The National Enduro Series returned to Minnesota for the first time since 1999. Conditions were dry for the over 260 riders entered, but the best still rose to the top. Team KTM swept the podium, but behind them, the visiting riders found the Moose Run “regulars” quite adept at the dry technical conditions.

Most seemed to enjoy the course, including the 15 miles of new trail put in by guys in the club, and the technical sections that were created by former top national competitor, and multi-time Moose Run winner, Matt Stavish. The trails had been very wet a few weeks earlier, but then it stopped raining for so long that the trails were quite dusty by the time the National caravan rolled into town.

This Minute One rider got a good luck at how "fresh" (yet well marked) the trail was.

This was the second year the event started in Duquette. The small town, located within the Nemadji Forest is about 35 miles south of Duluth. There is a long transfer needed to get to the start of the course, but the city makes it worth it, having a restaurant, general store, and gas station, opening up the large city park for camping and the start area, and basically giving the riders and crews run of the town all weekend.

Going into the event, 2006 national Enduro champion, Russell Bobbitt, held a 13-point lead over multi-time champion, Mike Lafferty, both under the pumpkin orange factory KTM tent. Lafferty had good memories of Minnesota, winning the Paul Bunyan Enduro in Akeley in 1997, 98, and 99. He was looking to close the gap on Bobbitt going into the break, but Bobbitt was showing great form of late.

The dry conditions saw riders really going for the “holeshot” out of the In (start of test) Checks. The card flip was like a flag start, especially those minutes in the 20-30 range. Every second counted.

As the results starting coming in, it was obvious that it was going to be tight, and that’s how it ended up. Bobbitt edged Lafferty by a single point, 44-45, with Kirkpatrick close with a 47. The difference was at the fourth test, where Bobbitt made the flip, going 9/564, while Lafferty missed it by 2 seconds. "That two seconds is going to haunt me the whole month of September!" Lafferty later remarked, seemingly in a good mood after the race. A sunny, mild, day of riding in the woods is still a pretty good day after all. The win extended Bobbitt’s lead to 18 points with Kirkpatrick tightening his grip on third.

From left to right, Lafferty, Bobbit, award distribution specialist, Jessi Kight, and Kirkpatrick

While the podium had the usual suspects, the tight battle for fourth through tenth, separated by only four points, included many District 23/16 (MN/WI) riders. Pro rider, Jeff Melik and, Dylan Debel, a multi-time ISDE rider entered in Open A, tied on points, with Melik getting the tie-breaker for fourth. Pro rider, Ian Blythe, and local A riders, Nathan Ferderer and Tim Nienow battled for sixth. YZ 144 riding, Blythe, got the tiebreaker over YZ 125 mounted, Ferderer. As a person who attends motocross more often than woods events, it was great to see, and hear, young riders putting in good rides on the high-revving, two-smokers. Another young rider, Nienow, was one point behind in eighth overall, first overall in 250A.

Federer, shown here charging up a hill, was on the same minute as Lafferty

Rounding out the Top Ten were Pro, Chris Gallt, and multi-time Moose Run winner, Craig Holasek, taking a “surprising” win in Vet A. In the Overall A, regional riders nearly swept. Following Debel, Ferderer, Nienow, and Holasek were Matt Lindberg (2nd 200A), Jake Fiola (PA 2nd Open A), Tim Henion (3rd Open A), Jesse Blomberg (2nd Vet A), Todd Mathwig (3rd Vet A), and Brian Melik (OH 2nd 250A).

Tim Neinow rode well on his way to his Eighth overall finish

The B Overall also had a pretty strong D23/D16 presence. Notable exceptions were B Overall and 200 B winner, Hunter Wallace from Georgia, and second overall Rick Fiola, from Pennsylvania, who topped the 250 B class. The only other out-state interloper in the top ten was Phillip Bearden of Georgia, who not only topped the Senior B class at 7th B overall, but also finished in front of the Vet and Open class winners.

The national series resumes in October, with the last two rounds being held in Nevada and Arizona. This was the last round of the District 23 Enduro series. The low-40s temperatures Sunday morning were a harsh reminder that the 6-month, Lake Superior-effect, winter is coming soon around these parts.

 

Thank you John Otto, Kristi, Mike Pohl for photos 1-3,4,5-6 respectively.

