GIRROIR ON TOP AGAIN AT THE HARLEYWOOD SPRINT ENDURO

Story and photos: Shan Moore

FMF/KTM’s Johnny Girroir claimed his seventh overall victory in eight rounds at this weekend’s Harleywood US Sprint Enduro in Bristol, Virginia, the eighth and final round of the US Sprint Enduro Series Championship Presented by Moose Racing, over Father’s Day weekend. Girroir battled it out all weekend with Pro 2 rider Angus Riordan, beating the RPM Racing KTM rider by 22.4 seconds after two days of racing. In all, Girroir won seven of the 12 tests, with Riordan winning the remaining five.

Johnny Girroir completely dominated the Sprint series, capping it off with another win at the Harleywood event in Bristol, Virginia.

Not only was Riordan in contention for the overall for the weekend but he was also in a do or die battle with Phoenix Honda Racing’s Cody Barnes for the Pro 2 championship. Riordan needed to win both days of the class to take the Pro 2 championship, and he did just that. “It feels unreal. It feels good,” said Riordan. “A bit of a comeback from the start of the season, but it feels unreal. First half of the season was pretty rough, and then second half of the season I was slowly getting back in the championship points, so it was worth it.”

Angus Riordan: “I needed to win both days to win the title, plain and simple. I tried not to think about the championship.”

Barnes, the defending Pro 2 champion, came up 25.755 seconds short of the title by finishing third overall behind Riordan. “Angus and even Ruy, they were both on it all year,” said Barnes. “I started out strong this year and won the first two rounds. Won both days and it was looking promising. Then those guys just started going fast. We were all pushing the limit. I had days where I won days and stuff, but Angus was just on it at the end of the season.”

Cody Barnes battled with Angus Riordan and Ruy Barbosa all year long. The defending champ came up just short of winning the Pro 2 title.

Magna1 Racing Husqvarna’s Jason Tino won the Pro-Am class with a fourth overall, topping Precision Husqvarna’s Dominick Morse by three seconds after two days of racing. Sixth overall went to Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Mason Semmens, who also finished second in the Pro 1 class. Morse was second overall in the Pro-Am class and fifth overall, but he wrapped up the Pro-Am championship with the finish.

Mason Semens:“Second in Pro 1 probably looks good, but my riding wasn’t really too flash, to be honest. I just struggled a little bit with the track. Just trying to get used to racing again. It feels good to get back. It’s been a long time since I’ve done a US sprint. Last time I left with a broken collarbone, so it’s good to get back.”

Am Pro Yamaha’s Rachel Archer totally dominated the Women’s Pro division, winning all 12 tests and topping Over and Out GasGas’s Rachel Gutish by nearly four minutes. “It was really good,” said Archer. I went 12 for 12, so first time I’ve done that all year so it was cool. Loved the track. It was really cool to wrap up the championship. Good weekend.”

US SPRINT ROUND 8 OVERALL RESULTS

Johnny Girroir (KTM)
Angus Riordan (KTM)
Cody Barnes (Hon)
Jason Tino (Hsq)
Dominick Morse (Hsq)
Mason Semmens
Henry Symanski (Yam)
Levi Elliott (GG)
Jason Thomas (Hon)
Peyton Feather (KTM)