On the Pegs Magazine - 07 July 2020 by On the Pegs

THE ULTIMATE COMBINATION

Versatile, powerful and proven by some of the most respected off-road champions in the world, like seven-time GNCC XC1 Pro Champion Kailub Russell, the KTM 350 XC-F combines competition-crushing power inside of a nimble, all-terrain chassis for the ultimate READY TO RACE weapon.

Photo:

S. Cudby

The Big Picture

AND GAM

ESCUSE ME, COMING THROUGH Layne Michael (523) and Kailub Russell fight for the holeshot at the High Point GNCC at Mt Morris, Pennsylvania. Layne was credited with the holeshot, while Kailiub took the win.

PHOTO BY SHAN MOORE

The Big Picture

AND GAM CHOCOLATE TRAIL

Nat Wilder rides out a kicker in section three on chocolate trail at the Cherokee National Enduro in Greensboro, Georgia.

PHOTO BY SHAN MOORE

The Big Picture

AND GAM

BROOKE BOOKS

Brooke Cosner lays her Sherco into an uphill turn in the opening test at the Cherokee EEnduro en route to second overall in the Women’s Elite division.

PHOTO BY SHAN MOORE

The Big Picture

AND G

ROCKY ROAD

FMF/KTM’s Ben Keelley returned from shoulder surgery in Feebruary to claim fourth overall at the Cheerokee. Here he navigates Aleen Gravitt’s “Rockin” section six.

