Yamaha rider Nathan Kanney captured the overall win at the second of two ISDE 2-Day Qualifiers that will be held this year. In Athens, Ohio, over the weekend, Kanney relied on consistency to capture the win over the 64-rider field. The runner-up was KTM rider and former ISDE rider Mark Hyde.
A lot of rain up to the weekend, left the trails muddy and sloppy, but that’s just way both Kanney and Hyde like.
“Wet conditions always bring out the best in me,” Kanney said. “Most guys panic when it rains. The worse it gets the better rider I become.”
Kanney was able to dominate day one’s test and jump out to a 50-point lead when fellow Yamaha pilot Jimmy Jarrett ran out of gas during the first of the 2-Day Qualifiers’ nine special tests.
“Sometimes you just luck out,” Kanney said. “Jarret’s always tough, but when he ran out of gas, that kind of put the pressure on him to come back.”
Hyde, a multi-time winning of the Blackwater GNCC, used his legendary off-road survival skills to finish second both days, while fellow KTM rider Tim Taber and Gas Gas-mounted John Barber followed suit with third- and fourth-place overall finishes both days, as well.
The AMA will announce the entire 34-rider USA team, July 1.
Results:
Class 1: 1. Tim Taber (KTM); 2. Daniel Janus (GG); 3. Steven Kreis (Hus).
Class 2: Nathan Kanney (Yam); 2. John Barber (GG); 3. Jim Jarrett (Yam).
Class 3: Eric Baily (KTM); 2. Cody Mastin (Yam); 3. Dylan Debel (GG).
Senior: 1. Mark Hyde (KTM).
Womens: 1. Amanda Mastin (Yam).
