ROUND 8 HARLEYWOOD, BRISTOL, VA – ADULT RACE REPORT
5 min read
– For Immediate Release –
Australian, Angus Riordan Locks Up the Pro 2 Championship at Harleywood
US Sprint Enduro Presented by Moose Racing
US Sprint Enduro Series
Round 8
June 17-18, 2023
Bristol, Virginia
FMF/KTM’s Johnny Girroir claimed his seventh overall victory in eight rounds at this weekend’s Harleywood US Sprint Enduro in Bristol, Virginia, the eighth and final round of the US Sprint Enduro Series Championship Presented by Moose Racing, over Father’s Day weekend.
Girroir battled it out all weekend with Pro 2 rider Angus Riordan, beating the RPM Racing KTM rider by 22.4 seconds after two days of racing. In all, Girroir won seven of the 12 tests, with Riordan winning the remaining five.
“I felt like I had the woods figured out yesterday and Gus from Pro 2 was getting me out in the Cross test on day one,” said Girroir. “Then day two kind of started off opposite. I got him in the Cross test and he caught me in the woods. It was just good battling all weekend long. Close battling. Within ten seconds or so at the end of today. So, it’s awesome.”
Not only was Riordan in contention for the overall for the weekend but he was also in a do or die battle with Phoenix Honda Racing’s Cody Barnes for the Pro 2 championship. Riordan needed to win both days of the class to take the Pro 2 championship, and he did just that.
“It feels unreal. It feels good,” said Riordan. “A bit of a comeback from the start of the season, but it feels unreal. First half of the season was pretty rough, and then second half of the season I was slowly getting back in the championship points, so it was worth it. I needed to win both days to win the title, plain and simple. I tried not to think about the championship. I just wanted to win. Just day by day. I had one crash yesterday which got me a bit worried. Test one in the woods. But other than that, it was pretty good.”
Barnes, the defending Pro 2 champion, came up 25.755 seconds short of the title by finishing third overall behind Riordan.
“Angus and even Ruy, they were both on it all year,” said Barnes. “I started out strong this year and won the first two rounds. Won both days and it was looking promising. Then those guys just started going fast. We were all pushing the limit. I had days where I won days and stuff, but Angus was just on it at the end of the season. Even yesterday and today, he out-rode me. I was maybe pushing a little bit too hard and made a couple mistakes out there today, both in the enduro test. Kind of tucked the front in one of the slick spots. Then in the final test, just hit a loose rock with the rear and slid the rear out over a berm. So, I don’t know even with that not happening, if I wouldn’t have beat Angus in the overall with the time for the day.”
Magna1 Racing Husqvarna’s Jason Tino won the Pro-Am class with a fourth overall, topping Precision Husqvarna’s Dominick Morse by three seconds after two days of racing.
“My weekend went really well,” said Tino. “I left day one with a day win. I was riding really well, and then day two I got the first cross test win. Then Dominic (Morse) started closing in on all the rest of the tests. I had aa big cushion going into day two and I used all that cushion. You only got to win by a second, so I was able to do that and get the last enduro test win. I got the last one by one second, and I had maybe four seconds on him going into the last test. But we rode hard up there with the pro two guys. It was a good weekend.”
Morse was second overall in the Pro-Am class and fifth overall, but he wrapped up the Pro-Am championship with the finish.
“It feels really good to win the Pro-Am title,” said Morse. “It’s definitely a surreal feeling. Definitely all the hard work paid off. The weekend was rough at first. I started off super slow. Not really sure why, but I picked it up a lot near the end of the weekend. I was able to run some Pro 2 times for most of today.”
Sixth overall went to Trail Jesters Racing KTM’s Mason Semmens, who also finished second in the Pro 1 class.
“Second in Pro 1 probably looks good, but my riding wasn’t really too flash, to be honest,” said Semmens. “I just struggled a little bit with the track. Just trying to get used to racing again. It feels good to get back. It’s been a long time since I’ve done a US sprint. Last time I left with a broken collarbone, so it’s good to get back.”
Henry Symanski came in seventh, which rounded out the Pro 1 podium.
“Yesterday started off kind of rough,” said Symanski. “I was struggling in the Cross test, and then definitely was picking up a lot more time in the woods. At the end of the day, I ended up falling a couple times in what I thought was a good cross test. But then luckily today, I managed to stay off the ground most of the day. I caught a rock in that last enduro test, so kind of tossed me off but got back up and put the time back down. But overall, I had one of my best rides.”
Eighth overall and top amateur was Levi Elliott on a GasGas, while former top Pro Jason Thomas (Hon) was top Vet A rider and ninth overall.
Peyton Feather (KTM) rounded out the top 10 overall and took first in the 250A division.
Am Pro Yamaha’s Rachel Archer totally dominated the Women’s Pro division, winning all 12 tests and topping Over and Out GasGas’s Rachel Gutish by nearly four minutes.
“It was really good,” said Archer. I went 12 for 12, so first time I’ve done that all year so it was cool. Loved the track. It was really cool to wrap up the championship. Good weekend.”
Canadian Motocrosser, sponsored by FXR, Brittany Gagne (Yam), was third overall.
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For more information on the series go to www.ussprintenduro.com.
The Trail Pros/US Sprint Enduro Series will host a three-day Sprint Enduro World Championship at High Voltage Raceway in Dilliner, Pennsylvania on September 2-4.
US SPRINT ROUND 8 OVERALL RESULTS
1. Johnny Girroir (KTM)
2. Angus Riordan (KTM)
3. Cody Barnes (Hon)
4. Jason Tino (Hsq)
5. Dominick Morse (Hsq)
6. Mason Semmens (KTM)
7. Henry Symanski (Yam)
8. Levi Elliott (GG)
9. Jason Thomas (Hon)
10. Peyton Feather (KTM)
View Combined Results HERE
Media Contact:
Shan Moore
shan@tandenews.com
