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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1540127
and luckily Ricky [Russell] took a little while to get going. So, we were playing with numbers, and I was able to just ride it out and do what I needed to do. It was a relatively low-pressure situation. No crashes today; no issues. Obviously, I always want to be on the podium, but today it was a little bit bigger picture. My dad texted me earlier in the week and said, 'Are you going to go win the championship this week?' I said, 'I'm just going riding.'" The day started on a high note for Rocky Mountain Red Bear Ka - wasaki Team Green's Grant Baylor, and it just kept getting better. He kicked off the day with a second place in test one. After that, he claimed victory in every remain - ing section of the day. It marked his first win and fourth National Enduro podium of the year. "I really do enjoy this place," said Grant. "I think I've got six wins here now. The first test was pretty good. I just tipped over one time in there and stalled the bike once. Evan [Smith] got me by about a second there. After that, I was just kind of riding my day. I knew that this is one of those places where you've got to ride your pace and let it come to you. So, that's what I did. It all worked out. The first three tests, we were all right there together. But then I was able to creep away from them in test four. It was an awesome day. I'm pumped to get this win and get back up on top. These last two years with injuries with the knee, it's been tough. So, I'm stoked to be back up here." Evan Smith, mounted on an AmPro Yamaha, was the only one to top Grant in a test in Indiana. He opened the way with a test win and followed it up with second in the next section. Smith then went 4-2-4-4. "It was a great day," said Smith. "I've been waiting all year to be up here. I've been capable of it but had an injury at Sumter. It took all year to kind of get over it and get everything work - ing right. Happy to finally pull it together. I don't like to know how I'm riding during the day, so I just rode at my pace and did what I could. I fell in the last test and did my best to give it to Ricky [Russell] but got up in time. It was a good day. It was fun." Entering this round fresh off his first-ever National Enduro win, Enduro Engineering Triumph Off-Road Racing Team's Ricky Russell went 4-4 through the first two sections before powering his TF 450-X to a second-place result in section three. The NE Pro1 rider then went 3-2-2 to round out the day. "I came into the day pretty confident but struggled a little bit," said Russell. "I had a small technical issue in test one that kind of put me back a little. I was riding good, but these guys were on it. Grant and Evan started off hot and stayed hot all day. I was able to creep a little bit toward the end there. Unfortunately, too little too late. Evan pulled it off by two seconds. Grant was gone, so the battle was kind of for second. Just two seconds between me and him. I'll take third though." It's been an incredibly impres - sive season for Rocky Moun- tain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green's Nicholas DeFeo. Finish- ing on the podium five times prior to this event, the NE Pro2 VOLUME 62 ISSUE 40 OCTOBER 7, 2025 P39 Grant Baylor took the overall win, his first of the year.