Fifth-consecutive AMA National Enduro win of the 2024 seasons for Enduro Engineering’s Josh Toth ahead of Steward Baylor and Evan Smith at the Yamaha Rattlesnake National.

The sixth round of the 2024 Redline Oil AMA National Enduro Series, presented by MSR and Beta Motorcycles, gifted riders ideal trail conditions with moist due to rain earlier in the week, perfect for ripping through the fern-covered forests.

Even with ideal trail conditions for the Yamaha Rattlesnake National, nobody downplayed the technicality of the Pennsylvania terrain which needs caution for the hidden rocks.

Those rocks claimed some big hitters including Test 1 winner Ricky Russell on his Am-Pro Yamaha and National Enduro Champion Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Grant Baylor who also went down in Section 2, ending his race day.

The event saw more than 515 riders take to the trail. The first test was laid out at Quiet Oaks Campground, while the remaining sections utilised state forest land. The Brandywine Enduro Riders club gave riders 4 miles of trail to savour for Test 1, before a 6.5-mile second test. The third and fourth sections were each 5.5 miles, and the day ended with longer sections at 8.5 and 8 miles.

Top competitors in NE Pro1, NE Pro2 and Women’s Elite swapped back-and-forth throughout the nearly 67-mile course, making for close competition all day.

Overall Podium

Topping the box for the fifth-straight time, Josh Toth, backed by Enduro Engineering, claimed the Yamaha Rattlesnake National overall. The GasGas rider had a challenging start to the race, taking fifth in class and sixth overall through the first test. He managed to regroup and go 2-3-2 in class through the next three sections. In Test 5, the NE Pro1 rider walked away with the win and followed it up with a second-place finish in the final test.

“I'm stoked to make it another one,” Toth said. “It was probably the toughest one yet, I’d say. Yesterday, I had a crash just testing and warming up. I banged up my arm a little bit, so it was tight to begin with. Fortunately, it loosened up. We were all pretty close because it was a short first test. I kind of went from there and tried to just ride it smooth. The track was pretty treacherous and took out a couple riders. I was just trying to stay upright and get out of the woods as quick as I could.”

Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Red Bear Racing Kawasaki’s Steward Baylor Jr. had earned second overall. The 2023 event winner also had to fight his way through Test 1, only taking seventh in class, before taking fourth in the next. But a pair of second and first place results for NE Pro1 in the final four tests really helped turn his day around.

“I pushed the front a few times early on,” Baylor Jr. said, “Test five, I knew Josh and I were tied going into that, and I think within a second the test before that. He, Evan and I were all right there within a second, and I knew I had to put my head down.

“I ended up on my head about a mile from the finish. I've always liked this place. I look forward to a few races a year, and this is one of those. The club really goes above and beyond.”

Max Motorsports’ Evan Smith took third spot on the podium with four NE Pro1 third-place test results and a pair of fourth-place finishes. “I'm super happy with the day,” Smith said. “Today was awesome. I think test two or three, I fell and got stuck between the bike and the tree. That took me a little while and then kept it relatively clean until the last test. I fell twice in the last mile and the handguard locked up the brake. I probably spent 30 seconds dillydallying. I thought Trevor [Bollinger] was going to get me there, so I was super bummed but was happy to hold on to it in the end.”

NE Pro2 Podium

Notching his sixth-consecutive NE Pro2 podium finish this year, FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers rider Grant Davis captured the NE Pro2 win. Never finishing worse than fourth in the six tests, he ended the day more than a minute ahead of second-place finisher Jason Tino on his Husqvarna.

Had it not been for his 11th place finish in Test 1 due to two crashes, Tino might have clinched the NE Pro2 win at his first National Enduro of the year. The New Jersey native dominated the rest of the day, grabbing three test wins in his class in addition to a second and third place.

Red Bear Racing’s Will Sievenpiper started the day strong with a test win, but finished sixth in class through the next two tests before regaining momentum to go 5-4-2 for the remainder of the day. His performance earned him the final step of the NE Pro2 podium at the Yamaha Rattlesnake National.

Women’s Elite clean sweep for Gutish

Last year’s event winner for Women’s Elite, Sherco USA-backed Rachel Gutish, backed up her win while also taking her first win of this season. Finishing more than a minute and a half ahead of Enduro Engineering’s Shelby Turner, Gutish won all of the day’s tests.

Turner clinched her sixth podium of the year after she placed her GasGas machine in third and second through most of the day’s tests. Red Bear Racing’s Rachael Archer, who had dominated the season so far with wins at the first five rounds, rounded out the podium aboard her Kawasaki after “riding like a grandma”.

Pro rider podium interviews

Top Amateurs

Beta rider Kyle McDonal in the AA class secured top amateur, finishing 14th overall. Third in class through the first section, McDonal took second in Tests 2, 3, 5 and 6. He captured the test win in the fourth section. Chase Landers topped the A classes mounted on his KTM. The 250A rider finished 19th overall. He was the fastest 250A rider through all but one test in Cross Fork, Pennsylvania.

“It was a good day,” Landers said. “I started slow but was able to pick up as the day went on. I missed signup, so I was a later row and didn’t make it easy on myself. I had a crash in test one that ripped my glove completely off! Other than that, the tests were epic and the conditions were perfect.”

View full event results and series standings at www.nationalenduro.com The Enduro Engineering Grassman National will be held in Chandlersville, Ohio, on August 11.

Overall Results - Yamaha Rattlesnake National:

1. Josh Toth (GG)

2. Steward Baylor Jr. (KAW)

3. Evan Smith (HUS)

4. Trevor Bollinger: (HUS)

5. Grant Baylor (KAW)

6. Jason Tino (HUS)

7. Will Sievenpiper (KAW)

8. Hunter Bush (KTM)

9. Nathaniel Tasha (YAM)

10. Thorn Devlin (GG)

Series Overall Standings After Round 6:

1. Josh Toth (GG) - NE Pro1

2. Steward Baylor Jr (KAW) - NE Pro1

3. Grant Baylor (KAW) - NE Pro1

4. Johnny Girroir (KTM) - NE Pro1

5. Ryder Lafferty (GG) - NE Pro1

6. Evan Smith (HUS) - NE Pro1

7. Grant Davis (KTM) - NE Pro2

8. Ricky Russell (YAM) - NE Pro1

9. Nathaniel Tasha (YAM) - NE Pro2

10. Will Sievenpiper (KAW) - NE Pro2

Words Credit: Heather Wilson 

Photo Credit: Mack Faint