Two weeks ago we said that with three rounds to go the Championship was effectively over unless someone/anyone could find a way to beat Bolt in a GP. It didn’t happen in Budapest. Bolt came away from Hungary with 62 points to Walker’s 48, and has extended his Championship lead from 19 to 33 points over Walker. Unless Bolt’s left knee/leg injury somehow prevents him from riding the last two rounds in Sofia and Newcastle, and there’s nothing to indicate that it will, we’re going to say it again - It. Is. Over. The real question of the series is now if Lettenbichler can hang onto P3 overall.

Even though it took place in Georgia, northerners who made the trek south for Mac Daddy’s Sprint, round one of the USSE series, were likely disappointed by temperatures hovering around freezing. However, they were not disappointed by sunny and dry conditions, especially after the torrential rain riders faced at this venue last year.

The 4-mile (roughly 6.5k) cross test took place in an active sand (or maybe clay) mine and had a very ISDE/Euro feel with lots of fast sweeping corners and short but sharp elevation changes as you entered and exited different sections of the open pit… with a few natural-terrain based jumps for good measure. The 3-mile (roughly 5k) enduro test was also a mix of sand and clay, with a few deep, sandy corners, but a lot of harder clay sections with exposed tree roots and braking/acceleration chop. The cross test held together beautifully throughout the weekend, aside from the jump face and landings getting a little worn down and chewed out. It was stunning how quickly the enduro test got rough. Even between previewing the tests Friday and starting the adult race Saturday (with only the youth riders having been out on the course) there was a noticeable difference, and by the final test on Sunday, it was approaching GNCC or ISDE special test levels of roughness, with very few viable options for riding the edges or avoiding the whoops.  

The 2024 US Hard Enduro Series opened up this past weekend deep in the Southern California desert at King of the Motos. After a short off-season, it was good to the North American pro circuit swinging back into action at this classic Hard Enduro event.

GP Romania - Round 4 of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship - took place tonight and once again it was Billy Bolt who found a way to overcome his leg injury from GP Germany and dominate the night.

GP Germany - Round 3 of the FIM SuperEnduro World Championship - took place today - took place tonight and like the first two rounds the big question was if anyone had an answer for #57 Billy Bolt (Husqvarna Factory Racing). As it turned out, despite Bolt suffering what looked to be a severe left leg/knee injury in timed practice, the answer remained (remarkably!) ‘No’ as he went 1-1-3 for the win.

Stage 1 of Dakar 2024 was the first real test for the riders, and it delivered in every way. Ross Branch (Botswana - Hero Motosports Team Rally) took a dominating stage win, and we saw yesterday’s prologue winner Tosha Schareina (Spain - Monster Energy Honda Team) abandon the race with a broken wrist.

Tosha Schareina had a dream start to Dakar 2024, taking the prologue win in 17’35.9 at an average speed of 92.31kph. Schareina finished 12 seconds ahead of Daniel Sanders and 19 seconds ahead of third-place Daniel Sanders. For Schareina, it’s a perfect start with his new Monster Energy Honda team. “I had a great 2023 and now a great prologue, but we have to keep our feet on the ground. We have a very good bike and a very good team. We have all the ingredients but we have to be humble and just see how the rally goes.”

Round 5 of the 2023 IRC Tires Endurocross Series went off in Redmond, Oregon, last night and it more than lived up to expectation. Coming out of the Rounds 3 and 4 double-header two weeks ago in Idaho, Canadian Trystan Hart (FMF KTM Factory Racing) had put a stop to what had been series leader Jonny Walker’s (Beta USA) perfect season. Hart had struggled in the first two rounds and went into Idaho in fifth-place overall, an unacceptable situation for The Robot. In Idaho, though, he won both rounds and also benefitted from Walker finding incident after incident on track and losing many valuable points. After the dust had settled Walker remained in P1 overall, with Hart and Cody Webb (FactoryOne Sherco) in a two-way second place tie just 13 points back. With only two rounds left coming into Oregon Hart summed things up for me like this - “Pretty simple from here on out. I need to be in-front of Cody (Webb) and Jonny (Walker). Not a small task, but I’m up for the challenge.”

Round 4 of the IRC Tires Endurocross Series went off Saturday night at the Mountain America Arena in Idaho Falls, ID. Round 3, the night before, saw the return to normal operations for Canada’s own ‘The Robot’ Trystan Hart (FMF KTM Factory Racing) as he went 1-2-1/P1 and moved from 5th overall in the series to 3rd. The big questions coming in were if Hart could keep building on that momentum, and how series leader Jonny Walker (Beta USA) would react to his first adversity of the series.

The second round of the 2023 IRC Endurocross Series, presented by Progressive, went off on Saturday night in Prescott, Arizona. Coming into this round the obvious question was if Jonny Walker (Beta USA/Leatt) could have another dominating night to extend his series lead. From the Canadian perspective, the story was about if 2022 Endurocross series champ Trystan Hart (FMF KTM Factory Racing) could bounce back from a tough first round, where he placed P5. Other Canadian stories were if Spenser Wilton (HTR GasGas) and Branden Petrie (Sherco Enduro Racing) could push their way into the top 10 overall in the series, and if Melissa Harten (Beta Canada/Leatt) could beat Rachel Gutish to move into a tie for first overall in Pro Women.

After it was all done and dusted, Walker had another perfect night, laying down a blistering hot lap time trial time, sweeping the three motos, and extending his series lead. Hart looked significantly better on the bike this round, although some mishaps left him in P5 for the night after going 5-4-5.

The 2023 IRC Endurocross Series, presented by Progressive, opened tonight in Everett, WA, at the Angel of the Winds Arena. Coming into the series, Canadian eyes were on #84 Trystan Hart (FMF KTM Factory Racing) after his second-place overall finish to Jonny Walker in the 2022 series, and with his strong first half of the 2023 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship.