ROUND 4 RACE REPORT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
PRESS RELEASE
Layne Michael Tops Harleywood Sprint Enduro
Bristol, VA (May 8-9, 2021) – AmPro Yamaha’s Layne Michael made it two wins in a row in the Kenda US Sprint Enduro Series with an impressive victory at this weekend’s Harleywood Sprint Enduro, round four of the series in Bristol, Virginia.
Proving his win at the previous round in South Carolina was no fluke, Michael won eight of the 12 tests and beat out second place by nearly 39 seconds for the “W”.
Michael was untouchable in the Cross test, sweeping all six tests.
“I didn’t really have too many mistakes all weekend. I think that’s kind of what won me this one,” said Michael. “I was just mistake-free. I think that was kind of what was able to give me my gap and kind of keep steady in all the tests. Super excited we can keep this momentum going and just keep rolling. I know we’ve got the points lead now, so that feels good. Hopefully we can just keep clicking them off.”
Michael’s AmPro Yamaha teammate Steward Baylor finished just .7 seconds behind Michael on Saturday, and was in position to challenge for the win on Sunday, but a high-speed crash in the second Cross test slowed the South Carolina rider, leaving him to finish second overall for the weekend.
“I had a pretty solid day one, but I made a bad tire choice and that cost me some time,” said Baylor. “I was less than a second off of Layne at the end of day one, so I kind of tried to crawl back into it on day two. I felt really good in the Cross test. Again, a bad tire selection on Sunday cost me. I feel like it was something I shouldn’t have done. So in a really fast turn, the rear end stepped out and I went tumbling. That was the fastest crash I’ve ever had in my life. I was still trembling when I got back. I lost thirty seconds there. I didn’t even know if I was going to line up for the next test. I hit my head pretty hard. I was like, we’re still in it for a possible championship, so I was able to crawl back out from fourth back up to second on the day and second for the weekend.”
Baylor won two Enduro tests on Saturday and two on Sunday.
Tely Energy Racing KTM’s Liam Draper finished third overall, proving he’s a consistent podium finisher.
“I actually found it pretty good in the Cross test this weekend, where I normally am slower,” said Draper. “I thought it was going to be the other way around here with how technical the Enduro test was. Yesterday was a solid day, but today I had a big crash in the last Cross test. But I managed to hold it together and keep third for the weekend.”
Thad Duvall made his return to the series, finishing fourth overall, after missing the last two rounds due to injury. The Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider suffered a horrific crash at the series opener in South Carolina, where he suffered five broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a shattered collarbone. Amazingly, DuVall didn’t take long to get back up to speed.
“It was good just to get back to the sprint series,” said DuVall. “Obviously, everybody knows at the first round it didn’t go too good and it’s just been a long road back. I just wanted to come and get some seat time and get used to that sprint speed. I think about halfway through the day I finally decided to go fast again. Yesterday I struggled bit, just riding super timid. Just wasn’t really comfortable going that pace yet. We made some bike changes and halfway through the day it was fun. It was fun battling with the boys today. I finally turned some good times. I think I ended up the weekend four-three. I should have had second today, but just a crash in the Enduro test. Stew ended up getting me at the end. It was good. I’m happy just to get the first sprint back out of the way.”
Fifth overall and first in the Pro2 division was Johnny Girroir. The Coastal Racing GasGas rider won four of the six tests on Saturday and three of six on Sunday. Despite staying perfect in the Pro2 class, Girroir was not pleased with his finish.
“I had a rough weekend,” said Girroir. “We still got the job done, but it wasn’t pretty. We won Pro 2 and that’s what we came here to do, but we were nowhere near the overall and it was pretty devastating all weekend. I just never felt like I found my groove. I never felt like I flowed good. I wasn’t hitting my marks. It was just an off weekend. I was frustrated too, so that didn’t help. But I just rode out the weekend and did the best I could.”
Trial Jesters Racing KTM’s Jesse Ansley came out on top of a fierce battle with Seven Sixty Racing’s Ben Nelko to claim sixth overall and second Pro2 rider. Ansley won two of the Enduro test en route to second in class.
“This weekend was pretty good,” said Ansley. “It had its ups and downs, but me and this place never really gel together so to walk out of here second is pretty good. I was happy with some tests and pretty pissed off about some others, but overall for the weekend ending up second is good.”
Nelko won three Cross tests, but finished just over four seconds short of Ansley to claim seventh overall and third Pro2 rider.
“This was my best sprint yet,” said Nelko. “I won three out of the six cross tests, but I struggled in the Enduro the first day with suspension, so we made some adjustments and I ended up making a lot of time back up. I think I pulled maybe two seconds out of it. So, it was a good weekend.”