PHOTOS BY SHAN MOORE

Enduro Alaska • Wasilla, AK • 907-350-6584

S&T Cycles • North Clanton, AL • 205-755-1001

Al’s Cycle Center • North Little Rock, AR • 501-758-4800

Dirt Riders West • Phoenix, AZ • 602-307-7546

Happy Trails Cycles• Bouse, AZ • 307-690-9493

Manic Moto • Queen Creek, AZ • 480-783-3243

On Any Moto • Tucson, AZ • 520-269-6606

Auburn Extreme Powersports • Auburn, CA • 530-885-7105

Browns Cycles • Paso Robles, CA • 805-238-1240

C&D Cycle Center • San Diego, CA • 858-277-3298

Capitol Yamaha • Sacramento, CA • 916-485-9200

Coyne Powersports • El Centro, CA • 760-353-2110

Doug Chandler Performance • Salinas, CA • 831-422-3270

Honda Kawasaki Beta of Modesto • Modesto, CA • 209-529-5424

Jetworld Powersports • Castaic, CA • 661-294-0072

KC Power sports • San Juan Capistrano, CA • 949-942-9854

Lee’s Honda Kawasaki • Redding, CA • 530-221-6788

MotoXotica • Vacaville, CA • 707-446-4282

Mountain Motorsports • Ontario, CA • 909-988-8988

Northstate Powersports • Chico, CA • 530-342-4216

Simi Valley Cycles • Simi Valley, CA • 805-522-3434

Uptite Husky • Santa Ana, CA • 714-540-2920

Wilson’s Powersports • Madera, CA • 559-674-0041

Apex Sports • Colorado Springs, CO • 719-475-2437

Extreme Power Sports • Steamboat, CO • 970-879-9175

Grand Mesa Motorsports • Delta, CO • 970-874-8621

Handlebar Motorsports • Durango, CO • 970-247-0845

MotoAdventure • Loveland, CO • 970-669-5377

Perri’s Powersports • Grand Junction, CO • 970-243-7730

Spirit Lake Motorsports • Grand Lake, CO • 970-627-9288

Timberline Motorsports • Buena Vista, CO • 719-395-4272

N.E. Cycle Works • Groton, CT • 860-445-8158

Level 10 Performance Motorsports • Ormond Beach, FL • 386-944-9160

Orion Motorsports • Tallahassee, FL •850-671-1222

Priority 1 Powersports • Fort Pierce, FL •772-448-8555

Brett’s Cycle Barn • Gordon, GA • 478-628-4270

Wooly’s Cycles of Atlanta • Marietta, GA • 770-984-9844

Tiki Cycles Unlimited • Mililani, HI • 808-486-8454

Cycle Tech • Fremont, IA • 641-632-8201

DR Powersports • Cedar Falls, IA • 319-235-6453 ext5

Edwards Motorsports • Council Bluffs, IA • 712-366-8400

Hicklin PowerSports • Grimes, IA • 515-986-4880

Action Cycles N Sleds • Twin Falls,ID • 208-736-8118

Dennis Dillon RV & Marine • Boise, ID • 208-343-2830

Kolby Offroad • Idaho Falls, ID • 208-881-9646

Powersports Unlimted • Post Falls, ID • 208-981-0028

Sandpoint Marine & Motorsports • Ponderay, ID • 208-263-1535

Supreme Power Sports • Lewiston, ID •208-743-9496

Good Guys Motorsports • Herrin, IL • 618-988-9194

Integ Motorsports • East Peoria, IL • 309-699-3929

Fatty’s Cycle • Fortville, IN • 317-485-6200

The Cycle Shed • Vernon, IN • 812-346-8620

Miller Cycle Shop • Inman, KS • 620-712-1165

Central KY Motorsports • Lexington, KY • 859-888-0740

Morgan’s Suspension Service • Louisville, KY • 502-239-1870

LBI Motorsports • Oxford, MA • 508-987-6245

Monty’s Motorsports • Westfield, MA • 413-642-8199

Cyclemax • Gaithersburg, MD • 301-869-6629

Xtreme Powersports • Accident, MD • 301-387-2095

Maine Cycle • Auburn, ME •207-783-7349

Bennett Powersports • Marlette, MI • 989-635-5500

Cycle City Inc. • Escanaba, MI • 906-786-5834

JT Cycle • Battle Creek, MI • 269-965-0571

Marquette Beta • Marquette, MI • 906-226-3560

MX Parts Now • Watervliet, MI • 269-201-7064

Plus One Performance • Dearborn, MI • 313-918-8944

Lewis Charles Cycles • Albert Lea, MN • 507-720-4144

Bonecutter Body Shop • California, MO • 573-796-8685

Donnell’s Motorcycles • Independence, MO • 816-478-9393

Gateway BMW • Saint Louis, MO • 314-427-9090

Marionville Powersports • Marionville, MO • 417-258-2544

Motorcycles and More • Marthasville, MO • 636-433-2384

Graham KTM • Senatobia, MS • 662-562-8711

Blitz Motorsports • Bozeman, MT • 406-522-7533

Fastoys • Kalispell, MT • 406-257-8697

Hanson’s Motorsports • Billings, MT • 406-545-7338

Kurt’s Polaris • Missoula, MT • 406-541-3651

Poet Motorcycles • Helena, MT • 406-457-8230

Brewer Cycles • Henderson, NC • 252-492-8553

Palmer Motorsports • Denver, NC • 704-489-1125

Redline Motorsports • Bismarck, ND • 701-426-0083

Johnny’s Cycle • Nebraska City, NE • 402-873-6913

Smart Auto Sales • Omaha, NE • 402-715-4647

Naults Powersports • Manchester, NH • 603-669-7220

Town & Country Cycle Center • Hamburg, NJ • 973-875-2111

Trapani Race Setups • Waretown, NJ • 609-693-3773

3 Ring Cycles • Clovis, NM • 575-760-7312

Champion Motorsports • Roswell, NM • 575-624-0151

DT Motorsports • Alamogordo, NM • 575-434-0454

S Squared Motorsports • Albuquerque, NM • 505-839-0505

Sun Country Powersports • Farmington, NM • 505-325-4195

Sierra BMW Motorcycle • Sparks, NV • 775-355-0655

Sonoma Cycle • Winnemucca, NV • 775-623-6888

Sportsman Cycle • Las Vegas, NV • 702-641-6401

3 Seas Recreation • Mayville, NY • 716-753-2628

Barnstormers Off Road • Whitehall, NY • 518-769-1058

Powerline Cycles • Mahopac, NY • 845-528-3401

Pro Cycles • Clifton Park, NY • 518-373-0151

Steve’s Custom Cycle • Lockport, NY • 716-625-4372

Beaver Creek Cycle • Lisbon, OH • 330-386-7353

Championship Powersports • Wauseon, OH • 419-335-8600

Dover Race Ready Cycle • Dover, OH • 330-440-6196

KRW Cycles • Dayton, OH • 937-477-0522

Pony Powersports • Westerville, OH • 614-212-7888

Staud Cycles• Fairfield, OH • 513-604-2391

Airhead Sales & Service • Klamath Falls, OR • 541-882-3572

Beaverton Motorcycles • Tigard, OR • 503-718-6670

Dan’s Motorsports Outlet • Salem, OR • 503-385-8108

Bromley Motorcycle • Trevose, PA • 215-357-1534

Bromley Motorsports • Stevensville, PA • 215-450-5487

Ephrata Cycle & Sports • Ephrata, PA • 717-738-1184

First Bike Motorsports • Butler, PA • 724-287-3052

Kissell Motorsports • Tyrone, PA • 814-861-7890

Mosites Motorsports • North Versailles, PA • 412-376-2300

RyanCo Cycle Works • Bloomsburg, PA • 570-437-4034

South Mtn Cycle Shop • Dillsburg, PA • 717-432-4997

San Juan Motorsports • San Juan, PR • 787-399-6866

Upstate Cycle • Greenville , SC • 864-232-7223

Rosco’s Motorcycle & ATV • Rapid City, SD • 605-348-3946

Adventure Offroad • Leoma, TN • 931-852-5445

GDM Motorsports • Murfreesboro, TN • 615-907-7212

Knox Enduro • Knoxville, TN • 865-308-0330

Pandora’s European Motorsports • Chattanooga, TN • 423-468-4104

380 Motorsports • Decatur, TX • 817-752-8456

Big Country Motorsports • Magnolia, TX • 281-356-2506

D Squared Trials & Trails • Amarillo, TX • 806-576-0271

Fun Motors of Longview • Longview, TX • 903-663-9100

Ruhnke’s Xtreme Cycles • Odessa, TX • 432-563-0000

San Marcos Motorcycles • San Marcos, TX • 512-392-5220

Cutler’s Inc. • Orem, UT • 801-224-5005

Factory Powersports • Saint George, UT • 435-628-5281

Offroad Specialists • Fillmore, UT • 435-743-4180

Ridgeline Motorsports • Vernal, UT • 435-789-7433

Steadmans Recreation • Tooele, UT • 435-882-3344

Sunny Offroad • Perry, UT • 801-430-1101

Allsport Cycles • Roanoke, VA • 540-772-2500

Commonwealth Motorsports • Hayes, VA • 804-642-2200

Early’s Cycle Center • Harrisonburg, VA • 540-433-2585

Frank’s Motor Bikes • Bellevue, WA • 425-603-9000

Tom’s Cycle • Walla Walla, WA • 509-529-0411

Xtreme Powersports • Okanogan, WA • 509-826-5771

Jay’s Power Center • Reedsburg, WI • 608-768-3297

Metro Motorcycle • Neenah, WI • 920-722-0700

Appalachian Offroad • Cross Lanes, WV • 304-932-0437

Beta of Henderson • Henderson, WV • 304-675-5111

DSD Kawasaki Motorcycle & Rv Sales • Parkersburg, WV • 304-861-0449

Elkins Motorsports • Elkins, WV • 304-636-7732

Alpine Motorsports • Casper, WY • 307-234-4944

Handos Service Center • Sheridan, WY • 307-675-2287

Raw Power Motorsports • Thayne, WY • 307-883-3278

Rocky Mountain Powersports • Pinedale, WY • 307-367-2999

BETA TRIALS ONLY DEALERS

Lewisport USA • Copperopolis, CA • 209-678-5779

Tec-Cycles • Riverside, CA • 909-224-3375

Balance Trial Supply • Arvada, CO • 720-207-7715

Trial Store USA • Bradenton, FL • 941-404-0757

Aloha Trials Shop • Kapaa, HI • 808-822-2706

Northwest Cycle Center • McHenry, IL • 815-344-7780

Bucher Sales • Rock, KS • 620-986-5666

Like Us on:

Jack’s Cycles • South Berwick, ME • 207-337-1274

Mossy Rock Trials & Offroad • Big Timber, MT • 406-930-0227

Competition Wheels & Cycles • Concord, NC • 704-906-3238

The Tryals Shop • Locke, NY • 315-497-2904

RL Racing • Collinsville, OK • 918-519-6505

Diehl’s Beta Sales • Danville, PA • 570-437-2487

Moto-Skills •Rogersville, TN • 602-999-5395

Rising Sun Cycles • Harriman, TN • 865-590-1363

Mototrialsport • Midlothian, TX • 972-754-9686

Neil King Enterprises • Austin, TX • 512-292-0000

Northern Utah Trials • west Point, UT • 801-773-3918

Inland N. W. Trials Supply • Chattaroy, WA • 480-299-6038

Black Hills Beta • Sundance, WY • 307-680-6050

THE LOOP

News and Culture From The World Of Trials, Offroad and Extreme Racing

SHERCO INTRODUCES 2021 MODELS

2021 250-300 SE Sherco Factory model

The Sherco factory in France recently introduced its 2021 bikes, which includes Factory and Racing models.

The Racing two-stroke models, which come in 125 SE, 250 SE and 300 SE sizes, get WP Xplor fork upgrades.

Meanqhile, the four-stroke lineup comes in 250 SEF, 300 SEF, 450 SEF and 500 SEF sizes.

2021 450-500 SEF Sherco Racing model

The 250 and 300 two-stroke Racing and Factory models also get vibration-reducing counter balancers, while the 125 SE gets a new crankshaft assembly for improved reliability.

ENDUROCROSS SERIES PROPOSED

SIX RACE SERIES PROPOSED

The EnduroCross team is evaluating all options to organize a six race AMA championship series for 2020. The priority is the health and safety of the riders, fans and support staff involved with racing and putting on the events. The team is working with the various venues and assessing the federal, state and local guidelines, which varies by location, to determine the possibilities for hosting EnduroCross events. The goal is to have multiple locations with at least some fans in attendance but if that is not possible, options for multiple events at one or more locations are being considered. The series will run in the traditional time period of late-August to midNovember.

“The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything and things seem to change every day,” said Tod Hammock, the president and founder of Cycle City Promotions. “We are doing everything we can to create the best series possible while addressing the necessary safety protocols. The ability to have fans or not weighs into the

Photos Courtesy AMA EnduroCross

plans and we could use one or more venue without fans if necessary. Either way, we are aiming to have live pay-per-view online video coverage of all six events to make it possible for more fans to watch the racing live. We are aiming to announce the final schedule in the first week of July to give everybody time to prepare for the season.”

Rockstar Husqvarna’s Colton Haaker is returning to defend his championship and Cody Webb has joined the FactoryOne Sherco team to try to get another title of his own. Each of them has won three championships and is aiming for a fourth.

Canadian Trystan Hart has closed the gap on the two top EnduroCross racers and will be looking to take his first title on the RPM KTM. The Beta Factory team will also have a strong team consisting of Max Gerston and Chile’s Benjamin Herrera. Five-time champion Taddy Blazusiak is hoping to participate if he can make it work around other racing commitments in Europe. Add in exciting riders like Cory Graffunder, Noah Kepple, Ty Cullins (the defending EnduroCross Junior champion for riders 21 and under) and Cooper Abbott and this should prove to be a very exciting season to watch.

You can keep up with the latest updates via the following channels: www.endurocross.com www.facebook.com/EnduroCrossSeries www.instagram.com/enduro_cross

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IT’S FREE!

ENDURO ENGINEERING PRODUCT REVIEW EE

Sherco USA puts together a winning combination of original and aftermarket parts to bring riders the highest level of performance. No need to make upgrades after you bring your bike home, it’s race ready right out of the box.

KYB suspension, a full Akrapovic exhaust system, Galfer rotors and pads, Excel rims, AXP skidplates... the list goes on. Sherco’s attention to detail is unmatched when it comes to putting together a race-winning machine straight from the factory. This year is no exception with high-performance upgrades throughout the range. Visit us online to find a local dealer to see for yourself.

NO NEED

FULL AKRAPOVIC EXHAUST *4-Strokes

SELLA DELLA VALLE SEAT

D Mario Roman RIDING SCHOOL

AUGUST 17th, 2020 Training Center, Sequatchie, TN

2 of the World ’ s best hard enduro PROs!!! Sherco Factory rider, Mario Roman, and half with FactoryONE bo�led water.

