ROUND 5 – PEARL’S POND ARVONIA, VA 2023 ADULT RACE REPORT
6 min read
For Immediate Release –
Girroir Wins at Pearl’s Pond Farm US Sprint Enduro Presented by Moose Racing
US Sprint Enduro Series
Round 5
April 8-9, 2023
Pearl’s Pond Farm
Arvonia, Virginia
It was a fight to the finish, but Johnny Girroir came out on top of a two-day battle with
RPM Racing KTM’s Angus Riordan and Babbitts Online Monster Energy Kawasaki’s
Lyndon Snodgrass, as the FMF/KTM rider got in the last punch to claim the overall win
at this weekend’s Pearl’s Pond Farm Sprint Enduro, round five of the US Sprint Enduro
Series Presented by Moose Racing in Arvonia, Virginia.
In all, Girroir won six of the twelve tests over the weekend and eventually topped
Riordan by 28 seconds to take the win. The Connecticut rider also won both individual
days, beating Riordan by just 1.4 seconds on Saturday.
Riordan went into the final test on Saturday with a 12-second lead over Girroir, but an
unfortunate crash cost the Aussie 13 seconds and the KTM rider went down to defeat to
Girroir.
“Yesterday was a nail-biter,” said Girroir. “Gus was ripping. He had me by twelve
seconds going into the last test. Unfortunately, he had a crash, and I kept it on two
wheels and had my best enduro test of the day and took the overall by just a little bit. I
came into today knowing that I had to go fast and it was the other Aussie that was going
fast, Lyndon (Snodgrass). We had a good battle all the way down to the final test. Layne
Michael was on it, too. He crushed that last enduro test that he got me by a second. We
all finished super close. Going into the last enduro test, we were all seven seconds from
each other, so it was really anyone’s race. One mistake and it could have been over.
Just happy with a mistake-free weekend. Rode good and got it done.”
Riordan, who won three tests in total (all on Saturday) was second overall and first in
the Pro 2 division, despite having a round day on Sunday. Riordan was second behind
Girroir on Saturday, but finished fourth on Sunday.
“Yeah, I started off good, sort of feeling fairly comfortable and I think I had a twelve-
second lead on the overall coming into the last test, but I just had a stupid little mistake,
which cost me the overall,” said Riordan. “I hit a root. It was running diagonal across,
parallel to the rut. I tried getting out of the rut earlier, and the rest is history. Today I was
off the overall pace a little bit, but it was good. A bit sketchier but it was fun.”
Babbitt’s Online Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Lyndon Snodgrass, who was riding his first
sprint enduro in two years, was third on Saturday and third on Sunday (behind Girroir and FXR/GasGas’ Layne Michael) for third overall for the weekend, three seconds
behind Riordan.
“I started off a little slow after yesterday morning, but picked up the pace, although I
wasn’t quite with Johnny or Gus,” said Snodgrass. “Today started off good. Got the first
cross test win and then was sort of just a little bit off Johnny again today. But all in all, it
was a good weekend of racing.”
Michael came on strong in the end, winning the final test of the event and putting
himself into fourth overall for the weekend.
“I just kind of shifted my bike up a gear and just kind of smoothed out,” said Michael. “I
think I was trying to be too aggressive in the beginning tests today. Yesterday I had a
pretty good day overall. I just crashed in the last enduro test and kind of lost touch, but
today was better. I obviously struggled a little bit in the first enduro test, but once I kind
of figured out to shift the bike up a gear and let the bike do the work for me, it was a lot
better.”
Phoenix Honda Racing’s Ruy Barbosa, of Chile, was second in the Pro 2 class with a
fifth overall.
“Yesterday I started really good in the beginning, although I had a small crash in the
cross test,” said Barbosa. “Today was a different day, more dry. I felt pretty good, but I
need to improve with my speed in enduro test. I think I lost the race in enduro test.”
Barbosa’s Phoenix Honda Racing teammate Cody Barnes rounded out the Pro 2
podium with a sixth overall finish after getting off to a rough start.
“Saturday was rough for me,” admitted Barnes. “I just didn’t ride like myself and really
struggled to find comfort and speed. Those guys put it to me Saturday. Today, I just
kind of changed my mind set and changed some stuff on the setup for the bike. I kind of
stiffened my stuff up and that made a big difference.”
Top ProAm rider was Precision Offroad Racing’s Dominik Morse in seventh overall.
Fellow Husqvarna rider Jason Tino and Kawasaki-mounted Chase Colville were eighth
and ninth, which rounded out the podium in the ProAm class. Meanwhile, Tely Energy
Rocky Mountain ATV/MC KTM’s Ben Nelko rounded out the top 10 overall for the
weekend.
Yamaha’s Zach Osborne made his return to racing after injuring his elbow early in the
year, however, the AmPro Yamaha rider injured his ankle and DNFed the race to get it
checked out. “I think I’m okay,” said Osborne. “I just wanted to make sure for next
weekend.”
Top Amateur was Zack Toth, who won the Open A division in 14 th . “It was a good
weekend,” said Toth. “It was probably the most fun track of the series this year. I was
able to stay off the ground, for the most part and take home the win. It was a good
weekend.”
In the Women’s Pro division, Enduro Engineering GasGas’ Mackenzie Tricker put a
whoopin’ on the field, taking the overall win by three minutes after winning 11 of 12
tests.
“Honest to God, I’m kind of speechless,” said Tricker. “I know if I ride like I know how to,
I don’t see why I shouldn’t ride like this all the time but it’s easier said than done. I just
really tried to focus on being smooth and opening up my turns and riding a taller gear.
Just coming from moto, I used to just ride second gear on the limiter all the time. My
bike works a lot better in a taller gear. Honestly, just I had a little chip on my shoulder
after getting hurt at the second round, so it kind of put me out of the championship for
this series. So, I kind of wanted to come back for some redemption. So, I’m super
happy. It’s Easter. It was a great weekend.”
On the flipside, AmPro Yamaha’s Rachel Archer had a weekend she’d rather forget
about.
“It was a pretty rough weekend,” said Archer. “Day one was very slippery and you had
to be patient. I had zero patience yesterday and crashed twice in the first test and again
in the enduro. I was just struggling being smooth and Kenzie was smoking me. Then I
finally won the last enduro test after I switched to an AT81 rear tire. Today I rode a lot
better. I had sorted out my lines and stuff. Kenzie was just on rails all weekend and I
couldn’t seem to figure out this track. So, on to the next one.”
Over and Out Racing’s Rachel Gutish rounded out the Women’s Pro podium.
The US Sprint Enduro Series resumes action on April 29-30 at Promised Land MX in
Old Town, Maryland, for round six of the series. For more information on the series go
to www.ussprintenduro.com.
US SPRINT ROUND 5 OVERALL RESULTS
- Johnny Girroir (KTM)
- Angus Riordan (KTM)
- Lyndon Snodgrass (Kaw)
- Layne Michael (GG)
- Ruy Barbosa (Hon)
- Cody Barnes (Hon)
- Dominick Morse (Hsq)
- Jason Tino (Hsq)
- Chase Colville (Kaw)
- Ben Nelko (KTM)
Media Contact:
Shan Moore
shan@tandenews.com
Enjoy FREE Downloadable photos by @shanyphoto from Round 5
Pearls Pond Sprint Enduro Images – Shan Moore Photo (smugmug.com)
