Photo Report: 2012 Rad Dad Enduro

Shan Moore photos from the Rad Dad enduro

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Baylor Wins Rad Dad Enduro

Stew Baylor got his third win of the year in Tennessee.

WEST POINT, TN (April 22, 2012) – Steward Baylor could not have been more dominate while winning round four of the AMA Rekluse National Enduro Series in West Point, Tennessee, the PowersportGrafx-RidePG.com/Genuine Dirt Racer/WP Racing USA KTM rider topping all six tests en route to a one-minute-fifty-four-second margin of victory over defending series champ Russell Bobbitt.

Baylor attacked the slippery course from the get-go, winning the opening test by 26 seconds over FMF/KTM’s Charlie Mullins. The South Carolina continued to pour it on, adding to his lead in each test with his on-the-edge style.

Bobbitt, on the other hand, took a bit more time to get in the flow of things, but came on strong at the midway point after changing shocks on his factory 250. Bobbitt was close to Baylor in the final two tests, but lost too much time in the opening tests to challenge the 18-year-old for the lead.

Eight-time national champ Michael Lafferty was steady all day on his factory Husaberg TE250, and didn’t hit the dirt once on his way to the final step of the podium. Meanwhile, FMF/KTM’s Corey Buttrick edged factory Husaberg rider Nick Fahringer by 19 seconds for fourth.

Aussie off-road star Toby Price rode a borrowed KTM to sixth, with KTM privateer Jesse Groem and FAR Husqvarna’s Andrew DeLong finishing seventh and eighth.

Charlie Mullins was in contention early in the race, and sat in second behind Baylor after the first two tests, however, brake problems in the fifth test relegated the FMF/KTM rider to ninth overall.

Paul Whibley, the 2009 GNCC champ, rounded out the top 10 on his Am Pro/FMF/Yamaha.

After four rounds, Baylor holds a 24-point lead in the series standings over Buttrick, 115 points to 91, while Lafferty sits third at 88 points.

The AMA Rekluse National Enduro series resumes on May 6^th in the Kisatchie National Forest in Forest Hill, Louisiana. For more info go to www.nationalenduro.com.

Photo Report: Sandlapper Enduro Part 2

Part 2 of the Sandlapper Enduro Photo Gallery... Photos by Shan Moore

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Photo Report: 2012 Sandlapper Enduro Part 1

Part 1 of the Sandlapper Enduro Photo Gallery... Photos by Shan Moore 

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Buttrick Wins Sandlapper Enduro

Salley, South Carolina (March 4, 2012) – After getting off to a relatively slow start with a fourth place finish at the series opener in January, Cory Buttrick came on strong to win this weekend’s Sandlapper National Enduro in Salley, South Carolina, round three of the AMA/Rekluse National Enduro Series.

The FMF/KTM rider was solid and fast in all six tests – turning the fastest time in two tests and never finishing outside of the top three in the other four – to take the overall win by 42 seconds over Fly/RidePG/WP Racing USA/Leatt/KTM rider Steward Baylor.

The win was Buttrick’s first since late 2010, and it elevated him to second in the series standings behind Baylor.

“I’m happy to start strong and finish strong and finally put it all together,” said Buttrick. “For the most part, things went flawless, with the exception of a pretty good crash in section two. I managed to stay pretty consistent all day and it feels pretty good to finally get another win."

Second went to Baylor, who came on strong in the final test to eclipse eight-time champ Michael Lafferty for the runner-up position. Baylor made several mistakes in the early going, including a couple of falls, leaving the South Carolina rider in a hole he couldn’t dig his way out of. Despite the poor start, Baylor still leads the series standings by 12 points with seven rounds to go having won the opening two rounds of the series.

Lafferty rounded out the podium, and the factory Husaberg rider was in position to finish second had he not “thrown it away” in the final test.

Defending champ Russell Bobbitt, who won this event handily in 2011, finished fourth on his FMF/KTM but continues to struggle finding his form after spending the winter recovering from a wrist injury.

