Thirteen-year-old Murphy Aaron won the Junior Trials class on his GasGas in his first-ever EnduroCross event in Prescott, AZ.
Main photo: Murphy (GasGas #44) battles Jack Williford (GasGas #85b) and Dylan Lozano (Sherco #714).
Inset photo: Murphy with his dad, Geoff Aaron, 10-time AMA National Trials Champion.
PHOTOS BY DIAHANN TANKE
FMF/KTM Josh Toth takes the final win of the 2021 NEPG National Enduro series. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to take the overall series win, but still, five wins is an impressive feat.
PHOTO BY SHAN MOORE
Ben Kelley battled his way to the top despite hostile terrain and immense rainfall. While racing at the GNCC Ironman finale, Kelley won his first premier XC1 Pro class title and was crowned the 2021 GNCC XC1 Pro National Champion. Congratulations to Ben Kelley and the entire KTM Factory Offroad Racing team for their consistency and perseverant mindset.
US SPRINT ENDURO - pg 56 BACK FOR ANOTHER SEASON
X-TRIAL ROUND 1 - pg 64
SUPERENDURO RD 1POLAND - pg 78
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courtesy of FIM
The 96th edition of the FIM International Six Days of Enduro (ISDE) will take place at Puy-en-Velay – France, the capital of the Haute–Loire department in the heart of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, from Monday 29 August to Saturday 3 September 2022.
The first edition of the ISDE in France dates back to 1920 in Grenoble, in the same region as the next edition. The event was then called the “ISDT” for “International 6 Days of Trial”, enduro did not yet exist. 60 years later, in 1980 and for the third time in its history, France hosted the ISDE in the Haute
Loire in Brioude, the area where the first enduro competition in the country had been organised 8 years earlier. More recently, the last French edition of the FIM ISDE was organised in 2017 in Brive.
The FIM by entrusting the organisation of the event to the FFM and the Organising Committee is allowing a return to the roots of the event in France. More recently, this same region hosted the final round of the 2021 Borilli FIM Enduro GP World Championship in Langeac (just forty kilometres from Le Puy en
Velay) and 2019 in Ambert (seventy kilometres from Le Puy-en-Velay), these two Grand Prixs enjoyed a lively success in particular from the point of view of the crowd, and the enthusiasm they brought to the event.
The Organising Committee (COISDE–2022) is made up of three motorcycle clubs specialising in the discipline, the Moto Club du Puy en Velay, the Moto Club de Saugues and the Moto Club Moto Verte Haute Lozère, which will benefit from the full support of the FFM and the Regional stakeholders.
The COISDE–2022 has been working for more than six months on the creation of the course by being focused on two main points: to propose a course as the riders like them, varied with breath–taking landscapes and a certain technical level specific to the DNA of the ISDE.
The route will be organised around three completely different loops each of around two hundred kilometres, which will take the competitors on a journey to the heart of the region and beyond, with no less than thirteen different special tests and five timed tests per
day, 5 service time checks per day, including 2 double ones, so only 3 separate spots in order to limit the logistics for the teams.
DAYS 1 AND 2
Loop 1:. Haute Loire – Haut Allier –Gévaudan
DAYS 3 AND 4
Loop 2: Haute Loire – Lozère –
Langogne
DAY 5
Loop 3: Haute Loire – Puy en Velay – Emblavez
DAY 6: Final Cross Test Haute Loire – Puy en Velay, in the immediate vicinity of
the Paddock. Always with the aim to reduce costs for all the teams, pro and amateur alike, the FIM wanted to reduce the length of stay by one day by eliminating the day between the last day of checks and the first day of racing. So, the timing of the event will be as follows:
8/23 TUESDAY: Opening of the Paddock
8/26 FRIDAY - 8/28 SUNDAY LATE MORNING: Administrative and technical controls
8/27 SATURDAY EVENING: Opening ceremony at Le Puy-en-Velay, ten kilometres from the paddock
8/29 MONDAY - 9/3 SATURDAY: The race
words KTM USA photos SIMON CUDBY
KTM North America, Inc. is pleased to announce that Antti Kallonen, longtime Team Manager of the world-class FMF KTM Factory Racing program, has been appointed Director of Offroad Racing for KTM Group in North America.
Kallonen’s new role will allow him to retain a more strategic and senior position in all of KTM, Husqvarna Motorcycles and GASGAS North America’s offroad, flat track and trials racing activities. Furthermore,
FMF KTM Factory Offroad Racing is pleased to welcome Tim Weigand as Team Manager as he makes the transition from overseeing Husqvarna Motorcycles’ highly successful factory offroad team for the last seven years.
Kallonen joined the KTM family in 2004 to work as a mechanic, before taking over KTM’s factory offroad racing program in 2006. He built a strong foundation for not just the factory racing efforts, but also for KTM’s industry-leading support program that has later produced many champions with the brand. Since 2006, Kallonen has successfully led KTM to 94 National and World Championships,
as well as 11 X-Games gold medals with KTM-supported athletes. Additionally, since stepping into the role of U.S. ISDE World Trophy Team Manager in 2012, Kallonen and the American squad have amassed five ISDE gold medals in all three trophy divisions.
Building upon the synergies already in place within the KTM Group, Kallonen will continue to work closely with Weigand and the group’s other managers to continue delivering the most successful offroad racing program in the country.
DE COSTER –Director of Motorsports, KTM Group
North America: “As our company continues to expand, first with the Husqvarna Motorcycles brand and then GASGAS, our entire offroad racing program has followed suit. From Offroad to Flat Track and now Trials, someone was needed to guide the program. Antti has so much experience in all forms of offroad competition and no one has won more championships, so the decision was very clear. In this new position, Antti’s knowledge will benefit all aspects of our commitment and presence in offroad competition.”
“I’m looking forward expanding my support and time across all three brands, five teams and all the 10 different disciplines. With our many racing activities across North America, I see it important for the company to be able to support each Team Manager and their teams with an overall strategy and direction to further strengthen each of the teams in the right areas. We’ve been fortunate to enjoy a great amount of success and I’m looking forward to continue the same path with even stronger teams.”
“The transition from Husqvarna to KTM is a bittersweet one. As one chapter closes, a new one begins and I can’t help but be excited to tackle new challenges. I will undoubtedly miss the many individuals within the Husqvarna family and I am thankful to still be able to see them within the racing community. The team has become a second family to me and I will always be proud of the work we accomplished together. Looking forward, I’m excited to continue the legacy of winning with KTM. I want to thank the KTM Group as a whole for entrusting me with this great honor.”
words & photo KENDA TIRES
It's that time of year, when organizations meet to discuss the previous season and seek continuous improvement opportunities to give you, the racer, the best possible racing experience. What follows are changes that will be going into effect for the 2022 Kenda AMA National Enduro Series.
• The 60+ class will now be broken into two groups. 60+A class and 60+ B/C class. Any rider over the age of 60 at the time of the event is eligible for one or the other of these classes but not both. An A rider over the age of 60 is eligible for the 60+ A Class. Any rider that is a B or C caliber that is 60 years or older is eligible for the 60+B/C class. Both of these 60+ classes will still have scores counted on the short course length of each event.
• The 60+ A, 60+ B/C, 65+, and Enduro Futures class will no longer be eligible for the C Overall Championship.
• NE PRO1 Classifications:
• It is now any rider that has finished in the top 10 twice in the past 3 years that has at least one year in the NE PRO2 class. This is instead of the top 12over the past 5 years.
• Any NE PRO2 champion over the past 3 years. This is instead of ANY NEPRO2 champion.
• Any rider that has finished inside the top 3 overall at any National Enduro event of the past 3 seasons.
• NE PRO2 Classifications:
• Top 11-30 twice in the past 3 seasons that have raced at least one year in the AA Class. This is instead of the top 13-30 twice in the past 5 seasons.
• Any rider that has finished inside the Top 10 over the past 3 years that has not yet participated in the NE PRO2 class. This is instead of the top 12 in the past 5 years.
• Spark Arrestors will not be mandatory at all events. This will not be left up to the property owners requirements and if mandatory for that event it will be posted ahead of time before the event.
• The NE PRO1 class will remain $85, the NE PRO2 class will remain $75, and the Women's Elite Class will move to $75.
• You must complete the first timed section to be eligible for points. This replaces the rule of must start the event to receive series points.
• Women's Elite Class Championship will now only have 1 drop score. The Women's Elite class being a women's pro class will now be concurrent championship points wise with the NE PRO2 class will 1 single drop. The NEPRO1 class will continue to count all scores throughout the season, and all other classes will remain dropping the 2 lowest scores of the season.
• The NE PRO1 Pay scale. Any NE PRO1 rider must fi nish the event within the Top 15 overall to be eligible for the individual event pro purse. The new payscale is as follows:
words KTM USA photos SIMON CUDBY
With a veteran five-rider roster for 2022, the FMF KTM Factory Racing team is ready to race into the new year with a total of four No. 1 plates – and two runnersup – across the country’s premier national and regional offroad championships. Additionally, the FMF KTM Factory Racing team is pleased to welcome accomplished offroad racer and experienced Team Manager, Tim Weigand, to the team for 2022 and beyond.
In 2022, three KTM riders will proudly defend their No. 1 plates from coast to coast as three firsttime champions emerged in 2021 with Ben Kelley clinching the GNCC title, Dante Oliveira taking the WORCS title – along with his
second NGPC title – and Trystan Hart emerging victorious in the AMA Extreme Championship. For Kelley, his championshipwinning season was all-but-easy but the Connecticut native is more than ready to back it up in 2022, once again racing aboard the KTM 350 XC-F in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series and AMA National Enduro Championship. He will be joined by teammate Josh Toth in both east coast series, also racing aboard the KTM 350 XC-F. Toth finished a close runner-up in the 2021 National Enduro Championship and he will set his sights on a championship bid this upcoming season.
“I’m very excited to continue working with the entire KTM team for the 2022 season! My KTM 350 XC-F is working awesome and I’m super comfortable with this proven setup and already looking forward to fighting for the No. 1 plate in both the GNCC and NEPG series!”
“I’m really looking forward to the 2022 racing season. We’ll be riding the same bikes as 2021, so I am happy and confident that I will be coming into the new season with even more comfort on the bike. I’m hungry to defend the No. 1 plate at the GNCC Series and just ready to put in the work for a strong, consistent year.”
On the west coast, it was a breakout year for the young Dante Oliveira, who came out on top in WORCS after an exciting head-tohead battle with teammate and multi-time champion, Taylor Robert. For 2022, Oliveira will return to defend his WORCS title on the KTM 450 XC-F, while also competing in the NGPC Series, where he is the reigning Pro Champion.
Robert, a three-time WORCS Champion, is excited to explore new terrain in 2022 as he lines up for the AMA National Hare & Hound Series, as well as AMA West Hare Scramble Series aboard the KTM 450 XC-F. As the team’s most decorated rider ranging from WORCS to ISDE Overall Champion, X-Games gold medalist
and more, the 31-year-old Arizona native looks to give himself – and KTM – a new set of goals to conquer on the west coast.
