Shan Moore | November 7, 2022
Enduro Engineering put up an $8000 bounty for anyone who could win all six tests at the November 6 Gobbler Getter National Enduro in Stanton, Alabama, a culmination of a year’s long “Bounty” program that was not collected on until the final round of the series. FMF/KTM’s Josh Toth was up to the task, and swept all six tests, dominating the race and collecting eight large.
Though Rev Motorsports’ Grant Baylor had already clinched the Kenda AMA National Championship at the previous round in Oklahoma, there was still plenty left to be decided at the finale in Alabama, including the Women’s Elite title, the Futures-class Championship, and the Beta Cup Champion, which goes to the Beta rider who accumulates the most points in any class, along with other amateur-class championships still to be determined.
Josh Toth nabbed his first win of the year. Not only that, he won all six special tests and was awarded the $8000 bounty. Photos: Shan Moore
Toth’s win was his first of the season and it came at just the right time. “I’m super stoked and proud of my effort,” said Toth. “I knew the bounty had built up going into this last round so I came out swinging. I knew if I won that first test, I’d be the only one eligible. So, I put the pressure on myself all day from there. I just rode like I stole the bike. Just pinned it. I had a couple close calls, but overall, a good day.”
Toth got off to a quick start in test one, winning by nearly 26 seconds ahead of Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong. In the remaining five tests, Toth continued to pour it on until his advantage stood at nearly two minutes by the end of the race, despite a mishap in test three.
“I came into the last left-hander,” said Toth. “It was a blind, sharp left turn. I just skipped the rear tire out and went straight into the trees. It was so dense and thick, and I just had to hold it wide open to plow through it, and then break out into the other side and turn around and come back. Fortunately, I had enough cushion I guess at that point, but I was really stressing it. At that point, I was like, throwing up in my helmet.”
With the win, Toth finished off the season second in the series standings behind Grant Baylor.
Ricky Russell came on strong in the second half, placing second in the last four special tests for second overall.
Coastal Racing GasGas’ Ricky Russell finished on a high note as well, claiming his best-ever National Enduro finish by taking the runner-up spot after posting the second-fastest time in the final four tests.
“I started off a little slow; fifth in the first test,” said Russell. “Then I was able to kind of slow it down a little bit and was able to get a bunch of seconds. Toth was just on another level. He was beating us every single test. A few of the tests, I beat all the other guys by a decent amount and Toth was still beating me by a decent amount. So, it was impressive to see him ride like that, but I was happy to get my best enduro result.”
DeLong started fast, finishing second in tests one and two, before settling into third at the finish.
“I didn’t feel like I rode that great, but I was second in the first couple of tests and Toth was kind of on his own level today,” said DeLong. “I just kind of tried to ride the same all day. In the second test, I was close to Josh, but in the third test, I kind of fell back. I struggled in the third and fourth tests. Just needed to ride a little more aggressive. I was consistent and didn’t hit the ground once. But a podium, I’m happy with that.”
Craig DeLong filled out the podium.
Thad DuVall continues to ride himself back into “enduro shape” and was third-fastest in three of the six tests. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider finished off the day in fourth overall, missing the podium by 22 seconds.
Fifth was Beta USA’s Evan Smith, his best finish of the year. “I felt I was slow in some of the tests but I had good times, especially in the first two tests,” said Smith. “Once the tests started to open up, then the rest of the guys caught up with me, but I was consistent enough that I had a good day. It’s good to be back where I feel I belong.”
Sixth overall went to Coast Racing GasGas’ Ryder Lafferty, just 16 seconds off Smith, while newly crowned National Champion Grant Baylor was seventh on his Rev Motorsports GasGas.
Jonathan Johnson was the top Pro2 rider.
“I didn’t have anything at stake since I wrapped up the title in Oklahoma, but I wanted to come out here and try to make some bonus money,” said Baylor. “I’m not sure if I quite did that, these guys were all really going fast today. I felt like I rode really well all day, but I just came up short.”
Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Jesse Ansley rode a consistent race to eighth overall. Meanwhile, Beta USA’s Jonathan Johnson topped KTM-mounted Steve Nicholas to finish ninth overall and win the NE Pro2 division.
The Women’s Elite-class Championship came down to the final race in Alabama after AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer topped Enduro Engineering/Fly Racing KTM’s Mackenzie Tricker by less than a second at the previous round in Oklahoma, leaving the two in a situation where whichever one took the win in Alabama would be the series champ.
Mackenzie Tricker won the Women’s Elite class as well as the class championship.
Archer won the first test by five seconds. However, Tricker won the remaining four tests to take the win and the title.
“I lost in Oklahoma by 0.6 of a second, so I had three weeks to think about that,” said Tricker. “This weekend I had to win the championship. Same with Rachael. I didn’t win the first test, but I only lost by five seconds, so that’s like a win in itself for me since I always start slow. I got arm pump in that test, and I also had just a bunch of problems with lappers. I broke a shroud. I hit a tree. There was a lot going on in test one. Then the rest of the day, I just kind of relaxed and started just trying to do good. I was able to win the championship, so I’m stoked.”
The title was Tricker’s fourth in a row.
A record 27 riders lined up to contest the Futures class, and Sherco’s Riley Binder came away with the 2022 Championship after taking a second-place finish behind James Jenkins in Alabama.
Scott Boyer, meanwhile, won the Beta Cup Championship with a second-place finish in the 45 A class behind Matt Stavish and took home a brand-new Beta from Beta USA for his efforts.
Shan Moore
OVERALL RESULTS
- Josh Toth (KTM)
- Ricky Russell (GG)
- Craig DeLong (Hus)
- Thad DuVall (Hus)
- Evan Smith (Bet)
- Ryder Lafferty (GG)
- Grant Baylor (GG)
- Jesse Ansley (KTM)
- Jonathan Johnson (Bet)
- Steve Nicholas (KTM)
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