Cody Webb lands his third consecutive Kenda AMA Tennessee Knockout victory by fending off world Hard Enduro god Jonny Walker. Taylor Robert lands third.
Reigning GEICO EnduroCross Champion and American Hard Enduro racer extraordinaire Cody Webb knocked out perhaps the best Hard Enduro rider in the world, Great Britain’s Jonny Walker, to claim his third consecutive Kenda AMA Tennessee Knockout win at the Trials Training Center in Sequatchie, Tennessee, August 16.
Like a much-anticipated title fight, the two heavyweights battled back and forth during the grueling event before Webb was able to gain the upper hand and score the victory on his FMF/RPM-backed KTM. Walker finished second on his Red Bull. Factory FMF/KTM’s off-road star, Taylor Robert, finished third, making for a clean sweep of the podium by the Orange Brigade.
After the qualifying session, known as the Hot Lap, all three men were among the 51 riders to advance into the first Knockout round, which pitted them in a race against the clock, with the riders seeded based upon their Hot Lap times. Both Robert and Walker put Webb on the ropes early, as they both recorded faster times on the 14-mile loop, with Walker setting the fastest time at 48 minutes and 45 seconds, while Walker came in at 46:10. The brutal terrain proved to be the end for just over half the field, as 26 riders were eliminated from contention after the first round.
The second Knockout round pitted the riders in five-man groups, with only top three from each group advancing to the 15-rider Main Event. Robert stayed out front of the field again, securing his spot in the main event by posting a time of 54:41 on the same loop, which was made even more difficult due to the addition of even harder sections. Walker, Webb, Cory Graffunder and Mike Brown all won their respective groups to also advance. The Main Rvent featured a shorter and even more arduous course, pitting the 15 riders head to head in a 30-minute-plus-one-lap race.
Walker took the lead in the first turn of the Main Event with Webb and Robert right behind him setting the stage for a thrilling finale. Robert was the first to falter, as he was balked by a hill on the first lap, and he dropped back in the pack as a result.
Walker and Webb then engaged in a seesaw battle for the lead throughout much of the nine-lap race Walker got stuck when he failed to clean a particularly technical climb, and he might have lost the lead had he not blocked Webb’s line, which forced both riders to go back to the bottom of the hill and make another try for the top. Webb managed to get turned around quicker than Walker, and that gave Webb the advantage. Webb slowly pulled clear of Walker after that, and he went on to take the win with a one-minute, 43-second margin of victory.
“I had chills running down my back from the fatigue, and I know that Jonny [Walker] felt a little sick the last few days and also had to deal with jetlag, so I am happy that I was I was able to take the win,” Webb said. “This is definitely right up there with the biggest wins I have ever had, with all of the tough riders that showed up for this event.”
Walker admitted that while he failed to score the win, he had a good time—if trying to kill yourself while trying to negotiating the most physically demanding terrain possible can be considered as such.
“This race was shorter than most of the races that I do but the intensity was very high,” Walker said. “I will definitely be back next year, looking to get the win.”
Robert fought his way back through the field after a couple mistakes to battle Brown for several laps before eventually making a pass on the veteran motocross and off-road racer to take over third place, but Brown was a game challenger, and briefly retook the spot before Roberts passed him again to secure third place.
“I got stuck on a pretty small hill on that first lap and that put me way back”, Robert said. “I have improved my technical skills a lot over the last few years but I can’t make up time on Cody and Jonny on this kind of terrain, but I am happy to get back on the podium.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Brown held on for fourth place, the last rider on the lead lap. KTM-mounted Graffunder was fifth, followed by Beta’s Kyle Redmond in sixth. Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider and King of the Motos Champion Colton Haaker was seventh, ahead of AmPro Yamaha’s Jordan Ashburn, RPM KTM’s Ty Tremaine and Beta’s Max Gerston.
2015 Kenda AMA Tennessee Knockout
TKO/Trials Training Center
Sequatchie, Tennessee
Results: August 16, 2015
Overall
1. Cody Webb-KTM
2. Jonny Walker-KTM
3. Taylor Robert-KTM
4. Mike Brown-Hus
5. Cory Graffunder- KTM
6. Kyle Redmond-Bet
7. Colton Haker-Hus
8. Jordan Ashburn-Yam
9. Ty Tremaine-KTM
10. Max Gerston-Beta
11. Grant Baylor-Yam
12. Ricky Russell-Yam
13. Mitch Carvolth-KTM
14. Quinn Wentzel-KTM
15. Wally Palmer-KTM/Chr
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