Trystan Hart rounds out the team’s lineup, defending his AMA Extreme Championship aboard the KTM 300 XC-W TPI, in addition to competing in the AMA EnduroCross Championship on the KTM 350 EXC-F. Hart had a standout season in the hard enduro scene, defeating some of the world’s best hard enduro racers and the almost-25year-old Canadian plans to hit the ground running once again in 2022. Hart’s EnduroCross season was cut short due to injury but he will be fully recovered and ready to contest the title next season.
450 XC-F
“I’m looking forward to an awesome year racing WORCS and NGPC and I’m hoping to follow up with two championships again. My goal is to go out and get as many wins as I can and destroy the west coast offroad. I’m stoked on the bike, it’s pretty much the same as last year and I’m super comfortable on it, so we don’t really have too many changes. We’re going to buckle down and go get after it!”
KTM 450 XC-F
“I’m excited to go back and do some desert racing and some hare scrambles next year. I really enjoy real offroad races with technical single-track and having to read the terrain, so I’m really looking forward to my two series next year and hopefully we can get KTM a National Hare & Hound title, which they haven’t had for a little while, and have fun doing it. It will be a change of pace for me but all-inall, it should be fun to change it up. I’ve been racing WORCS for over 20 years now and I’m ready for something different.”
KTM 300 XC-W TPI
“I’m super excited to start my third year with the team. I will just be getting back on the bike in the new year after eight weeks off from my thumb injury, but I will be energized and ready for a great year ahead!”
words GASGAS NORTH AMERICA
photos SIMON CUDBYGASGAS North America is fired up to announce its 2022 lineup for offroad and trials competition in the U.S.
Returning for its second year, the Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing team will field two riders on the east coast with defending XC2 250 Pro Champion Johnny Girroir at point, and teammate Ricky Russell rounding out the talented rider duo in XC1.
The Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing team had a stellar season in 2021, taking the Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) by storm with Johnny Girroir’s championshipwinning season aboard the EX 250F. Girroir doubled his success in 2021, sweeping all six rounds of the U.S. Sprint Enduro Series to claim the Pro 2 title, as well. For 2022, Girroir will defend his XC2 title in the GNCC Series, while making his Pro debut in the U.S. Sprint Enduro Series aboard the EX 350F.
Back for his second season with the team, Ricky Russell is ready to GET ON THE GAS in 2022, racing in
the GNCC Series and National Enduro Championship on the EX 350F. The Washington native had some major highlights in 2021, including a second-place finish at the Tiger Run GNCC, plus three additional top-fives and a pair of sixths, in the series. With a proven backing of the Coastal GASGAS team in 2022, Russell will aim to consistently put himself up front in both series.
“I’m really excited to enjoy another year with the Coastal GASGAS team. Towards the end of the year, everything was really starting to click and our speed was back up to par, so I can’t wait to start the year out strong and healthy ready to battle for wins.”
“I’m really excited to go racing this year with the Coastal GASGAS team after a successful 2021 season. My confidence is high, my mind is in a great place and I’m in the best shape of my life.”
“I am really excited and looking forward to the upcoming season with the Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing team. We had a lot of fun in 2021 and we’re looking for 2022 to be an even better year. I expect Johnny to continue with his success carried over from last season, he’s in a very good place mentally and physically and that is a very good recipe for another fantastic year. As for Ricky, I think we’ve found some things he’s been missing with riding technique and he made big improvements late last year. I think he’s going to have the season that we know he’s capable of, which is consistently running up front and winning races.”
“We’ve had a great partnership with Coastal GASGAS Factory Racing team last year and it’s been fun working with them. They’ve been a great partner representing our brand well and keeping it fun and I’m looking forward to continuing into the 2022 season with them and building their program together with them.”
Continuing our commitment to top-level trial competition, GASGAS Trials will once again field a toplevel squad to compete at the highest level in the MotoTrials USA National Championship. Unofficially kicking off with Trials Training Days on Saturday, March 26 in Sequatchie, Tennessee, the national competition will get underway with the first two rounds on Sunday, April 3 at the same iconic location.
In the premier Pro class, team rider Daniel Blanc-Gonnet is back for year two aboard the TXT Racing 300 and he’s aiming to be a permanent fixture on the podium this upcoming season. Finishing fourth in 2021, Gonnet is more motivated than ever as he continues to put the final touches on his successful offseason preparations.
Following a perfectly-executed 2021 season, four-time AMA NATC Women’s Pro Champion Maddie Hoover returns to the GASGAS Trials team to defend her Women’s Pro title in 2022. Competing aboard the TXT Racing 300, Hoover continues to perfect her craft as she aims for another dominant season at the national level, while challenging herself in TrialGP competition again in 2022.
GASGAS Trials newcomer, Josh Roper, is a welcomed addition to the team in 2022 as he makes his national debut on the TXT Racing 300. Finishing top-five in the Pro Championship as a rookie, Roper quickly progressed into a title contender in 2021, finishing runnerup in the Pro class. Now, Roper is ready to take on the 2022 season with the backing of GASGAS and he’s got his eyes on the prize as he battles for the top spot.
“My sights are set high for 2022! The new bikes feel great and are giving me the confidence to go win the championship again! GASGAS and Geoff Aaron have put an awesome team together for next year. I’m excited to see the team take a bunch of podiums and go win some races!”
"I am motivated to make the 2022 season one of my best years yet! Between the proven GASGAS trials platform, the experience from team manager Geoff Aaron and the chemistry between our teammates, I am in an environment conducive to delivering results. Focusing my efforts to improve upon where I struggled in seasons past, I am confident that I can be on the podium in each of the eight round AMA/NATC MotoTrials series."
“I just signed with GASGAS for the 2022/23 trials season and I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of such an awesome team! I am fully adjusted to the new bike and feeling better than ever! With the support of GASGAS, I think it’s going to be an awesome season fighting for the AMA NATC MotoTrials Championship! Our team manager, Geoff, is a 10-time National Champ so he knows what it takes and I get the opportunity to learn from his successful past.
“I’m looking forward to the 2022 competition season with our Trials team. Josh Roper is a great new addition and riding very well on the new GASGAS TXT Racing 300. We are looking to push for the top spot in National Trials. Daniel BlancGonnet will take on a new role by working directly for R&D but also competing at
the Pro level. His skills both on and off the bike will be a strong asset for the team and help refine our machinery and produce results. Once again, Maddie Hoover will fly the flag for U.S. Women’s Trials, she will be shooting for another National Championship and will continue to compete in the FIM TrialGP Series. The 2022 season is shaping up great. I’m excited to see GASGAS wins and podiums from all our Trials riders!”
“We’ve been able to assemble a strong team for 2022 Trials, growing from a two-rider team to a threerider team and the addition of Josh Roper will only validate and
strengthen our team. With the great leadership of Geoff Aaron, multitime champion, I have no doubt we will be a top contender in 2022 in both divisions Men and Women. Looking forward to fighting for the championship with all three riders.”
words HUSQVARNA
photos SIMON CUDBY
Coming into the 2022 season with a No. 1 plate proudly displayed aboard his FX 350, five-time AMA EnduroCross Champion Colton Haaker will look to defend his title and attempt to become the most decorated champion in the series with a sixth-career championship. Haaker is already off to a solid start for 2022 as he secured a third-place result at the opening round of FIM SuperEnduro World Championship in Poland over the weekend. The threetime World Champion will contest the entire series once again as he looks to re-mount the No. 1 plate aboard his TE 300i.
Also returning to the team is veteran Thad Duvall, who is looking to build upon his strong finish to the 2021 season where he claimed victory at the final round of the GNCC Series. DuVall battled injury earlier in the season but with a clean bill of health, the 32-year-old is ready to continue his title fight aboard the FX 350. DuVall will also compete in the AMA National Enduro Championship this season, where he is set to
contest his first title in that series as well.
After a successful championship-winning run in the Pro2 division, Craig DeLong will fully make the jump into the premier class in 2022, racing aboard the FX 350 in both GNCC and National Enduro. He made a
“I am excited for another couple years with the team. We’ve had a lot of success since joining in 2015 and that comes from each member truly enjoying the process. It is fun and rewarding to work together towards a goal and whether achieved or not, the effort and the journey are the parts we look back most fondly on!”
“I think 2022 will be a great year and I’m really looking forward to racing GNCC and getting back to the National Enduro Series!”
strong effort to defend his GNCC XC2 250 Pro title last season with a runner-up finish in the championship, while also putting a strong foot forward with fourth overall in his rookie season of NE Pro1 competition. For 2022, DeLong will set his sights on being a consistent front-runner alongside the sport’s elite racers.
Trevor Bollinger heads into the 2022 season healthy and fully recovered from a long road of knee injuries. Bollinger will join his teammates DuVall and DeLong in the GNCC and National Enduro series this season, racing both aboard the FX 350. Bollinger came on strong towards the end of the 2021 season, claiming a podium finish in the National Enduro series, along with fifth overall in the championship standings. For 2022, Bollinger aims to be a consistent podium contender in both series.
Austin Walton will represent the team’s efforts on the west coast once again in 2022, competing in the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) and the AMA National Grand Prix Championship on the FX 450. Walton missed a large portion of the season in 2021 due to injury but he came back strong at the final rounds to show great potential for the 2022 season.
Together with the announcement of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s 2022 off-road racing team lineup, Husqvarna Motorcycles North America, Inc. is pleased to also welcome Anthony DiBasilio as Team Manager of the highly accomplished program.
DiBasilio started working under the KTM Group umbrella in 2008, taking on many roles within the company’s off-road racing division including rider mechanic, chief engine builder, assistant race-team manager and service technician/manager at the Husqvarna Motorcycles’ dealership level. With nearly 15 years of trusted experience in the off-road motorsport world, DiBasilio looks forward to accepting a new challenge with the familiar Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team.
“I am happy to have some time off from the races to be able to work on my bike skills and fitness, as there were some things that could be better towards the end of the 2021 season. I am looking forward to progressing some key details of my program and to be ready for the 2022 season and to hit it even harder this year! I’m also very happy to be working with the same team this year as their help is huge in my success and I look forward to paying it back with championships!”
“I’m really looking forward to jumping up to GNCC’s XC1 class and racing the big names of the sport right now. Being back with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing is awesome, too, and I’m really excited to be working with all the guys again!”
“I’m excited to be coming into the 2022 season healthy. Last season was challenging but I’m ready to come out swinging and make myself a regular on the podium.”
“I am extremely thankful for this opportunity to be with the Husqvarna Motorcycles brand. Both professionally and personally, I am forever inspired by my time and work as a mechanic with Kurt Caselli. Being a Team Manager for the offroad race team has long been a goal
of mine and I am excited to now bring my experience and knowledge to the table. I feel confident stepping into this role and know together we can continue to build on the already successful platform and keep pushing boundaries.”
