Steward Baylor Jr. Captures the Gobbler Getter

Round 9 in the Magna1 AMA National Enduro Series presented by Moose Racing took place at the Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club in Alabama for the Gobbler Getter National Enduro. The warm and dry conditions combined with long test sections posed a challenge for the riders. Steward Baylor Jr came out on top for his 4th win in a row at the end of the season.

Steward, a Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Tely Energy KTM rider, studied his competition and tried to mimic the riding style of Josh Toths, who had performed well at this event in previous years. Steward focused on riding standing up and maintaining a smooth flow, which helped him secure the final win of the season. He emphasized the importance of adapting to different terrains and styles of other riders in the National Enduro Series.

Grant Baylor, riding for Babbitts Online Monster Energy Kawasaki, pushed Steward throughout the race, winning one test and finishing second overall in the other five tests. Grant aimed to secure his position ahead of Josh Toth to ensure Steward finished second in the championship. Despite tweaking his leg, Grant remained focused on maintaining a smooth run to finish the season healthy and achieve his goal.

Josh Toth, a GasGas rider for Enduro Engineering, finished third overall, securing his second consecutive podium finish and sixth of the season. He claimed a test win in test 3, which was his highlight of the day. Josh’s performance landed him in third place overall for the 2023 season.

Thorn Devlin, riding a Bonecutter GasGas, won the NE Pro 2 Class at the Gobbler Getter. Thorn had an impressive performance, winning the first and fifth tests and securing a 29-second victory in the class. With 7 podium finishes and 4 wins, Thorn placed 2nd overall in the NE Pro2 2023 Championship. He expressed satisfaction with his performance and the experience of being his own mechanic and working on his own bike throughout the season.

Liam Draper, a rider for AM-Pro Yamaha, clinched the NE Pro2 2023 National Enduro Championship. Although he finished second on the day, Liam had an outstanding season with 3 test wins and consistent performances. Finishing on the podium 7 times and securing 5 wins, Liam expressed gratitude for the support of his team and the opportunity to be part of the Yamaha team.

Steve Nicholas III of Nicholas Drywall KTM achieved his first podium finish in the NE Pro2 class since the previous Gobbler Getter event. Steve expressed his satisfaction with finally reaching the podium after putting in the work and facing challenges of balancing his full-time work with drywall and his racing career.

Mackenzie Tricker of Enduro Engineering GasGas won the Women’s Elite class for the 6th time this season, securing her fifth championship in a row. Mackenzie dominated the day by winning all 5 tests. She mentioned that wrapping up the Championship early allowed her to push less in the challenging conditions and expressed that this would be her final season racing the National Enduro Full time.

Brooke Cosner borrowed a KX450 from her boyfriend Grant Baylor and achieved a season-best finish, placing 2nd in the Women’s Elite Class. She praised the bike’s performance, noting that she felt a little sore in her legs but overall had a great ride.

Sheryl Hunter, a Husqvarna rider, rounded out the podium in the Women’s Elite Class. This was her first-ever National Women’s Pro Podium finish, and she expressed her excitement about achieving her goal after several fourth-place finishes. Sheryl described the track as physically demanding but fun, and she expressed her delight in ending the season on a high note.

The Beta Cup, a competition within the series, was decided at the final round. Emma Hasbell of the Women’s Amateur Class and James Jenkins of the B200 class had perfect seasons going into the final round. After factoring in dropped races and comparing points, wins, and test wins, Emma Hasbell emerged as the 2023 Beta Cup Champion. Her slight advantage in total average time of margin of victory throughout the season secured her the title. As the champion, Emma will be able to choose a free Beta 2 Stroke motorcycle of her choice, courtesy of Beta USA.

Gobbler Getter Top 10

1-Steward Baylor Jr- KTM

2-Grant Baylor- Kaw

3-Josh Toth- Gas

4-Ricky Russel- Yam

5-Evan Smith- Beta

6-Craig Delong- Hus

7-Ben Kelley- KTM

8-Thorn Devlin- Gas

9-Liam Draper- Yam

10-Steve Nicholas III- KTM

-Story by Logan Densmore