can jump out and get you as they have to me several times here in the past,” said Grant. Going into the last test Grant Baylor and Josh Toth were separated by 0.5 seconds. Grant said “Josh and I had a good

battle going all day. I knew we were within a couple seconds going into the last test so I let it all hang out there in the last test and was able to come away with a second place and extended the points lead, so all in all it was a good day.”

Third place overall was Enduro Engineering GasGas rider Josh Toth. Josh has been grabbing all kinds of podium finishes on two wheels. Winning Downhill Mountain Bike races leading up to podiums on the dirt bike National Enduro Series. Josh is typically a threat when it comes to more technical terrain like the Rattlesnake, so a podium here was no surprise. “It was a tough day with the course being relentless. They were saying it was a little rockier than years past and I think it might be,” said Toth. “It seems like there is no dirt out there, just rocks, there is no breaks out there.” Josh Toth will continue to sit in second overall in the Championship points after finishing third at the Rattlesnake National Enduro.

Fourth overall on the day was Factory Husqvarna rider Craig Delong. Rounding out the top 5 overall was Coastal Racing Factory GasGas rider Ryder Lafferty. Sixth overall went to Am Pro Yamaha rider Ricky Russell.

Seventh overall and first NE PRO2 rider at the Rattlesnake was Bonecutter Offroad GasGas rider Thorn Devlin. Thorn's day was

almost derailed a half mile into the first test. Shortly into the grass track portion of the first test, his rear tire came off of the rim completely. Riding the section on the rim with the tires wrapped up in the swingarm, Thorn was nearly outside the top 100 overall going into the second test. He was able to mount a new wheel after the first test to then go on and start chipping away the time behind the leaders in the NE PRO2 class.

Thorn said “I was about a half mile in and I came around a corner and I was on the ground before I knew it. I looked down and saw the rear tire spit off the rim. I rode three miles of the test with no rear tire and it was sketchy at times. I knew I had to salvage the time I could and then throw it down in the rocks.” Thorn was able to throw it down in the rocks and win three of the remaining five tests including the final and sixth test to finally come away as the NE PRO2 winner.

Factory Beta Rider Evan Smith from the NE PRO1 Class came away with eighth overall.

For his first NE PRO2 podium and ninth overall finish was Hunter Bush. Hunter is a local ECEA enduro rider and avid NE

PRO2 National Enduro racer. Hunter felt really comfortable in the rocks at the Rattlesnake National Enduro because he said he lives only about 2.5 hours from Cross Forks, PA, where this event is held. Hunter said “I really like this type of terrain and I ride this stuff at home all the time.” His best finish before this race was a fourth place. “Finishing on the podium was a surprise today, but it feels awesome.”

Wrapping up the top 10 overall and the third podium spot in the NE PRO2 class was Factory Beta Rider, Jonathan Johnson. Jonathan has several NE PRO2 class podiums including two now this season. “I put some work in with a little bit of time off lately, just trying to be a little bit smoother and I think it paid off today,” said Johnson.

Taking top honors in the Womens Elite Class was Rachel Gutish on her OverandOut GasGas. Rachel is always tough to beat of rocky technical terrain and she proved that again today winning by over 3.5 minutes. “I thought there was top soil here and I thought wrong,” said Gutish. “I really like the technical stuff so the course suited me well here. I didn’t

Rachel Gutish

feel like I set the world on fire today, but I was just smooth.”

Championship leader by now five points, Enduro Engineering GasGas rider, Mackenzie Tricker, took home second place in the Womens Elite class. “Not a record day for me today. I am not typically a good rock rider and it was tough today,” said Tricker. “I am looking forward to the next two races as they are my favorite races and I am definitely sitting in a better spot this year than last year at this point."

Another new face to the Pro Podiums was Cate Nash in the Womens Elite class with third place. Cate is local to the area and wanted

to give the National Enduros a try. “This is my first time here and I absolutely loved it. Test 2 and 3 were tough and I crashed a bit. But then I put my head down to try to make up time in test 4 and 5,” Cate said.

Top Amateur rider at the Rattlesnake National Enduro was AA rider Justin Lafferty.

The Magna 1 AMA National Enduro Series takes the month of August off before returning to racing on September 10th in Wellston, OH for the Little Raccoon National Enduro. Three rounds remain in the 2023 season.