SMAGE RIDING TECHNIQUE PAT

FOR THE NEXT YEAR, 11-TIME US MOTOTRIALS CHAMPION PAT SMAGE WILL BE BRINGING US MONTHLY RIDING TIPS DESIGNED TO MAKE YOU A BETTER RIDER. AND WHO DOESN’T WANT TO BE A BETTER RIDER? WHETHER YOU’RE A TRIALS RIDER OR AN OFFROAD ENTHUSIAST, WE’RE CERTAIN YOU’LL BENEFIT FROM PAT’S TIPS, SO SIT BACK AND TAKE IT ALL IN. BE SAFE AND DON’T FORGET TO PRACTICE WITH A BUDDY!

Acerbis X-Air Seat for Suzuki

Acerbis USA

Retail price: $225.95

Website: https://www.acerbisusa.com/

Contact phone number: 1-800-659-1440

Acerbis recently introduced the X-AIR SEAT For Suzuki. Among the many new features included are a pressure adjustment range: +- height/ rigidity, better stress absorption, personalised riding feel, and constant support over time.

The Acerbis X-Seat Air also prevents compression of the pelvic area and it orrectly distributes a rider’s weight around the pelvis.

It’s waterproof and it reduces rebound.

Foldable Aluminum Bike Stand

• Folds down to 2 1/4” Flat

• Open top allows you to change oil on stand

• Allows you to take both wheels off the bike

• Easy to Open and Close

• Fits in most places a bulky one piece stand .....will not

• Packable to pit or starting areas

• Hang on the wall of van, trailer, or garage

• Limited Lifetime Warranty

The FX and TX cross-country model range offers purpose-built motorcycles with ultra-modern components like electric start to get the rider off the line faster and a Map Select switch to put the power to the ground. Performance-focused innovations were implemented to ensure power accessibility and agility to stay ahead of the competition.

Photo: F. Lackner

2020 BETA IMPACT MOTO PEG

Max Sug. Retail: $259.99

Product Code: 41-BikeStand

Website: www.enduroeng.com

Improved traction and comfort. By isolating the cleat from touching metal to metal the rider experiences less vibration and abuse transferred to the foot. With the Impact Moto Peg your foot will stay planted, with substantially less abuse to your feet and knees throughout the ride. High-frequency abuse such as motor vibration, braking bumps, chatter, rocks, and roots are dramatically reduced through the cushion of the elastomer. The Impact Peg is designed so the cleat will not rock or roll, staying square with the base at all times which allows it to maintain a traditional characteristic and input. The Impact Moto Peg feels like a traditional peg but transfers less abuse to the rider throughout the ride. Starting at $23/mo with Affirm. Learn more. Check website for application.

2021 BETA 2-STROKE RR

Rideability Continues!

After two months of world lock-down, Beta emerges with its 2021 models. The Italian manufacturer starts their 116th year in business with a bang despite the challenges of the pandemic, with the introduction of the 2021 RR 2 Stroke range of off road motorcycles.

Finished in Italian red for 2021, the range of bikes is complete providing riders with a choice of power and feel based on his or her liking. 125, 200, 250, and 300 displacements all fill a different niche. Small updates enhance the range as well despite being “all new” in 2020.

SPECS

• Updated chassis in the head tube area and in the reinforce plates for an improved robustness and reliability. The accessories supplied have been modified, as well, in order to provide a better protection against wear.

• Improved rear subframe stronger and more durable.

• New side-panel mounting for an easier fixing.

• Updated tank cover for a better mounting.

• Improved seat, stronger base and foam design to provide better support

• Optimization of the filter box for an improved waterproofing as well as improved fit of the air filter

• New electrical system, with improved charging efficiency.

• Upgrade of the several internal components of the ZF front fork, in order to improve plushness on single track trails.

• New shock absorber setting to increase the traction.

• Updated speedometer granting better reliability and precision.

• New flash red colouring and graphics.

Prices:

125 RR $7999.00

200 RR $8699.00

250 RR $8799.00

300 RR $9199.00

Destination: $389.00

Available: July

HUSQVARNA MOTORCYCLES CASUAL APPAREL COLLECTION 2020 AVAILABLE

Designed and manufactured for those who define themselves by their desire to ride, Husqvarna Motorcycles’ new Casual Apparel Collection 2020 is a complete range of stylish, comfortable and highly functional clothing items, luggage, and accessories. Suitable for everyday use and ideal for anyone focused on staying active, the Casual Apparel Collection allows everyone to express their riding passion 24/7. All products offer discreet styling, progressive functionality and are built using the highest quality materials.

Among the highlights of the new 2020 Casual Apparel Collection is the Remote Hybrid Fleece. Designed specifically for those who enjoy the great outdoors, the insulated PrimaLoft® fleece offers true functionality, giving protection from the elements without compromising style or comfort. Breathable as well as water

and wind resistant, the Remote Hybrid Fleece allows total freedom of movement while benefitting from extended sleeves, reflective print and practical side pockets.

The Origin Tee is the go-to everyday essential of the new Casual Apparel Collection – a classic t-shirt that is fast-drying as well as breathable and mixes understated styling and a natural touch. Ideal for every occasion, the balanced blend of smart yet casual design is combined with moisture and odour management to ensure true versatility.

The Accelerate Collection, which consists of t-shirt, jacket and shorts, delivers highly functional and comfortable clothing that supports adventurous lifestyles, while reflecting Husqvarna Motorcycles’ Swedish heritage. Perfect for both in-

door and outdoor use, all items are breathable and offer secure, flexible fitting and space to move without restriction. The Accelerate Jacket is a versatile, wind and water repellent all-purpose jacket. Featuring a 4-way stretch, lightweight construction it can be packed inside its rear pocket for increased convenience.

The 2020 Casual Apparel Collection also offers a number of versatile luggage options, practical and dependable solutions that are ideal for those looking to travel in style. From the lightweight Trolley that offers greater carrying capacity on weight restricted airlines to the functional 25 litre Daybag backpack that is ideal for carrying gym gear or work essentials, all bags support active lifestyles.

In addition, the 45 litre Duffle Bag delivers generous space for weekends away. Packing down small into its own side compartment when empty, the Duffle Bag’s large carrying capacity can be vastly reduced for ease of storage. All bags feature subtle styling and high-quality detailing.

In addition, the Casual Apparel Collection 2020 features many more lifestyle items including sunglasses, caps, wallet, belt and keyholder.

The new Casual Apparel Collection 2020 is available now at authorised Husqvarna Motorcycles dealers. n

TOTH RETURNS

KTM RIDER RETURNS FROM INJURY AND WINS KENDA

FACTORYONE SHERCO’S GRANT BAYLOR SKIMS THE TOP OF THIS CREEK CROSSING AT FULL SPEED EN ROUTE TO SECOND PLACE!

XC GEAR/ENDURO ENGINGEERING/ HUSQVARNA’S RYDER LAFFERTY CLAIMED HIS BEST NATIONAL FINISH WITH A THIRD.

After breaking his leg just before the opening round of the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series in February, FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Josh Toth recovered enough during the four-month layoff to come away with an impressive victory at round two of the series, the Cherokee National Enduro, in Greensboro, Georgia, in his debut National Enduro race of the season.

After a nearly four-month layoff, the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series resumed action in Georgia under beautiful conditions, with excellent trail, and abiding by “social distancing” and other preventative guidelines.

Toth kicked off the event by winning the first four tests of the six-test, 70-mile race, and finished off the event with 46 seconds to spare over runner-up Grant Baylor on a FactoryONE Sherco.

Toth skipped the series altogether in 2019, so the Cherokee marked his first Enduro in over a year-and-a-half.

Toth felt good about performing so well after returning from injury.

“It’s been a long road coming back from breaking my leg twice, and these are hard to come by, so I definitely cherish it,” said Toth.

Toth had few problems during the first four tests, but things got tougher in the final two.

“The fifth test I laid it over a couple times,” said Toth. “I kind of got the bike caught in some saplings. I ended up losing that test. But then going into the last test it was so tight. I just had a little mistake. I don’t know really what happened. Sent me into a big tree and wadded up. I had a big crash. The track was so tight and physical. At the end I couldn’t catch my breath. Once you stopped, the heat hit you so hard. I was really gasping for air and struggling to finish that last test. But luckily, I had a cushion and was able to get the win.”