“The 2022 season is looking to be strong for the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing team and I’m looking forward to seeing what our new Team Manager, Anthony DiBasilio, can do and contribute with his expertise and a fresh set of ideas for the team to advance to even higher levels. They will have a full powerhouse on the east coast with a three-rider lineup for GNCC XC1. Thad, Trevor and Craig are all
championship contenders and we’re looking forward to having the team up on the podium regularly in GNCC and National Enduro. On the west coast, Austin has been a proven race-winner and we look forward to continue working with him on the WORCS and NGPC series. Colton Haaker, who is the veteran on the team and the most accomplished rider, will round out the team’s effort in extreme off-road and I’m expecting him to carry the torch to guide and lead the team to more championships in 2022.”
Beta Racing is excited to announce the signing of Jay Lipscomb. Jay resides in Parkersburg, WV. He will compete in the XC3 class at the GNCC aboard a Beta Factory 125 RR. Jay really started to find his groove towards the end of his 2021 GNCC campaign. He reached the podium 3 out of the last 4 races in the XC3 class. He'll look to build on that momentum going into the 2022 season.
"I’m really excited to have the opportunity to ride for the Beta Factory team in 2022. The team has been super helpful and I’m looking forward to racing with them next year."
"Jay has had some very impressive rides towards the end of the season which really caught my eye. He did not have much support, but that never slowed him down from proving himself. I'm very excited for him to join our strong line up for the 2022 racing season, and looking forward to the future with him and all Factory Beta USA racers."
words & photo BETA RACING
Betais pleased to announce that Dare DeMartile has signed a two-year deal to race for the Factory Beta USA team. The Lincoln, CA resident raced a partial schedule in 2021 and put Beta on the podium a couple of times during that stint. DeMartile will compete aboard a Beta Factory 480 RR in the Pro class of both the WORCS and NCPG series. He got a taste of racing in both series this year by competing in a few rounds. That experience will only help with his 2022 campaign.
"I have known Dare for a while growing up racing motocross. I knew he had an Offroad background from local races, and grew up riding various types of events. When I had the opportunity, I knew he would fit perfectly with the team and make a statement in west coast offroad racing."
"I’m very excited to make history with Beta for the next two years. I'm very grateful for the opportunity and just excited to go racing."
The FactoryONE Sherco team will be adding a fresh face to their roster.
The 17-year old will set his focus on the US Hard Enduro series and Endurocross. With a technician like Cody Richelderfer in his corner, Pascal is definitely set up for success in the coming season.
"I'm extremely happy and grateful for this opportunity and for being part of this amazing brand. Huge thanks to Sherco USA and Ron Sallman for believing in me, and to my sponsors and family for making this happen!"
Some exciting changes are in store for the South East Extreme Riders Association.
Crowd-favorite, the Groundhog enduro, has returned to the schedule for another season. The Nightmare Extreme enduro will now be held at the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie, TN instead of Hale Mountain OHV Park in Alabama.
SEER has also added a new venue to the schedule: Circle E Shootout in Winchester, TN.
Registration for rounds 1-3 opens January 1, 2022.
REYNOLDSBURG, OH – Kenda Tires has announced the promotion of Dave Komoroski to lead its growing powersports division. Komoroski is no stranger to the Ohio-based tire brand, having worked with Kenda for the past three years.
Prior to the director role, Komoroski served as OEM Sales & New Products Manager. Previous to Kenda, Komoroski served the powersports industry in several roles spanning sales and marketing, category management, and new product development.
“What an opportunity,” said Komoroski. “It’s a real honor to be tapped for this position. We’ve worked through some challenges over the past year and a half with the pandemic and we’ve also identified some significant opportunities. I can’t say enough about the team that’s in place here in Ohio, and about the mentorships that led me to this role.”
Kenda is on a roll and looks forward to continued momentum with Komoroski at the helm of the Powersports division.
Kenda Powersports continues to grow and is actively seeking new talent. The latest job opportunities can be found on ZipRecruiter and Kenda’s Careers page.
Current Price: $174.95
TM Designworks is redefining rear disc guard protection with the Rear Disc Protector Kit.
Complete with a heat treated Billet 6061 Alloy backing plate, Caliper Guard, and Disc Guard, superior strength and stylish looks stand out. Return Memory Plastic absorbs the impact keeping the disc safe while air slots offer better rotor cooling and reduces weight. Rail ruts and bash through rocks with ease knowing TM Designworks has you protected. Available for most make and model bikes, the Rear Disc Guard Protector Kit is a necessary upgrade for any bike.
After a season-long fight for the championship, Oliveira and the FMF KTM Factory Offroad Racing Team secured the 2021 World Off-road Racing Championship Series title at the season finale in Primm, Nevada. Congratuations Oliveira and team for your outstanding accomplishment.
The podcast has been on a bit of theme of late as we have discussed riders who have transitioned from Trials to Hard Enduro. Today is a continuation of that theme as we chat with Trials champion and the USAs lead Hard Enduro rider: Cody Webb.
Cody is an unbelievably easy to talk to guy which makes this interview all the more special. I think were able to get below the surface and find out what makes him tick.
Cody's accomplishments in trials in the USA culminated in his 2010 win of the NATC Pro Class Championship after a number of years of 2 place. He's also won gold at the TdN and the ISDE putting in
him rare company.
This chat goes into reflections on the difficulties with making Hard Enduro events suitable for Pros & amateur riders; dealing with injuries; his thoughts on the next generation of Hard Enduro riders in the USA; trying to build parity between Hard Enduro in the USA and Europe; and what is getting him excited next.
Just a heads up that at about 45 mins into this chat there is some background noise that I did my best to supress, but some of it trickled through.
Ladies and Gentleman, I give you my chat with the USAs leading Hard Enduro rider Cody Webb.
- David Grice
GasGas has released a full selection of trial riding videos, all designed to help riders of all skill levels become more confident at their favorite sport.
Hosted by GasGas Factory Racing Team Manager Albert Cabestany, the tutorial videos will cover everything from bike setup, to basics, to the most advanced maneuvers.
Follow along as we showcase a new video each month, or check out the full series on GasGas.com.
In this must-watch video for trial competitors of all abilities, Cabes explains the importance of walking, inspecting, and deciding upon the best line in a section in order to complete it cleanly and efficiently.
After a successful six-round series in 2021, the folks at US Sprint Enduro are signing up for another year of fun, bringing some new venues with them as well as expanding to eight rounds.
ON THE PEGS met with Billy and Nancy Schlag, founders of the series, to talk about the 2021 season and what changes have taken place for 2022.
We're really excited for the 2022 season coming up here. We’ve been pouring a lot of time into it.
We have some new venues for 2022 that we'd like to talk about. We're also continuing our series as a twoday format which we feel is the right way to do sprint enduro. Spreading the event out over two days is the closest or most feasible way that we can give you, the racer, the same feel as the ISDE. You're taking your competition over two days; you go and compete as hard as you can on Saturday, rest Saturday night, and have to get up Sunday morning and do it all again, whereas if you do just a one-day format, it's just competing for that one day. It's a big difference competing one day versus two days.
In the sprint format, you completely exhaust yourself; that's the goal
when you go out and do your special tests - you want to give everything you have every time you're on the course and so to go through that on Saturday and then again on Sunday, I think it's a better test.
Saturday night gives you a chance to try figuring out everything that you can do to get that tenth of a second. I’ve been off podiums or lost overalls by tenths of a second or less.
Our first round is going to be outside of Seller’s South Carolina at Moree's Paradise; it’s a completely virgin piece of ground, a dirt bike has never been ridden on it. It's a neat venue because it's a go-kart track venue so there's amenities like electric and water; they have somewhere around 180+ sites available. The track is going to be awesome; it's going to be a firm sand with lots of virgin woods and just a really massive grass track for the cross test.
We're going to South of the Border MX for our second round, which will also be our ISDE qualifier round. We’re looking really forward to that; it’s a neat venue. The dirt is a sandy clay mix which is my favorite type of surface to ride on. It'll be a lot of big mature pine trees that we'll be routing the course through for the enduro test and the cross tests will run out through a mix of fields and motocross tracks.
• Trail Pro Trail & Track Designer/Builder
• SXCS Founder/Promoter
• Off-Road/MX Racer #50
Since he was 6 years old, Billy has been on dirt bikes. He quickly took to motocross, rising in competition ranks and winning multiple titles and awards along the way, including the Steve McQueen Award in the Mid-Atlantic Motocross Association series. He won the GNCC 40+A championship in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and after winning the Open A class in the Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series (FSGE), self-promoted to PRO 2, and took third in the championship. After FGSE added a Pro-Am class in 2019, Billy moved over and won the Number One plate. Needless to say, Billy is interested in continuing to support off-road riding, especially the sprint enduro format.
We will go in-between most of the jumps on the track; there will still be a few jumps that we hit but not too many.
For the third round, we’ll be at Dreamville MX in North Carolina which will be another kind of firm sand type of surface. That will be a new venue as well; they have trails there now but we’ll lay out a new course in the woods. We’ll do a similar type of thing there as well where we run out on motocross track a little bit but we’ll mostly do grass track there.
Our fourth round will be at the same site where they have the Cherokee National Enduro in Greensboro Georgia. A lot of that is familiar to many of our riders.
We can’t make the announcement on our fifth round just yet; we're still waiting on a couple of details to get worked out.
The sixth round will be at a newer track and trail facility in Fairmont, West Virginia, called Track 93 just north of Morgantown.
Finally, we’ll wrap up the season down at Harleywood, in Bristol, Virginia, on Father’s Day weekend. It’ll be the same location where we went for the 2021 season.
All eight rounds will be held between January and June. We're excited because we were only six rounds
last year only had about five weeks to put it all together.
All of our properties this year are very unique, which is awesome. It keeps it interesting.
BEING A NEW SERIES, HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU WERE ABLE TO ATTRACT SO MANY BIG-NAME RIDERS TO YOUR SERIES?
I think they really wanted to make sure they saw a sprint enduro series continue because they love the format as well. I know these guys; i competed with them at the previous sprint enduro series, and at times ran some pretty decent times. They knew who I am and what I’m about and I think they probably understood that here's a chance to go out and race on a course that a racer similar to us is putting together. I think they probably appreciated that.
YOU'RE AN AMA ELEVATED REGIONAL SPRINT ENDURO SERIES NOW. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANS?
We are now going to give out an AMA regional Number One plate at the end of the year. Right now, if you want to race at the highest national level in sprint enduro, you come race US Sprint Enduro. The AMA is really happy with the way we did things this past year; 2021 was our probation year, and we knew right away that we wanted to be at the top. We’ve been doing sprint
enduros since 2019 with our other series, the Sprint Cross Country series (SXCS), which is also an AMA featured series. For that series, we do three different formats; we're the only ones that we knew of doing that in off-road for one championship. We do an equal number of GPs, sprint enduros, and cross countries for one championship.
Our SXCS crew came with us to US Sprint Enduro, so it just felt like an extension of what we had already been building. We're also able to co-sanction our two sprint enduros, so when we run a sprint enduro in SXCS, we're running SXCS and US Sprint Enduro together. I think it's really awesome for our Sprint Cross Country riders; they're elevating themselves because they're riding with a new crop of racers that are
following more of the national caliber series. It mixes them together and gets them to mingle and then be part of that bigger series.
