US Sprint Enduro Series
Round 3
February 26-27, 2022
Dreamville MX Raceway
Raeford, North Carolina
Josh Toth took an impressive victory at round three of the US Sprint Enduro Series at Dreamville MX Raceway in Raeford, North Carolina. The FMF/KTM Factory rider won eight tests in all (five on Saturday and three on Sunday), finishing the two-day event with a 35-second advantage over runner-up finisher Cody Barnes (Phoenix Honda Racing). Barnes also claimed the win in the Pro 2 division. The race marked the second race in a row where Barnes has challenged the Pro riders from the Pro 2 class.
Barnes drew first blood on Saturday, posting the fastest overall time in test one ahead of Toth. AmPro Yamaha’s Layne Michael, who was nursing a grade 2 AC tear to his right shoulder from a crash the previous weekend, posted the third-fastest time.
In test two, Toth stormed back to take control of the race, reeling off five-straight test wins to finish out the day.
Michael finished second in tests two and three, but couldn’t maintain the pace due to his shoulder and gave way to Barnes and Seven-Sixty Husqvarna’s Thorn Devlin in the final three tests.
After six tests, Toth sat at the top of Saturday’s standings in first, while Barnes finished second overall (first in the Pro 2 class), and Devlin was third overall (second Pro 2). Michael was fourth overall and second Pro rider, while Tely Energy Racing’s Liam Draper was fifth overall and third in the Pro division.
While Saturday’s race took place under clear skies and dry conditions, Sunday’s event was wet and slippery thanks to an all-day rain that set in over the area.
Toth got off to a quick start in Sunday’s mud, taking the win in the opening test of the day. Barnes, however, kept Toth on his toes and would end up splitting wins with the Connecticut rider, with each rider claiming three wins.
At the end of the day, Toth was quickest where it counted and beat out Barnes by 11 seconds for Sunday’s win, which also sealed the overall win for the weekend.
“It’s been a while since I won a sprint race,” said Toth. “I was riding good this weekend, like I felt like I should have been at the first two rounds. It was very slippery: dry and slick the first day, and then wet and slick today. I laid it down a couple times, but nothing serious.”
After getting off to a slow start to the season, Toth felt the win would give him momentum heading into the remainder of the year.
“This gives me a boost,” said Toth. “I feel like I should have been a little bit closer at the first two rounds. The first round I was close. Second round, I was a little off the pace. I’m looking forward to the next round.”
Barnes won four tests outright for the weekend (one on Saturday and three on Sunday) and claimed the runner-up slot for the weekend as well as first in the Pro 2 division.
“The track was fast and the cross-test was really hard packed, so I just tried to eliminate mistakes and not crash,” said Barnes. “Today we got a bunch of rain and it made the track gnarly. The woods test got super rutted and super rough. So, really it was just about not making mistakes and going down or even getting stuck. There were a couple spots that really rutted up. Overall, it was a great weekend. Hopefully can carry this momentum into the rest of the year.”
Despite the injury to his shoulder, Michael managed to salvage third overall and, more importantly, second place points in the Pro class.
“That was the plan coming in, to salvage as many points as possible,” said Michael. “I wasn’t sure if I was really going to be able to race, but I knew I was going to give it a go. It went okay. Yesterday was all right. With it being dry I was able to kind of just ride smooth and kind of manage it. Then today with the rain it made it a lot tougher on the shoulder. I lost my rear brakes the beginning of the last test. Pretty much had to ride without rear brakes, and then obviously with not having much upper body strength it was quite difficult. Overall, the plan was to at least show up and get decent points.”
Draper turned in an excellent ride on Sunday and finished out the weekend with fourth overall, just four seconds behind Michael.
“It was a really good weekend for me,” said Draper. “I finally found myself riding up to what I know how to ride. Yesterday was good. I was close with the boys all day. Then today I rode really well. Me and Layne came down to the last test. He got me by four seconds for the weekend.”
Devlin, who is still adjusting to a four-stroke, was second in the Pro 2 class with a fifth overall finish.
“I rode really well this weekend, as I’m trying to progress and learn the four-stroke,” said Devlin. “I rode pretty well yesterday, but I messed it up today. I lost too much time. Pretty disappointed in myself how I rode today, but happy to be second.”