Dalton Seals won the Pro-Am class with an eighth overall. The Yamaha rider swept all 10 tests in his division.
Meanwhile, Tyler Braniff was top Amateur, winning the Open A class on a Yamaha.
Michael McLean rounded out the top 10 overall and fourth in the Pro2 division.
AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer topped the Women’s Pro class, beating out Magna1 Husqvarna’s Tayla Jones and Husqvarna rider Allie Spurgeon and Raines Racing Yamaha’s Preston Raines
“I was having a lot of fun and I rode really consistent,” said Archer. “I didn’t have any crashes, although I started off a little slow. On day one after the first test I was five seconds down, but then after that I pulled into the lead and won the day by four seconds. Then today I had heaps of fun. The tracks got super rough, but it was a good time. I managed to win by nineteen seconds.”
The top rider during the morning Youth races was KTM’s Cole Forbes, who took a dominate win in the Super Mini Sr. (14-15) 80-112cc Two-stroke/75-150cc Four-stroke class. Forbes won all 12 tests in his class.
“The track was a little dry, dusty out there but it was pretty good,” said Forbes. “Pretty slick out there. I managed to pull off about thirty seconds the first test, and then forty seconds. I just kept going on.”
Second in the Super Mini Sr. (14-15) 80-112cc Two-stroke/75-150cc Four-stroke class went to Rivers Morris.
Best in the Super Mini Jr (12-13) 80-112cc two-stroke/75-150cc four-stroke class on Saturday was Austin Tsakanikas with fellow KTM rider Jacob McPherson. McPherson was first on Sunday, followed by Carter Przemelewski (Yam) and Tsakanikas.
In the 85 SR (12-15) 66-85cc Two-stroke/75-125cc Four-stroke class it was Jonathan Snyder in first on Saturday with Aiden Ruth (Yam) and Jason Wallace II (Hsq) in second and third, while on Sunday it was Jonathan Snyder in first with Aiden Ruth and Levi Richmond in second and third.
Caleb Wood beat out fellow KTM rider Mason Tsakanikas for top honors on Saturday in the 85 Jr. (7-11) 66-85cc Two-stroke/75-125cc Four-stroke class. Austin Wood was third. On Sunday, Caleb Wood got the win ahead of Austin Wood and Tsakanikas.
The 65 Sr (10-11) 52-65cc Two-stroke/52-90cc Four-stroke class Hunter Porco (Yam) topped Nash Peerson (KTM) and John Berry (Yam) for the win on each day.
Rylan Roberts (KTM) beat Jace Ruth (Yam) and Jacob Glen (KTM) to win Saturday’s 65 Jr (7-9) 52-65cc Two-stroke/52-90cc Four-stroke class. On Sunday, Roberts once again got the win ahead of Ruth and Glen.
The Girls (10-16) 80-112cc Two-stroke/75-150cc Four-stroke class saw Nicole Rupert (Yam) get the win ahead of Lola Grozbean (KTM), and Maddin Emmons (Yam). On Sunday, Lola Grozbean (KTM), Delilah Pancake (Yam) and Maddin Emmons (Yam) went 1-2-3.
Braxtyn Chaney (Kaw), Donnie Ryan (Hon) and Walker Miller (Hon) took the top three spots on Saturday in the Trail Bike (7-11) 66-100cc Four-stroke class. On Sunday, Chaney, Ryan and Miller took the top three places again.
On Saturday in the 50 Sr (7-8) class it was Grayson Porco (KTM) with the win, followed by Colt Chaney (KTM) and Landyn Dalmasso (KTM). On Sunday, Porco took first with Chaney second and Dalmasso in third.
Mason Ramsey (Hsq) topped the 50 Jr (4-6) class on Saturday with KTM riders Maura Tsakanikas second and Louie Dalmasso in third. On Sunday, Ramsey was first with Avery Burkett (KTM) second and Tsakanikas third.
The Kenda US Sprint Enduro Series resumes on May 29-30 for round five of its series at Hidden Valley Golf Course in Glen Daniel, West Virginia. For more information on the Kenda US Sprint Enduro Series go to www.ussprintenduro.com.
More Photos can be viewed HERE and will also be available for sale HERE.
Special Thanks to the Harley Family for allowing us to spins some laps on this beautiful property!
Top 10 OVERALL USSE RESULTS
- Layne Michael (YAM)
- Steward Baylor (YAM)
- Liam Draper (KTM)
- Thad DuVall (HSQ)
- Johnny Girroir (GG)
- Jesse Ansley (KTM)
- Ben Nelko (HSQ)
- Dalton Seals (YAM)
- Tyler Braniff (YAM)
- Michael McLean (KTM)
Sprint Cross Country Series Results can be found HERE
Media Contact:
Shan Moore
