Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1483620
Fifth was Beta USA's Evan Smith, his best finish of the year. "I felt I was slow in some of the tests but I had good times, espe- cially in the first two tests," said Smith. "Once the tests started to open up, then the rest of the guys caught up with me, but I was consistent enough that I had a good day. It's good to be back where I feel I belong." Sixth overall went to Coast Racing GasGas' Ryder Lafferty, just 16 seconds off Smith, while newly crowned National Cham- pion Grant Baylor was seventh on his Rev Motorsports GasGas. "I didn't have anything at stake since I wrapped up the title in Oklahoma, but I wanted to come out here and try to make some bonus money," said Baylor. "I'm not sure if I quite did that, these guys were all really going fast today. I felt like I rode really well all day, but I just came up short." Trail Jesters Racing KTM's Jesse Ansley rode a consistent race to eighth overall. Mean- while, Beta USA's Jonathan Johnson topped KTM-mounted Steve Nicholas to finish ninth overall and win the NE Pro2 divi- sion. The Women's Elite-class Championship came down to the final race in Alabama after AmPro Yamaha's Rachael Archer topped Enduro Engineering/Fly Racing KTM's Mackenzie Tricker by less than a second at the previous round in Oklahoma, leaving the two in a situation where which- ever one took the win in Alabama would be the series champ. Archer won the first test by five seconds. However, Tricker won the remaining four tests to take the win and the title. "I lost in Oklahoma by 0.6 of a second, so I had three weeks to think about that," said Tricker. "This weekend I had to win the championship. Same with Rachael. I didn't win the first test, but I only lost by five seconds, so that's like a win in itself for me since I always start slow. I got arm pump in that test, and I also had just a bunch of problems with lappers. I broke a shroud. I hit a tree. There was a lot going on in test one. Then the rest of the day, I just kind of relaxed and started just trying to do good. I was able to win the champion- ship, so I'm stoked." The title was Tricker's fourth in a row. A record 27 riders lined up to contest the Futures class, and Sherco's Riley Binder came away with the 2022 Champion- ship after taking a second-place finish behind James Jenkins in Alabama. Scott Boyer, meanwhile, won the Beta Cup Championship with a second-place finish in the 45 A class behind Matt Stavish and took home a brand-new Beta from Beta USA for his efforts. Shan Moore OVERALL 1. Josh Toth (KTM) 2. Ricky Russell (GG) 3. Craig DeLong (Hus) 4. Thad DuVall (Hus) 5. Evan Smith (Bet) 6. Ryder Lafferty (GG) 7. Grant Baylor (GG) 8. Jesse Ansley (KTM) 9. Jonathan Johnson (Bet) 10. Steve Nicholas (KTM) IN THE WIND P56 Mackenzie Tricker won the Women's Elite class as well as the class championship.