RPM Racing KTM’s Angus Riordan continues to gain momentum as he gains experience in the sprint series. The Australian finished off the weekend with sixth overall and third in the Pro 2 class.
“I’m slowly getting there; it’s just the terrain I need to get used to,” said Riordan. “I’m slowly getting used to it and slowly improving. I’m enjoying it.”
After getting off to a rough start on Saturday, Massachusetts rider Bubz Tasha (KTM) claimed his best finish of the year with seventh overall and first in the Pro-Am class after a good race with Cade Henderson.
“Cade was ripping it,” said Tasha. “He was putting in some good times and I tried to play catch-up all weekend, and luckily got it done. Just pitched my times away and tried to catch up at the end and got it done by a hair.”
After running as high as seventh overall on Saturday, Forbes Racing’s Cole Forbes turned in his best performance to date with an eighth overall and first in the 250 A class.
“I was running up with Bubz and all them on Saturday,” said Forbes. “I got them on the overall. Today, I don’t know what happened. The track was all muddy and I couldn’t keep it together. I stayed on two wheels the whole weekend and wrapped it up with eighth overall.”
Forbes was also top amateur.
Capitalizing on a great race on Saturday, Cade Henderson finished up with ninth overall and second in the Pro-Am class.
“I got off to a really good start Saturday,” said Henderson. “I had four test wins and I put 20 seconds on Bubz. Today, though, he ended up edging me out. I rode pretty good in the last test when I was trying to make up the difference. He just out-rode me today.”
Rounding out the top 10 and third in the Pro-Am class was Neil Enman (GG).
“It was a tough weekend, for sure,” said Enman. “I struggled to find the speed. I took a pretty good digger the first day. Then today I was just slipping and sliding all day. I didn’t really feel like going as fast as the other guys, to be honest. It was a little sketchy.”
Coastal Racing GasGas’ Johnny Girroir, winner of the first two rounds of the series, was forced to miss the race due to an injury suffered the weekend before.
The Women’s Pro class, Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Kori Steede topped Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Tayla Jones by over a minute for the overall win. Steede won nine tests over the course of the two-day event, while Jones won three.
“I stayed super consistent and it ended up paying off big time,” said Steede. “This weekend you just had to be super consistent with how gnarly the tracks were. So, I’m pumped.”
Third overall went to FXR Racing KTM’s Shelby Turner.
In the Youth Classes, Payton Feather took the win in the Super Mini SR (14-15) ahead of fellow KTM riders Jonathan Snyder and Austin Tsakanikas.
Jacob McPherson beat out Kamden Krause and Juan Ramdohr for the win in the Super Mini JR (12-13) class.
The 85 SR (12-15) class was a battle between Tyler Yost, Mason Raynor and Mason Tsakanikas, with Yost taking the overall win ahead of Raynor and Tsakanikas.
Hunter Porco was tops in the 85 JR (7-11) class, finishing ahead of Nash Pearson and Chance Burkett for the win.
The 65 SR (10-11) Division was won by Hayden Dupius, with Hunter Hawkinberry in second and Case Kight in third.
Colt Chaney claimed the victory in the 65 JR (7-9) class, with Landyn Dalmasso in second and Brody Haugh in third.
The Girls (10-16) class went to Korah Grace Jones, with Lola Grozbean and Nicole Rupert in second and third.
Maura Tsakanikas, James Dietrich and Oliver Stewart finished 1-2-3 in the 50 JR (4-6) class, while Grayson Porco, Mason Ramsey and Ellis Austin were first, second and third in the 50 SR (7-8) class.
The US Sprint Enduro Series returns to action on March 19-20 for round four of the series at Boswell Farm in Greensboro, Georgia. For more information go to www.ussprintenduro.com.
OVERALL RESULTS
1. Josh Toth (KTM)
2. Cody Barnes (Hon)
3. Layne Michael (Yam)
4. Liam Draper (KTM)
5. Thorn Devlin (Hsq)
6. Angus Riordan (KTM)
7. Bubz Tasha (Hsq)
8. Cole Forbes (KTM)
9. Cade Henderson (KTM)
10. Neil Enman (GG)
