A true test of man and machine, the fabled HYR 12-Hour Endurance Race at Glen Helen is a grueling, half-day GP-style race that takes place in one of the most challenging venues on the west coast. The 20-minute long Glen Helen loop had racers hitting the National Motocross track, the wide-open SRA Gran Prix course and some of most secret, gnarly trail sections in the area. This year's event went own in the 100-degree range with dusty, choppy conditions, and the racing was nothing less than brutal. Following is a photo report of this wild event:
Malcolm Smith Motorsports'...
Malcolm Smith Motorsports' own Alexander Smith shreds through the difficult creek section on his way to third place in the Ironman division. This kid puked twice and still finished on the podium!
Of course, Dirt Rider was...
Of course, Dirt Rider was on hand to try to tackle the famous 12-Hour course. Chris Barrett, Ricky Yorks, Kevin Dejoung and Ryan Hanna teamed up to tackle the event.
Our Kawasaki KX250F Long Haul...
Our Kawasaki KX250F Long Haul machine was the bike of choice for the event, and as expected the little green machine performed flawlessly. Aside from a flat tire, a stretching aftermarket chain and a broken off side panel, this bike purred like a kitten from 7:30 am to 7:30 pm.
Dirt Bike Magazine 's Ron...
Dirt Bike Magazine's Ron Lawson built the 12-hour course, which was a successful mixture of safe, fast sections and fun, tighter trails. Not everyone enjoyed the EnduroCross section, but the fans sure dug it!
The 251-Open Expert division...
The 251-Open Expert division was dominated by the Northland Motorsports team of Robbie Bell, Jamie Lanza, Ryan Abatoye and Ty Renshaw. These kids led from start to finish and set a blistering top time of 16 minutes, 43 seconds. In heat like this, that is a sick lap!
DR test rider Ricky Yorks...
DR test rider Ricky Yorks set the fastest lap for the team and rode a smooth, Subway-fueled race to help win the 125-250 Expert Class. The Dirt Rider team lapped second place!
Corona bottles on the helmet?...
Corona bottles on the helmet? The one and only Alfredo Contreras knows how to get it done right.
Glen Helen is famous for its...
Glen Helen is famous for its hills. What goes up must come down!
"Hi, my name is Gordon Ward....
"Hi, my name is Gordon Ward. I have long hair, I invented the heal-clicker and I got second place behind Robbie Bell's team. Oh, and don't knock my long hair because I'm an absolute banshee on the bike!"
To say that the Glen Helen...
To say that the Glen Helen course got rough but be a wild understatement. This track was so beat by noon, you'd think it was the National all over again!
Fast kid Cale Wallace tried...
Fast kid Cale Wallace tried to help Ryan Penhall, Connor Penhall and Brian Bebeck snag the win from Kawasaki, but the Honda Team's final time was only good enough for third place overall. Still, the effort was strong and their lap times were impressive!
Here, our shootout-winning...
Here, our shootout-winning Kawasaki gets a quick drink of gas before going at it again. This bike takes a lickin' and keeps on hauling!
It's not easy to get a sharp...
It's not easy to get a sharp photo of Jamie Lanza. This kid goes so fast, you'd think there were fire ants in his riding skins!