OVERALL:

1. Steward Baylor Jr (KTM)

2. Grant Baylor (KAW)

3. Josh Toth (GG)

4. Craig Delong (HSQ)

5. Ryder Lafferty (GG)

6. Ricky Russell (YAM)

7. Thorn Devlin (GG)

8. Evan Smith (BET)

9. Hunter Bush (GG)

10. Jonathan Johnson (BET)

OVERALL:

1. Rachel Gutish (GG)

2. Mackenzie Tricker (GG)

3. Cate Nash (YAM)

4. Sheryl Hunter (HSQ)

5. Annelisa Davis (YAM)

6. Kayla O'neill (KAW)

7. Brooke Cosner (GG)

September 16 & 17

Trenton, Missouri

Classes

AM: Novice, Amateur, A. Amateur PM: Int, A. Int, Expert, Master Junior A & B, Strider

Entry Fees

1-Day: $30

2-Day: $60 (Free t-shirt)

Under 18: Half Price

Juniors: FREE

Spectators: FREE

Email matt.mototrials@gmail.com

Web matt-trials.com

FB facebook.com/matt.trials

Registration - Free 50th Anniversary T-Shirt with 2-Day Registration

Email matt.mototrials@gmail.com by August 25th to pre-register:

- Name, class, t-shirt size

Free t-shirts will be provided to non-pre-registered riders with limited size availability

Additional t-shirts available for sale at event

Pre-register via email to ensure t-shirt size - pay when you arrive

Start Times

Saturday Sunday Central Regional Trials

AM Meeting: 9:15 AM AM Meeting: 8:45 AM

Start: 9:30 AM AM Start: 9:00 AM PM Meeting: 1:00 PM PM Meeting: 12:30 PM

Start: 1:15 PM PM Start: 12:45 PM

Juniors: 5:00 PM

Camping & Motels

Championship Rounds 7 & 8

Saturday Evening

Dinner Provided

Entertainment & Games

Trials Site - Free camping & porta potties (no water or electric provided, generators OK)

Crowder State Park - mostateparks.com/park/crowder-state-park

Cobblestone Inn - staycobblestone.com/mo/trenton

Jamesport Inn - jamesportinn.com/index.html

Arbor House Country Inn - arborhousecountryinn.com

Location

40°04'18.1"N 93°39'52.4"W (40.071701, -93.664564)

3 miles west of Trenton, MO, at the junction of Hwy-6 and Hwy-146 (next to the big white cross).

Go north 1/8 mile on Hwy-6 and turn right onto the gravel Put Rd to enter Trenton (N.A.G.) Quarry.

Double, Double Toil and Trouble at Kairos Resort

words RICK

SCHILL

photos ROB FOX & RICK SCHILL

My typical post-event write-up covers the who, what, where and when of the competition. After sitting down and reflecting on the very appropriate name of the event “Double, Double Toil and Trouble” (DDTT) it occurred to me the real story for this event might be on the "Why."

Ash Harrison

Clubs evolve. Even though we enjoy the same sport of Observed Trials, over the decades the two sponsoring clubs have found themselves in slightly different places. Southeastern Trials Riders Association (STRA) is a large club, mature and well organized. Carolina Virginia Observed Trials Club (CVOTC) is half the size and a bit more informal. Over the years, riders from the two clubs have participated in each other’s events. Mostly CVOTC riders heading west to ride STRA events and further develop their skills in more advanced sections, sometimes with the end goal of readying themselves for NATC championship events. You might consider the event a family reunion of sorts where you gather with folks you’ve not seen for a while or possibly put a face to a name for the first time. Many encounters with competitors and their families were probably for the first time. Our ambition was to bring the trials community closer together while doing what we love to do, ride trials motorcycles in a friendly competition.

Three years prior to DDTT, in July of 2020, during the first CVOTC Observed Trials event at Kairos, the idea was floated for a joint event with our trials riding brethren from STRA who were well represented at that event. So why not join forces, work together on a joint event and credit riders for Championship Points in their respective clubs. Leadership of the two clubs identified roles, responsibilities and areas of focus to seam the clubs’ ways of working.

Summer time weather in the Piedmont of North Carolina and throughout the southeast can be

oppressive and physical exertion can be hard on one’s body. In a sport already designed to challenge one’s physical fitness, oppressive heat can be a show stopper. A midsummer retreat to the mountains on the border of VA and WV, specifically Kairos Resort in Glen Lyn, VA, seemed like a pretty good idea.

A week out from the event the forecast was for lows in the upper 50’s and a high of just 80 degrees. No rain was in the forecast however mountain weather can change quickly. Saturday morning prior to the start of the event, we had what I called “condensing fog” which cleared before the start of the day. Sunday late afternoon after most riders were on the road heading home the sky opened for a brief time and then yielded to a pretty mountain sunset to complete the weekend. Whew on the weather!

From the riders’ perspective, Kairos is a bit northwest of CVOTC venues and a bit northeast of STRA events. Turnout was just about 50/50 and with overall turnout of 49-riders on Saturday, this was a large turnout for CVOTC and a modest turnout for STRA. Some riders were heading to the nationals in Exeter, RI the following weekend and made good use of the challenging mountain environment to get ready for the rocks of Exeter.

Kairos resort), a 1,500-acre property, caters to off road vehicles, two

Mike Dalmaso

and four wheels alike. They host hare scrambles, hard enduros and now trials. The inherent challenge of mountain terrain should not be underestimated. One of our aims was to ensure lower class riders could navigate the 2.5-mile loop and be presented with reasonable challenges within sections. The same loop, with more than 500’ elevation change, was used Saturday and Sunday with 9-new sections each day. Rider fitness was an important factor. Just walking some sections with a steep slope can wear you out quickly. The three Trialsmasters, Mike Dalmaso, Berndie Lunsford and me, knew this all too well. Yes, there were three Trialsmasters representing both clubs and aiming to provide the appropriate level of challenge on each of the 6-lines, Novice through Champ. This is the STRA norm and for the CVOTC riders it was true to its name, Double, Double Toil and Trouble.

Sections 1-3 were close to the parking area and spectator friendly if you don’t mind a moderately steep loop trail. Sections 4-9 continued at the bottom of a steep portion of the loop which was made “Novice Friendly” with pick and shovel and several hours of much appreciated manual labor. Upon reaching the bottom of the loop trail a mountain stream provided both loop and sections. There was not a lot of time for Novice and Intermediate riders to

relax on the loop, although everyone appreciated the cool mountain air down by the stream.

The two Novice and numerous Intermediate riders fared well. Jim Ellis, a CVOTC fixture, Trialsmaster with many decades of experience and now Vintage Intermediate rider explained, “I enjoyed the ridermotorcycle interaction for the entire loop, it put the trials bike to work

Jim Ellis in Section 6 Saturday

in its native environment. So many different approaches to section 3, I’d love to have one just like it in my back yard. Maybe a bit more speed to smooth out the rocks.” When asked “Have you ever punched out of a section to save energy for the rest of the sections?” Jim responded with, “I did punch-out on Section 3 and it paid off when I cleaned the rest of the loop.”

On the other end of the rider spectrum, finding sufficiently challenging section terrain for Mika Lonsdale, Alex Niederer and Josh Roper, three Champ class riders heading to Exeter was not difficult. STRA is known for putting on first class National level events so the knowledge and guidance was there. What was a challenge was getting up some on the hills to clear the sections and place gate cards and boundary ribbon. Proper mountain climbing gear will be on my packing list for next time.

Section 1 featured some large rocks that provided the Champ line Kodak moments as seen with Mika Lonsdale on Saturday. The talented Rob Fox captured the moment.

Sportsman scores were about what we expected. Advanced and Expert Class scores were generally high however, no triple digit scores were earned. Serious commitment was required to complete the course. According to Abigail Buzzelli, an STRA Advanced-Sportsman rider,

Section 1 featured some large rocks that provided the Champ line Kodak moments as seen with Mika Lonsdale on Saturday. The talented Rob Fox captured the moment.

“This was a great confidence boost before the Rhode Island National, ready to go!” An Advanced rider’s experience might have been a bit different with one sharing, “… incredible venue, so different, possibly overwhelming. Tough, challenging and big. Section 3, work you tail off for a 3. Scottishlike rocks that’ll take time to settle. Easy to lose your cool (and waste energy).” An interesting insight

provided by Pat Smage after his winning performance at the Exeter National event hit the mark for me when it comes to just how difficult should a premier event be, “I managed to clean every section each day at least once which felt great with how tough some of them were…Cleaning very hard sections exactly how I wanted to is an awesome feeling that makes me want to keep pushing for more. It was a nice reminder of why I do this and will hopefully help motivation to be stronger next year.” It’s clear to me that we need to focus a bit more on Advanced riders’ enjoyment and offer them more opportunities to enjoy at least one clean ride in most sections.