Baylor got off to a slow start to the day, and trailed Toth by a minute-and-a-half heading into the final test, but cut into that gap considerably with a clean and fast ride to finish off the day.

“I spent the first few tests trying to find my flow early on,” said Baylor. “I made some adjustments to the bike about mid-race and it seemed to benefit and make the bike better. There towards the end of the race I started to improve my times a little bit. I actually ended up winning the last test there by a good chunk, but it wasn’t enough to get the job done. Just need to keep it consistent. We’re only two rounds into this thing, so keep it consistent and keep it on the box. That’s all we can do.”

The surprise performance of the day went to Ryder Lafferty, who put his XC Gear/Enduro Engineering Husqvarna into third overall.

BEN KELLEY

“It was pretty good,” said Lafferty. “It started out, I didn’t feel the greatest. Just struggled a little bit with the bike, just the front end kind of felt a little twitchy. Then we put on a different front tire. We went to the new Washougal 3 and it really helped out a lot. From there on out, it felt like I was pretty solid and I had some good times. Kind of battled my way back up to make up some ground on Grant. So I felt good.”

FMF/KTM’s Ben Kelley finished fourth in his first race since having shoulder surgery.

“Overall it was a good day,” said Kelley. “I’m overcoming a shoulder injury and I just got on the bike about two weeks ago, so it’s twelve weeks off and then two weeks of riding. I felt good and had fun. It’s good to get back racing, that’s for sure. Just happy to get the first one out of the way and test the shoulder. All was good. I had one good crash on it in the last test and it all feels okay.”

Fifth went to Gnarly Routes KTM’s Russell Bobbitt, who has spent most of his time recently, adventure riding.

Thorn Devlin finished a solid sixth overall, one-minute-eighteen seconds ahead of his Beta USA teammate Cody Barnes. Barnes also won the NE Pro2 division, coming from behind to nip eight overall finisher and second NE Pro 2 rider Craig DeLong on the Rockstar Energy Racing Husqvarna by 20 seconds.

Rounding out the top 10 were Phoenix Honda’s Jonathon Johnson in ninth and KTM-mounted Vincent Smith.

In the Women’s Elite class, MacKenzie Tricker took the overall win on her MEPMX/Fly Racing/Grizzly Peak/Travelers Rest Speedway/KTM’s Mackenzie Tricker took the win by 34 seconds over Sherco’s Brooke Cosner, with Beta USA’s Rachel Gutish finishing third, another 27 seconds back.

OVERALL RESULTS

1. Josh Toth (KTM)

2. Grant Baylor (Shr)

3. Ryder Lafferty (Hsq)

4. Ben Kelley (KTM)

5. Russell Bobbitt (KTM)

6. Thorn Devlin (Bet)

7. Cody Barnes (Bet)

8. Craig DeLong (Hsq)

9. Jonathon Johnson (Hon)

10. Vincent Smith (KTM)

BETA USA’S CODY BARNES WON THE PRO2 DIVISION.

GNARLY ROUTES’ RUSS BOBBITT NAVIGATES THE ROCKS EN ROUTE TO SIXTH.

LONG TIME COMING

JOSH STRANG TAKES FIRST GNCC WIN SINCE 2016

GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY SERIES

BULLET CAMP COKER GNCC

ROUND 5

SOCIETY HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA

KAILUB RUSSELL GRABS THE HOLESHOT AT THE START OF THE BULLET CAMP COKER GNCC

AHEAD OF LAYNE MICHAEL AND EVENTUAL WINNER JOSH STRANG.

Although it was a dogfight, Babbitt’s Online/ Monster Energy/Team Green Kawasaki’s Josh Strang claimed his first GNCC victory in four years at the FMF Camp Coker GNCC in Society Hill, South Carolina, swapping the lead with seven-time champ, FMF/KTM’s Kailub Russell, before coming away with the “W”.

Russell had won all four rounds leading up to the South Carolina race, but Strang had been in the hunt at each event. At Camp Coker, Strang finally got the job done, crossing the finish with a 35-second margin after Russell took a pretty hard digger while trying to cut into the eight-second lead Strang had on him with just three miles to go in the race.

“It feels pretty good,” said Strang. “It’s long overdue, but I feel like I’m riding well and I feel like I’m in shape. It’s good.”

Strang first took control of the race on lap two when Russell and AmPro Yamaha’s Layne Micheal were held up by a lapper and Strang took an alternate line.

Russell re-took the lead on the following lap when Strang pitted for fuel. On the next lap, it was Russell’s time to pit, and Strang used that opportunity to retake the lead.

“I knew I’d have to gas the next lap, but I was able to get a good enough gap where I came out again in front,” said Strang. “I think there were parts of the track where he was faster and parts where I was a little bit quicker. He ended up catching me, but because he gassed so early, he had to gas again. So, once he gassed again, I tried to go again but he caught me again going into the last lap. With half a lap to go, I had eight seconds on him, which I didn’t think was going to be enough, but then he crashed.”

JOSH STRANG

GRANT BAYLOR MOVED FROM OUTSIDE THE TOP-10 TO THIRD PLACE BY THE END OF THE RACE, GIVING THE SOUTH CAROLINA RIDER HIS FIRST GNCC PODIUM WITH SHERCO.

Russell said after the race, “It was the craziest, scariest crash I’ve ever had,” as he iced his ankle in a lawn chair.

“Josh was riding really good,” added Russell. “I couldn’t make up a lot of time on him. I had a couple spots where I would kind of reel in on him because I was really flowing in the rutty stuff. I had a spot picked out where I made the pass the lap before and it was really hard to see, so I didn’t know if he would find the line. So, I was trying to stay right on him so when we got there I could make the pass. I was pushing hard and we come out of the woods, then we turned left onto a road at the bottom. The berm, I got in the fluff and my bars knifed and I endoed over the bars and there was a fence on my righthand side. So, it threw me into the fence. My bike almost flipped over it. This is like a six-foot-tall fence. I hit it so hard, my chest was stuck between the post and the mesh fence. I was stuck like a fish wedged in-between this fence and fence post. My bike was on my head, spinning.”

Grant Baylor grabbed his first GNCC podium for FactoryONE Sherco with a third. As usual, Baylor had to come from outside the top-10 to get the job done.

“I may have been a little over a minute behind the lead group there at one point,” said Baylor. “But once I started putting my head down on about lap three, I got started getting pit boards saying I was a minute off of the podium. So I put my head down there and put in a good charge mid-race and was able to get around Layne (Michael) and FMF/KTM’s Josh Toth there on the next-to-last lap there to move my way into third. It was a weird terrain. It was almost like a mud race/sand race. It was super-fast sand sections that you could just rail the sand berms, and then

JORDAN ASHBURN

all of a sudden, you’d go into a super nasty, black, muddy section. It was definitely a fun race and kept things interesting.”

Tennessee’s Jordan Ashburn was fourth on the other Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/Team Green Kawasaki.

“I think I was fifth on the first lap and I knew the track was going to be fast and rough, so I tried to follow the leaders to see what lines they were running,” said Ashburn. “On the third lap, I made a slight miscalculation and went down just enough to lose them. It took me a couple laps to catch back up to Toth. But once we got in the lappers I kind of struggled a little bit, and Grant ended up catching me. Then Andrew DeLong caught me. I was like, what is going on? I figured out their lines later on in the race and was able to put a pretty good charge on the last lap and come back to fourth.”

Trail Jesters KTM Racing’s Johnny Girroir turned in one of his best performances of the year with a fifth overall finish, which was also good enough for first in the XC2 250 Pro class. Girroir led six of his eight laps in the XC2 class, and with his win, he moved into first in the class standings.

“I think I was more comfortable than most in the fast, sketchy straights,” said Girroir. “There was a lot of chop and square-edged bumps and it was scary but I think I made up a lot of time in those.”

OVERALL RESULTS

1. Josh Strang (Kaw)

2. Kailub Russell (KTM)

3. Grant Baylor (Shr)

4. Jordan Ashburn (Kaw)

5. Johnny Girroir (KTM)

6. Josh Toth (KTM)

7. Mike Witkowski (Yam)

8. Craig DeLong (Hsq)

9. Layne Michael (Yam)

10. Ryder Lafferty (Hsq)

TRAIL JESTERS RACING TEAM KTM’S JOHNNY GIRROIR HAS BEEN TURNING HEADS. AFTER MISSING ALL LAST YEAR DUE TO AN ILLNESS, THE MASSACHUSETTS RIDER FINISHED FIFTH.

