Bobbitt Wins Tennessee National Enduro

Shan Moore | April 27, 2009

Having lost two-straight rounds to his Muscle Milk/Shock Doctor KTM teammate Michael Lafferty, Russell Bobbitt got back on track with a resounding victory at round five of the AMA/Rekluse National Enduro Series in Westpoint, Tennessee, April 26.

Bobbitt, the defending series champion, topped Lafferty by nearly three minutes at the finish of the NATRA-organized event, winning five of the six sections making up the 78-mile enduro.

This year’s series has been all about shifts in momentum and this win leaves Bobbitt in the driver’s seat as the series enters a six-week break before heading westward.

“This was a good win for me,” said Bobbitt. “It gave me a little breathing room before the gap in the schedule.”

Lafferty had been on a roll heading into the Tennessee race after winning rounds in Florida and Louisiana, but the eight-time champ simply had no answer for Bobbitt at this one.

“It just got beat plain and simple, and I really don’t have any excuses,” said Lafferty. “Russell rode a heck of a race and I was pretty much battling for second all day.”

Claiming his best-ever enduro finish was Yamaha’s Jason Raines. At one time in the enduro, the five-time National Hare Scrambles Champion had moved into second place ahead of Lafferty, but a late-race push by Lafferty dropped Raines to third by the end of the ride.

Husaberg’s Nick Fahringer kept Brad Bakken at bay to take fourth ahead of the KTM rider. Meanwhile, Wally Palmer rode a Kawasaki-powered two-wheeled drive Christini to fifth.