David Kamo claimed victory in the E3 class aboard his KTM 530. Kamo hustled his big-bore to the overall as well, topping all riders in the LOI classes.
The race to see who will represent America at the International Six Day Enduro in Figueira da Voz, Portugal is over. Qualifying for the ISDE is a two-part national system with events in Park Hills, Missouri and Idaho City, Idaho. Each is a two-day race using the enduro format and anyone can participate. Riders who are attempting to qualify register in the Letter of Intent (LOI) divisions of E1, E2, E3, E4 (senior) and Women. Other riders who simply want to race the event for their own interest are allowed to race just Day 1, Day 2 or both.
We decided to see the action and experience how difficult this style of racing is so we loaded up our FMF Factory Suzuki Off-Road RM-Z450 test bike and headed out to Idaho City for the final qualifier. Read JC's first-hand account below the official results.
Factory KTM rider David Kamo took victory in the E3 category and also topped the rest of the LOI divisions to garner first overall which puts him onto the Jr. World team in Portugal. The AMA should be releasing the final team announcements very soon which will take into account rides who qualified but cannot attend the Portugal event for any reason (money being the primary factor).
Admittedly not a huge nitpicker about bike setup, Kamo showed up on the same bike he’s using to lead the AMA Hare and Hound championship. Though the course was primarily single track, there were sections, especially the silty, rocky, whooped-out hillclimbs where the massive power and desert bias were put to good use. “My KTM 530 was set up more for high speed desert races, but for the conditions it ran top notch,” he said.
Kamo overcame malfunctions in his hydration pack and his KTM’s hard-starting attitude courtesy of a removed electric system. Other than a few missed corners, Kamo rode smart, fast and strong to a combined score of 3944. Jordan Brandt was the next closest E3 rider with 4041 and Brian Sperle also finished in a qualifying postion.
“I rode well Saturday and did not fall in any special tests,” said Brandt. “I had a few rear brake issues but was able to bleed them at a gas stop so it didn’t end up being a big deal. I had a pretty rough day on Sunday and made at least one mistake in every test. I blew some turns and washed out, or, spun out in a couple of corners. None of my mistakes were serious but they were just enough to lose some time.”
The roughly 112-mile course treated riders to a long, arduous layout of primarily single track. It was run in reverse on Day 2 which seemed to provide a better flow throughout. Day 2 was definitely the easier of the two with cooler temps allowing riders some measure of relief. Rain showers and even one hellish unleashing of hail threw in some new challenges, but the LOI riders who left earliest in the morning were able to avoid most of the weather, leaving the regular Joes to slip and slide through mud where previously it was all silt and rocks.
Wasabi is on his way to lead the Jr. World Trophy team in Portugal.
Jamie Lanza pulled out the victory in the E1 class ahead of David Booth and Garrett Mayer.
“I came up a little short last year trying to qualify for Greece and I am very thankful for the opportunity to ride for my country and sponsors in Portugal later this year,” he said. “We have a very good Junior team this year and I think we should be able to get a good result.”
It was the E2 class that really had the stacked competition this year but Ryan Powell was able to claim the victory, just missing Kamo and the overall by 39 points (that’s only 39 seconds over two days of racing). Taylor Robert was second and Jonathan Davis, on the same bike as our Off-Road Editor, finished third. Matt Stavish topped Chilly White and Don Grahn in the Senior division.
Overall Multi-Day Results:
E1 LOI
1. Jamie Lanza, 4053
2. David Booth, 4385
3. Garrett Mayer, 4387
4. Brent Martell, 4415
5. Steve Morefield, 4621
6. Mark Johnson, 4773
E2 LOI
1. Ryan Powell, 3983
2. Taylor Robert, 4045
3. Jonathan Davis, 4081
4. CJ Hymas, 4116
5. Nolan Irwin, 4208
6. Zachary Lipana, 4275
7. Nicholas Hamill, 4311
8. Josh Mott, 4362
9. Vaughn Wilk, 4374
10. Scott Bright, 4398
E3 LOI
1. David Kamo, 3944
2. Jordan Brandt, 4041
3. Brian Sperle, 4098
4. Shawn Strong, 4293
5. Brock Butttars, 4355
6. Joel Burkett, 4375
7. William Hamilton, 4450
8. Thomas Baxter, 4594
9. Jesse Vanhot, 4878
10. James Decota, 5016
E4 LOI
1. Mathew Stavis, 4326
2. Chilly White, 4441
3. Don Grahn, 4511
4. Don Wilson, 4560
5. Dan Young, 4575
6. Donald Williams, 4600
7. Scott Thornton, 4660
8. Greg Sheehan, 4661
9. Chuck Steahly, 4859
10. Gary Scott, 8355
Confessions of a Qualifier Rookie
MotoUSA's dirt guy finds out what it takes to make Team America.
