Former Kenda AMA National Enduro Champion Russell Bobbit lands his first win of the season.
Factory FMF/KTM’s Russell Bobbitt claimed his first Kenda AMA National Enduro Series win of the 2015 season during round three, the Rad Dad National Enduro in Westpoint, Tennessee, today.
Bobbitt, a multi-time Kenda AMA National Enduro Champion, had to come from behind to get the job done, as he trailed his factory FMF/KTM teammate Kailub Russell by 44 seconds heading into the sixth and final special test of the day. Bobbitt excelled in the rain-drenched, slick, eight-mile final stretch of single-track to clock a time that put him 4 seconds ahead Russell.
“I felt really good in that final test,” Bobbitt said. “I actually started to catch Grant Baylor on the row in front of me before I fell off a bridge. It took me some time to get back on my bike, but because I had been having a good run I was able to come out on top. I’m really happy with my performance today and glad to get the first win of the season.”
Russell grabbed the the early lead in the vent, posting the fastest time in the first special test, 16 seconds ahead of N-Fab/AmPro Yamaha’s Grant Baylor, while Bobbitt was third, just 1 second behind Baylor. Russell would build on that by also winning the second test with a time that was 18 seconds faster than Bobbitt’s.
But then Bobbitt got on the gas, and he won three of the four remaining tests, including the all-important sixth special test.
“I just kept pushing and never gave up,” Bobbitt said. “You can’t ever think you’re out of it or you will be.”
Russell missed out on his first career National Enduro win, but his consistency through the first three rounds has placed him firmly in the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series point lead. Russell leads Bobbitt by nine points, 75-66.
“I felt pretty solid all day,” Russell said. “Each race I am getting a little closer to getting the win. Bobbitt just rode really well all day and outperformed me in the last test. I’m looking forward to the next round and fighting for that top step.”
Moto-Tech KTM’s Steward Baylor finished third overall despite suffering a serious crash in test five right after winning test four, and he now sits third in the series standings, with 64 points. N-Fab/Am Pro Yamaha teammates Grant Baylor and Daniel Milner finished fourth and fifth respectively.
Beta USA teammates Cory Buttrick and Jesse Groemm finished sixth and seventh respectively. Buttrick ran as high as fourth during the event, but trouble in the final test dropped him outside the top five. Groemm had a steady day considering that the Rad Dad marked his return to competition after suffering a concussion prior to the start of the season.
Moto-Tech KTM’s Trevor Bolinger, Husqvarna’s Craig DeLong and AirGroup Racing Husqvarna’s Ryder Lafferty completed the top 10.
In the Rekluse Expert-AA class, KTM-mounted Drew Higgins swept every test to score the class win with Evan Smith second and Jake Froman third. Higgins finished 4 minutes and 9 second ahead of Smith. Froman was about 6 minutes off the lead.
“I made s few mistakes in the last three tests,” Higgins said. “I was trying to get around lappers and kept getting hung up in the vines, but I was able to hold on to take the win.”
The Kenda AMA National Enduro Series returns to action on May 17th with the Lead Belt Enduro in Park Hills Missouri.
Kenda AMA National Enduro Series
Rad Dad National Enduro
Westpoint, Tennessee
Results: April 19, 2015 (Round 3 of 9)
Overall
1. Russell Bobbitt-KTM
2. Kailub Russell-KTM
3. Steward Baylor-KTM
4. Grant Baylor-Yam
5. Daniel Milner-Yam
6. Cory Buttrick-Bet
7. Jesse Groemm-Bet
8. Trevor Bollinger-KTM
9. Craig DeLong-Hus
10. Ryder Lafferty-Hus
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