GNCC regular Kailub Russell got off to a quick start, finishing third in the opening test, however the FMF/KTM rider struggled with the tightness of the course and settled in to fifth at the finish.

Thad DuVall was another fast starter, and the Team Shenandoah Honda/Offroad Champions rider looked strong while posting the second fastest time in the first test. However, a problem in the fourth test relegated the West Virginia rider to sixth at the finish.

Photo Report: Cherokee National Enduro

A look at the Cherokee National Enduro, which was won by Steward Baylor.

Photos by Shan Moore 

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Cherokee Enduro Saturday Pit Walk

A quick walk through the pits the day before the Cherokee National Enduro in Greensboro, Georgia, shows a paddock full of teams and riders getting ready for tomorrow's showdown. The forecast for tonight is rain, but today was a perfect day for taking photos and working on bikes. Photos by Shan Moore

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Andrew DeLong Injured

Fred Andrews Racing (FAR) Husqvarna racer Andrew Delong was injured on Saturday, February 11 while training in Florida for the National Enduro series. Delong suffered a broken collarbone and a partially collapsed lung.  "This is really disappointing to face just before the start of the 2012 GNCC series," FAR team owner Fred Andrews said of Delong, who is slated to contest the XC2 Lites class. "At this point we're not sure if Andrew will be ready for the opening round on March 13th, but we're 100% behind him either way." Andrew is scheduled to undergo surgery on Tuesday, February 21 in Jacksonville, Florida to repair the broken collarbone. For more information on the 2012 Husqvarna line-up, please go to www.husqvarna-motorcyclesna.com. Head to your nearest dealership to pick up a copy of the 2012 RiDE MORE Catalog, available now!

Looking Back: The Sumter Enduro

East coast off-road racing got underway big-time this past weekend with the opening round of the AMA Rekluse National Enduro Series in Sumter, South Carolina. It was a huge event with a huge entry! Over 575 riders lined up in the Sumter sand to do battle on the traditionally tight and whooped out trail. This is always a biggie since it’s the first big national race of the year in the east and even the GNCC guys who won’t be contesting the entire enduro series show up to shake down their gear and get ready for another season.

It appears that the enduro series is really taking off, with plenty of new interest from the manufacturers and lots of new satellite teams. American Honda is involved in the series for the first time in a long while, through the support of Thad DuVall and the Shenandoah Honda/Offroadchampions Team. Honda has also posted $43,000 in contingency for the series, which is a good chunk of change. Another manufacturer getting involved is Husqvarna, who is throwing its support behind Fred Andrew’s team, FAR Husqvarna. Freddie has Pennsylvania rider Andrew DeLong on a TE310, while GNCC star Jason Thomas will be riding a 240F.

This year’s race featured a stacked pro class. In fact, 25 pros fought it out for the top prize, and in the end it was 17-year-old privateer Steward Baylor taking the win on a KTM. Baylor took the lead in the opening test and held it the entire distance, despite the best efforts of eight-time national champ Michael Laffery, who was second overall on a factory Husaberg, and Charlie Mullins, who rounded out the podium on his FMF/KTM.

An interesting note is that Mullins was riding one of the new 450 Factory Editions, or “Dungey Replica” as they are being called. Mullins is the only off-road team member on the bike right now because, according to team manager Antti Kallonen, they don’t have enough spare parts to support two riders. Mullins trashed two motors in Sumter when he accidentally unscrewed the oil filler cap with his boot allowing the crankcase oil to spew out. Mullins fried a clutch because of this in the third test. The crew replaced the motor at the next gas stop, and then Mullins did the exact same thing it the fifth test! You can bet this won’t happen at the next round!

Mullins says the Dungey Replica is an awesome woods bike, with a lot more torque than the 450 SX-F that he rode at the beginning of last year. He also said that the bike handles better, as well, and that the front end stays planted much better.

Two of last year’s standout performers, Russell Bobbitt and Nick Fahringer, had bad days, with Bobbitt finishing sixth and Fahringer getting 13^th. Both riders are coming off of injuries, and suffered from lack of seat time. Fahringer had ACL surgery in the Fall, and just needs to get back in the groove, where Bobbitt is recovering from a wrist injury and had the speed but admitted that the wrist is still weak and he had problems holding on.