Results:
Overall:
1.Russell Bobbitt (Pro); 2.Michael Lafferty (Pro); 3.Cole Kirkpatrick (Pro); 4.Jeff Melik (Pro); 5.Dylan Debel (Open A); 6.Ian Blythe (Pro); 7.Nathan Ferderer (200 A); 8.Tim Nienow (250 A); 9.Chris Gallt (Pro); 10.Craig Holasek (Vet A);

Pro:
1.Russell Bobbitt (KTM); 2.Michael Lafferty (KTM); 3.Cole Kirkpatrick (KTM); 4.Jeff Melik (Yam); 5.Ian Blythe (Yam); 6.Chris Gallt (KTM); 7.John Maier (KTM);

Overall A:
1.Dylan Debel (HSB); 2.Nathan Ferderer (KTM); 3.Tim Nienow (KTM); 4.Craig Holasek (KTM); 5.Matt Lindeberg (Kaw); 6.Jake Fiola (GG); 7.Tim Henion (KTM); 8.Jesse Blomberg (Yam); 9.Todd Mathwig (KTM); 10.Brian Melik (Yam);

200 A:
1.Nathan Ferderer (Yam); 2.Matt Lindeberg (Kaw); 3.William Burns (GG); 4.Adam Barlow (KTM); 5.Todd Treichler (Yam); 6.Aaron Barlow (KTM); 7.Paul Schreiner (KTM); 8.Dennis Lau (Yam); 9.Dave Grunklee (KTM);

250 A:
1.Tim Nienow (KTM); 2.Brian Melik (Yam); 3.Joseph Martinson (KTM); 4.Mark Kelley (Hon); 5.Kevin Plzak (KTM); 6.Pete Laubmeier (KTM); 7.Nathan Zambon (KTM); 8.Calvin Custonguay (KTM); 9.Ryan Moss (KTM); 10.Alex Martinson (KTM);

Open A:
1.Dylan Debel (HSB); 2.Jake Fiola (GG); 3.Tim Henion (KTM); 4.Dale Rector (KTM); 5.Robbie Malinoski (Hon); 6.Brian Hassler (GG); 7.Jeremy Shoning (KTM); 8.Curt Plzak (KTM); 9.Scott Hofmann (KTM); 10.Brandon Hansen (KTM);

Vet A:
1.Craig Holasek (KTM); 2.Jesse Blomberg (Yam); 3.Todd Mathwig (KTM); 4.Michael Sigety (Suz); 5.Garrett Hansen (KTM); 6.Charles Forrest (Hon); 7.Robert Newport (Yam); 8.Michael Heuer (Suz); 9.Patrick Koether (KTM); 10.Brian Terry (KTM);

Senior A:
1.Ralph Feld (Yam); 2.Brett Hardy (Yam); 3.Paul Reschke (KTM); 4.John Oelkuers (Yam); 5.Jerry Morgan (Hon); 6.Tom Farris (KTM); 7.Kraig Hinkemeyer (Kaw); 8.Scott Truempi (Yam); 9.Dan Funke (KTM); 10.Joseph Zierman (Yam);

Super Senior A:
1.Patrick Feal (KTM); 2.Brett Grossmann (Yam); 3.Curt Bush (Hon); 4.Curtis Comer (GG); 5.Jack Edward Drummond (KTM); 6.Kenton Goble (KTM); 7.Robert Swift (KTM); 8.Steve Reschke (KTM); 9.Nick Zambon (KTM); 10.Richard Mertes (KTM);

Overall B:
1.Hunter Wallace (KTM); 2.Rick Fiola (Yam); 3.Robert Kau (KTM); 4.Giles Radtke (Kaw); 5.Jake Hinkemeyer (KTM); 6.Mitchell Treichler (Kaw); 7.Phillip Bearden (Hon); 8.Jesse Thelen (KTM); 9.Pat Adrian (KTM); 10.Justin Schiermeister (KTM);

200 B:
1.Hunter Wallace (KTM); 2.Jake Hinkemeyer (KTM); 3.Mitchell Treichler (Kaw); 4.Gordan Robare (Kaw); 5.Alex Wink (Kaw); 6.Christopher Hillman (Yam); 7.Lee Logan (KTM); 8.Adam Less (KTM); 9.Clayton Manthe (KTM); 10.A Eric Neu (KTM);

250 B:
1.Rick Fiola (Yam); 2.Robert Kau (KTM); 3.Giles Radtke (Kaw); 4.Zac Thomas (Yam); 5.Jace Porter (Yam); 6.Trevor Anderson (Suz); 7.Jason Aylsworth (Hon); 8.William Sheltrow (KTM); 9.Craig Dye (Kaw); 10.Curt Shomberg (KTM);

