ROUND 4 ADULT RACE REPORT

“For Immediate Release”
2024 US Sprint Enduro Series presented by Moose Racing
(ISDE East Coast Qualifier)
Round 4
April 20-21, 2024
Charlotte Hall, Maryland

Photos: Art Pepin

Defending series champ Johnny Girroir had his closest call of the season, coming from
behind to take Saturday’s win after topping the final test, beating AmPro Yamaha’s Liam
Draper by 2 seconds. On Sunday, the FMF/KTM Factory Racer picked up the pace and
won all but three of the eight tests to take the day win plus the overall win by 16
seconds over Draper, who won all but one of the eight tests on Saturday and added two
wins to wins to his total on Sunday. Girroir remains undefeated for the season with the
victory.

“I was getting a little nervous there on Saturday, especially going into that last test,” said
Girroir. “Liam was on it all day. He was flying all weekend in the woods and especially in the
cross-test. I started seven seconds behind him going into Saturday’s last test and I knew it was
do or die. I could see him near the end, so I knew I made up a lot of time. I just went out there
and tried to hit my marks and I think he made a few mistakes.”
Girroir had an easier time of it on Sunday, having won six of the eight tests.
“Today was much better,” said Girroir. “I held my lines and hit my marks and didn’t have any
problems.”

Draper won the first seven of eight tests to start the event on Saturday and nearly
claimed his first-ever day win, but Girroir poured it on in the final test to remain
undefeated by just two seconds.

“I was tight going into the last test on Saturday, I had won all seven tests up until that last one,”
said Draper. “I could hear Johnny behind me and I made a few mistakes and he made up five
seconds on me and that was then difference. He ended up beating, we were virtually tied going
into that last test, so that was a bummer. I was pleased to win two more tests on Sunday and I
think I’m finally getting used to the 450.”

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong overcame a slow start, which saw
him 11th in test one, to finish an eventual third in Saturday’s event. Another third on Sunday left
him third overall for the weekend.

“I was a lot more cautious than I should have been in the first cross-test on Saturday and I
finished 11th , so I started slow, but I was able to move up the standings near the end,” said
DeLong. “I got into third there on Saturday about the third or fourth test. After that, I was trying to get close to Johnny and Liam, but I could never really hook up with them; they were putting
about 10 seconds a test on me; they were rippin’. Sunday was better, but I’m still off pace.”

Phoenix Honda’s Cody Barnes battled back and forth on Saturday with DeLong, topping him in
three of the eight tests on Saturday.

“I ran competitively for third pretty much both days,” said Barnes. “I had a tip-over on day one
in the cross test and that cost me a lot of time. But I was able to rebound today and run some
competitive test times, pushing for that third overall spot, so I just need to clean up a few
things and I’ll get good.”

Babbitt’s Online Team Green Monster Energy Kawasaki teammates Grant Baylor and Lyndon
Snodgrass battled it out for fourth overall. Snodgrass beat out Baylor in all but one test on
Saturday, but Baylor knocked off the rust on Sunday and came back to claim the overall win by
one second over Snodgrass for fifth, having not raced a sprint event in four years.

“I started out a little reserved, trying to get used to racing the sprint format again,” said Baylor.
“I was a little bit rusty there in the beginning and I’m also one of those guys who gets better as
the day goes on, especially after the track gets rougher. The enduro test got sketchy near the
end of Saturday, but I was able to nail it on Sunday.”

Enduro Engineering’s Josh Toth had a rough weekend going 7 – 5 for seventh overall.
Meanwhile, FMF/KTM Factory Lander’s Racing KTM’s Angus Riordan had what he
called an inconsistent day on Saturday. Another ninth on Sunday left him in ninth
overall.

Husqvarna rider Jason Tino won the Pro2 division with an eight overall, finishing five
seconds ahead of FMF/KTM Landers Factory Racing Gus Riordan.

“Saturday was a very inconsistent day for me,” said Riordan. “I really enjoyed the cross-test, it’s
been the first original cross-test of the year. It was all grass, and it was fast, so it was good for
me. I was up and down on Sunday and had a really bad run in the final enduro test, so I ended
up ninth overall.”

Babbitts Off-road Monster Energy Kawasaki’s JoJo Cunningham was the first Pro-Am
rider with a 10th overall.

“I’m super happy,” said Cunningham. “I do a local race a few miles
from my house and it has fast grass track like this, so I was familiar with the cross-test style. My
home track is fast and so was this cross-test, so I felt at home. I just struggle in a couple of places
in the enduro-test, I think it’s a bike set-up, but overall, I’m pleased.”

FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Brandy Richards dominated the Pro Women’s division,
winning all but three of the 16 tests for the weekend.

Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Korie Steede was second.

“I definitely struggled out there, and I had a crash on the last test on Saturday, so that hurt,”
said Steede. “The cross-test was super-fast so you had to be on your toes, but I didn’t lose too
many points over the weekend.”

FactoryONE Sherco’s Rachel Gutish finished third, having just returned from an
EnduroGP in Europe.

Trevor Jones returned to win the Pro Electric class on his Stark Varg.