Brad Bakken is also returning from a nasty wrist injury that he suffered last year, but turned in a nice fifth on a YZ250 supported by his new team Obermeyer Yamaha/Raines Riding University/Offroadviking.com. Bakken said he struggled in the first test, because his suspension setting was a little off, but the rest of the race flowed pretty well for him, and the Virginia rider was able to make up for lost ground.

Sumter Video

Jason Hooper gives us a look back on Sumter.: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAo9d6i6DbA

Photo Report: Sumter National Enduro

A look at the Sumter National Enduro. T&E News Home

Photos by Shan Moore

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T&E News Home

Thad Duvall sign with Shenandoah Honda/Offroadchampions.com

Shenandoah Honda and Offroadchampions are excited to announce their new team with 2008 XC2 GNCC champion Thad Duvall. The West Virginia native is scheduled to race the GNCC and the AMA Rekluse National Enduro series on a Honda 450 CRF.

Thad Duvall: "I'm excited and very thank full towards John Ross (owner of Shenandoah Honda) and Erik Nijkamp (offroadchampions.com) for this opportunity. I will start testing the Honda in the next few weeks with John Ross and other technical sponsors. I can't wait for the first Enduro in Sumter and later on the GNCC opener in Florida".

John Ross has been involved with HM Honda Zanardo’s (EWC team) effort during their North America EWC efforts in 2006 and 2007. Ross gained valuable knowledge and the team is confident that Duvall will have a competitive bike. Ross has selected a group a companies/sponsors based on quality to support the team. The program has not yet been finalized and a announcement with all sponsors will be made before the first

National Enduro on January 29.

Offroadchampions have been working with Italian based Team Jolly Racing for the last year and will be working with Duvall and Ross closely to get the best results and exposure.

More information regarding the team can be addressed to Erik Nijkamp

(offroadchampion@gmail.com) or John Ross (john@shenandoahhonda.com).

Airgroup Radiant Racing Announces 2012 Lineup

Jack Morrison, Team manager for Airgroup Radiant Racing (ARR), is excited to announce the signing of their 2012 NEPG National Enduro Series team.  Under the ARR canopy for 2012 will be “Pro” rider Shane Hufford Jr.(Honey Brook, PA), “Pro” rider Paddy Holloway (Dyke, VA), and top “A” rider Zach Ingram (Fort Smith, AR).  All three riders will be seated on the new 2012 Husaberg TE 250 2 stroke machine.

“We at Airgroup Radiant Racing have more confidence than ever, that we have put together a solid, competitive group for 2012.  2011 was a successful year for our team, but in 2012 we are taking it up a notch with 3 riders finishing at or near the top of their classes in previous year competition”, states Jack Morrison of ARR. “Shane, Paddy, & Zach should prove to be a solid team combination for ARR, our valued team sponsors, and fans of enduro racing”.

Airgroup is a member of the Radiant family of companies and provides worldwide transportation and logistics services through a network of over 100 company-owned and exclusive agent offices across North America.  The company services a diversified account base that includes manufacturers, distributors and government agencies, using a network of independent carriers and international agents positioned strategically around the world.  For more information about Airgroup, please contact Jack Morrison at (402) 451-1152.

Chris Bach to ride 2012 Rekluse National Enduro Series

American Beta GNCC regular Chris Bach has committed to compete in all 10 rounds of the AMA Rekluse National Enduro series on a 2012 Beta 450 RR. The likeable Indiana racer will add the enduro series to his regular GNCC race schedule.

"With the growth and interest of the National Enduro series over the last couple years, the choice to make a full time run at the series was a pretty simple one.  Being as I've never done this series before, I really look forward to racing new venues and learning the ropes along the way.  I think it's fair to say this series will continue to grow, so I am excited to become a part of it as well as show off the Beta motorcycle brand to new group of racing enthusiasts." Bach explains.