It's a series that's run by racers; everyone that helps has been involved in racing on a top level and has put their racing on hold to do this. The thing with our series is you're gonna get a really top-notch experience.
Repsol Honda’s Toni Bou kicked off the 2021 X-Trial season with a “rip-roaring” triumph at the season opener in Andorra.
After 20 long months off, the FIM X-Trial series returns for the shortest season the series has ever seen. With an ever-changing schedule that started off as nine rounds as of November 2020, the series was shortened to five rounds earlier this year, finally culminating in only two rounds in the month of November.
Starting in Andorra la Vella, nine riders lined up to compete at the 180th edition of the biggest indoor trials. For those not familiar with the competition format, the first ride of the day seeks to limit the field to only six riders through a series of man-made sections. Each rider has a limit of six minutes to complete all sections. In the second ride of the day, the top six riders are broken into two heats. The top rider from each heat moves on to the grand final to compete for first and second place. The second-place rider in each of the heats move to the runners-up final to compete for third place overall.
With regards to scoring, while competition in the United States allows for unlimited dabs after a score of three points is achieved, in the X-Trial format, any more than three dabs would constitute a failed section and earn the rider a full fivepoint score. As a new rule, should riders tie on points in the first ride, the rider who attempted the sections first is awarded the better position.
The opening round was held in Andorra’s capital, Andorra la Vella. The first rider of the event was TRRS’s Toby Martyn. After making short work of the first three sections, Martyn was thrown off his game in section 4, which proved to be one of the deciding sections. Following an unfortunate five-point penalty, he followed that with failures in each of the final sections, landing him at a total of 16 points. Section 4 continued to challenge both GasGas’s Miquel Gelabert and Montesa’s Gabriel Marcelli, with Vertigo’s Jaime Busto the first rider to clear.
Section 5 was the most difficult section, with riders navigating a downward-sloping obstacle onto a high splatter. Every rider, including Repsol Honda’s Toni Bou, took a failure on the obstacle, except for one: Beta’s Matteo Grattarola. Not only was Grattarola the only rider to clear the section with less than five points, he walked away with a clean ride! That ride also helped
to earn him the top position overall with only four points. Three riders were tied with seven points, but due to the new rule, Busto would take the second-place position followed by TRRS’s Adam Raga in third, and Bou in fourth as a result of riding order. Sherco’s Jeroni Fajardo and Gelabert would take fifth and sixth place, respectively. Marcelli, Martyn, and GasGas’s Jorge Casales would not continue to the heat races.
Competing in the first heat were Gelabert, Raga, and Fajardo. The same sections were used, but riders rode them in reverse, with the end gate serving as the start gate. First out on the course was Gelabert; after starting the round with a failure in the first section, the GasGas rider took an enormous fall from the highest point of section 2, landing face-first on the stadium floor, bike in tow. Unfortunately, the way the obstacles were positioned, there was no good place for Gelabert’s minder to have helped in the situation. Medics rushed in, and after a moment, Miquel was able to stand and limped off the course to sit out the rest of the event. Raga would take the heat win with a total of five points to Busto’s seven.
In the second heat, the “Bou Show” returned to the crowd’s pleasure, with Toni cleaning all six sections and moving on to go head-tohead against Raga. Grattarola and Fajardo both had an unfortunate
start to the sections, but Grattarola was able to save enough points to move on to the Runners-Up final against Busto.
The Runners-Up final consisted of only a single section; competitors were given a one-minute time limit to attempt the section in both directions. Both Grattarola and Busto had clean rides, so a tiebreaking section was added. Busto was able to clean both directions, while the Beta rider failed the section in the reverse direction, losing out on the final step of the podium.
In the final ride of the event, all six sections were used with Bou and Raga each attempting one section at a time with a one-minute time limit. Raga was first out on the course, and took an unfortunate failure in the first section, putting him off to a rough start against the 14-time X-Trial champion. It all came down to section 5; to help stabilize the bike and clear the section, Raga made a strategic decision to rest his skid plate on the highest obstacle, earning him a single point. Bou was able to clean the section in both directions, securing the win in the opening round in his home country.
“I'm very happy with this victory,” said Bou. “After 20 months without participating in X-Trial the sensations were strange today. To be back competing in front of the fans and, on top of that with an ADAM RAGA
Andorran crowd that was incredible. We know that Barcelona - which is also my home trial - will be very tough and that's why it was so important to win here today. At the start, I managed to pick up some points and I made some mistakes. But on both the second lap and the final one, things went spectacularly, not only because I didn't pick up any marks, but also because I was feeling very comfortable with my riding and felt confident and aggressive. I am very pleased with my riding, but above all with the team. I want to thank them for all the work they have done this last month after winning the outdoor world championship, to get the bike ready for the indoor championship.”
“I’m satisfied to have started the season like this because it keeps my options open for the title in Barcelona,” said Raga. “I rode very well throughout, but a mistake in the first section of the Final really left me with little chance of victory. The battle against the stopwatch, knowing I needed to do it in both directions, made me rush.”
“This podium is a satisfactory result for me because I’m back on the podium and because I think it’s a fair reflection of how good I feel on the bike,” said Busto. “I’m in a good position to fight in Barcelona.”
The final round of the 2021 season will take place in Barcelona.
1. Toni Bou (MON)
2. Adam Raga (TRRS)
3. Jaime Busto (VER)
4. Matteo Grattarola (BET)
5. Jeroni Fajardo (SHE)
6. Miquel Gelabert (GG)
7. Gabriel Marcelli (MON)
8. Toby Martyn (TRRS)
9. Jorge Casales (GG)
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Billy Bolt made it clear from the get-go that he was ready to start where he left off. The factory Husqvarna rider and reigning SuperEnduro champion looked very comfortable on the short but technical Polish track. After setting the best time in the practice sessions, he proceeded to log an impressive time in the Akrapovic SuperPole (55.133), Bolt was emphatically back. In this important qualifying it was Bolt’s teammate Colton Haaker next up and Germany’s Manuel Lettenbichler 3rd. Home hero Taddy Blazusiak (POL-GasGas) and Cody Webb (USA-SHERCO) got off on the wrong foot after they both fell in SuperPole, forcing them to start at the back of the grid in the Prestige class.
At the start of the first race, things didn’t improve for Webb and Blazusiak, the two men separately found themselves on the ground in the first turn, they had to push extremely hard to stand a chance of
a comeback as the pace hotted up. Webb, plagued with brake issues, was in big trouble and was not able to demonstrate his potential. He fell several times over the course of the race and finished 10th. Meanwhile, Blazusiak, carried by a crowd totally committed to his cause, managed to fight back to a strong third position. Despite his bad start, the
Polish rider put together a string of very quick laps and overtook his opponents on all the most technical parts of the track. This top three finish was certainly the result of Taddy not willing to give up. Out front it was a different story for Billy Bolt as he controlled the race pace to perfection. For a while he was followed by his teammate Haaker,
but as soon as the American went down in a sandy corner, the Brit was away. Feeling the effects of jet lag, Haaker couldn’t fight off a tenacious Taddy in the closing laps. Jonny Walker (GBR-Beta) had a good opening race with his new Beta machine, taking his first top five of the season and keeping himself in the game. The
2016 Junior champion, Manuel Lettenbichler finished a decent second to Billy Bolt by showing calmness and consistency; which could be great qualities to have this year! The podium of the first race, therefore, was as follows: Bolt, Lettenbichler, and the hero of the crowd: Blazusiak.
As is tradition in SuperEnduro, the second race of the night saw a reverse grid start. This offered a great opportunity to Magnus Thor (SWE-Husqvarna) to take the holeshot and run with it. The European Champion did a good job but was not able to hold off Colton Haaker for long, as the Husqvarna rider made an excellent start to the second race.
Haaker seemed to have everything under control as he rode smoothly, but that's without taking into account the thunderous comeback of Billy Bolt. Incredibly, the Brit caught Colton, but just as he was on his tail he dropped it, he was quickly back in the saddle and made up the lost ground. The two teammates then engaged in the most spectacular battle of the night.
Bolt made an amazing pass on Haaker before making another mistake and suffering another crash. Billy once again made up all the time he lost, closing Colton in the last three corners of the Polish track and executing an amazing pass just before the closing section of the lap. This second victory of the night for Bolt not only demonstrated his pace and skill, but also his sheer determination. It was another tough race for Taddy Blazusiak, who made another brave comeback after falling heavily at the start. He had to be content with 7th place.
Cody Webb, still struggling with brake problems, took his first top five of the year. Behind Bolt and Haaker, a quietly quick Jonny Walker rounded off the race 2 top three. The Brit is making his mark with his brand new two-stroke, and this podium is sure to have given him a confidence boost.
The last race in Poland was practically a formality for Billy Bolt who began by taking his second “Airoh Holeshot” of the night. He won the final by more than 26 seconds ahead of a once again impressive Lettenbichler. This victory, taken with relative ease, was the icing on the cake for the Brit after not feeling his best in recent days. Bolt is already laying a very solid and serious foundation this season, and showing his rivals what he’s capable of. But SuperEnduro is always unpredictable and there are many talented and quick riders filling the ranks this year. After his excellent start and consistency, Lettenbichler has to be counted as a contender. And plenty more, such as Jonny Walker, Colton Haaker, and Taddy Blazusiak have lost none of their fight or desire. We also hope to see Cody Webb back at 100% next time out. This new season in the Prestige class will be a fascinating one for sure.
We should also take note of the solid results by Will Hoare (GBRGasGas) who finished sixth overall
on this opening night. The youngster showed great control and fought hard against regulars in the Prestige category such as Diogo Vieira (POR-GasGas) and Pol Tarres (ESPYamaha).
Over in the Junior class, Dominik Olszowy (POL-GasGas) put together a perfect night at his home race. The Pole won all three races and, cheered on fervently by his fans, the young GasGas rider showed three sides to his skillset; the first being that of a combative attacker capable of ensuring a good fight against one of his most anticipated opponents Milan Schmueser (GER-GasGas). He won the first final in style. The pair were joined in the Top 3 by Leon Hentschel (GER-GasGas). In the second race, despite the reverse grid, Olszowy was able to take the lead early, but he had to show his ability to stay calm under pressure as a messy crash on the final lap almost cost him the win. In the last round, the Pole could demonstrate his power over the pack, winning ‘easily’ by more than 18 seconds. He did not disappoint his supporters and he won this GP in Poland ahead of Germany’s Hentschel and Schmueser.
Former Prestige rider Sonny Goggia (ITA-Rieju) made the decision to enter the European Championship again this year after narrowly missing out on the crown in the 2019/2020 season. This proved a
wise choice as the Italian dominated the class from start to finish, winning both races with his neat and precise style. Joining him on the overall podium were France’s Aurélien Addesso on his Sherco and Poland’s Oskar Kaczmarczyk on his GasGas.