FACTORYONE SHERCO’S CODY WEBB SHOWED UP TO TRY HIS HAND AT GNCC RACING. WEBB SPECIALIZES IN EXTREME RACING AND GNCC WAS NOT HIS CUP OF TEA.

“I DID A GNCC NINE YEARS AGO, SO IT TOOK A WHILE TO FEEL COMFORTABLE,” SAID WEBB. “BUT THIS PLACE IS JUST SKETCHY. I GOT ON THOSE SQUARE-EDGED ROADS WHERE THEY HAD TO CUT A BUNCH OF SECTIONS OFF AND I BACKED IT OFF A LITTLE BIT. IDIDN’T WANT TO CLICK IT INTO SIXTH GEAR PINNED ON A ROAD. IT WAS SCARY, BUT I HAD A GOOD TIME. I CAME OUT HERE AND HAD SOME FUN AND GOT SOME GOOD EXPERIENCE.”

BABS/Fly/Maxiss/Yamaha’s

Becca Sheets (pictured) kept her perfect record intact, making it five wins in a row in the WCX Women’s Elite division.

Am Pro Yamaha’s Rachel Archer turned in her best performance of the year with a second, while Beta USA’s Rachel Gutish rounded out the top three after leading at one point.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Tayla Jones crashed hard on the first lap and wound up fourth.

KR557 GETS BACK ON TRACK AT HIGH POINT

GRAND NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY SERIES

FMF HIGH POINT RACEWAY GNCC ROUND 6

MOUNT MORRIS, PENNSYLVANIA

KAILUB RUSSELL

FMF/KTM’S Kailub Russell got back to his winning ways in Pennsylvania by grabbing his fifth win in six rounds at round six of the Grnad National Cross Country Series held at High Point Raceway at Mount Morris, topping Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy/ Team Green Kawasaki’s Josh Strang by 12 seconds for the at the finish.

Strang has been consistent, for sure, grabbing a win, three second-place finishes and two thirds in the six rounds held so far, but it was Russell who was the start today, even though he felt he rode poorly.

To be fair, most of the riders, including Strang, were not happy about thier performances due to the track being slippery, for sure.

“I got a pretty good start,” said Russell. “I felt pretty good straightaway. I’ve been struggling a little bit so I did a little bit of a warmup routine before the race and I felt better the first half a lap. I was able to stretch it out but then got into lappers and I kind of tanked myself. It’s just frustrating. I’m glad to win but I’m not really happy with the ride, to be honest with you. I know it’s part of the sport, but those “lappers” are so slow and it’s dangerous. It’s just frustrating. That’s all I can say.”

Strang was a little more comfortable with his ride, but not completely satisfied after winning in South Carolina just two weeks before.

Strang admitted to bothcing the start and was a ways down the order heading into the woods to start lap one.

“I don’t know what happened on the start,” said Strang. “I did some practice starts earlier and was fairly confident. I must have just got a handful of gas or something. It took me a lap and a half before I passed anyone. So, I wasn’t happy with how I was

ROCKSTAR ENERGY HUSQVARNA’S TAYLA JONES PASSED BECCA SHEETS ON THE FINAL LAP TO WIN THE WMX CLASS

riding. I was just bummed because it was almost like the day was over before it even started. Once I started passing people I started getting past them a little quicker, which was good. I think people started spreading out so the dust - when everyone’s together the dust is so bad. It’s crazy. The end of the second lap people were starting to spread out just enough where I think the dust was spreading out a little more so I could see a little better. But other than that, once I got into second just rode my own race and did rode well. I caught up to Kailub a bit there. I think once he’s in front he’s always hard to catch. If you’re doing the same pace, it’s almost impossible to catch him.”

After running second for the first few laps, AmPro Yamaha’s Layne Michael tangled with a lapper and went down, dislocating his shoulder.

“I wanted to get out front early because I knew it was going to be dusty,” said Michael. “I didn’t know if I got the holeshot or not, but Kailub and I were close. He ended up going ahead of me, so I was just keying off him. He pulled I think it was 24 seconds when I changed goggles and then I knocked it down to ten. I was able to catch him. It was just a little freak thing, but then a lapper kind of hopped in-between us and I just changed my line. Just kind of clipped a root at the base of a tree and kind of swapped me out a little bit. It wasn’t a hard crash by any means. It was just how I landed on my shoulder and I felt it pop out. I tried getting it back in myself out on the track. I was throwing my arm all over the place, but I couldn’t get it back in. I kind of came back and we got it back in. I think I got a separation as well. I was going to go back out, but Dr. McGee advised me not to. It’s frustrating.”

CRAIG DELONG

JUST WEEKS OFF OF SHOULDER SURGERY, FMF/KTM’S BEN KELLEY CAME AWAY WITH A SOLD THIRD PLACE FINISH. “I FELT LIKE I WAS RIDING PRETTY GOOD BUT STILL I KNOW I’M NOT AS STRONG,” SAID KELLEY. “I JUST STRUGGLE IN SOME PARTS WHERE I DON’T HAVE THE UPPER BODY STRENTH TO MUSCLE THE BIKE. I KNEW THAT IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD, BUT I TRIED TO FOCUS ON GETTING A GOOD START. I WAS FOURTH OR SO. I FELT I WAS RIDING GOOD, BUT THEN ADNREW OR GRANT WOULD GET BY ME, AND THEN THEY WOULD CRASH OR I WOULD GET BACK BY. I FELT I JUST STAYED STEADY THE WHOLE RACE. THREE HOURS IS A LONG RACE AND I’VE BEEN OFF THE BIKE FOR SO LONG, SO I DIDN’T REALLY KNOW HOW I’D FARE, BUT TO BE ON THE BOX IS COOL. I’M HAPPY WITH IT.

OVERALL RESULTS

1. Kailub Russell (KTM)

2. Josh Strang (Kaw)

3. Ben Kelley (KTM)

4. Jordan Ashburn (Kaw)

5. Mike Witkowski (Yam)

6. Craig DeLong (Hus)

7. Liam Draper (Hsq)

8. Josh Toth (KTM)

9. Cody Barnes (Bet)

10. Ryder Lafferty (Hsq)

GEOFF AARON

5 KEY WINS

GEOFF AARON COUNTS THE NUMBER OF TRIALS TITLES HE’S WON.

There’s been a lot of cool history in American Observed Trials since the series was officially hatched by the North American Trials Council in 1972. That first championship, held in Michigan, was won by Jerry Young. In the 47 years since the championship started, there have only been 12 different champions. With the current suspension of events due to the COVID Virus, we will be looking back at some of these champions and the their stories. For this series, we’ll be talking to a few champions and asking them to talk about five key wins that either defined their careers or were key in their ultimate success.

This this month is 10-time Champion Geoff Aaron

1

FIRST NATIONAL WIN

I would say my first win was probably one of the most memorable, and then also my last win was really important because it was the end. I kind of book-ended my list with my first and my last. The first win was all the way back in 1990. I was a second-year championship or pro rider. It happened to be my first ride on Tommi Ahvala’s Aprilia, so at the time I was riding for Trials Shop. My first national win was in Wyoming and it was cool because the world championship had been in Arizona that year, in Globe, Arizona. After the trial was over, Aprilia and Beta had made some kind of a deal to keep Diego Bosis’s and Tommi Ahvala’s bikes. So Ryan Young got Diego’s Beta and I got Ahvala’s Aprilia. It was a really special bike. It looked stock when you just glanced at it, but it had a different frame. It had titanium bolts all the way around it. It had aluminum rotors. It had a special carburetor. It had a ton of stuff. It was way lighter and everything worked better on it. I just remember going for my first ride on it. Didn’t really change anything on it. I just showed up at the event. It was my first ride on this bike and I won my first national.

This was kind of during Ryan’s heyday. He was really the best guy at that point. I think Mark Manniko was in there too. They were both good at that time. They were kind of the top three guys. I think that year I ended up third in the championship. My first year as a pro I was eighth in the championship. That was the year that Jonny Anderson was there. Then the following year it was just the Americans. That was my first win. Then I ended up third for the championship.