Off-Road Editor, JC Hilderbrand, tried his hand at ISDE-format racing. According to Six Day veterans, the Idaho and Missouri qualifiers usually feature more grueling terrain than the actual race, but are only one-third as long.
Racing the Idaho City Qualifier was definitely one of the hardest things I’ve done on a motorcycle. I know a couple hundred mile days sounds pretty easy, but the terrain was far more challenging than I anticipated. Going into the event I was concerned that it wouldn’t have enough single track, but by the first gas stop (of three) I was already cursing the trail. The Boise Ridge Riders did a great job of managing the event with excellent organization, staffing and planning. Out of all the markings on the course there was really only one intersection that I was confused about, otherwise it was easy to follow in what is essentially a maze of a riding area.
I had trained quite a bit for this race and was feeling pretty good about the whole thing, even when I drew the 115th minute. My buddy and I had the minute to ourselves, which was cool and helped keep the dust down a little in the early stages of the first day. Riding the FMF Factory Suzuki RM-Z450 was a huge advantage for me. Knowing that I was on superior equipment did wonders for my confidence. Overall the bike was nearly perfect with just a couple minor flaws. This bike is definitely the best off-road race bike I’ve been on, but the lack of electric start is tough to deal with when fatigue starts to set in. The other problem I had was that the gearing could have been a little lower. I had a hard time pulling second gear through a lot of the tight stuff which caused a few stalls – which of course made the lack of e-start even more of an issue.
The other gripe I have about the Suzuki is common with any converted motocross bike – no kickstand. For most races this is no big deal, but the enduro format has fuel stops, checkpoints and timekeeping regulations that make it unique. Little things like having to hold the bike up while gassing really take a toll when endurance is a factor. As much as I complain about these little things, the truth is that I would have been in much worse shape if I hadn’t been on the Suzuki in the first place. The RG3 suspension is so stable and forgiving that I rarely feel any bottoming even when aggressively using the full stroke. Soaking up acceleration chop and braking chatter were the name of the game in Idaho and the RM-Z was completely composed the entire time. There were sections where no suspension on the planet would take away the harsh impacts, but this bike refuses to swap and the front end never shakes.
Having my knee braces strapped too tight on Day 1 put me into the worst cramps I’ve ever experienced with over 70 miles still to go. I honestly don’t know if I would have made it through on a different bike. It was a shame really, because the bike’s potential was wasted for almost the entire first day. My preparation was the best it has ever been for any race. With the awesome Suzuki and decent physical conditioning, it was frustrating as hell to have my body crap out on me in only the first few hours. I’ve cramped before during the Vegas to Reno race, WORCS racing and even the Baja 1000, but these were beyond any of those - intense enough to make me literally scream inside my helmet. Halfway through the race I couldn’t take it anymore and figured it had something to do with the braces so I pulled over, dropped my pants and wrestled the top two straps loose on both legs. It probably looked pretty funny to the guy who I had just passed, but the relief was instant. Unfortunately, the damage was done and I continued to have massive muscle spasms for the rest of the day.
JC takes the FMF Factory Suzuki RM-Z450 to an overall win in his class and seventh in the entire B-Rider field.
Day 2 was much better. Even though it had taken over an hour just to get my gear off the night before, I rehydrated, rested and got a heartier breakfast in my system for the second outing. We got to head out down Main Street to start things off which was pretty cool. The Suzook was ready to go so I let her rip a little wheelie for the camera on the way out of town to get in the mood. I tiptoed early on just to see how the legs would hold up, but by the time I hit the first gas stop I was confident that they might last. I had opted for Dunlop’s Geomax tires to replace the worn-out 756s which had come with the bike. I was wishing I hadn’t with the slippery silt and nasty rocks on the first day, but once the rain started down it was a whole new ballgame. There were sections where the ruts got nasty and slimy, but late in the day I made my way into the trees for a spell where the dirt was absolutely perfect. Ignoring the time schedule and forgetting about my tender thighs, I let the Suzuki eat. Those 25 minutes were some of the best I’ve had.
The whole experience was a total blast. I managed to overall my class and wound up seventh out of the entire field of B-riders, a result I’m satisfied with. Even though I had the problems with my legs, learning that it was a gear issue rather than a physical shortcoming was a huge step for future racing. The Factory Suzuki replica officially became my current favorite bike of all time and I have a better idea of how fast I need to go in order to someday make the ISDE club team. Unfortunately, it’s a lot!
