Just one week after clinching the GNCC XC2 250 Pro Championship, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong put an exclamation point on the season as he secured the National Enduro Pro2 Championship on Sunday with a commanding win at the final round of the 2020 AMA National Enduro Series in Turkey, Texas. His teammate, Thad DuVall, finished fourth overall with another strong performance on his way back from injury.
NE Pro2
DeLong came into the season finale with a six-point lead in the championship standings and he made all the right moves to solidify the title with a top-notch performance in the unfamiliar territory of the Caprock Canyon National. He got off to a favorable start with two-test wins right off the bat, which set him up for an easy-going day in the remaining three sections. With a trio of solid second-place finishes, DeLong rounded out the day smooth and steady to earn his fifth victory of the season as he was crowned 2020 NE Pro2 Champion.
Craig DeLong: “It was a great day. I’m happy to get another championship, and to get them both in one season for the team means a lot. Last weekend was a big weight off my shoulders so coming into today, the plan was just to go out and get the job done. It was a pretty uneventful day as far as racing goes with no mistakes, so that’s always a plus.”
NE Pro1
DuVall started the day off strong with a second-place finish in the opening test but a series of mistakes set the tone for the next few tests, where he finished 5-6-6 after rebounding from crashes in each of the sections. He collected himself before heading into the day’s fifth and final test, where he put forth a great performance to secure a close second. Despite a rough day for the usual championship contender, DuVall was able to finish just off the overall podium with fourth in only his third consecutive appearance in the 2020 series.
Thad DuVall: “I started the day off pretty strong and I tried to have a good race but I made way too many mistakes, just trying to ride the bike a little too hard. I decided to just calm down and refresh myself and was able to come out in the fifth test with a second. It’s just a bummer that we couldn’t do six tests today, I feel like as the day wears on I get a little better and a little stronger but all-in-all, the FX350 worked really well and I’m happy to get a few races under my belt in preparation for the 2021 season.”
Husqvarna Motorcycles-Supported Ryder Lafferty finished sixth overall on the day, where he rounded out the 2020 season with fifth overall in the NE Pro1 Championship standings.
Caprock Canyon National Enduro Results
NE Pro1 Results
1. Grant Baylor (SHR)
2. Steward Baylor Jr. (YAM)
3. Ben Kelley (KTM)
4. Thad DuVall – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team
NE Pro2 Results
1. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team
1. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team
2. Cody Barnes (BET)
3. Cole Kirkpatrick (KTM)
2020 NE Pro2 Championship Standings
1. Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team – 221 points
1. Craig DeLong, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing Team – 221 points
2. Cody Barnes – 210 points
3. Vincent Smith – 133 points
