Matthews, IN (September 23, 2018) – Grant Baylor took a decisive win at the 2018 Muddobbers National Enduro in Matthews, Indiana, winning four of the six tests and beating out his brother and fellow Tely Energy KTM rider Steward Baylor by a minute and 26 seconds for the victory.
The race marked the second consecutive round where the brothers have finished first and second, with Steward getting the win ahead of Grant at the previous round of the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series in Marquette, Michigan.
In Indiana, Grant got off to a strong start by posting the fastest time in the 10-mile opening test, outrunning his brother by 34 seconds. From there, Grant continued to extend his lead, losing only to Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Thad DuVall in test four and to his brother in test six, dropping test four by four seconds and test six by three seconds.
“It was an awesome day,” said Grant. “The first test was a long one and I’m usually kind of slow to start in those, but I managed to win the test by over 30 seconds. So I had some breathing room going into the rest of the day and I just tried to ride safe and smart and smooth. I didn’t fall too many times, but I fell pretty hard in test three and I actually cracked my helmet but I still managed to win the test. I went into the last test with about a two minute lead and I just cruised home safe and sound.”
Steward edged DuVall by 16 seconds to finish second, extending his championship point lead to 20 seconds over FMF KTM’s Josh Toth.
“I felt like I was riding pretty well for the first four tests,” said Steward. “Near the end of test four I started slipping mentally and I started missing lines. In test five I basically thought I ended my day. I started the test really strong, trying to make up some time on Grant, but then I tagged a tree and fell pretty hard. I crashed a few more times after that. I didn’t feel like I was riding bad, it was just random stuff; a root here, and a rolling loose rock there, it was just little things I was not picking up on.”
DuVall rounded out the podium in third thanks in part to his win in the fourth test.
“I’m happy that I was able to beat Grant in a test, but I just started too slow,” said DuVall. “I just couldn’t get going, I think I was just riding too comfortable and I needed to be riding on the edge.”
Fourth went to FMF KTM Factory rider Josh Toth, who needed to make something happen this weekend to keep up with Steward in the championship chase.
“I just struggled trying to keep up with the Baylors,” said Toth. “It was tricky out there. It was hard to go fast and hard to know when to go fast.”
In addition to the tight and slippery places, the Muddobbers course had some pretty fast sections, as well, and SRT Husqvarna’s Evan Smith, who finished fifth, reported after the race that he hit 78.9 mph in one of the bean fields.
“I finished third in a couple of the tests, which I’m happy with, although I lost intensity halfway into the day,” said Smith. “I crashed a couple of times in the last two tests, but overall I’m happy with the day.”
FAR Racing Gas Gas North America’s Andrew DeLong turned in his best finish of the season with a sixth overall.
“I feel like all the hard work is starting to pay off,” said DeLong. “I was feeling it today and I’m happy with the bike and I’m happy with how I rode. I lost my brakes in one of the tests and that cost me about 30 seconds and then I had a run-in with a lapper and that cost me big-time, so I think I could have been fourth or fifth today.”
Seventh went to Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Ben Kelley, while Solid Performance Husqvarna rider Ryder Lafferty won the NE Pro 2 division with an eighth overall finish.
Ninth was KR4 Husqvarna’s Cory Buttrick. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania’s Thorne Devlin made his return to the Pro class after spending most of the year recovering for a torn ACL with a solid 10th place finish.
Logan Lowrey finished second in the NE Pro 2 class with a 13th overall finish, while his AirGroup/Enduro Engineering Husqvarna teammate Jake Froman was third in the class with a 14th overall finish.
KR4 Husqvarna’s Tayla Jones topped the Women’s Elite class by seven seconds over Trail Jesters KTM Racing’s Mackenzie Tricker. Jones won three of the five tests, while Tricker won two.
“I had fun today and I think I rode pretty well except for test four where I got caught in a vine and played in the mud a little,” said Jones.
Beta USA’s Rachel Gutish finished third, ahead of Tayler Bonecutter.
Florida KTM rider Jesse Ansley won the AA class over Husqvarna-mounted Ben Parsons and Yamaha rider James King.
In the A 45+ class, John Maschino (Yam) took the win ahead of Jeff Staples (KTM) and Mike Kowalski (KTM).
The Kenda AMA National Enduro Series returns to action on November 4th for the Gobbler Getter National Enduro in Stanton, Alabama, the ninth and final round of the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series. For more information go to www.nationalenduro.com.
RESULTS
1. Grant Baylor (KTM)
2. Steward Baylor (KTM)
3. Thad DuVall (Hsq)
4. Josh Toth (KTM)
5. Evan Smith (Hsq)
6. Andrew DeLong (GG)
7. Ben Kelley (KTM)
8. Ryder Lafferty (Hsq)
9. Cory Buttrick (Hsq)
10. Thorne Devlin (GG)
