Shan Moore | April 23, 2024
Defending series champ Johnny Girroir had his closest call of the U.S. Sprint Enduro season at the Olde Mill Farm in Southern Maryland, coming from behind to take Saturday’s win after topping the final test, beating AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper by two seconds.
By Shan Moore | Photos by Art Pepin
On Sunday, the FMF/KTM Factory racer picked up the pace and won all but three of the eight tests to take the day win plus the overall win by 16 seconds over Draper, who won all but one of the eight tests on Saturday and added two wins to his total on Sunday. Girroir remains undefeated for the season with his victory at round four.
“I was getting a little nervous there on Saturday, especially going into that last test,” said Girroir. “Liam was on it all day. He was flying all weekend in the woods and especially in the cross test. I started seven seconds behind him going into Saturday’s last test, and I knew it was do or die. I could see him near the end, so I knew I made up a lot of time. I just went out there and tried to hit my marks, but I think he made a few mistakes.”
Girroir had an easier time of it on Sunday, having won six of the eight tests. “Today was much better,” said Girroir. “I held my lines and hit my marks and didn’t have any problems.”
Draper won the first seven of the eight tests to start the event on Saturday and nearly claimed his first-ever day win, but Girroir poured it on in the final test to remain undefeated by just two seconds.
“I was tight going into the last test on Saturday; I had won all seven tests up until that last one,” said Draper. “I could hear Johnny behind me, and I made a few mistakes, and he made up five seconds on me, and that was the difference. He ended up beating me; we were virtually tied going into that last test, so that was a bummer. I was pleased to win two more tests on Sunday, and I think I’m finally getting used to the 450.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong overcame a slow start, which saw him 11th in test one, to finish an eventual third in Saturday’s event. Another third on Sunday left him third overall for the weekend.
“I was a lot more cautious than I should have been in the first cross test on Saturday, and I finished 11th, so I started slow, but I was able to move up the standings near the end,” said DeLong. “I got into third there on Saturday about the third or fourth test. After that, I tried to get close to Johnny and Liam, but I could never really hook up with them; they were putting about 10 seconds of a test on me, and they were ripping. Sunday was better, but I’m still off pace.”
Phoenix Honda’s Cody Barnes battled back and forth on Saturday with DeLong, topping him in three of the eight tests on Saturday.
“I ran competitively for third pretty much both days,” said Barnes. “I had a tip-over on day one in the cross test and that cost me a lot of time. But I was able to rebound today and run some competitive test times, pushing for that third overall spot, so I just need to clean up a few things, and I’ll get good [results].”
Babbitt’s Online Team Green Monster Energy Kawasaki teammates Grant Baylor and Lyndon Snodgrass battled it out for fourth overall. Snodgrass beat out Baylor in all but one test on Saturday, but Baylor knocked off the rust on Sunday and came back to claim the overall win by one second over Snodgrass for fifth, having not raced a sprint event in four years.
“I started out a little reserved, trying to get used to racing the sprint format again,” said Baylor. “I was a little bit rusty there in the beginning, and I’m also one of those guys who gets better as the day goes on, especially after the track gets rougher. The enduro test got sketchy near the end of Saturday, but I was able to nail it on Sunday.”
Enduro Engineering’s Josh Toth had a rough weekend, going 8-7 for seventh overall. Meanwhile, FMF KTM Factory Racing Landers Racing’s Angus Riordan had what he called an inconsistent day on Saturday. Another ninth on Sunday left him in ninth overall.
“Saturday was a very inconsistent day for me,” said Riordan. “I really enjoyed the cross test, it’s been the first original cross test of the year. It was all grass, and it was fast, so it was good for me. I was up and down on Sunday and had a really bad run in the final enduro test, so I ended up ninth overall.”
Husqvarna rider Jason Tino won the Pro2 division with an eight overall, finishing five seconds ahead of Riordan.
Babbitt’s Off-Road Monster Energy Kawasaki’s JoJo Cunningham was the first Pro-Am rider with a 10th overall. “I’m super happy,” said Cunningham. “I do a local race a few miles from my house, and it has a fast grasstrack like this, so I was familiar with the cross test style. My home track is fast, and so was this cross test, so I felt at home. I just struggle in a couple of places in the enduro test, I think it’s a bike setup [issue], but overall, I’m pleased.”
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers’ Brandy Richards dominated the Pro Women’s division, winning all but three of the weekend’s 16 tests.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Korie Steede was second, winning the remaining three tests.
“I definitely struggled out there, and I had a crash on the last test on Saturday, so that hurt,” said Steede. “The cross test was super-fast, so you had to be on your toes, but I didn’t lose too many points over the weekend.”
FactoryOne Sherco’s Rachel Gutish finished third, having just returned from the EnduroGP Championship in Europe.
Trevor Jones returned to win the Pro Electric class on his Stark Varg.
New for 2024 was the FMF Fastest Cross Test and Enduro Test Awards. These specialty awards will be given to the racer of the fastest cross test and fastest enduro test on the weekend in the Youth/Amateur and Pro divisions. Those who were awarded were Levi Wilkins in the Youth divisions, Colton Shield (250 A) and Tyler DiBartolo (Open A). Girroir also earned two awards.
OVERALL (Top 10)
- Johnny Girroir (KTM)
- Liam Draper (Yam)
- Craig DeLong (Hus)
- Cody Barnes (Hon)
- Grant Baylor (Kaw)
- Lyndon Snodgrass (Kaw)
- Josh Toth (Hon)
- Jason Tino (Hus)
- Angus Riordan (KTM)
- JoJo Cunningham (Kaw)