Racing

2017 Kenda AMA National Enduro Wrap-Up

A Look Back At The 2017 Kenda AMA National Enduro Series

December 14, 2017

SRT Racing’s Steward Baylor came out on top of a yearlong battle with Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Thad Duvall to win the 2017 Kenda AMA National Enduro Championship series. The win marked Baylor’s second such title, having also claimed the championship in 2012. Here’s a look back at the ups and downs of the 2017 season.

The 2017 series kicked off in Sumter, South Carolina, which gave local Steward Baylor home-field advantage. Baylor needed all the advantage he could get, however, as the event would ultimately be decided by a single second. After 60 miles of racing, Baylor edged former enduro champ Kailub Russell (FMF/KTM Factory Off-Road) despite falling in the last section and losing approximately 20 seconds. Luckily for Baylor, he had built up just enough of a cushion to hold on for the win.Photo By Shan Moore

Round two was held in Florida, at Ormond Beach, where KR4 Arrive-N-Ride Husqvarna’s Grant Baylor turned up the heat in the final test of the day to capture a come-from-behind victory at the Alligator National Enduro. The win made it two in a row for the Baylor family.Photo By Shan Moore

Thad Duvall got his first win of the season at a wet and slippery Cajun Enduro in Forest City, Louisiana, starting a streak that would last four rounds. Torrential rains Saturday night made for a muddy course come Sunday morning and forced the event to be shortened to four tests—and gave Duvall the perfect opportunity to utilize his mud riding skills. The West Virginia rider dominated the event, winning all four tests and taking the overall victory by 1 minute, 10 seconds over runner-up Baylor. Duvall won the opening test of the day by seven seconds and then increased his lead with each successive test.Photo By Shan Moore

Thad Duvall made it two wins in a row when he grabbed his second win of the season at the Cherokee National Enduro in Greensboro, Georgia. Duvall had to battle not only a formidable lineup of competitors, but the elements as well, as a hot, humid, and dry day turned turned wet and muddy when rainstorms moved into the area about halfway into the event. Despite the extreme conditions, Duvall won five of the six tests and took the overall win by 1 minute, 13 seconds over series point leader Baylor after 56 miles of racing. With the win, Duvall cut into Baylor’s point lead and sat just eight points behind Baylor in the series' standings with just five rounds remaining.Photo By Shan Moore

Duvall grabbed his third-straight win at the Rattlesnake National Enduro in Pennsylvania, and by doing so the West Virginia native took control of the series' point standings. It was easy for Duvall, however, as the Husqvarna rider had to come from behind, turning up the heat in the final two tests to snatch the win away from teammate Josh Strang and AmPro Yamaha’s Josh Toth.Photo By Shan Moore

Duvall capped off his run of four straight with a solid victory at the Muddobbers National Enduro in Missouri. FMF/KTM Factory Racing's Russell Bobbitt took the early lead, but Duvall reeled off three-straight test wins to move into the lead, which he would hold to the finish.Photo By Shan Moore

Baylor grabbed his second win of the season with an impressive performance at the Lead Belt National Enduro in Park Hills, Missouri. Steward won four of the six tests, claiming the win by 43 seconds over his brother Grant, while series point leader Duvall finished third, another 15 seconds back.Photo By Shan Moore

The Baylor brothers, Steward and Grant, ganged up on Duvall once again at the John Zink National Enduro in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, grabbing the top two steps of the podium on a fast and rocky course. Duvall did well to finish third, riding with a freshly broken wrist he had injured at the ISDE in France two weeks before. With the win, Baylor regained the series point lead by two points over Duvall heading into the series finale in Alabama.Photo By Shan Moore

With only two points separating Steward Baylor and Thad Duvall, the Gobbler Getter National Enduro in Stanton, Alabama, was a winner-take-all affair for the championship. Baylor drew first blood, winning test one, while Duvall came back to take the second test. However, Baylor came back and won the third test and rode consistently in the remaining three tests to nab the second AMA National Enduro title of his career. He ended up beating Duvall by just 12 seconds at the end of the day. Duvall finished second overall in the 2017 title race, while Grant Baylor finished third.Photo By Shan Moore