The bike had pros and cons. The thing had pretty good suspension for its day. It felt like when you hit a step it would really pop you up on the thing. It had kind of a laid-down shock position in the rear. It kind of had a different feel than the other bikes. Whether it was better or not, I don’t know. I remember thinking when I first started riding that thing up obstacles, I felt like it just flew up big stuff. But it was kind of heavy. It had a lot of power. It had good suspension in the rear. Those two things I think are what made that bike good. It was kind of a cool time because that was the first or second year of upside-down forks, water cooled, all that kind of stuff. So prior to that, they were still air cooled and all that stuff. It was more modern.

It was definitely cool to win because I had been kind of nipping at their heels a little bit. I had a few rides with loop scores that were kind of close, but that was the first time I put it all together.

2 FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP

My second key win has got to be my first championship year. I had been runner-up to Ryan for several years. So ’91, ’92, ’93 I was second place. I had some more wins mixed in there, but never enough to put it all together until 1994. It came down to the last round of the series in Nebraska. I just remember it being really intense pressure for me. Whoever won that day was going to win the championship between me and Ryan Young.

I can just remember kind of trying to get in the zone. So before the event I can remember being in my rental car with the tunes cranked all the way up. Just trying to block out, just trying to get myself psyched up. I went out and I had a pretty dominating ride that day. I had a pretty good margin over everybody else. I just remember sealing the deal and just being kind of relieved because I had three seasons of runner-up position. So it was cool to finally put it together.

3 SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP

I would say ’95 was probably the hairiest championship I had because - and you probably remember this too - the last four rounds of the championship were two events in Colorado and then two events in Oregon. I was kind of swapping wins with Ryan going into those rounds, but Ryan had a lead on me. He was ahead of me. Basically I needed to win three out of the four rounds in order to win the championship. So we came into Colorado going, “Man, if I lose in Colorado, we’re not even going to go to Oregon,” kind of a deal. The very first day I lost to Olivier Clamagirand. So Olivier won the day and I lost. So it turned into a mega pressure situation for me. I ended up winning the second day. Then we went onto Oregon and Ryan Young and I had a battle to the death, right down to the last loop of the last day. I ended up winning again. That was probably the most pressure and probably my hardest championship to win. In Oregon, I can’t remember if it was the first day or the second day, but there was a lot of slippery creek sections there. That was back when you could roll backwards and do all that kind of stuff. I can remember one spot where Ryan was there and Dale Malasek was minding for him. It was the slippery creek and it had

kind of like this green, slimy rock. I remember I took off and I tried to make it up this thing. I didn’t make it, but I stopped and then just backed up. I rolled down again and then I basically reset. I had backed up a couple of bike lengths. Then I took off again and spun again and didn’t make it. Reset again, backed up again. Then I finally got it on the third try. I remember I just wouldn’t put my feet down. I was just fighting super hard to go for it. Where under a normal situation I probably would have just dropped both feet on the ground and pushed it up over the top or whatever I needed to do. But I just was super determined to not dab and to try my hardest. It ended up paying off.

TRIAL DES NATIONS TEAM WIN

Another is in 2000 we won the TDN in Spain. It was me, Ray Peters, Jess Kempkes and Cory Pincock and that one was pretty big for us because even though it was the International Class, it was pretty stacked with other teams that we hadn’t really been beating for a lot of years. I think our riders, we just had a good day that day. It ended up being a really good trial for us. I just remember we had a heck of a party afterwards. It was cool because we were in Spain, where a lot of the manufacturers are. I think we’ve only won it twice, which was 2000 and 2005. I was part of those. That one that kind of sticks out because it was the first time the Americans had ever won at TDN.

5

INDOOR TRIAL WIN

Probably the next one that really kind of sticks out in my mind was AMA indoor in San Fransisco in 2003 in the Cow Palace. So that one was the first time we ever really did a legitimate American indoor and it was considered as a national championship, but it was kind of a winner-take-all situation. Top ten guys were invited to the thing, so it was basically the best guys from the outdoor series. I remember at that point in my career I was really close with Ryon Bell. So Ryon and I were pretty even. Basically we came down to the end because we ended up tying. Our score was tied, so we had to basically race through the final section, which was not a super easy section. We had both cleaned it and then it turned into basically who could clean it the fastest. I ended up winning that on time and won the first ever indoor. So that one sticks out just because it’s kind of different. It was cool to have an indoor championship and to be in the record books as just kind of the first one to ever win. So that was cool. It was definitely exciting to have a nail-biter finish like that where you had to kind of race through this hard section and not screw up and dab, and try to beat the other rider through it. It was tough. It was a lot of pressure on that one ride.

BONUS WIN

Then the last one I remember was just my final win, which was in 2006 at TTC in Tennessee. I had started off strong in 2006 so I had kind of a comfortable cushion going into the last half of the season. Obviously the youngsters were starting to kind of creep up on me at that point. It kind of looked like Cody Webb was going to be the next guy, but it turned out to be Pat Smage who was really the next guy. My last win was at TTC, and that marked 73 career wins. Going into the final weekend, there was only one more weekend after that TTC round, and I just basically had to finish somewhere in the top five or something. The pressure was completely off me. Basically I feel like that last win at TTC sort of sealed the deal for me as 10-time champ.

I had made up my mind at the beginning of the year before we even started competing that that was going to be my final season. I didn’t really tell a lot of people about it or anything. I had already kind of made up my mind what I was going to do. That again just kind of sealed the deal. It was sort of bittersweet, thinking this is my last national season that I’ll ever ride. Obviously I had a great run. I did twenty years consistently at the nationals. My first national I ever rode was way back in ’86 and then my last one was 2006. So I did a full twenty years on the circuit. So I was a little bit maybe burnt out. I knew the younger guys were coming up. I wasn’t sure how long I was going to really want to hang it out for. In my mind I felt like I could probably win a couple more of these, but it just seemed like a good time for me to step aside. I could go out as the ten-time champ and whatever. Endurocross stuff was starting to kind of kick into gear. I was kind of getting excited about some other stuff. I was also super busy at that time with the demos. That was probably my peak time. So I was kind of dedicating less and less time to outdoor trials. I was running around like a crazy gypsy going to all these events and putting deals together to try to do performances. But it was kind of taking away from actual rock riding. It’s a lot of fun to wheelie around and splatter up stuff and show off the sport, but it’s not the same as going out and really focusing on outdoor national trials and focusing on the championship. So I wasn’t dedicating as much time to the actual championship at that point. So I felt like if I keep booking myself crazy with shows, it’s just a matter of time before I get beat here anyway. So I think maybe this was a good time to call it. n

THAT TIME

RYAN YOUNG “HELD UP” MARK MANNIKO TO WIN THE 1989 PAMPA, TEXAS MOTOTRIALS

WINNING A TRIALS, ESPECIALLY A NATIONAL TRIALS, DOESN’T ALWAYS COME DOWN TO JUST TECHNIQUE AND ABILITY. SOMETIMES WHEN RIDERS ARE ON FAIRLY EQUAL TERMS, SMARTS, OR ON THIS CASE, “CRAFTINESS”, PLAYS A ROLE. IN THIS STORY OF THE 1988 PAMAPA NATIONAL TRIALS, SIX-TIME CHAMP TELLS US ABOUT “OUT-FOXING” MARK MANNIKO.... AND MORE!

On The Pegs 102

For those of you who know Ryan Young and are wondering what he is doing now, Ryan sold his shares of RYP and is semi-retired and will be focusing on trials schools and supporting the sport of trials through his trials schools, which he started long before he founded his business.

“I started trials schools in 1988 and I’ve been doing it steady for the last 32 years,” says Ryan. “It’s a pretty successful thing for the local clubs. It gets them pumped up. They learn everything. Local clubs are the best way to do them; through a club or an organization.

Basically they can get ahold of me at RyanYoungTrialsSchools@gmail.com. Keep an eye on On The Pegs for future information about Ryan Young Trials Schools.

Now, here’s Ryan talking about the 1989 Pampa, Texas, US National MotoTrials:

My main focus that day was Mark Manniko because he was in the lead on the last lap. That’s who was really neck-and-neck with me, even though Jonny Anderson was in the hunt too. My whole focus was to get first place. I was watching the scoreboard and Mark was right on my heels.

So, my little game ended up costing Mark like fifteen points in the last four sections. He might have jumped from first to third because of that, and I think Jonny got second.

