Enduro Engineering’s Josh Toth Collects Fourth-Straight AMA National Enduro Win at MSR Little Raccoon National
WELLSTON, Ohio – Ohio has been home to numerous top enduro riders throughout the years. Riders who cut their teeth on Ohio single-track are never intimidated by steep elevation changes or technical terrain.
With more than 500 entries, at the fifth round of the 2024 Redline Oil AMA National Enduro Series, presented by MSR and Beta Motorcycles, just over 400 actually ended up competing in the intense heat. With temperatures in the mid-90s, even the light rain the night before wouldn’t keep the dust down for long. By mid-day, the trail turned to powder.
The day started with approximately three miles of transfer departing from the Jackson County Fairgrounds. When competitors arrived at the first section, they jumped into a pine forest for six miles of flowing trail.
The next two sections treated riders to tight, technical trail filled with elevation changes and off-camber trail. The fourth test traversed through an old strip mine, before dumping riders into a 9.5-mile section that sent riders through Little Raccoon Creek and under the highway through giant culverts.
As the day stretched on, it was starting to look like survival of the fittest with the heat zapping many riders’ energy and hydration levels. The day concluded with an eight-mile test that eventually brought riders into town.
Overall Podium
Josh Toth, backed by Enduro Engineering, captured his fourth-consecutive overall win of the year aboard his GasGas machine. In addition to taking top honors and four test wins, the NE Pro1 rider was awarded a coveted raccoon skin hat as a souvenir.
“It [the race] was pretty eventful honestly,” said Toth. “I found the ground a bunch too and kind of running into some lappers. Not the cleanest day, but when I was upright, I was going fast and felt good on the bike. So yeah, linked it all together and put another win in the books. I'm stoked.”
Snatching the second step of the MSR Little Raccoon National podium was FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Johnny Girroir. He opened the day by notching his career-first enduro test win in Test 1, with three other riders hot on his tail -- finishing within five seconds of his time. Girroir backed up his test win by securing another in Test 3.
“I got my first test win ever at a national enduro -- got two of them today, so that was cool,” said Girroir. “Just like Grant [Baylor] said, I just found the ground way too many times but felt like I had some good speed. I feel like I need to find a little more to get this guy right here [Josh Toth]. He's been killing it this year. I'm happy where I'm at and happy with what I've been learning in the few rounds that I did. It's been good. A few less mistakes. Everyone's obviously close here. I feel like it's all about the least mistakes and linking the trail together. So, a little work on that and it's good.”
Babbitt’s Online/Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Grant Baylor rounded out the podium for the 50th anniversary of the event, hosted by Appalachian Dirt Riders. It marked his third podium of the season.
“I feel like I just kind of left a lot on the table out there,” said Baylor. “I just made way too many mistakes. I don't know if I've ever wrecked that much in a race in my life. Between this week and Snowshoe [GNCC] last week, I don't know what I'm doing but I can't keep my bike on two wheels. I wrecked twice in the first test, once in the second test, twice in the third test. It just kept going on and on. Then, in the fourth test, I came over this blind rise… No danger. Nothing. Just straight drop off into a big rock garden. I hit a big boulder front-wheel first. Over the bars; bike landed on me. I mean it was a good one. Just way too much of that today. Need to keep it on two wheels.”
NE Pro2 Podium
Nathanial “Bubz” Tasha set the pace for the NE Pro2 class on his AmPro Yamaha. He secured two test wins, finishing no worse than second place on the other tests. He earned the NE Pro2 victory with Red Bear Racing’s Will Sievenpiper on his heels. It marked Tasha’s second class win of the year.
Sievenpiper captured the Test 1 win mounted on his Kawasaki before adding a pair of runner-up test finishes, a set of third-place finishes and a strong Test 6 victory to achieve the second-place spot on the podium.
FMF KTM Factory Racing Team Landers rider Grant Davis pushed to secure the Test 2 victory before a high-speed, over-the-bar dismount in the third test. He was still able to lay down strong results for the remainder of the day to take third in class and seize his fifth-straight class podium.
Women’s Elite Podium
Red Bear Racing’s Rachael Archer, aboard a Kawasaki, led the Women’s Elite class all day, capturing four of the five test wins to claim her fifth-straight win this season.
A crash for Archer in Test 3 opened the door for Rachel Gutish to capture a test win aboard her Sherco USA-backed machine. Gutish was happy with her fourth runner-up finish this year, but said she was exhausted due to her return from Europe where she was competing in the EnduroGP series.
Enduro Engineering’s Shelby Turner captured third in all five tests, which landed her on the final step of the podium and allowed her to achieve her fifth class-podium of the 2024 season.
Top Amateur
AA class rider Cole Whitmer earned his best finish of the season, taking all but one test win in his class, and also asserted his dominance as the top amateur. The GasGas rider from Pennsylvania finished 14th overall.
View full event results and series standings at nationalenduro.com/scoring.
The Yamaha Rattlesnake National, round six of the series, will be held in Cross Fork, Pennsylvania, on July 28.
Overall Results - MSR Little Raccoon National
1. Josh Toth (GG)
2. Johnny Girroir (KTM)
3. Grant Baylor (KAW)
4. Steward Baylor Jr. (KAW)
5. Evan Smith (HUS)
6. Ryder Lafferty (GG)
7. Ricky Russell (YAM)
8. Nathaniel Tasha (YAM)
9. Will Sievenpiper (KAW)
10. Grant Davis (KTM)
Series Overall Standings
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
About National Enduro Promoters Group (NEPG)
Established in 2008, National Enduro Promoters Group (NEPG) has operated the AMA National Enduro Series, in collaboration with local off-road motorcycle clubs around the country, to layout fun and challenging single-track trail for both professional and amateur racers to enjoy. For more information, visit NationalEnduro.com.
About High Gear Success
High Gear Consulting LLC DBA High Gear Success is a motorsports communications and marketing strategy company located in Pataskala, Ohio, that helps racers, motorsports event organizers and motorsports companies get noticed and increase revenue. Fueled by passion, Heather Wilson, CEO, focuses strategies on engagement and awareness in order to drive results. Learn more at HighGearSuccess.com.
Photos by Mack Faint