OVERALL:
1. Billy Bolt (HSQ)
2. Manuel Lettenbichler (KTM)
3. Taddy Blazusiak (GG)
4. Colton Haaker (HSQ)
5. Jonny Walker (BET)
6. William Hoare (GG)
7. Pol Tarres (HSQ)
8. Diogo Veira (GG)
9. Magnus Thor (HSQ)
10. Cody Webb (SHE)
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words & photos SHAN MOORE
November 7, 2021
Josh Toth continued his run of impressive rides in the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series, the FMF/KTM rider claiming his fifth win of the season at this weekend’s Gobbler Getter National Enduro in Stanton, Alabama. Meanwhile, AmPro Yamaha’s Steward Baylor Jr. wrapped up the 2021 championship title with a runner-up finish at the Alabama race, which served as the ninth and final round of the series. It was Baylor’s fifth AMA National Enduro title.
Baylor came into the race with a huge margin in the points and needed only to score a 14th to nail down the title, but the South Carolina rider was on the gas early in the race and going for the win. However, it was Ryder Lafferty who scored the first test win of the day. The Coastal Racing GasGas rider tripped the timer a second faster than Toth, with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong finishing third in the test. Baylor was fourth ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Trevor Bollinger.
Baylor took tests two and three, but Toth found his groove and topped the final three tests of the day.
After six tests and 52 miles of racing Toth took the win with just over 29 seconds to spare ahead of Baylor.
“I started off a little bit slow and just kind of a little cautious, but picked up throughout the day,” said Toth. “I knew Stew was pushing and anything could happen, so I was just giving it my best effort and fighting between the lappers and the tight trees.”
“It’s kind of a bummer to be on the top step of the podium but not with the number one plate,” added Toth. “I had a lot of wins this year, but consistency is what matters. I suffered through the first round with a broken hand. If it wasn’t for that or drowning my bike while I was in the lead in Ohio... Would have, could have, should have. Can’t change a thing now. I gave it my best. Stew hasn’t beat me in a while, so going into next year I’m pretty confident and I’m coming for that number one.”
Though Baylor started off charging hard, he eventually backed off and played it safe near the end of the race.
“It’s awesome to wrap up the fifth championship,” said Baylor. “Luckily, everything fell into place. The last couple races I really didn’t have to push. I rode well, but I never really rode too aggressive. I think the last test in Oklahoma was the hardest I pushed really since the beginning of the season. I didn’t need to. I came
in with no sense of urgency. I knew I really needed to be careful, save the bike, not over-ride, not end up on my head. I think all three of the first tests I crashed within the first ten turns and I was like, what are you doing? At one point I got tangled in barbed wire. When the barbed wire got around my front wheel I was like, well, there it goes. So, after that test, I just cruised.”
Delong switched to Husqvarna’s 350 for the series finale and came away with third overall.
“Kind of all-day there was Trevor and Ryder and I battling together,” said DeLong. “It was a tough day. It was a true enduro. That last test, halfway through it I was starting to feel it, but I had a lot of fun. I wanted to end the year on a good note and I’m happy to be on the podium for the last race. It’s a good winter break at that point.”
Lafferty, who won the first test, missed the podium by seven seconds, finishing fourth.
“Things started off pretty good,” said Lafferty. “I didn’t think I rode well enough to win the test, I just rode smooth and steady and I was looking up and trying to catch some lines and I ended up posting the fastest time. In the middle of the race I fell back into some old habits, but in the last few tests I just started having fun and I was able to finish strong.”
Bollinger, who decided to ride a 350 instead of his usual 450, rounded out the top five just three seconds off of Lafferty.
“I kind of pretty much threw it away the first test,” said Bollinger. “I got arm pump and got tight. I think I lost like twenty seconds to the guys there. The rest of the day, I was inching my way back up in there. Then I think I was about ten seconds out of the podium going into the last test. I think me and Craig were tied in it. It’s hard when you give them that much of a gap in the beginning. But it was a good day to test the 350. I think I’ll be on it next year.”
FXR Husqvarna’s Evan Smith was consistent en route to sixth overall, finishing sixth fastest in five of the tests and fifth fastest in the other.
FMF/KTM’s Ben Kelley managed seventh place despite feeling under the weather all weekend. Kelley finished the year in third behind Baylor and Toth.
“I came down with something last night so just kind of didn’t have the energy today,” said Kelley. “I just kind of soldiered on and did what I could.”
KTM privateer Steve Nicholas topped the NE Pro2 division with an eighth overall finish, just edging out Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Jesse Ansley by less than half a second. It was the Nicholas’ first win in the class.
“My dad only lives twenty minutes away from here, so I knew coming into here I kind of was familiar with the terrain, compared to the rest of the rounds,” said Nicholas. “So, I rode more comfortable today. I knew Jesse had a good gap on me going into the last section, but I just kept riding. I didn’t want to give up so I pushed every second of it. I’m happy to get this win.”
Ansley, who wrapped up the NE Pro 2 title two races before, started strong and had a 50-second lead going into the final test, only to clip a tree and go down. After the crash, Ansley finished second in the NE Pro2 class and ninth overall.
“I won the first four tests, but then I had a little mishap in the fifth test and ended up getting second for the test,” said Ansley. “Then the last test, I was going in with a 50-second lead. Halfway through, I just clipped a little sapling tree thing that was cut halfway and messed up my finger pretty good. It was really tough to hang on, pulling the clutch and whatnot afterwards. It kind of sucks to lose by less than half a second, but it’s just part of the game. Excited to wrap up the 2020 year and to be crowned champion.”
KTM rider Zach Hayes rounded out the top 10 and was third in the NE Pro2 class.
The Women’s Elite class was a nailbiter between FXR/KTM’s Shelby
Turner and Enduro Engineering/Fly Racing KTM’s Mackenzie Tricker, with Turner coming out on top by just under four seconds.
“There were some tight sections, but for the most part I just kind of found a groove and just kept plucking away,” said Turner. “So, super happy to come away with the win.”
Tricker wrapped up the Women’s Elite championship with her runnerup finish.
“It’s great to wrap up the championship,” said Tricker. “This year started off really rough, obviously coming off a really big injury and taking five months off from riding. Then round two I just kind of had some bad luck. Just had to dig myself out of a hole. Started getting some wins and some seconds and making up some pretty good points on the girls that were in the championship. I’m stoked to get title number three.”
Babbitt’s Online Team Green Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Kori Steede rounded out the podium in third with some solid test scores.
Tanner Whipple (Kaw) won the AA class on a Babbitt’s Online Team Green Monster Energy Kawasaki’s, with Logan Kittock (Hon) and Andrew Clark (Shr) rounding out the top three.
Gavin Sievenpiper (GG) took the Open A win, with Josh Monsrud (KTM) in second and Derek Gravitt (Yam) third.
1. Josh Toth (KTM)
2. Steward Baylor (YAM)
3. Craig DeLong (HSQ)
4. Ryder Lafferty (GG)
5. Trevor Bollinger (HSQ)
6. Evan Smith (HSQ)
7. Ben Kelley (KTM)
8. Steve Nicholas (KTM)
9. Jesse Ansley (KTM)
10. Zach Hayes (KTM)
1. Shelby Turner (KTM)
2. Makenzie Tricker (KTM)
3. Korie Steede (KAW)
4. Kelsey Saltar (KTM)
5. Sheryl Hunter (HSQ)
6. Ashlee Applewhite (KTM)
7. Tayler Bonecutter (BET)
8. Alexis Phillips (BET)
9. Kathryn Hyde (KTM)
10. Kristina Zmuda (KTM)
"I told my wife and the team coming in, I didn’t plan on being on the podium. I was just going to go out and ride and that’s what I did.
The last few races I think I’ve been top three all three of these last three races. I feel like I haven’t pushed at all. It’s just been things have been falling into place. I’ve been in a really good position. I feel like Toth is riding really well, but at this point, I know I can wick it up a notch if need be. We just haven’t seen the need to at this point.
Next year I plan on coming in like always and trying to take those first couple wins. It really takes the pressure off of you as a racer if you can get up front early. Winning national enduros is definitely something I know how to do. Not necessarily race by race, but I definitely know how to win championships here. I feel like over the last decade I’ve been the most consistent rider by far. I think we’ve only missed four podiums in five years, or something along those lines. So, it’s been a solid run here. Just looking forward to next year. "
- STEWARD BAYLOR JR
October 23, 2021
Rockstar Husqvarna’s Colton Haaker fired back with a dominant win at round four of the 2021 GEICO AMA EnduroCross series in Prescott Valley, Arizona. The defending champion finished second at the previous round but came back to win all three motos in an exciting night of racing. RPM KTM’s Cooper Abbott finished second overall with 4-3-2 moto scores and Max Gerston rounded out the podium on his GasGas with 3-7-3 moto finishes.
FMF KTM’s Trystan Hart, the previous round winner and Haaker’s closest championship rival, finished second in the first moto but ended his night with a dislocated thumb in the second moto, resulting in a thirteenth overall finish.
The top fourteen pro riders ran hot-laps during the opening of the evening program to earn their gate picks for the first of the three motos and Hart set the fastest time of 34.456. Haaker was a close second with a 34.515 and TM rider TY Cullins put in an impressive 35.809 for third. SRT Offroad Yamaha rider Cory Graffunder was fourth with a 35.889 and Gerston rounded out the top five with a 36.771.
Haaker got the jump on the field
to start the first moto followed by Gerston and Hart. Hart got past Gerston before the end of the first lap to go after Haaker. The two front runners stayed close for the whole moto but Hart was not able to make any serious challenges for the lead. Gerston was a strong third. Abbott had to make up for a bad start to finish fourth. Graffunder rounded out the top five.
The second moto inverts the first moto finish positions for gate picks, so the top riders start on row two. Will Riordan took the holeshot ahead of Spenser Wilton. Abbott was third entering the Rocky Mountain ATV/ MC Rock Garden but he got taken down in a multi-rider pile-up that included Gerston. Riordan led a couple of laps before Haaker made the pass for the lead and eventual moto win. Riordan, a teenager from Australia latched onto Haaker and held the spot for a career-best second place in the moto. Abbott rebounded from his first lap crash to finish third. Wilton hung on for fourth and Cullins rounded out the top five in the moto.
Abbott took the lead to start moto three ahead of Cullins, Haaker and Riordan. Haaker got by Cullins on lap two and managed to pass Abbott for the lead as they neared the halfway point. Abbott put up a good fight for a couple of laps that included nearly landing on Haaker with a tighter pivot over a huge log, but Haaker
edged away for his third moto win of the night. Abbott finished second to secure second overall. Gerston passed Cullins early in the moto and rode a lonely moto to finish third and earn his first overall podium finish of the season. Pennsylvania’s Ryder LeBlond put in his best moto of the season for fourth, which also earned fourth overall. Graffunder rounded out the top five in the moto.
Haaker’s 1-1-1 gave the Husqvarna rider the overall, his third in four races so far this season. Abbott was second overall with 4-3-2 scores on his KTM. Gerston was third overall with 3-7-3 scores.
LeBlond’s 6-6-4 earned the Husqvarna rider a career-best fourth overall and the top Junior class ranking for riders 21 and under.
Riordan, another rider eligible for Junior class points finished fifth overall on his KTM with 9-2-7 moto finishes.