The first year I won the championship, 1988, Jonny and I swapped wins every single weekend, Saturday, Sunday. Then I sat out the last event to win the championship. But to win that day in Pampa, Mark Manniko was who I was really focused on. Basically the moral of the story is if you have a time advantage you must take advantage of it. I had a time advantage over all my competitors, because I started behind the rest of the Pro class. I had five to seven minutes over my competitors.

Back then you got a point per minute for each minute you were late. So I had the confidence of never getting flat tires or breaking my bike. I was in great shape. I could go as fast as anybody. So your main strategy is, you need to start the last loop in front of your competitors and control the clock on the last loop. So what that means is I try to use up all the time limit. So if they gave you six and a half hours, you must take at least six and a half hours. After that you are into your time penalty minutes. You can even take the whole half an hour penalty period. It doesn’t matter, because your competition is going to get five to seven minutes more time penalty than you. That means, back then it was a point per

minute, so I got a free five to seven points. It could be ten points if there were that many Pros. You have to take advantage of a free five points. So if your competitors aren’t smart enough to be in front of you on the last loop, they’re going to get it. The only way they can get in front of me is to punch a five in the section to go around me. So that way I was going to get free five points on them, as well. So they couldn’t pass me in a section. They couldn’t pass me on the loop. So I controlled the time limit on the last loop.

I was in front of my competitors. So by section, let’s say it was a fifteen-section trials. I don’t remember how many sections there were, but there were about five sections left and I still had about fifteen minutes before I got into penalty points. So if I don’t come in on penalty points, I don’t make up any free bonus points on penalty time against my competitors. So I have to come in late to get my free points, I had a late time limit and I had that advantage over my competitors. So with five sections to go, I had fifteen minutes to blow. I start panicking. So I start making the sections last forever. Back then there was no time limit on the sections. I could take twenty minutes in one section if I wanted. So the first section I decided to start slowing down big time. I just hopped a lot of extra hops, acting like I was losing my balance and I was struggling to get my hops precise and over the log. This section was all log sections. This trials site was just tons of logs. That’s all they have there. So it’s over a log, hop, hop, hop, hop. Over a log, hop, hop, hop, hop. Mark Manniko was behind me in line. So now I had him in my sights, and he was my main focus that day. So then the next section I started hopping and bopping, hopping and bopping, hopping and bopping, and I get a clean there. The third section it’s still like ten minutes. I’m not picking up my time penalty. So the third section I do hops, hops, hops, hops, hops, hops. I get over all the obstacles and it’s just a straight run, about ten feet to the end gate. I stop and balance with no obstacles left. Mark Mannike starts revving his bike up. He’s obviously very frustrated, but he doesn’t have any control over the situation. That’s the key point. I have control. So I waited for a little bit, actually glancing at my watch. Finally I go out of the section, get my score punched. On the way to the next section, Bill DeGaris comes running up beside me and says, “Ryan! Ryan! You have to stop doing this. It’s bad sportsman-like conduct. It’s not cool.” So people knew what I was doing. It was obvious.

So, I finished out the sections and got some time penalty. But besides getting time penalty, Mark got three fives on the last five sections because he was out of his wits. He didn’t know what to do. So very psychological, but I had control of the day, of the time. Back then, I would always try to get free points if I had the

time advantage. So I’d always try to get in front of my competitors on the last loop and control the clock. So they should have caught on after years and years of doing that, but that’s what I would do at every national, if I had the time advantage. n

LOG GONE IT!

A BONUS STORY FROM RYAN YOUNG (Also from the 1988 Pampa National)

So, they had this big, probably five-foot-high log, and a nice, foot-and-a-half kicker log to get you up on that five-foot log. Then on the backside you had to drop off and it was only a bike length. You’d run out of the ribben. So somehow you had to get over this log, and stop before the ribben. So you must have been able to roll down it on the backside. I get there on the second loop and that log kicker was about a bike length back from where it was on the first loop. It rolled out.

So when somebody rode in a lower class, I pushed that log all the way back into the base of that log with my feet. Then the checker turned around and said, “Who put that log back there?” Nobody was talking. So he got to looking and right there was Sid Mauldin staring at me with a big grin on his face. I forget exactly what the checker said. Something like, “That log better get back where it was or they’re going to get a five.” Sid was there so I was like, oh shit. He’ll probably tell him I did it. I don’t want a five. So I rolled the log back out with my hands where it was. So I got on my bike, and then when I rode it I actually pushed the log back with my front tire. Then back up and rode the log like it was supposed to be ridden! n

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IT’S FREE!

JOHNNY G.

ON THE PEGS LEARNS MORE ABOUT TRAIL JESTERS RACING KTMS JOHNNY GIRROIR

Ross Mauri’s Trail Jesters KTM Racing has pretty much been a feeder program for FMF/KTM Factory Racing, having nurished Ben Kelley and Josh Toth to the point where they now reside under the factory tent.

Ross’s next bunch of up and comers includes Jesse Ansley and Johnny Girroir. Ansley is hurt and has not been riding, but we got a chance to talk to Girroir at the High Point GNCC.

What happened today; they said you had brake problems. I was feeling good today until I must have hit a lapper or tangled with someone and I broke my back brake bleeder off. All the oil cam out and I lost my brakes. Thought I bent a disc. When they first went out I could pump them back up and they came back a couple times, so my thought was the disc was bent so I could pump them back up. We changed the wheel and it wasn’t. I just pushed as hard as I could and still gave it 100% and fought to the end. That’s all we can do and move onto the next one.

You missed all of last year due to an illness.

Beginning of last year, I just got a lung infection. I was born with four lobes in my right lung. You’re only supposed to be born with three. The fourth one ended up closing off. That’s where the infection kind of started in there. It stopped working. I had a seven-centimeter lung infection in my right lung. It was wrapped around my esophagus. It almost killed me. I woke up at 2:00 in the morning and rushed myself to the hospital. What happened was it swelled up so much it was touching all my organs and my heart. Every time my heart beat it felt like someone was stabbing me with a knife. I couldn’t really breathe that good. So I was in a lot of pain and couldn’t breathe. I went to the hospital and spent about thirty days in the hospital and the rest of the year just recovering and learning how to breathe again. It was rough but I got through it.

You’re from Southwick, Massachusetts. Did you grew up watching the Southwick Nationals?

Yeah. Just some idols and people I looked up to, like John Dowd and Doug Henry. Knew them. They were good friends with my dad and stuff. Always over their house riding. They came to my house riding. We had a motocross track at the house. Really good dudes. Really good role models. Just worked really hard and respectable guys.

Did you start out in moto?

Yeah, I started off in moto and raced moto basically my whole junior career on 65s and 85s. Then I raced one year on a 105 in the big wheel class in woods. Then my dad kind of switched us over. Just a better, friendlier environment, nicer people and stuff. My dad always liked woods riding. He got to ride too when we went to the woods races, so that was cool.

What off-road series?

We actually switched to NETRA and junior enduros and stuff like that. Then J Day started in 2011. I still didn’t race it until 2012. I kind of took a little break off riding. I lost my dad in 2010 when I was 14. Then about a year and a half later I lost my best friend. So it was just a rough time there for a little while. But I started back racing. I got this old clapped-out 250 two-stroke, YZ250 two-stroke. Ended up winning the 2012 J Day championship against Jake Corn. So that was really cool. That’s kind of what started my career back to racing. Then in 2013, after I won the championship, KTM was like, “Hey, we want you to do that on a KTM.” So I got sponsored by KTM and that took me through the five, six years I raced J

Day. Finally in 2017 I was like, Josh and Ben, growing up with them, seeing them just kicking ass and getting on factory teams made me realize I can do that too. It was definitely hard coming over here and getting straight up smoked by them kids that I always used to ride with and stuff. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I got through it. Had to do a year on the Suzukis and that was another tough pill to swallow, but I got through it. I know Ross was watching closely the whole year. I had to prove myself to him and prove that I really wanted it. Then in 2019 he took me underneath his wing and has been nothing but great to me ever since.

You do GNCC and sprint enduros. Those are pretty different types of races. Which one do you prefer?

I like sprinting and going fast. At sprint enduros everything can unfold in one test or one crash, which is cool and it keeps it exciting and on your toes. I like both of them. They’re different. GNCC is all about blood, sweat, and tears, mental strength, just being focused, not giving up. Just having that mental strength to push for three hours. It’s just a whole different game.

How would you characterize your style?

