2019 - Round 6 Race Report - John Penton
John Penton never seems to disappoint in the mud department. Another year of dry dusty fields and muddy woods racing always tests the limits of the riders ability to adapt and survive. The track was brutal in places due to the sloppy woods but everyone had a great weekend. Tely Energy Race team fielded 14 riders for the weekend and ended up with 4 podium finishers and 6 racers in the top 5.
Steward Baylor, Jr. just missed the podium with another 4th place finish in XC1. He had a great start but couldn’t maintain the pass on the day so had to settle for another 4th place.
Grant Baylor had his second race back after an injury break. He is still getting his endurance back but still ended the day in 8th place in XC1.
Liam Draper has shown his consistency this year by finishing with another 6th place finish. He made his way to 4th at one point but dropped back down to 6th where he would finish his day.
In the 10am race, Brooke Cosner, our WXC rider, had more bike issues and finished in 10th after one lap.
The mud got the best of Dylan Ely and his bike after losing an oil cap on the first lap and finished in 30th place in Sportsman A. He will continue to battle to improve his spot every race.
Bill Gold, a support member of Tely Energy Racing, tried to race even though he had 3 broken ribs from a previous race but was unable to hold up for the entire race so he had to finish with a 7th place finish in Masters A (50+).
In the youth race, JoJo Cunningham is on a mission to keep dominating the youth ranks. He is unbeaten in 2019 and looks to clinch his class championship in 3 more races. He was again first overall and is looking to continue his streak.
Garyson Smith was consistent again but couldn’t push into a podium spot and had to settle for another 4th place finish. He will continue to battle with the top riders in the class.
Ty Ely came up all the way from 5th place to finish on the podium for the first time this year in 2nd place in 85 (12-13). He had a great race and will continue to battle for the podium again.
Andrew Segars had some bike issues but that didn’t stop him from another podium appearance. Even though his bike was not running properly in the muddy conditions due to an engine issue he still managed to finish in 2nd place in the 85 (7-11) class.
Paul Best had his second race back from injury and had major bike issues that only allowed him to finish two laps and finish in 30th place.
Keifer Galiano finishes with his 5th podium appearance in a row. He continues to run with the top riders in the class and finished with another 3rd place in the 65 (10-11) class.
Ronnie Rusch led the race for the first three laps and looked to win the day but ran into some issues on the next to last lap to finish in 12th place in XC2. He is knocking at the door just looking for his first podium of the year.
Another year starts and again we can thank our wonderful team sponsors enough! Thank you Moose Racing for the amazing gear, Morgantown Powersports for the great equipment, Kenda Tires for tires that gave us an advantage in the muddy conditions, Tely Energy Services for allowing us to keep doing what we love, FMF Racing for the best exhaust system in the trade, Forma Boots, Spectro Performance Oils for the best chemicals to put in our bikes, Motion Pro for the top of the line tools we need for repairs, DP Brakes for the best brakes in the business, Seat Concepts for great looking and durable seats, ODI Grips and handlebars 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, KTM for taking care of the parts we need, G2 Ergonomics for protecting our riders hands, IMS Products to limit pit stops, and Senge Graphics for making our bikes and pro pit looking good.