Open B:
1.Justin Schiermeister (KTM); 2.Kent Liggett (KTM); 3.Paul Parker (KTM); 4.James Jervis (GG); 5.Lowell Dudzinski (KTM); 6.Ron Pohlman (KTM); 7.Ryan Einerwold (KTM); 8.Dean Daniel (KTM); 9.Jeremy Ramsey (KTM); 10.Robert Austin (GG);

Vet B:
1.Jesse Thelen (KTM); 2.Pat Adrian (KTM); 3.Trent Mobraaten (KTM); 4.Ryan Haferbecker (KTM); 5.Charles Vincent (KTM); 6.Paul Carroll (KTM); 7.Allen Mcwilliams (HSB); 8.Matthew Stukel (KTM); 9.Ray Davis (GG); 10.Eric Eisinger (Suz);

Senior B:
1.Phillip Bearden (Hon); 2.Jim Blau (HSQ); 3.Bryan Giacomozzi (KTM); 4.Mike Johnson (Hon); 5.Tim Pelach (Kaw); 6.Jeffrey Magowan (KTM); 7.Dale Sanborn (KTM); 8.Michael Oboyle (KTM); 9.Mike Schobert (Yam); 10.John Ehlen (Hon);

Super Senior B:
1.S Johnny Futo (KTM); 2.Donald Marsh (Yam); 3.Paul Schommer (KTM); 4.Ray Cole (KTM); 5.Scott Mcelfresh (GG); 6.Dennis Kirk Salmon (KTM); 7.Joe Miller (KTM); 8.Roger Less (KTM); 9.Martin Nelson (Kaw); 10.Steven Olson (Kaw);

Masters :
1.Max Bradley (KTM); 2.Lynn Mcewen (KTM); 3.Donald Krueger (KTM);

Women:
1.Rebekah Less (KTM); 2.Marissa Carpenter (Hon); 3.Mary Schreiner (Kaw); 4.Elizabeth Schommer (KTM); 5.Kimberly Kaczmarowski (Hon); 6.Kaylee Steeg (Hon);

Overall C:
1.Zach Martinson (KTM); 2.David Parrott (Yam); 3.Matthew Vongroven (KTM); 4.Justin Mcguire (Kaw); 5.Jacob Quast (Yam); 6.Jake Pelach (Kaw); 7.David Voss (KTM); 8.Andrew Gunderson (KTM); 9.Rick Becker (KTM); 10.Luke Chase (Hon);

200 C:
1.Zach Martinson (KTM); 2.Justin Mcguire (Kaw); 3.Jake Pelach (Kaw); 4.Kristi Grote (KTM); 5.Luke Nelson (KTM); 6.Ben Slater (Suz); 7.Joseph Dollhopf (KTM); 8.Jennie Carpenter (Kaw); 9.Grant Wing (KTM); 10.David Schlueter (Kaw);

250 C:
1.David Parrott (Yam); 2.Jacob Quast (Yam); 3.Chad Reed (Suz); 4.Chris Weigel (Yam); 5.Randy Lieder (Hon); 6.Miguel Mendoza (Hon); 7.Brian Lieder (Yam);

Open C:
1.Matthew Vongroven (KTM); 2.Luke Chase (Hon); 3.Joseph Copley (Hon); 4.Michael Frey (Yam); 5.James Keenan (Hon); 6.Monte Manske (KTM); 7.Mark Clemmons (KTM);

Vet C:
1.David Voss (KTM); 2.Andrew Gunderson (KTM); 3.Jeff Tillman (Kaw); 4.Brett Walrath (KTM); 5.Bill Spaulding (KTM); 6.Karl Oelhafen (KTM); 7.Robert Hammerlund (Hon); 8.Preston Ringeisen (Hon); 9.Michael Zappa (KTM); 10.Chris Palmer (Yam);

Senior C:
1.Rick Becker (KTM); 2.Wynn Earlewine (KTM); 3.Matthew Maynard (KTM); 4.Ben Wing (Suz); 5.Tom Burns (Yam); 6.John Treichler (Yam); 7.Jeffrey Wallsmith (Kaw); 8.James Stadin (KTM); 9.Dennis Lau Sr (Yam); 10.Alan Wallner (Hon);

16 under LW:
1.Tyler Pogreba (KTM); 2.Raymond Nelson (KTM); 3.Trevor Honstrom (KTM); 4.Corry Davis (Kaw);