No different than your average club event, many thanks are due to the

volunteers that made the event possible. A particularly challenging aspect was the 4+ hour drive for most workers and the multiple weekends required. A small local workforce did an incredible job of promoting the event, clearing sections, grooming the loop and assuring the readiness of the Kairos venue. Will we go back and do this again? There’s already some talk however time will tell.

Investigations continue into unauthorized challenges added to the Advanced line.

SATURDAY RESULTS SUNDAY RESULTS

CHAMP

Josh Roper

Alex Niederer

Mika Lonsdale

EXPERT

Ray Peters

Talon Smith

Chris Buzzelli

ADVANCED

Tim Cone

Erik Salmela

Martin Sturla

ADVANCED SPORTSMAN

Paul Fueling

Abigail Buzzelli

Larry Smith

SPORTSMAN

Don Mealor

Kevin Gwyn

Jimmy Garmon

VINTAGE SPORTSMAN

Paul Thistle

Rick Schill

INTERMEDIATE

Ash Harrison

Brad Evans

Robin Burst

VINTAGE INTERMEDIATE

Jim Ellis

Scott Porter

NOVICE

Bobby Gravely

CHAMP

Josh Roper

Alex Niederer

Mika Lonsdale

EXPERT

Ray Peters

Erik Salmela

Talon Smith

ADVANCED

Tim Cone

Martin Sturla

Mike Mazak

ADVANCED SPORTSMAN

Abigail Buzzelli

Larry Smith

Mike Dalmaso

SPORTSMAN

Kevin Gwyn

Bob Poetzsch

Jimmy Garmon

VINTAGE SPORTSMAN

Paul Thistle

INTERMEDIATE

Ash Harrison

Bumper McKee

Brad Evans

VINTAGE INTERMEDIATE

Scott Porter

ASHCRAFT

FARM'S FIFTH OF FUN

words JOSHUA SCHUCKER photos PENNY HOCH

I’ve been telling you for years now that the Ashcraft Farm weekend is a can’t miss deal, right? So, I am going to keep this short since y’all were there, right? Ok, ok…I get it. There may be a select few of you that had a “legitimate” excuse, like “just gave birth” or “Taylor Swift tickets”, for skipping the fifth anniversary of AHRMA Mid-Atlantic (MA) and Northeast (NE) region’s acclaimed stop in gorgeous Happy Valley, PA. For those few, I’ll fill you in. Besides, it was so good I kind of want to relive it myself.

A warm welcome is always a guarantee at the Ashcraft family’s farm as the whole crew is passionate about dirt bikes and sharing in the camaraderie of all the fine people of the MA/NE regions. Not only is the vast property just north of State College a beautiful mix of field and mountain, but its also a cornucopia of trails and tracks that most off-road addiction afflicted folks dream of. In this day of ever-increasing land use issues in the off-road world, we can’t thank Brian and Lisa Ashcraft enough for allowing access to their wonderland for a few days each year. And, for always throwing in a new twist to the courses each year to keep things interesting.

Jim Stanley (71)

As has become tradition, the weekend starts with some sweet grass track motocross (MX) action in the familiar cow pasture adjacent to the family home. In true grass track fashion, the course consists of miles of yellow ribbon snaking gloriously through contrasting green, shin-high vegetation. It’s clear that bovines were leisurely grazing here just hours ago – let’s just say there was “evidence” strewn about! There are a few characteristic elements of the MX course that the Ashcraft’s manage to keep in the mix each year; the ski-jump downhill one-eighty, the smooth jump in the middle of the field, the down/up by the driveway, and the fast straight by the spectators lining the hightensile fence to the north. Each year, the route to these elements differs and this year was no exception. The rubber band start resided in its normal location, but the pack was unleashed in the opposite direction from years past giving a longer run to filter the hoard before the hard right hander. The ribbon led riders through a variety of tight curves, esses, sweepers, and straights that was competitive, safe, and a hoot! With rain in the days leading up to the event, the early practice sessions were a bit slippery. With great weather conditions Saturday, by the first twang of the rubber band, the course was in primo condition with little dust and perhaps the best traction in all the years here.

