Mullins Wins National Enduro Opener

| February 1, 2010

Charlie Mullins got the 2010 AMA/Rekluse National Enduro Series, presented by Moose Racing, started by taking the overall win in Sumter, South Carolina, January 31.

Riding an Obermeyer/Am-Pro Yamaha WR450F, Mullins survived the bitter cold and the sandy course to take his first ever National Enduro victory. Temperatures were in the low teens when the first rider left the start line at 9 a.m.

“I had a good race, the bike ran great and I had fun,” said Mullins. “I started slow but things got better the more I rode. I had trouble finding the trail a few times, but other than that, I had a good ride.”

Mullins dropped 42 points on the day.

Second place went to KTM rider Cory Buttrick who had a 44 on his scorecard when all was said and done. He and defending National Enduro Champion Russell Bobbitt both dropped 44 points, but Buttrick edged out Bobbitt on the tie-breakers, 44.21 to 44.47.

“I didn’t have any problems really, just a good ride,” said Buttrick.

Last year’s winner Bobbitt, said, “”I had an okay ride,” Bobbitt said, “but I never felt like I got going, and I had trouble finding the trail sometimes.”

Multi-time Enduro champ Mike Lafferty made his Husaberg debut and finished fourth after dropping 45 point.

Nick Fahringer rounded out the top five overall with 48 points.

Nearly 500 riders started the enduro.

By Kenneth King