Round 7 Press Release - John Penton
John Penton was another rainy muddy weekend but with brutal heat included. Tely Energy Race Team ended up with 4 podium finishes, 8 top 5 finishers and 10 top ten finishers on the weekend!
Saturday started off with a bang for Tely Energy Racing. Ronnie Rusch finished the day in first place in College A and as the Top Amateur! He led from start to finish and ended his day with a 2 minute lead. If everything is running right for Ronnie, he is the predominate leader in his class. The only races he has not won this year are the ones that the bike had issues.
The pro bike race started out stellar with Grant Baylor running in 2nd for the first 3 laps and gaining ground in the XC1 class. A battery issue on his KTM took him out of the race and he ended up with 11th on the day, but he knows he can compete with the top guys and we look forward to seeing him on the podium in the next couple races. He is definitely ready to make some waves in the next rounds.
Steward Baylor started off slow on the day, but gained ground with each lap. He started out in 10th and made his way to 4th by the end of the race. We already know he can battle for a top spot and once everything is clicking he will be there again.
Zach Nolan had his best race of the year in the muddy conditions that he loves. He finished his day in 7th place and is looking to build on it for the remainder of the year in the XC2 class.
Another battery issue slowed another racer on the day. Dylan Ely finished his day in 17th place after being moved up to Open A for the rest of the year. It is going to be a battle but he is capable of competing in the top 10.
Our 4 Stroke A lites rider, Justin Murphy battled for a podium spot in the first couple laps but couldn’t hold on as the race continued. He was riding in 3rd and 4th for the first 3 laps, however after having some issues he ended his day in 12th place.
In 250B, Cody Morehead finished his day in 8th place but was gaining ground. He had some battery issues but still was able to finish in the top 10.
In the 10am race, Brooke Cosner, a support member of Tely Energy Racing, had a rough day and was only able to finish one lap after having water pump issues in Women’s Pro.
Olivia Judy finished the day in 4th place in the Womens class. After borrowing a KTM 250F for this race and even though the conditions were rough, she still salvaged some much needed points.
Chase Rutan, riding a Husky TC125, had another great race in 125 B/C class. He finished in 5th place and finished in 6th place in 125 B/C class. The more comfortable he gets on the 125, the better the results will be.
In the 8am race, the track was brutal for the youth riders, but Tely Energy Race Team ended up with positive results. Joseph Cunningham struggled with the mud but still salvaged a podium spot with 3rd place on the day in Super Mini Jr.
Younger brother, Dakota Cunningham battled for the top spot the entire race but had to settle for a second place finish in 85 (7-11). Only missing first by 18 seconds. He is currently sitting in first place in his class and continues to be the one to beat.
Ty Ely finished his day with another solid performance. He finished in 4th place in 85 (7-11). He will continue to battle for a podium spot.
Paul Best had a difficult day with mud up to the fender of his KTM 65 in several spots, but still managed to finish in 4th place and keep his second place in his class championship.
It can not be stated enough that we could not do this without our wonderful team sponsors! Thank you Fly Racing/WPS for the amazing gear, Morgantown Powersports for the great equipment, Kenda Tires and Nitromousse for amazing handling of the muddy conditions, Baily Powersports for insuring our race bikes, Tely Energy Services for allowing us to keep doing what we love, Motion Pro for the top of the line tools we need for repairs, Seat Concepts for great looking and durable seats, ODI Grips to limit blisters and make the bike look good, Twin Air for keeping our bikes running clean and great, Cometic Gaskets for the best gaskets on the planet, Evans Waterless Coolants for keeping our bikes cool, KTM for taking care of the parts we need, G2 Ergonomics for protecting our riders hands, IMS Products to limit pit stops, Fasst Company for the best handlebars on the market and HBD Moto Grafx for making our bikes and pro pit looking good.