Graffunder was sixth overall on his Yamaha with 5-9-5 finishes. German rider Tim Apolle was seventh overall on a Beta with 7-8-6 moto scores. Cullins was eighth on his TM with 8-5-8 motos. Wilton finished ninth on his GasGas with 12-4-12 results and Anthony Johnson rounded out the top ten on a Sherco with 13-129 moto finishes.
Haaker was happy with his results and renewed enthusiasm from the
fans for EnduroCross. “I felt like tonight I was back in the zone and the tight track meant we had a lot of lappers so that was difficult. I liked the track, I liked the fans and I liked the show. The promoters stepped it up with the light show and fog and cool intro and the Prescott fans were really into it. So I appreciated all of that.”
Abbott had another strong night for second overall. “Second overall is awesome and that is a good finish, but the night started off rough with a fourth in that first moto and then getting landed on during the first lap of the second moto. I finally put it together in the final moto for a holeshot and I actually got a little nervous out front. I need to ride better at these next two races in Denver next week.”
Gerston was proud of his first EnduroCross overall podium of the season. “I have been working really hard for this and I am proud of myself because of the level of competition this year. There are a lot of really good athletes out here so I am stoked to be up here and on my program I put together this year with my family and a lot of really good sponsors helping me do what I love.”
Shelby Turner took her third win of the season in the Women’s main event. The KTM rider dominated on the difficult track. Louise Forsley finished second on her Sherco.
Morgan Tanke rounded out the podium on her Beta.
Nathan Rector won the intermediate class for the second race in a row on his KTM. The Missouri resident is rapidly improving his EnduroCross skills. Colman Johnson took another podium finish on his Sherco. And Uta’s Nick Tolman rounded out the podium on a GasGas.
The amateur class was won by David Stirm on a Yamaha. Arizona native Dan Hayakawa made a last-lap pass to finish second on a Husqvarna. Frederick Parr rounded out the podium on a TM
Hawaiian Ryan Gouveia came out on top of a large field of Vet 35+ riders riding his TM. David Kamo put in a good charge from the second row to finish second on a KTM. Craig Thompson kept his podium streak alive with a third on his Yamaha.
Thirteen-year-old Murphy Aaron won the Junior Trials class on his GasGas in his first-ever EnduroCross event. Jack Williford challenged
Aaron for the entire race but had to settle for second on his GasGas. Dylan Lozano rounded out the podium on his Sherco.
1. Colton Haaker (HSQ)
2. Cooper Abbott (KTM)
3. Max Gerston (GG)
4. Ryder LeBlond (HSQ)
5. Will Riordan (KTM)
6. Cory Graffunder (YAM)
7. Tim Apolle (BET)
8. Ty Cullins (TM)
9. Spenser Wilton (GG)
10. Anthony Johnson (SHE)
1. Shelby Turner (KTM)
2. Louise Forsley (SHE)
3. Morgan Tanke (BET)
4. Allie Stambaugh (KTM)
2022 Ryan Young
January 22 - 23
April 30 - May 1
August 27 - 28
October 8 - 9
March 12 - 13
July 23 - 24
September 24 - 25
November 19 - 20
December 17 - 18
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
words STEPH VETTERLY
photos LARRY MAYO
SEQUATCHIE, TN
September 25, 2021
Only a few weeks after the Saddleback Xtreme race in Bedford, KY, SEER held its season finale at the infamous Trials Training Center in Sequatchie, Tennessee. The location has terrain for all skill levels and any type of off-road motorcycle riding/racing.
Current leader DRT Husqvarna's Ryder LeBlond, had a narrow points lead over Rieju's Quinn Wentzel, with the series prize being a trip to Erzberg to compete in the Erzbergrodeo, one of the most prestigious hard enduro races in the world.
Throughout the four hours of racing, the lead traded hands several times. After the first lap, Sherco-supported rider Nick Fahringer sat in the lead, less than five seconds ahead of Leblond. The Husqvarna rider was able to overtake Fahringer to capture the lead for each of the next three laps, but had a slight hicuup on lap five, dropping back 30.7 seconds behind. But that setback was short lived, as laps six through 14 saw LeBlond keep a comfortable pace ahead of the rest of the pack and take the event win, securing the series overall.
Taking second for the event was Nick Fahringer, with Quinn Wentzel rounding out the podium.
CLIFFHANGER OVERALL:
GOLD / SILVER CLASS:
1. Ryder LeBlond
2. Nick Fahringer
3. Quinn Wnetzel
4. Jeremiah Burkhart
5. Jackson Davis
6. Joseph Toole
7. Greg Nolf
8. Russell Loudermelk
9. Travis Wilson
10. Drew Kirby
BRONZE / IRON CLASS:
1. Brandon Blakely
2. Armando Berreondo
3. Austin Millwood
4. Roberto Isales
5. Mark Myers
6. Ian Bouwens
7. Christopher Sweeley
8. Dustin Baumer
9. Ian Paige
10. Joseph Winkler
1. Ryder LeBlond - 200 pts
2. Quinn Wentzel - 172 pts
3. Jeremiah Burkhart - 147 pts
4. Jackson Davis - 134 pts
5. Nick Fahringer - 132 pts
6. Drew Kirby - 118 pts
7. Greg Nolf - 106 pts
8. Josh Vender - 99 pts
9. Joseph Toole - 95 pts
10. Michael Manuel - 88 pts
The SEER Staff interviewed 30 yearold Bronze class rider Mark Myers for an in-depth look at the event.
WHEN DID YOU GET INTO THE SPORT OF HARD ENDURO AND WHEN DID YOU RIDE A DIRT BIKE FOR THE FIRST TIME?
My first hard enduro was at the Covid Crusher 2.0 this season. I first rode a dirt bike when I was about 5 years old.
WHAT BIKE DO YOU RIDE?
This season I was lucky enough to ride my dad’s bike, which was a 2021 Husqvarna TE 300i.
IF POSSIBLE, WHAT WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE YOURSELF AS? BEGINNER, WEEKEND WARRIOR, AMBITIOUS AMATEUR, SEMI-PRO OR PRO?
Weekend Warrior, living in South Florida I don’t get the opportunity to ride very often. So when SEER hosts an event, I try my best to get there!
WHAT EXCITED YOU THE MOST ABOUT THIS RACE? WAS IT THE TERRAIN, THE GRIP, THE CAMARADERIE, THE ORGANIZATION, THE WEATHER, YOUR OWN PERFORMANCE OR SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT?
I was very excited for this race because it was the season finale of the SEER series. It came down to this race in series points for the championship. That made it
very exciting. I always love the camaraderie at the SEER races. The weather turned out beautiful for this race, and I was excited to see how I would perform at this race considering that they were going to make this more difficult. All in all it was an absolutely amazing time. WHAT KIND OF TIRES/MOUSSE/ TUBELESS/TUBE DID YOU USE AND WHY? MORE IMPORTANTLY –WOULD YOU RECOMMEND YOUR SETUP OR DID YOU LEARN THAT SOMETHING ELSE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER?
I’m going to be 100% honest, my brother set up my bike for me and I believe he had some sort of Matis tire on the front and rear. I think that the rear tire was set up on a type of tubliss/mousse combination. The front tire was just tubliss.
WAS THERE ANYTHING BIKE SETUP-WISE THAT YOU DISCOVERED TO WORK GREAT AND THAT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?
One thing that is an absolute must have for these races is some type of bark buster for protecting your hands, and a grab handle for moving the bike around when it’s stuck.
HOW TOUGH DID YOU FIND THE TRACK PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY?
The track was definitely a challenge. Although the obstacles were challenging, they were doable.
WAS THE TRACK EASY TO FOLLOW (MARKINGS OR GPS) AND WAS THE DIFFICULTY LEVEL OF THE TRACK WHAT YOU EXPECTED, EASIER OR HARDER?
It was fairly easy to follow, although there was one time that I missed a turn and ended up on part of the Gold/Silver course. It was my mistake though, I didn’t so that the first lap around.
WHERE DID YOU STAY DURING THE RACE, WAS IT A GOOD CHOICE AND WOULD YOU DO IT AGAIN? (CAMPING, HOTEL, PRIVATE ETC.)
We stayed in a camper at the TTC hook up site. Always a great experience, and would gladly do it again.
WHAT RESULT DID YOU GET AND ARE YOU HAPPY WITH IT?
I ended up 6th in my class, but I ended up winning the series championship in the Bronze 16-34 class. During the race I did run into some trouble with my radiator. I was able to get back to the pits to fix it and continue racing. I am very happy with it definitely all things considered.
DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU GOT A GOOD VALUE FOR YOUR MONEY AT THIS RACE?
Yes, I feel that these races are a good value.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BEST PIECE OF ADVICE, TO A PERSON WHO IS CONSIDERING ENTERING THIS RACE FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Train as much as possible and get as much seat time as you can. Keep moving.
WHAT (IF ANYTHING) WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE CHANGED IN THE EVENT TO IMPROVE IT?
For the series finale, I would like to be able to race in the morning, and then watch the pros (Gold) race at some point separately, or vice versa. That would have been pretty cool to see, but not really sure if there is a way for this to happen.
FINALLY, WOULD YOU DO THIS RACE AGAIN AND RECOMMEND IT TO OTHER RIDERS?
I would love to do this race again and I would recommend this race to other riders. It was a great experience!
words STEPH VETTERLY Interviews & photos COURTESY OF SEER
In the past few years, more and more women have been getting the bug to try their hand at riding dirt bikes. Local and national organizations are recognizing this shift, creating aptly-named women's classes and hosting women-only training clinics to help nurture the love of riding and provide an opportunity to build a
strong community and network of individuals, regardless of age or experience.
With an amazing turnout of 25 women, SEER lined up a full day of learning at Hollytree Offroad in Alabama. Starting the day off with an offroad loop, instruction moved to focus on individual skills such as
riding up and down hills, rocks, creek beds, and log crossings.
Training even continued through lunch break, where discussions turned to nutrition and specific fitness training tips to improve stamina. After lunch, instructors led a trail ride through the park to practice the skills learned earlier in the day, finishing with a "grill & chill" session.
MELANIE LESLIE"I've been riding dirt bikes about seven years," said participant Melanie Leslie. "I've always had an adventurous spirit, but my family was never into motor sports. I started riding motorcycles when I met my husband in 1999; he's always been riding motorcycles of all types, and I was definitely excited about joining in.
"Dirt bike riding is so heavily male, so it's a rare chance to ride with a bunch of women. It's an opportunity to ride with people more at my level who have a similar perspective. Sometimes riding with men can be disheartening because they are so much faster; it feels like there's no way to keep up. Of course I know there are plenty of really fast and skilled women out there, too, and I'm looking forward to getting closer to that!!
"The class was great! SEER laid out several short sections to practice specific skills; my favorite part was the group ride at the end of the day, where I got the chance to put those skills to use. I also loved just having a bunch of women to ride with. Several of them were very good riders, and I could see that if they can do it, so can I!"
