The NEPG has created a new NE Pro2 class for 2018, renamed the current Pro class NE Pro1 and renamed Expert-AA to just AA. We feel it will make for better rider participation and racing by adding an entry level pro class while still maintaining good rider participation in our top level pro class. The AA class will be for regional/district enduro and hare scramble riders that ride AA/Pro in their local series but would not be competitive in either of NEPG’s Pro Classes. Of course any rider may choose to advance to NE Pro1 or NE Pro2. We will continue to pay back the top 8 places in NE Pro1 and are going to pay back the top 5 places in NE Pro2. The AA class would not have a pay back.
Over the past few years the competition level of the Pro class has increased and made it for difficult for the majority of the Expert-AA riders to make the transition to the Pro class, while others were having the same challenge making the transition from the “A” class to the Expert-AA. By creating the NE Pro2 class, we believe that the “A” rider’s transition will be smoother and more competitive going to AA, and likewise for the AA riders to NE Pro2 and the same for the NE Pro2riders to the NE Pro1 class.
The following is a list of the criteria for the NE Pro1, NE Pro2 and AAclasses, along with a sample list of riders that currently meet the criteria to help better understand what class each would be in.
NE Pro1
1) Top 12 Overall National Enduro riders from 2017
2) Previous 5 year National Enduro & GNCC overall champions 2013-2017
3) Previous 2 year GNCC XC1 riders 2016-2017
4) Previous 2 year top 5 in GNCC XC2 year-end series points 2016-2017
5) Previous years National Enduro Pro2 series champion (2017 Expert-AA)
6) Any rider who chooses to self-advance (Must remain in the class for the remainder of the season)
Riders Include:
Steward Baylor, Thad Duvall, Grant Baylor, Russell Bobbitt, Cory Buttrick, Jesse Groemm, Evan Smith, Josh Strang, Thorn Devlin, Josh Toth, Kailub Russell, Nick Fahringer, Andrew Delong, Craig Delong, Layne Michael, Mike Witkowski, Ben Kelly, Ryan Sipes, Trevor Bollinger, Ricky Russell, Jordan Ashburn
NE Pro2
1) Top 13-30 Overall National Enduro riders from previous 2 years 2016-2017
2) Previous 2 year GNCC XC2 riders below the top 5 in series points 2016-2017
3) Any rider who chooses to self-advance (Must remain in the class for the remainder of the season)
4) The previous year’s National Enduro AA class winner
Riders Include:
Tyler Vore, Logan Lowery, Ron Commo, Drew Higgins, Zack Hayes, Chase Hayes, Brandon Forester, Nick Swenson, Jake Froman, Trevor Barrett, Dylan Macritchie, Brendan Riordan, Nathan Ferderer, Ryder Lafferty, Nick Davis, Harrison Helmick, Anthony Federico, Sam Evans, Zac Brown
AA
1) Top 3 overall in previous years Regional / District AA & Pro Enduro & H.S. series riders that don’t meet the requirements of NE Pro2
2) If a rider is eligible and is going to ride the 40+ or older age class they are not required to ride the AA class
3) Any rider who chooses to self-advance (Must remain in the class for the remainder of the season)
Riders Include:
James King, Dylan Dela Cruz, Ryan Overton, Sam Mattingly, Ben Parsons, Trent Whisenant, JD Friebel, Talon Soenksen, Jesse Ansley, Anthony Krivi, Corey Parlin, Jeff Melik
