After heavy rain leading into the weekend, riders were greeted with near-perfect conditions for round four of the Red Line Oil American National Enduro Championship (ANEC), presented by MSR Racing. Deep soil, flowing trails and technical ruts throughout the Georgia woods created what many riders called one of the best Cherokee National Enduros in recent memory.
Story by Tyler Shepardson | Photos by Art Pepin
For the second straight year, the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Red Bear Racing Kawasaki team swept the entire Pro1 podium at Cherokee. Grant Baylor led the charge, overcoming a few costly mistakes to secure the overall win with a total time of 2:05:51. He steadily built momentum through the middle of the event and ultimately edged out teammate Josh Toth by just over 44 seconds.
“This is one of the best enduros of the year, for sure,” Grant said. “The conditions were sick today, and traction was perfect.”
Toth, returning to the podium despite coming into the weekend banged up, kept himself in contention all day. The multiple-time Cherokee winner posted the fastest times in sections one and six while battling through brutal heat and humidity. His consistency across all seven tests earned him second overall on the day.
Steward Baylor Jr rounded out the overall podium after battling adversity early in the race. A hard impact with a pine tree damaged his bike’s front wheel, forcing a wheel change during a rider-support stop and costing valuable time.
Despite the setback, Stu remained competitive throughout the day and helped secure another Kawasaki podium sweep at Cherokee.
“We’re working good as a team right now,” Stu said. “As the team owner, it’s great to see.”
Morning Duck JDP Suspension Honda rider Ryder Lafferty narrowly missed the podium with a strong fourth-place finish overall, while AmPro Yamaha’s Liam Draper completed the top five in Pro1.
In the Pro2 division, FMF Red Bull KTM’s Jason Tino continued his impressive season by securing another class victory and finishing sixth overall on the day, taking four of the seven Pro2 Cherokee test victories. Tino adapted well to the changing conditions and credited the flowing trail and the technical final section as highlights of the event.
The battle for the remaining Pro2 podium spots came down to the wire. Enduro Engineering Triumph’s James Jenkins and MX Tech/Offroad Performance Coach Husqvarna rider Gavin Simon traded seconds throughout the day, and Jenkins ultimately secured second in class by just 2.5 seconds over Simon. Jenkins found extra pace in the final test to seal the runner-up position after entering the last section trailing Simon by two seconds.
Liqui Moly Factory Racing Beta rider Jhak Walker earned the remaining Pro2 test wins but was taken out of contention after being assessed a time penalty for unknowingly getting off track in test five, where he gained a significant advantage.
In the Pro Women class, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Korie Steede continued her dominant 2026 campaign with another class win. Despite multiple crashes throughout the day and a physically demanding final section, Steede swept all seven tests to extend her undefeated season streak.
Enduro Engineering Triumph’s Shelby Turner earned second place in class after another consistent ride, further establishing herself as a regular contender on the Pro Women podium. Defending champion Rieju’s Rachel Gutish rounded out the podium in third after charging late in the day and securing her podium position in the final test.
Next up, ANEC heads to McArthur, Ohio, for the Helmet House Little Raccoon National Enduro on June 21.CN
2026 American National Enduro Round 4 Results
OVERALL (Top 10)
- Grant Baylor (Kaw)
- Josh Toth (Kaw)
- Steward Baylor Jr (Kaw)
- Ryder Lafferty (Hon)
- Liam Draper (Yam)
- Jason Tino (KTM)
- James Jenkins (Tri)
- Gavin Simon (Hus)
- Chase Landers (KTM)
- Ryan Piper (KTM)