"I blame my mom for my obsession," said JJ Kamholtz, another attendee. "My parents owned a motorcycle mechanic school in California when I was born and then opened a Honda dealership in south Alabama when I was 8. Motorcycles were in my blood. I rode until I was 16 and then didn't ride again until about 9 years ago. First ride back, I felt like I was 10 again, and couldn't stop smiling and giggling. I was officially hooked and bought a dirt bike very soon after. I have raced hare scrambles and endurance races including racing all three classes (Ironwoman, Duo, and Six-woman team) at the Perry Mountain 24 hr race.
"I have participated in several coed and all-girl clinics. The all-girl
clinics have such a great vibe and the opportunity to take one that was focused on extreme enduro skills just couldn't be passed up.
"This was my second year attending and it is one of my absolute favorite events. The camaraderie with other like-minded women is amazing! We are all struggling, celebrating, and being inspired together. There's nothing like it!! The instructors are so encouraging, and knowledgeable, and they do a great job of breaking the skills down into bite-sized pieces that are less overwhelming and help build confidence in each of us as we tackle new obstacles. The SEER team puts on THE best events and they definitely go above and beyond with the Ladies Clinic!"
JACKIE TOWNSEND
"Growing up in the 70s girls didn’t really ride dirt bikes in my hometown," said Jackie Townsend. "I watched my brother and all his friends ride and always knew I would love riding dirt bikes. Then I was coming up on my 50th birthday and I decided to do something I had always wanted to do - I took a dirt bike class through the motorcycle safety foundation and within two weeks I had my very first dirt bike. I loved it even more than I expected to!!
"There are so many rewarding aspects of dirt bike riding. You have to empty your brain and focus; being able to get out after a stressful week at work or during the time that my brother and my father had cancer - getting out on the dirt bike and emptying my brain is what helped me get through. Also you have these million little moments of success, ongoing victories, it just lifts you up. And the physical aspect - honestly at 63 I’m in better shape now than I was in my 40s. Dirt bike people are the best, I have formed lifelong friendships since I’ve been riding. My dirt bike family is as much a part of my life as my blood family.
"I have raced through the years and I even have trophies on my mantle!
Actually becoming skilled enough on my dirt bike to enter a race and then eventually becoming good enough to win a few trophies was the dream of a lifetime for me. When I was a teenager I would’ve never ever thought I would accomplish that and when I turned 50 I still never would’ve thought I would accomplish that. Gaining skills on the bike, becoming more able to ride lots of different terrain and lots of different locations is one of the most exciting parts of the sport.
"Taking an all girls class is such a rewarding way of learning and gaining skills because girls really do encourage each other. We cheer each other on and commiserate with each other when we can’t get something right. And we’re able to talk to each other in a language that we understand. When it is a group of girls in a class it seems the instructors go out of their way to adapt to that as well. When they are impressed or proud of us for trying a new skill - much less accomplishing a new skill - they let us know and it feels really great.
This is my second SEER ladies clinic and although I was pretty nervous about it because I know the clinic is going to be tough, I was also very excited about it. It gives us the chance to try something we wouldn’t normally try under relatively safe circumstances. My favorite part is the immediate feedback when I try
a skill and the instructors - who are such talented riders themselvesare able to point out what I’m doing wrong and how to correct it. These are guys I watch and admire and they are cheering me on!! It’s a very emboldening sport and it carries over into real life. You learn how to get through really tough stuff and you survive it and you learn to face life the same way."
No matter your skill level, participating in a training class is a great way to learn something new or reinforce good habits to help make trail riding or racing a safe, fun experience.
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February 25-27: Downhill Southeast Bicycle Race
March 26-27: Trials Training Days
April 2-3: NATC Rounds 1&2
May 28: SEER Nightmare Extreme Enduro
June 27-30: Family Camp
July 1-3: East Coast Youth Nationals & Women’s Open
August 12-14: 12th Annual Kenda Tennessee Knock Out
Extreme Enduro
October 1-2: 30th Annual 58K Fall Trial (STRA)
October 29: 3rd Annual Cliffhanger Enduro
December 3: Toy Trial
* All dates are subject to change
December 12, 2021
The Texas Offroad Championship Series (TORCS) wrapped up their 15th season of racing on December 12, 2021 at the beautiful Powell Ranch in Cedar Creek, Texas. In typical Central Texas fashion, the weather ranged over all seasons of the year in one weekend. Early arrivers on Friday experienced record-breaking temperatures for December reaching the high 80’s. Everyone was panting and sweating by the time they finished setting up their camp sites in the summer-like heat.
However, by daylight on Saturday morning a strong cold-front had dropped in the area bringing strong gusts of north winds. Despite the quick change in temperatures, the skies remained clear and bright. A brisk feeling of fall still lingered in the air, the leaves colors were a faint orange as they laid on the ground,
and rains from earlier in the week were settled in the sandy loam. As the youth racers were doing their morning practice runs on the track, you could see the perfect rut lines made from their tires penetrating through the first couple inches of bare trail making perfect ruts like a toy dozer running across a bed of Playdoh.
Championships were on the line. The ultimate bragging right earned from a year-long dedication through the 10-race series was all the hype surrounding the pits and the normal jokers were not wondering around, as times were serious. The year end results in most classes were hinging on this final race of the year.
This was especially true for the 85A class, who kicked off the races for the weekend. Miguel Jimenez edged the holeshot over Julian Kresge, who was on a hot fight. Kresge followed
KOVAR TAKING THE HOLESHOT OVER LEBRECQUE IN 65A -
PC: AMY MENELEY
inches behind Jimenez for almost half the race before Jimenez was finally able to gap him and get some breathing room. Jimenez, with his calm nature, held consistent and landed the win. He also took first place overall 85A champion of the year.
At the same time, Ian Medrano busted out a strong holeshot in the 85C class. He held in front of the pack the entire race and finished with a win to also secure his top spot for the year. Along with these really fast 85 riders, a competitive group of Women B girls took the line. Katelynn Lebrecque, who has only been on her new Beta Xtrainer for a few months, railed the holeshot in front of seven other gals. She will definitely be moving up next year as she rallied a two-minute lead ahead of Ana Jimenez and Peyton Forren, who jumped up to third place on the podium by the end of the race. The ultimate show to watch through the whole weekend was the next race with the 65A class. The beast, Gavin Lebrecque, was looking to make his mark in history as the first rider of TORCS to ever go on a 10-for-10 win-streak and sweep the whole series. He staged up on his YZ 65, nicknamed the “KTM Slayer” on the far outside. However, Colson Kovar on his KTM 65, took the middle line and sneaked to the inside for the holeshot. There was quick glimmer of frights in the Lebrecque’s family eyes, nervous as
all those young guns were pushing their limits to diminish Gavin’s hopes. It wasn’t long though and all the spectators gasped as Lebrecque made a smooth pass on Kovar before going into the first set of woods. The tight wooded track was a specialty for this young man, who has the balance of a gymnast on a dirt bike. It didn’t take him long to create a safe gap on his competitors while all the spectators paced in the pits.
As he took his last lap, a large group of folks lined up in front of the finish line with homemade brooms and waved these across Lebrecque’s head as he came into the checkered flag. A swarm of friends and family came to celebrate the once-ina-lifetime opportunity for him, throwing him up on shoulders like teammates after a winning football game. All the proud young men in the 65 classes gathered to celebrate their strong companion and show sportsmanship after the end of the battle.
All the while, the 65B, 65C and Women C class were still having their own fates to be determined. In the 65C class, Kayla Cantwell came around every lap like the queen bee. Jace Turo, Eugenio Pascal, Ariena Kresge, and the rest of the class followed her every move the entire race. She was able to keep in front, taking the win for the race and championship spot in the series for the year. Laynie Hanna,
LEBRECQUE CELEBRATION GOING 10-FOR-10 WIN SWEEP; PC - AMY MENELEY
only needing a finish to secure her championship in Women C, with nerves on the line, performed a pretty loop-out on the start but reset herself and came back to take first place for the race and year also.
Shortly after, over 20 50cc bikes took off the line between the 50 Open and Jr Beginner classes. Dutch Feldmann took the lead in the 50 Open by the second lap. His KTM was turning red from the fire he had lit under those tires and pushed to an almost threeminute lead for the win, securing his championship. Ricky Picciotti and the fierce Mckenzie Grey rounded out second- and third-place for the year. The JR Beginners were tightly
battling behind the 50 Open riders. Keslea Cantwell held the throttle to the first tight corner nabbing the holeshot as she has done the last few races. The top five swapped positions multiple times throughout the race making fun battles as the kids called out on the podiums, but it was Cantwell who earned the win. Ol’ Rowdy Pike came in consistent with another podium to secure first place in the Jr Beginner class for the year.
As always, Saturday afternoons consist of the big bike displacement classes, first with the C/D class races. The Open C class, who averaged at least 25 riders per race this season, kicked off their last
race with a bang. Angelo Favarato took an early lead, but with a target on his back. Kenny Wiechman rode as if he were ready to aim fire on Favarato. He moved from fourth to third to second, only finishing one second behind Favarato for second place. Onavi Rodriguez rounded out the podium in third place, but his consistent podiums secured him a number one championship in the class for the season.
Young 13-year-old Ryan Watson was tight in the points race in the 250FC class. Multiple men were gunning for him. Watson took the holeshot but tipped over the first corner and was dead last. The whole 20-rider class was ahead of him just like Zach Osborne in Vegas the year he won the AMA 250 championship. Like Osborne, Watson charged the whole pack, picking off legends like Donnie Broussard, Elijah Vaupel and Gavin Lebrecque. He fought to the front, took the win and 250FC champion for the year.
TORCS also has a fun doubledecade class for the ones looking to break out their award-winning machines from 20 years ago and relive those glory days. David Forren, with a slew of treasurable YZ250s, rode his prime machine to another win after battling all year with Steve Turner, David Montalvo, and David Wilson. All of them remain classic legends themselves in Central Texas offroad racing.
Saturday afternoon, PRO/A/B races were good ole’ hare scramble racing. There were no runaways in these classes. Elbow to elbow and light wheel tap racing started only a few feet after the flag was raised for each class. The PRO 1 class put on a show with Tracy
Cloy and Riley Johnson only two seconds apart each time through scoring out on each of their six laps. These friends had fun bikes taps messing with each other through the race. Cloy inched in for the win, Johnson coming in second, and the always impressive Shawn O’Leary rounding out third. Johnson locked in another number one PRO 1 Championship for the TORCS series, a great accomplishment for the young rider.
Sheldon Coble, coming off a grand achievement the weekend before at the Red Bull Override, continued his high and rode past an aggressive group of Open A riders through the race. Each lap he came around another classmate, all the way from sixth to first place, securing him a third-place podium for the year.
Samuel Hastings held a strong finish and earned the Open A champion for the year with Chad Picciotti coming between Hastings and Coble for second in the overall.
The weekend of racing continued on Sunday with similar classes. By this time, it was complete winter in Central Texas. Multiple centimeters of ice frosted the ground and bikes in the early morning hours. Little 50’s was seen moving into travel trailers to thaw out for the youngsters taking off early.
