Cycle News Staff | May 2, 2023
FMF/KTM’s Johnny Girroir clinched the U.S. Sprint Enduro Series Championship, Presented by Moose Racing, in the Pro class two races early with a second-overall finish at the Promised Land MX U.S. Sprint Enduro round in Oldtown, Maryland, April 29-30. Chile’s Ruy Barbosa took the overall win on his Phoenix Racing Honda in very difficult conditions.
He didn’t get the win in Maryland, but he did get the championship. Johnny Girroir clinched the U.S. Sprint Enduro Championship with two rounds still on the schedule. Photos: Mack Faint
During the two-day event, Saturday was a free-for-all, as four riders went into the final test with a legitimate chance to win the day, but it was RPM Racing’s Angus Riordan who came from behind to take the victory by 0.6 seconds over Phoenix Honda Racing’s Cody Barnes, both Pro 2 riders—quite different circumstances from the previous race in Virginia when Riordan held a 12-second lead going into the final test and threw it away when he had a nasty crash. This weekend, he entered Saturday’s final test trailing Barnes by four seconds but emerged the winner.
Girroir en route to second overall and the 2023 title.
“The final enduro course was getting really rutted, and it was really rocky with a lot of exposed roots and in that last time through I just slowed it up a bit and rode smooth, and I think I actually went faster,” said Riordan. “I just got outside of the main lines and tried to square everything up and be smooth.”
Ruy Barbosa, competing in the Pro 2 class, was the overall winner.
Girroir was fourth overall on Saturday but that was more than enough to clinch the series title.
“It’s good to get the title out of the way,” said Girroir. “I was probably riding a little too cautious in the beginning. I was 1.2-seconds down going into that last test and I missed a line and got sideways in the rocks and they got me. I think I missed the overall by four seconds today, which is nothing. There’s still lots of racing tomorrow. The title is the main objective, and we got that. It feels good to get it wrapped up and I can relax tomorrow. It looks like it’s going to be muddy.”
KTM rider Angus Riordan completed the podium.
Indeed, rain all night and through the morning left Sunday’s course a slippery mess, forcing the day to be shortened to four tests instead of six. On Sunday, Barbosa won three of the four tests (two cross tests and one enduro test), to take the day win plus the overall win for the weekend, not to mention winning the Pro 2 division.
Pro 1 Podium.
“Today was a really different day because all last night and this morning it was raining,” said Barbosa. “I was just smart with the lines and got a good gap on the guys. I was on a 250 but I fight with the bike and I fight with the track and I get a good time and I win. I was riding really smart on the bike.”
Girroir was second on Sunday, followed by Riordan and Barnes.
Pro 2 Podium.
“The enduro test was pretty tough,” said Girroir. “I rode conservatively, maybe too conservatively, but we had the title and that’s what matters.”
Overall, the order was Barbosa first overall, with Girroir in second, Riordan third and Barnes fourth. Husqvarna rider Gavin Simon was fifth overall and top ProAm rider. “I feel like I’m a mud rider and I just held it open all weekend and hoped for the best. I kind of zig-zagged across the ruts and just went for it,” said Simon.
Rachel Gutish topped the Women’s Pro class.
The next four riders were ProAm riders, Jason Tino (Husqvarna), Precision Offroad Racing’s Dominik Morse, Cole Forbes (KTM) and Tyler Braniff (Yamaha). Sam Forrester (Husqvarna) was the top Open A rider in 10th overall. AmPro Yamaha’s Zach Osborne was 11th overall. Jeff Leatherwood was the top B rider.
Over and Out Racing’s Rachel Gutish won the Pro Women’s division by over a minute ahead of AmPro Yamaha’s Rachael Archer.
Women’s Podium.
“I had a really strong ride this weekend, it was very technical and that is my strong point,” said Gutish. “There was a rock garden and a lot of roots and I felt comfortable in those conditions. I felt I made up a lot of time in those areas and considering the amount of rain we got, I think it was a case of Archer having a lot of problems.”
Gutish won three of the four tests on Sunday and four of the six tests on Saturday.
Shan Moore
OVERALL RESULTS
- Ruy Barbosa (Hon) Pro 2
- Johnny Girroir (KTM)
- Angus Riordan (KTM) Pro 2
- Cody Barnes (Hon) Pro 2
- Gavin Simon (Hus) ProAm
- Jason Tino (Hus) ProAm
- Dominik Morse (Hus) ProAm
- Cole Forbes (KTM) ProAm
- Tyler Braniff (Yam) ProAm
- Sam Forrester (Hus) Open A
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