GRANT BAYLOR TOPS BLACK BUFFALO NATIONAL ENDURO

Story and photos: Shan Moore

Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Grant Baylor became the first multiple winner of the 2023 Magna1 Motorsports AMA National Enduro Series presented by Moose Racing, after topping his second race in the first three rounds at this weekend’s Black Buffalo National Enduro, round three of the series in Kingston, Arkansas.

Grant won four of the six tests and took the victory by 25 second ahead of Coastal Racing GasGas’ Ryder Lafferty.

“It was a good day,” said Grant. “It was my first time riding here and I didn’t really know what to expect. My brother, Stew, came out here early and got some riding done and he told me to put a trials tire on the rear and I think that was the ticket. I just tried to stay consistent all day because the trail was super rocky and it could jump up and bite you real quick. I think I hit the ground two or three times. Just a couple little tip-overs, but it was a really good day.”

Lafferty crashed pretty good in the first test and again in the last test. “Other than that, it was a pretty good day,” said Lafferty. “I just tried to stay smooth and consistent.”

Ryder Lafferty changed things up a little bit and rode a 250 instead of his usual 350. “I’ve been riding the 250 for the GNCC’s and instead of switching back and forth, I figured this was a good race to try the 250 for an enduro. It worked out all right. We didn’t win, but close.”

Coastal Racing GasGas’ Ricky Russell finished third despite ripping his radiator off in test four.

Ricky Russell: “I like the rocks,” said Russell. “It was rocky and gnarly right off the get-go. I made a mistake the fourth test, and I busted up the radiator and had a big crash. I lost some time on that test, unfortunately, to Grant. Still rode okay, just lost some time with that big crash.”

Enduro Engineering GasGas’ Josh Toth, who won the previous round in Texas, was fourth at the new venue.“I kind of struggled and went down, just dumb mistakes in the beginning of the day. I also had some big collisions with lappers. Just found myself on the ground or into people too often. Everyone else was riding super good, so it’s hard to make any kind of mistake and be competitive.”

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong struggled a bit with the rocky terrain, but still managed fifth overall. FMF/KTM’s Ben Kelley was sixth in his first enduro back since breaking his leg at round one. Tely Energy Racing/Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM’s Steward Baylor came into the race a little under the weather and settled for seventh.

“It was a rough day,” said Steward. “I just haven’t been able to stay healthy this year. Just stayed sick pretty much from round one this year. Epstein Barr will do that. I’ve been able to manage it in years past, but this year it just hasn’t been as easy.”

AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper, of New Zealand, was eighth and first in the NE Pro2 class.

KTM’s Will Sievenpiper and Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Craig Davis rounded out the top 10 and were second and third, respectively, in the NE Pro2 class. Enduro Engineering GasGas’ Mackenzie Tricker won three of the four tests in the Women’s Elite division, and beat Over and Out GasGas’ Rachel Gutish by just over four seconds.

Mackenzie Tricker: “It was super rocky and technical,” said Tricker. “A little more rocky than I like, but I just tried to go as fast as I could and try not to crash. Unfortunately, I ended up crashing every test except test four. I thought I threw it away in test five. I kind of got stuck behind some people and then ended up going down, but it was good to get the win.”

OVERALL RESULTS

1. Grant Baylor (Kaw)

2. Ryder Lafferty (GG)

3. Ricky Russell (Yam)

4. Josh Toth (GG)

5. Craig DeLong (Hsq)

6. Ben Kelley (KTM)

7. Steward Baylor (KTM)

8. Liam Draper (Yam)

9. Will Sievenpiper (KTM)

10. Craig Davis (KTM)