Many action-packed races continued in each class on the line. While it was freezing outside, this didn’t stop Easton Hoskins
RILEY JOHNSON, PROPC: MIKE CLIFTON
from running hot on the tail of Zeke Bradley during the 65A Sunday race. These two were neck and neck with their frozen fingers. Hoskins had his sights set on where to make his last chance pass and succeeded for the win on the second to last corner firing inside of Bradley just before the scoring area. Evan Gonzales rounded out third place on the podium.
Sunday big bike classes are by age and one thing you learn is that no matter your age, you can still put in the effort to competitively race a dirt bike. By golly, there were over 30 riders above the age of 60 pushing lap times with the best of them. The granddaddy of them all, John Herne, 65 and with a separated collar bone, still defeated them all. He took the win in his races and accomplished the number one championship in his classes for the year.
On the other end of the spectrum, you have kids like 12-year-old Hudson Bartsch, showing off raw talent with his speed. Bartsch locked in the 250FB first place championship on Saturday but fell second to Devin Neumeyer in the 13-29B class on Sunday. Neumeyer will be a sight the A riders will need to be aware of next year as this kid continues to impress with his quick progression to A.
Forrest Player to came out to play with the 13 other big boys in the PRO 2 class on Sunday. He held off Johnson for a couple laps, but
ROB
FORM, AS ALWAYS -
PC: JASMINE SELMAN
Johnson wasn’t settling for second like he did on Saturday. He twisted the throttle faster than anyone else, laying hard into the sand berms on the grass track and pushed to take the win. Player and O’leary rounded out the podium with up and comer Agustin Pascal on his new factory Sherco taking fourth place for his best finish yet in the PRO 2 Class. As you have heard, the weekend was full of excitement with many races leaving you on the edge of your seat. Not many dirt bike racing series are this competitive in all classes and can provide this much entertainment. Not to mention, the live band one evening aiding commodore in the pits, a kids
dance party contest to loosen up the crowd, and a camp Christmas decoration contest to bring in the holiday spirit. All of these reasons help to highlight the special experience of the TORCS racing series. As the 2021 season has wrapped up, the series will celebrate all the winners from the year at an annual banquet in the coming weeks giving opportunity for the bragger’s rights to start. We all thank the TORCS crew for a wonderful year and look forward to another amazing season in 2022!
Each year, just in time for the beginning of fall’s color changing beauty, the town of Pine Grove is awakened by the sound of hundreds of dirt bike enthusiasts setting out for a trip through the scenic and challenging terrain left behind by the area’s legendary mining operations. The sold-out event is a part of the East Coast Enduro Association’s (ECEA) yearly schedule and begins and ends at the North End Fire Company in this small Pennsylvania town. The fire company has been a long-time partner with the Reading Off Road Riders (RORR), who are the brains and brawn behind the event.
The club’s members are hard at work for several weeks ahead of the event maintaining trails and mapping a unique dual sport experience. The course is laid out in two loops, morning and afternoon,
that take place on property that was once considered “open” riding, These areas near Tower City, Joliet, Good Spring, Blackwood, and Llewelyn are a source of great memories to the folks that grew up riding the region in the later 20th century. Unfortunately, times change and increases in vandalism, injuries, insurance claims, ownership changes, etc. all played a hand in losing access to these areas. Thankfully, RORR has been able to maintain long-standing relationships with the various landowners throughout the years and provide the sport with a “onetime-only” annual access to the historic areas and a great reason to mark this event on your calendar.
At just over ninety miles, the ride is certainly a full day, and while you will justify that license plate by spending
photo by Bill Lemunyon
some time on blacktop, don’t let the dual sport moniker fool you… this ride is no jaunt through some graded forestry service dirt roads. After all, the event is brought to you by the same folks that present the “Tough Like RORR” extreme enduro, and it’s only natural for the club to incorporate a bit of that attitude into all of its events. But, to clarify, and lessen the scare factor for next year’s participants, the majority of the difficult sections are
incorporated as options that are clearly marked for you to decide your fate. However, there are some rocky areas even on the main trail. This is Central PA…you cannot avoid rocks, you just have to embrace them.
A brisk overcast morning greets the riders as they leave North End Fire Company warmed from the breakfast provided by the North End’s volunteers.
photo by Don Fegley
The ride heads west into the land managed by Rausch Creek Trailriders Club. Today’s access is granted only for the event by the Rausch Creek management team, but memberships, as well as campsites, are available for purchase to enjoy this vast riding area annually by visiting https:// www.rauschcreekracing.com/. Here the main trail will follow mostly two-track trails, mine access roads, and scenic paths with terrain ranging from the aforementioned rocks, black coal dirt, hard pack, and even sand. Several optional routes incorporate some wonderful, challenging single track and romps
along the spine of “dragon-backs”, piles of overburden and manipulated ground left over from stripmining activites.
A return to the fire company for a tasty lunch follows before setting off to the Blackwood/Llewelyn section for the afternoon loop. This area is accessed by the longest stretch of blacktop in the event, but once the tires hit dirt again, you quickly realize the trek was worth it. Unlike the morning’s section, where there is an active club using the land, this area is off limits except for the Mighty RORR. So, the trails are fresh and neatly trimmed from the club’s
preparation. As in the morning, the main line will traverse a mix of dirt roads and wider paths and the rocks are resigned to background noise compared to earlier. There is one difficult bit of main trail toward the end of the loop that is a consequence of the terrain and access but be sure the RORR representatives are willing and able to assist as needed. The fun level really amps up when choosing to tackle the options as the single track is truly spectacular. And, if you make it through one of the last, and most challenging options, where you ascend the mountain side through a tangle of rocky trail and tight trees, you may be rewarded with a hearty cheer and snack from the fire as you pass by an accommodating welcoming party at a rustic cabin atop the hill.
Not far beyond the cabin, the trail returns to the blacktop for a return to the starting area concluding another year’s Mighty RORR. The members of RORR are very grateful for the cooperation of the various landowners that provide the access for the event and well as the support of Rausch Creek Trailriders Club, the North End Fire Company, and the ECEA and its sponsors. Make your plans to join in next year, but be sure to watch the website https://www. rorr.org/ for sign-up information in late summer/early-fall as the event is known to sell-out quickly!
Since Covid infections have reduced significantly in Spain, the Mecatecno factory has resumed its production plans with a whole new concept of the DragonFly adult trials bike. Midwest Mototrials will receive a test/demo unit in January of ’22. Pending a successful testing program here and at the factory, production is expected to start in April.
• The T-18 Dragonfly will now have a light-weight direct drive (no heavy gearbox).
• A real hydraulic clutch will provide fingertip control for maximum traction and control.
• The new M4, 39mm Aluminum AIR FORKS are the lightest on the market.
• Linkless Ohlins shock direct to the swing arm.
• 5 hour quick change battery.
• Approx 128 pounds.
• Seat can be added for trail riding comfort.
****Specs are subject to change****(This picture does not represent the new model)
After 1960 things looked gloomy for Husqvarna. The R&D department was in idle mode and the factory had given up hope and interest on their motorcycle division. The streetHuskys didn't sell as the best days of the Silver Arrow were gone. No new products lay in the pipeline and the market was under the weather for the Swedes. It was time to ride out a tropical storm.
In the production statistics we can see that the factory only churned out 423 units in the year of 1961. The Silver Arrow street machines had stopped selling by now and the mopeds also showed a deep decline in output. The overall sales dip was a stunning 85 percent
compared to the successful introduction period of the Silver Arrow some years back. The forecasts for the future were pessimistic and the board of directors contemplated giving up the twowheel division entirely. A last-minute decision gave it another try, much due to the successful history of the company's motorcycle adventures from 1903. But future manufacturing would be performed on a very low scale.
After having scored motocross success both in 1959 and in 1960 with two championship titles, 1961 proved to be disastrous for Husqvarna with limited results in motocross. Especially, the 250cc bikes were inferior on the market
while the bigbore beast still showed a competitive potential. After Torsten Hallman's first 250cc world title in 1962, sales of motocross machines picked up in the following year. Husqvarna made a nice replica and sold a hundred units of this bike, mainly in Sweden, Norway and Finland. We were now in the beginning of 1963 when the replicas hit the market and the demand for this machine was higher than expected.
The newcomer was by far the best and most competitive motocross product for sale on the market. As there also were substantial leftovers from the production of the Silver Arrow, sales continued with this unit until 1965, when street machines were abandoned for good. At least, that was the thinking from the management in Huskvarna.
As a result, things looked
gloomy for the Husqvarna twowheelers in the beginning of the sixties. Despite motocross titles and good intentions, the board of directors had limited understanding of the potential in motorcycling. To say the least, they were rather against most of the ideas that came from the responsible people in this division. The answer lay of course in the United States. The Swedish motorcycle dealer of "MC-Trim" in Stockholm, by the name of Stig Ericson, was travelling around in San Diego, southern California.
As winters were cold back home, "Stickan" preferred the sun of the western state to the local snow. In a nifty smorgasbord joint called "Bit of Sweden" in El Cajon, over a meal he met with bike salesman Edison Dye by sheer chance. The American had been in business for years and the two started talking about European motocross. Edison Dye showed interest in Husqvarna, but the motocross sport had yet to be discovered in the United States. Dye figured that there surely would be interest in solid offroad machines such as the Swedish product. Consequently, Edison Dye approached the Weapons factory with a letter asking them to let him and his company MED International,
1969 Aberg ad
1965 Husqvarna ad
1966 Swedish Team
represent Husqvarna in the United States. True to the negative instinct from the leaders in Huskvarna, the simple answer was "no", with a polite twist of saying "thank you for the interest". Their point of view was enhanced by such factors as no desire to export, no motocross market available, no knowledge of recreational riding and last but not least, an unfavorable dollar-exchange rate which made Swedish goods expensive across the Atlantic.
However, Edison Dye from Oskaloosa in Iowa did not give in so easily as earlier interested parties had done. He had a temper of a whirlwind and was enough persistent to invite for a meeting by the fall of 1965. Two representatives from Husqvarna met with the eager American in Scandinavia. Edison Dye convinced the Swedes that he was the right man for the job and bought 50 machines to be delivered during the 1966 season. The initial deliveries were airfreighted, which saved valuable time as Edison Dye wanted to give the very first Husqvarna to ace rider Malcolm Smith. He also wanted to have machines in his Californian showroom. For three years the Swedish factory had only churned out a few hundred units a year, but this
changed in 1966 when US hit the market for the Husqvarna products. Not only was MED International successful, but also triple world champion Torsten Hallman who rode 23 races with as many wins. He was the true ambassador who presented the sport to the US motorcycle fans. Shortly after, Dye and Hallman introduced the classic Inter-AM motocross series in the US, where most of the world top stars came to compete towards the end of the sixties. Now would have been the right time for the Husky people to react and invest into the future. Unfortunately, that did not happen although the US market swallowed the better part of the factory's production. From 1961 to 1970 Husqvarna only manufactured 14 000 units, of which 5 000 were made in the year of 1970 when the new Ödeshög factory had been opened.
