Round seven of the Ohio Hard Enduro Championship Series, presented by Lancaster Sportcycles, brought the inaugural season to a close at Wild Hively on October 3, with near-perfect conditions setting the stage for a final three-hour showdown.
Friday’s light rain left the roughly 10-mile course with what riders described as “hero dirt,” and race-day sunshine pushed temperatures into the low 70s. Longtime course builder Jeff Husted kept Wild Hively’s familiar landmarks—including Brent’s Diner, the Appetizer, Upper and Lower Hively and Bobcat Cave—while adding two new caves and additional Pro/A sections.
Story & Photos by Steph Vetterly
Maverik Thaxton and Mark Fortner set themselves a unique challenge by starting from the final row. Thaxton worked through traffic, passed Leiber Ponce for the lead, and then spent the second half of the race managing a failing rear brake. With no rear brake on the final lap, Thaxton relied heavily on engine braking and the front brake while Fortner continued to close.
Thaxton held on to finish the race three minutes and one second ahead of Fortner. Ponce finished third overall and as the first A-class rider. The victory also secured the inaugural Ohio Hard Enduro Pro/A overall championship for Thaxton, with 161 points, 33 clear of Fortner.
The morning amateur race belonged to Graham Kobak. After a fast opening few miles, the course dropped riders into creeks and technical climbs, terrain that suited Kobak’s strengths. He pushed nearly nonstop for three laps and finished in 2:34:05, 10 minutes and 46 seconds ahead of Justin Farley. Alex Badilla Arias completed the overall amateur podium.
Kobak’s late-season surge moved him into third in the final amateur standings, but the championship went to Bentlee Bredekamp. Bredekamp’s consistency throughout the seven-round season—and his round six victory at Lightning Strikes—proved decisive, as he finished with 152 points, three ahead of Cory King.
After seven rounds, the first AMA State Hard Enduro Championship concluded with Thaxton and Bredekamp on top, closing a debut season that gave Ohio its own championship. For a championship built from scratch, the finale delivered what the season promised: technical terrain and close racing.CN
2026 Ohio Hard Enduro Round 7 Results
PRO/A (Top 10)
- Maverik Thaxton (KTM)
- Mark Fortner (Bet)
- Leiber Ponce (KTM)
- Justin Remley (KTM)
- Cory King (She)
- Quinn Dickey (KTM)
- Jared Fortner (Bet)
- Tim Baroni (Bet)
- Clayton Costello (KTM)
- Bentlee Bredekamp (Hus)
