“I had a blast dancing through rocks all weekend and saw some incredible country,” said Gerston.
The event began in 2006, and this year, the American Motorcycle Association (AMA) recognized it as a qualifier for competitors seeking to earn a prestigious spot on the U.S. team, representing the United States at the 95th International Six Day Enduro in Rivanazzano, Italy.
Arizona’s top motorcycle athletes began arriving early Friday. Little Dealer Little Prices RV in Prescott Valley provided campers with propane and other necessities before they set up camp in the beautiful forest pines.
Saturday started off with the first-ever kids racing activity in which boys and girls as young as 5 years old competed on a special course made just for them. Categories were broken down by age and bike size, with many kids racing the all-new electric motorcycles.
The big bikes were up next and the talent on the starting line was chock-full of notables like AMA National Champion Axel Pearson of Pioche, Nevada. Max Gerston drove up from Scottsdale and was 2019 AMA National Champion and the 2019 AMA Rough Rider 100 Champion, a race that took place on the Fain Ranch in Prescott Valley. Also in the line-up was Travis Epperson of Prescott, who, when not a full-time fireman in Prescott, was also a contender for the AMA national championship. The deck was stacked, and it was anyone’s race to win.
After a minute of silence to remember our fallen friends from this past year, the racers were released to begin their odyssey over what is described as the most brutal terrain for motorcycle racing in all of Arizona. The event is broken down into five test sections, joined together by “transitions” (think of a golf course, where you hop in your cart and drive up the path or “transition” to the hole to tee off or “test”). The lengths are unknown and widely varied in terrain and toughness. Novice riders attempt to complete all the tests, once a day. Amateurs and professionals ride the tests two times per day.
“I had a blast dancing through rocks all weekend and saw some incredible country,” said Gerston. “ATR did an incredible job putting on the event. The trails were perfect, even trimmed back the bushes. Stoked to get the overall for the weekend.”
“I have never been to Prescott, Arizona, so the terrain was rockier than I had expected!” said Pearson. “I was able to win three tests outright and four tests LOI (qualifying riders) but test three and six kicked my butt! I had a small mishap and smashed my foot between a big rock and my foot peg. I was hurting for a bit. Just wish I would have manned up and pushed harder to the end of the test! My second time through this test I had a few spots where lappers were stuck and had to push my bike up a hill and it hurt my overall time. I started the [second] day by making some small suspension adjustments for the rocks and focused on putting solid tests in without any big mistakes. I ended up winning all six tests LOI and 3 tests for the (first place) overall (qualifier). Congrats to Max Gerston on the overall for the weekend.”
“Long story short, I definitely struggled with some physical things on Saturday, but Sunday I rode decently and more importantly had a great time trying not to let Nick catch me in the timed sections,” said Epperson. “It was a blast. I saw some old friends. I stoked that old fire a little bit. My Star Island Motorsports KTM 300XC TPI ran flawlessly (the Ride Shop suspension was primo) and was definitely not the weak link this weekend after 140 rock-strewn miles.”
The event was a huge success, with everyone heading home safely with plenty of new stories to tell. The next big race on the calendar is The AMA Rough Rider Hare Scramble in Prescott Valley May 22, part of the AMRA Arizona State Championship series. QCBN
By Mike John
Mike “Dirt Bike” Johns is known around Prescott as the “Mayor of Motorsports,” bringing motorized entertainment to the Quad Cities. Mike can be found weekly at Little Dealer Little Prices RV in Prescott Valley. He can be reached at mjohns@littledealer.com or 928-350-2400.
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