I would say I was definitely wild and aggressive, and I’ve always been racing J Days. I’m learning. I’m growing wiser and older. I need to save the energy where I can.

Do you feel like you’ve improved most mentally or technique-wise in the last year?

I would say mentally focused. I’ve learned how to race the GNCCs. And physically. I’ve been pedaling a lot more and just in a lot better shape.

Have you figured out how important the training, the conditioning part of it is?

For sure. All these guys are training every day. This is what they want. They want it bad. You just got to want it badder than them.

Do you have any interest in International Six Day Enduro? Does that appeal to you at all?

I do. I would like to try that. It’s very expensive to get over there and stuff. I know I have great people behind me and I could get the support. I do plan on trying to do that. n

USA DEALERS

Dirt Riders West///Mike Carlton///602.370.7546///Phoenix, AZ

Lewisport USA///Adrian & Mandy Lewis///209.785.6878///Copperopolis, CA

Balance Trials Supply///Bill Haskell///720.207.7715///Arvada, CO

Trial Store USA///Alex Niederer///941.404.0757///Bradenton, FL

Aloha Trials///Clayton Oshita///808.822.2706///Kapaa, HI

Hawaii Rides ///Sam Bird///808.621.6686///Wahiawa, HI

Jack’s Cycles ///Stuart Preston///207.337.1274///South Berwick, ME

Mossy Rock Trials///Dan Larson///406.930.0227///Big Timber, MT

Competition Wheels///James McKenzie///704.906.3238///Concord, NC

HVC Cycle///Brad Obidowski///402.817.4795///Lincoln, NE

Miller Ranch Trials///Aaron & Andy Miller///607.765.8362///Corning, NY

Adroit Engineering ///Jon Rentschler///440.668.3207///Chardon, OH

Gran Prix Cycle///Gary & Robyn Byers///541.926.3139///Albany, OR

Trials Training Cntr. Charlie or Carey///423.942.8688///Sequatchie, TN

Frank’s Motorbikes///Frank Kergil///425.603.9000///Bellevue, WA

ESCAPE FROM REALITY

BY RACHEL GUTISH

I’ve had my heart broken. I’ve been so stressed and angry I thought my head would explode and leave lumps of grey matter splattered across the ceiling. I’ve had dreams turn to dust and had things fall apart without even a polite warning. But no matter what else was going on in my life, one thing has always been the same – there was a garage, and in that garage there was a dirt bike.

For whatever reason, I have a hard time getting out of my own head. Especially when I’m worried or upset, I will turn the same thoughts and ideas over and over in my brain, ruminating on them until there’s nothing left but the cud. Riding is one of the few things that can make those thoughts go away.

I don’t know why, exactly. It could be that it takes all of my concentration not to end up with a face full of tree, so there’s no extra room for any other thoughts. Maybe it’s because it’s one of the few things I’m really good at, so every time I run a fast laptime or make it up a gnarly hill, I get a little glow of pride and satisfaction inside. Heck, it could just be because dirt bikes are really fun.

Whatever the reason, being on a dirt bike always makes me feel better, at least in the moment. Sure, the world is still going to be waiting for me when I park the bike and take my helmet off, but while I’m out riding, all that evaporates like a shallow mud puddle in the dead of summer.

For all its beauty and wonder, the world can still be a stressful and generally unpleasant place. Especially in the last few months, with the threat of COVID and the undeniable economic setbacks that have resulted (RIP Obermeyer Yamaha). If nothing else, it certainly cost us two precious months of the 2020 racing season. Whether you’re sick, worried about your job, miss your grandparents or are just angry that you missed x number of races, it’s more important than ever to find and take part in that thing that takes you out of your head and into your happy place, whatever that may be.

For most of the people reading this article, I’m willing to bet you’re like me, and it’s riding dirt bikes. Or maybe working on them. Looking at all the cool pictures of dirt bikes Shan takes and shares with us here in On the Pegs probably helps too. But whether it is all of those things or none of them, remember that life is about enjoying the ride – take time to do the things that make you happy and make life worth living.

Sometimes you need to leave the rest of the world parked back at your truck, right next to your empty gear bag. In the meantime, take care of yourselves, your families, and your communities. Better days are ahead. n

GOOD OLD TIMES BLOG IT’S HAMMER TIME

BY KENNETH OLAUSSON PHOTOS: HUSqVARNA

After the 1960 season things heated up. Rolf Tibblin finished fourth in the 500cc championship and came fifth in the following year. Having trained harder than ever, he had high hopes for 1962. Straddling his Husqvarna, Tibblin’s main opponents came from Sweden, which certainly made the title chase interesting.

Rolf Tibblin won the European championship on his 250cc Husqvarna in 1959. The following year he chose to step up the ladder and go for the big-bore 500cc class. Tibblin already had some experience from Husky’s newcomer as he had done the initial tests when the machine was introduced at the beginning of October, 1958. Now he was to use the machine with number 18-61 printed into the frame. The Husqvarna power plant had a displacement of 485cc from a bore and stroke of 79 x 99 mm. The compression ratio was measured at 10:1 and it gave a performance

of 36 horsepower at 5,800 rpm. The big-bore beast from the factory showed big potential and had already won the 500cc title in 1960 with Bill Nilsson.

Six events out of 10 were counted for the top of the podium. The season opener was held at Sittendorf in Austria, a famous 3-kilometer track that has been used extensively in MX championship races. The circuit was fast and this year it was also very dusty. 40,000 spectators came to watch, and they were in for a total Swedish dominance. Out of six riders, five Swedes were among the six top places! Somebody said it was like a national championship race. In each moto there were 15 laps to conquer. Tibblin took the holeshot in the first leg and won comfortably. In the second leg, he crossed the finish line behind the winner, but gained overall victory, picking up eight valuable points in the championship.

Six weeks later, the contenders rode in Pèrnes-les-Fontaines in France. It was a repeat of the opener with Tibblin winning and with five Swedes in the six top places. Two weeks later Tibblin came second behind Gunnar “Smiling” Johansson in Bremgarten, Switzerland. And a week later in Imola, Italy, Tibblin was again in

front of his antagonist Johansson, picking up yet another eight points. The hardest Grand Prix during the 1962 season was no doubt the Czech GP in Prérov outside Prague, where everybody was exhausted after the two heats. “It just proved that my hard training paid off well,” Tibblin told us. However, he didn’t score since the frame broke when Rolf was leading the field. After half the season he was leading the championship with 30 points.

July 1st and it was time for Hawkstone Park in England. On these classic grounds the sixth round was arranged by the ACU, the British motorcycle union. Rolf Tibblin was back in top shape and outmanoeuvred the entire home elite, winning with a huge margin. Four weeks later - in Lichtenvoorde, Holland - he shared victory with Gunnar Johansson. They had exactly the same time, to the second, and both received seven points each. It hadn’t happened before and it would not happen again! The scores after seven rounds: Tibblin 45 points, Johansson 36.

Race fans that have experienced the Belgian Namur track at the Citadelle know that it is a very special and demanding event. On top of it all, this time it rained heavily, making the track slippery and difficult to master. Despite the weather, 25,000 enthusiasts came to watch Tibblin take two second places in the heats. He had a crash in the second leg and had to regain positions after being last in the field. Coming second under these circumstances was a true achievement, probably the major ride of the entire 1962 season.

“In Ettelbruck I had to sit in the paddock and watch everybody else racing,” Tibblin remembered with a smile on his face. “I had broken down and only needed to see if Johansson won or not. As he didn’t, my first world championship title was in the bag. I could hardly believe it. It was a sensational feeling winning the 500cc circus for the first time. I remember I couldn’t sleep for days. As in 1959 when I became European 250 champion, I walked around the city for hours, just enjoying the feeling. It’s hard to explain, but it was the greatest moment in my life. I was also victorious in the national championship winning four out of five rounds at home. It was truly a fantastic season for me and my Husqvarna.”

Rolf Tibblin won half of the Grand Prix events during 1962. In seven out of 10 races, Tibblin finished in the top two podium positions, which surely was a new record in MX. To make it even better, Rolf participated in the successful team at the Moto Cross des Nations in Wohlen, Switzerland. The Swedes were so dominating that the four of them crossed the finish line together, holding hands. Husqvarna contributed to this enormous success and Rolf would go on to win yet another 500cc world title in the coming season of 1963.

It was “Hammer Time” for Tibblin, and Husqvarna! n