On The Pegs October 2018 - Volume 3 - Issue 10 | Page 138

On The Pegs
5 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE LOOSE
MOOSE NATIONAL ENDURO
1) Right now, the Baylor brothers seem to be a notch
above the competition. Steward and Grant have similar
styles and ride similar lines. In fact, Steward says he
can look at several lines in a turn and pick out which
one belongs to Grant. Is this a product of the brothers
practicing with each other over the years, or is it some-
thing hereditary?
2) Of the top riders, Thad DuVall, Josh Toth and Ben
Kelley are all secure in their deals for 2019. Meanwhile,
Steward and Grant Baylor were still negotiating deals
for next year. There are rumors that Kawasaki is talk-
ing to a few riders about 2019, however the Baylors are
expected to be back with Tely Racing next year.
3) Evan Smith is our pick as the top “non-factory” rider
in the Pro division (We are considering the Baylor
brothers “factory” since much of thier support comes
from KTM). Evan has consistently finished in or around
the top five in the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series
and right now, there are few other top prospects for
the factories to sign. We would be supprised if Evan
remains a “satelite” rider in 2019.
4) The top three or four NE Pro2 riders are making an
impact in the overall results, pushing the Pro riders
for top 10 places. Look for a couple of the Pro2 guys to
move up in 2019 and make an immediate impact.
5) Steward Baylor is talking about riding the 2019 KTM
450 SX in the National Enduro series next year. Grant
has been riding a 450 with good results. Charlie Mul-
lins rode a big bike to a title, so maybe 2019 will usher
in the next big bike era.
P 138
On The Pegs
Vol. 3 Issue 10 - October 2018
P 139