Steward Baylor Tops Mountaineer GNCC
W
hat a long, strange trip the
2020 season has been for
Steward Baylor. The four-time
National Enduro Champ came
into the year with lots of fanfare
having signed with FactoryONE
Sherco during the off-season.
However, after unexpectedly
parting ways with the team dur-
ing the shutdown, Baylor had
knee surgery and looked at one
point like he might not race again
this season. He then spent the
summer enduro circuit trying out
different bikes he had purchased
and shopped around for a team
to help him finish out the year.
For the Mountaineer GNCC in
Beckley, West Virginia, Septem-
ber 13, Baylor appeared to be
trying out yet another brand when
he showed up with a YZ450FX
and a one-race deal with Randy
Hawkins' AmPro Yamaha team.
"I wanted to try to get a deal
that I could get through this
season and nobody else really
wanted to do anything for just this
season," said Baylor. "Everything
was looking like we were going to
have to sign something for next
year. I know I'm capable of win-
ning and putting any bike on the
podium. I've proven it with every
brand that I've ridden. I wanted
to line up with the support of a
team and not have to worry about
working on my own motorcycle.
That was what these guys of-
fered. It's a one-weekend deal. It
was just this weekend, and I don't
know what to expect from here."
Baylor was fourth as FMF/
KTM's Kailub Russell led the XC1
pack into the woods for the open-
ing lap of the three-hour race,
IN
THE
WIND
P32
AmPro Yamaha offered Steward
Baylor a one-time ride, and he
rewarded them with a win at the
Mountaineer GNCC in West Virginia.
PHOTOS: KEN HILL