Mike Blackwell (241), Dane Brownawell (730)

Sunday’s opening cross-country (CC) race saw the vintage bike crowd tackle a very similar course to last year’s iteration where the low ground clearance machines stick to the lower foothills of the farm’s mountain. Some initial fun stuff in the woods gets the blood flowing for a jaunt around a portion of the MX track to the far eastern end of the property. The journey then doubles back headed for the western edge and the famous sinkholes where a crowd is sure to gather. The path there should not be overlooked however, as it is an awfully cool mix of single-track with plenty of elevation changes making the trek through the undulating terrain. Once nearing the sinkholes, the ground begins to soften a bit where mountain runoff seems to create a bit of perpetual muddiness. After a quite gnarly rock ledge hill climb, a circuitous route through multiple twelve-foot-deep sinkholes allows the mass of spectators to see their favorite rider several times in a compact space. This location certainly affords a fair amount of carnage to view as well with the soft terra firma and increasingly exposed roots presenting the right combination of “oh crap” to swipe a wheel out from under you. A couple minutes of familiar switchbacks and a fence row sprint close out the lap.

Things get an extra tweak in the later post vintage and disc brake races as per tradition. The Ashcraft

Roy Miller (56A)

clan has a gaggle of prime trails across the mountain ranging from logging road to hard enduro. This area gets opened for races two and three where the bike technology helps the riders cope a bit more with the terrain. Riders lined up for the post vintage race with excitement to see what kind of cool trail was arrowed up above while Mother Nature was staging her own event tweak with a foreboding black mass of clouds to the west as row one’s “ten-seconds!” call rang out over the valley. This revised course followed the same path as the morning’s race for a half-mile before cutting out the MX track portion and jumping directly to the squiggly bits by the power line. Beyond the powerline section the route heads right and begins to ascend the mountain on a combination of rocky logging roads and quick connecting paths that culminate into a grassy clearing atop the mountain. Two things happened here…the trail descends into the first section of pristine fresh single-track, and the skies unleashed a drenching fury of rain. Being at the apex of the elevation, the single-track withstood the torrent well. The first bit winds downhill before a sharp quick drop and hard left turn onto a logging road. A quick burst down this road leads directly to the best and longest section of single-track which begins to ascend the mountain yet again. This meandering path carves along the mountain ridge on an off camber with several uphill switchbacks directing the climb to the top.

What goes up, must come down – so says physics. How to get down is not defined in any physics textbooks… at least not the way the Ashcraft’s devised. Take some kids that like downhill mountain biking, a steep mountainside, and a skid steer from Brian’s excavating company and you end up with a series of 180-degree, high-banked, bowl turns connected with short, sloped straights containing a combination of tabletop jumps and whoops. Then, turn some guys on vintage motorcycles loose on the same path. Tuck the front end in tight, lock the rear brake and sweep it around, float the tabletop and repeat about seven times. A quick and terrifically unique and awesome way to get down the mountain side. The course rejoined the morning’s tracks shortly thereafter as it made it way to the sinkholes. Here the rain really began to make a mark as the already squishy ground was quickly turning to muck. A few welltimed reroutes after lap one helped the racers greatly, in particular the tough uphill just before the sinkholes, which turned treacherous quickly. By midrace the rain began to subside with the upper single-track remaining unharmed and tractable and the lower sections suffering the most from the runoff. Race three would have to deal with a bit of mud to start, but by the time the last few laps were being rattled off, the course was rounding into shape nicely and the upper sections were downright heavenly.

What a great weekend of racing yet

Brian Schwein (31)

Kyle Warner (725), Randy Grove (38R)

again at Ashcraft Farms, and the “after hours” fun and fellowship is pretty sweet too. Everyone in the MA and NE region’s is truly grateful for the hospitality of the Ashcraft family each year and we hope for many more to build upon this momentous fifth-year event. Thank you to the plethora of folks that spent time helping Brian and his family formulate the courses for the weekend, to the regional coordinators and their invaluable team of volunteers, and to the great sponsors of this amazing series dedicated to awesomeness on vintage dirt bikes; Potomac Vintage Riders, Preston Petty Products, Stainless Cycle, Grove Printing, KMI Printing, Horizon Homes, Mr. Crankshaft, Equinox Cycles, Hatch’s Hodaka, Jennings ATV & Cycle, Northeast Vintage Riders Club, Northeast Cycle Service, Metro Racing, and Works Enduro Riders...spend some money with them so they keep spending it on us!