| March 2, 2021
The US Sprint Enduro Championship made its debut in Gaston, South Carolina, on the weekend of February 27-28. The new championship started where the old Full Gas Sprint Enduro Championship stopped with a new team, new promoter and new look. But as soon as the green flag fell, the race looked the same, with many familiar faces returning to the podium after all was said and done.
2021 US Sprint Enduro Gaston results
Many of the stars of the Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series attended the inaugural US Sprint Enduro Championship at the GTR Complex in South Carolina, including semi-retired driver Kailub Russell, Ryan Sipes, Ryder Lafferty, Thad Duvall and Layne Michael, but it was the Steward Baylor of AmPro Yamaha who took the first step on the podium at the end of both days.
An injury to Baylor’s hand (suffered a few weeks ago) that prevented him from competing in the opening round of the GNCC Series just a week earlier, made Baylor debate whether or not he would be able to race this weekend. But Baylor felt his hand was good enough to run and the decision proved to be correct, as the four-time AMA National Endurance Champion looks as good as ever on the bike in South Carolina’s rugged, sandy terrain. Baylor won three of the six tests (all endurance tests) on Saturday and another three on Sunday.
“It was definitely questionable whether I should align, but after three weeks the wounds appeared to be almost healed,” said Baylor.
Baylor fought early Saturday with Johnny Girroir, a Pro 2 class pilot from Coastal Racing GasGas, who scored first with a victory in the Cross opening test, however, after winning all three Enduro tests, Baylor finished the event Saturday with an 11 second victory over Girroir in the overall results.
With an 11 second lead in his back pocket, Baylor rode well on Sunday and took his second victory of the weekend for 15 seconds.
“I had a really perfect ride all weekend,” said Baylor. “I had some very vague moments. I cut some members who threw me off the track, but overall it was a really peaceful weekend. “
Layne Michael had an impressive weekend, winning three tests on Sunday; however, an accident in the final test on Saturday (which distorted the rear brake pedal) put him at a disadvantage. After two days of racing, Michael was second in the Pro class on both days (3-2 overall).
“I felt like maybe I could have fought Stew a little bit more, but I kind of opened a hole [in the] final test yesterday with folding a brake pedal and ended up kind of braking my brakes, ”said Michael. “I knew that with the way Stew was riding here, it would be difficult to make up for it. All in all, it was good. I came back to take second place overall. “
Tely Energy Racing’s Liam Draper was fourth on Saturday and fifth on Sunday in the Pro class, giving him the last podium of the weekend in the Pro division.
“I crashed once this weekend in twelve tests, so I was happy with that,” said Draper. “I just tried to stay smooth and get my lines straight. The track became quite uneven. There were some big holes out there. It was fun and I’m happy with a third party. “
Canadian Tyler Medaglia went 5-4 to fourth overall in the Pro class during the two days of racing. Medaglia put his motorcycle skills to good use on the rough and unstable course.
Ryan Sipes of Troy Lee Designs / Red Bull / GasGas Factory Racing was in contention during Saturday’s event, finishing third in the Pro division. However, some outings on Sunday left the former ISDE individual champion 10th in the race. of Sunday.
“I crashed test one twice on Sunday,” said Sipes. “Overall, I was very happy with the way my cross-test times were. But I was kind of upset to be away from that Enduro test. I haven’t run a race in the woods since ISDE 2019. ”
Sipes sacrificed his weekend by stopping to help Duvall with the final test. Duvall hit a tree and was lying in the middle when Sipes arrived. Sipes parked his bicycle in the middle of the trail to protect Duvall and waited until help arrived. The club later compensated Sipes for stopping to help Duvall with an average time.
Duvall was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for several injuries to his upper body.
Kailub Russell of FMF / KTM did one of his rare post-retirement races, using the race to prepare for ISDE in Italy. The eight-time GNCC champion got off to a bad start when he crashed in the first two tests on Saturday.
“I think this is the first sprint I’ve been in and I haven’t won a single test,” said Russell. “It is not a stellar weekend at all. Yesterday was difficult. In the second test, I had a good start, which left me breathless and hurt my ribs. I still have some things I want to do and accomplish and just have fun, but definitely a difficult weekend for me. “
Despite his big drop, Russell managed a sixth on Sunday and returned with a third on Sunday.
After leading the first half of Saturday’s event in “combined overall score”, Girroir ended the weekend with two Pro 2 wins and the third in the overall score.
“I started very well on Saturday and ended up leading the overall in the first four tests,” said Girroir. “Stew has been crawling all day. A few seconds here, three seconds there, and it reached me in the end. I think he was three seconds ahead of me in the last test. I had some problems in the last test. Just trying to get around the last professional rider, I hit a tree, curled up and had to pull myself behind the tree. “
Despite having a slow start, Jesse Ansley of the Trail Jesters Racing KTM held Ben Nelko of Husqvarna and Ryder Lafferty of XC Gear / Enduro Engineering / Husqvarna to claim a couple of seconds in the Pro 2 class.
“The first two tests were not so good,” admitted Ansley. “I’m just resolving bugs and nervousness, especially with the sprint enduro format. It’s very difficult, but I kind of got over it. I thought I had done some really good tests, on top of the coveralls. I really can’t be happier with second place and how I rode it completely. “
Nelko went 3-4 for third overall in the Pro 2 class, while Lafferty went 4-3 for fourth in Pro 2.
In the Am-Pro division, Bubz Tasha made it through the two days with impressive rides. JoJo Cunningham, from Babbitt Green Kawasaki’s online team, took second place each day, with Dalton Seals riding on Yamaha finishing third each day.
In the Women’s Pro class, defending champion Tayla Jones started another title defense with a double win on her Magna1 Motorsports Husqvarna. Allie Spurgeon was second in two days ahead of Elizabeth Perez, both at Husqvarna. CN
RESULTS
US Sprint Enduro Championship
Round 1
Gaston, South Carolina
February 27-28, 2021
DAY ONE
| 1 | Steward baylor | (Yam) |
| two | Johnny Girroir | (GG) Pro 2 |
| 3 | Layne Michael | (Yam) |
| 4 | Ryan Sipes | (GG) |
| 5 | Liam Draper | (KTM) |
| 6 | Tyler Medaglia | (KTM) |
| 7 | Jesse Ansley | (KTM) Pro 2 |
| 8 | Ben Nelko | (Hus) Pro 2 |
| 9 | Bubz Tasha | (Hus) Pro-Am |
| 10 | JoJo Cunningham | (Kaw) Pro-Am |
DAY TWO
| 1 | Steward baylor | (Yam) |
| two | Layne Michael | (Yam) |
| 3 | Kailub Russell | (KTM) |
| 4 | Johnny Girroir | (GG) Pro 2 |
| 5 | Tyler Medaglia | (KTM) |
| 6 | Liam Draper | (KTM) |
| 7 | Jesse Ansley | (KTM) Pro 2 |
| 8 | Bubz Tasha | (Hus) Pro-Am |
| 9 | Ryder Lafferty | (Hus) Pro 2 |
| 10 | Ryan Sipes | (GG) |