Round five of the 2026 Ohio Hard Enduro Championship Series, presented by Lancaster Sportcycles, returned to Black Rock on September 5 for “Black Rock 2.0,” but the course that riders remembered from April had taken on a different personality.
Story & Photos by Steph Vetterly
A moderate rainstorm Saturday morning left the 9.7-mile loop slick and greasy for the Amateur race, while the ground began to tack up by the time the Pro-A field headed out. Many of the same sections from the spring event returned, though erosion, rain and course revisions changed the challenge. Several tougher obstacles were held for the Amateur field’s second lap, giving riders a chance to settle in before the difficulty increased.
Cory Jones made the most of the muddy conditions to take the Amateur overall in 2:20:55, overcoming a derailed chain on the opening lap. Jones credited his tire choice and smooth runs at the climbs, calling the course “super slimy” and “brutal.” Cory King finished second, keeping his championship lead intact, while Emmett Covington completed the amateur podium after battling a missing rear fender and a rapidly changing track.
In Pro-A, Quinn Wentzel used Black Rock as a shakedown for a new Beta and wasted little time finding the winning pace. Wentzel led most of the opening lap before Maverik Thaxton moved ahead during a fuel stop. Thaxton’s charge unraveled when a bent shifter left him stuck in first gear, allowing Wentzel back through for the victory in 2:11:29.
Thaxton recovered to finish second after a late battle with Mark Fortner, who had worked his way forward after getting hung up early on one of the opening hillclimbs. Fortner finished just 50 seconds behind Thaxton in third.
With rain reshaping familiar terrain and mechanical trouble influencing both races, Black Rock 2.0 proved that a return visit does not always mean a repeat performance.
The series returns on September 19 at Lightning Raceway in Tippecanoe, Ohio, for the penultimate round of the 2026 season.CN
2026 Ohio Hard Enduro Round 5 Results
OVERALL (Top 10)
- Quinn Wentzel (Bet) 2:11:29 (Check 7)
- Maverik Thaxton (KTM) 2:17:42
- Mark Fortner (Bet) 2:18:32
- Hayden Mosa (Rie) 3:00:45
- Jacob Lesko (Hus) 2:53:45 (Check 6)
- Owen Luzier (KTM) 2:58:25
- Donnie Alborn (KTM) 2:08:22 (Check 5)
- Quinn Dickey (KTM) 2:09:07
- Clayton Costello (KTM) 2:20:15
- Jay Potter (KTM) 2:38:00
