The Fallen Timbers Hard Enduro returned to Wildwood Lake Raceway in Little Hocking, Ohio, September 27-28, with a course that delivered everything riders expect from this iconic stop on the AMA East Hard Enduro Series, presented by IRC Tire. Promoter Jeff Husted and property owner Brent Windland once again carved a layout that blended punishing rock gardens, steep hillsides, flowing creek beds, and several cave passages into a seven-mile loop that demanded endurance and precision. With amateurs racing in the morning and the Pros and A riders hitting the trail in the afternoon, the day showcased both grit and skill across all levels of competition.
Story & Photos by Stephanie Vetterly
The morning began under a thick fog, with moisture clinging to the track and giving the rocks a slick coating. Amateurs faced some of the toughest conditions of the day, and it was Davin Shike (GasGas) who rose to the occasion. Starting from the fourth row, Shike grabbed the holeshot and never looked back, leading every lap on his way to a dominant victory.
“The first lap was perfect riding conditions; it was nice and tacky,” he said. “The second lap, I could tell it was slicker but still manageable. On the third lap, there were definitely some spots that were difficult, but overall, it wasn’t that bad.”
His win not only underscored his ability to manage changing terrain but also strengthened his grip on the AMA East Regional Amateur Championship.
Behind him, Gage Hill (KTM) charged from deep in the pack to claim second, relying on momentum and throttle control to push through the bottlenecks that plagued the field.
Rounding out the podium, Paco Suazo (KTM) battled through traffic and slick climbs to secure third.
By the time the Pros and A riders took to the track, the sun had burned off the morning fog, drying the course and changing the texture of the terrain. The rock gardens, particularly the infamous “Brent’s Diner,” still proved to be decisive battlegrounds, but traction improved just enough to allow higher speeds. Off the line, Beta USA’s Danny Lewis rocketed to the holeshot with local favorite Rieju USA’s Quinn Wentzel close behind, while Champion Brick KTM’s Tobin Miller’s early crash in the first turn left him fighting from the back.
In the A-class, Hawaii’s Boogie Rivera (Yamaha) emerged victorious after a steady, measured ride.
“The first part was kind of rough. I couldn’t really find my flow,” Rivera said. “Once I caught up to some of the Pros, it gave me a boost of energy. I think I made up the most time in the rock gardens; they were slippery like back home in Hawaii.”
His composure in the second-lap bottlenecks, where many riders lost valuable time, proved critical. Leiber Ponce (GasGas) rode consistently to take second, praising the course layout and its balance of difficulty. Champion Brick KTM’s Tucker Miller, despite suffering full-body cramps by lap two, held on for a hard-earned third.
“I just tried to keep it moving and on two wheels,” he said, satisfied with his podium finish.
The Pro race, however, belonged to Kauai Racing Development’s Kamakana Waiwaiole-Kahalepuna (KTM), who overcame a disastrous start to claw his way through the field and seize victory.
“I had a pretty rough start,” he said. “I started in neutral instead of in gear. It took me a while to fight through the pack. These guys didn’t make it easy for me, for sure. That was a good, earned win.”
Once settled, the Hawaiian rider found his rhythm in the rocks, using precise line choices to gradually hunt down the leaders.
Wentzel pushed hard to hold the advantage midrace, but fatigue from limited recent seat time caught up with him.
“I knew Kana-Boy [Waiwaiole-Kahalepuna] was probably coming,” Wentzel said. “I caught him right at the end. There’s a creek just before the finish. Whoever got out of the creek [first] was winning. He was up one line stuck wide open, I went up another way and was wide open, and he just edged me out.”
The narrow margin at the final creek crossing defined the drama of the day, with only seconds between Waiwaiole-Kahalepuna and Wentzel. IRC Beta’s James Flynn claimed third, candidly admitting his struggles on the slick East Coast single-track but crediting the technical sections for keeping him in contention.
For others, the day was a mixture of lessons and setbacks. Tobin Miller (KTM) rebounded from his first-turn crash to finish a career-best fourth, describing his ride as smooth and calculated. Lewis, who started strong, faded with health issues that spiked his heart rate, while veteran Nick Fahringer (Sherco) openly acknowledged his lack of race fitness after time off to focus on fatherhood.
From the amateur charge led by Shike to Waiwaiole-Kahalepuna’s nail-biting Pro win, Fallen Timbers once again delivered the full spectrum of hard enduro racing: unpredictable conditions, bottlenecks that reshaped the running order, and the kind of close finishes that leave fans and riders buzzing long after the checkered flag. At Wildwood Lake Raceway, the rocks, hills and caves proved unforgiving but fair, rewarding those who balanced speed with strategy and adding another memorable chapter to the U.S. Hard Enduro season.
The USHE season continues on October 11, when the UP Sandstormers hosts the Mad Moose Hard Enduro in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.CN
2025 AMA East U.S. Hard Enduro Round 7 Results
OVERALL Pro / A (Top 10)
- Kamakana Waiwaiole-Kahalepuna (KTM) 2:35:09
- Quinn Wentzel (Rie) 2:35:28
- James Flynn (Bet) 2:42:10
- Tobin Miller (KTM) 2:43:48
- Daniel Lewis (Bet) 2:52:16
- Maverik Thaxton (KTM) 2:54:56
- Nick Fahringer (She) 3:19:02
- Boogie Rivera (Yam) 3:20:29
- Leiber Ponce (GG) 3:20:34
- Tucker Miller (KTM) 3:34:32
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