American Beta will be preparing a bike built just for the enduro series. Ben Weathers from Powersport Grafx will be helping Chris out at the events. Beta's Marketing Manager Tim Pilg describes the details, "This was actually Chris' decision which shows us that he is 100% committed to put our Beta's on top of the box! His attitude is stronger than ever and combined with our 450RR, we feel he will be a major contender. It also gives us the opportunity to test the Beta in an enduro atmosphere."

Bach will also run the entire GNCC series, kicking off the first week of March in Florida and  will be receiving extra support from Bob Brewster of WMR Competition Performance based in Stuart Florida with their Off Road Manager George Pollard building Chris' race motors.

Bach describes his outlook; "2012 is shaping up to be a great season for the American Beta racing team.  With added factory support from Europe, and joining forces again with one of my 2010 supporters, WMR/Nihilo Concepts, we are well on our way to building a championship team.  With all these people behind me building the best bikes and supplying me with the best parts, I want to repay them by showing the world we will be major contenders in the GNCC and National Enduro championships."

Chris Bach's sponsors include Factory Beta Racing, RidePG.com, FMF, Fly Racing, Maxxis, Kal Gard Lubricants, DC Shoes, Fasst Company, WMR Competition Performance, Hammer Nutrition, SIDI Boots, CV4, Scott, Dirt Tricks, Regina Chains, and Concept 2.

American Beta is the sole US importer of high quality Beta motorcycles. Beta motorcycles are handcrafted in Florence, Italy offering a complete range of Off Road competition, Dual Sport as well as class-leading Mototrial motorcycles.

For more information go to www.americanbeta.com            

Photo Report: Indiana National Enduro

A few of Shan Moore's photos from the Muddobbers National Enduro in Upton, Indiana - the final round of the Rekluse/AMA National Enduro. 

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Bobbitt Wins Enduro Title With Muddobber Win

Bobbitt Claims Title With Muddobber Win Upland, Indiana, Oct. 1, 2011 – Russell Bobbitt clinched his fourth national enduro title with a dominating performance at the final round of the Rekluse/AMA National Enduro Series in Upland, Indiana. The Georgia rider came into the Indiana round with a slim, one-point lead in the series standings over FMF/KTM teammate Charlie Mullins in a showdown that would see the title go to whichever rider finish ahead of the other. Bobbitt, however, quickly separated himself from Mullins and the rest of the competition by winning the opening test by 13 seconds over Mullins. Bobbitt went on to win all five tests of the 65-mile race and claimed the overall win by 58 seconds over Mullins. “It feels great to win the title, I definitely worked hard all year for this and it paid off,” said Bobbitt. “There was a good variety of terrain here in Indiana, and I felt good all day. I came in prepared for this, I did some testing in similar terrain and my mechanic Tanner Harding worked hard to give me a great bike and this just worked out for us.” Factory Husaberg rider and eight-time series champ Michael Lafferty rounded out the podium, just nine seconds behind Mullins, while KTM rider Shane Hufford Jr. grabbed his best-ever finish with a solid fourth. Am Pro Yamaha’s Thad DuVall was fifth, with KTM riders Zach Klamfoth and Hunter Williams taking sixth and seventh. The win marked Bobbitt’s fourth time to top the podium this year and it gave him the championship title by four points over Mullins, 239 to 235. Nick Fahringer, who missed the Indiana round after having knee surgery, finished third on the year having won three-straight rounds, while FMF/KTM’s Cory Buttrick (out with a concussion) was fourth overall ahead of Lafferty.

Tennessee Knockout Teaser Video

The first ever KENDA Tennessee Knockout, fueled by Monster Energy took place in Sequatchie, Tennessee on Sunday, August 28^th. Over fifty riders started the event with only ten qualifying through to the main event after a three round Knockout format that thrilled the crowd on hand. KTM’s Mike Brown won the event and Throttle Entertainment was on hand to capture the action for their upcoming Enduro Kings TV show. The link below is a sample of the action from the TKO event and the type of footage that will be featured as Enduro Kings highlights the Extreme Enduro events from around the world. Check it out here.