FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Ben Kelley kicked off the 2020 Kenda AMA National Enduro Series with an impressive win at the Sumter National Enduro in Sumter, South Carolina, round one of the 2020 Kenda AMA National Enduro Series.
The win was the first-ever National Enduro victory in Kelley’s career, and it turned some heads since Kelley had not ridden an Enduro in over a year.
“For the most part I rode really good,” said Kelley.
“I wouldn’t say it was a surprise to me, but the first race of the year and being that it’s a national enduro and I don’t really ride the tight stuff that often, it was just kind of an unknown. But I’ve been working hard this off-season so I just didn’t really think about it much.”
Kelley won three of the six tests, with his win in the sixth and final test being the decider.
“I think I was leading all day and then both the Baylor’s got me there on the fifth test,” said Kelley. “I was down two seconds to Stew and it was going to be another long, 10-mile test so I just tried to go out there and ride fast and smooth and stay off the ground. I was able to do that and hit my marks for the most part. My first-ever national enduro win, after a year of not racing them. I just felt really good. Just stoked to get the win.”
OVERALL RESULTS
1. Ben Kelley (KTM) 2. Steward Baylor (Shr) 3. Grant Baylor (Shr) 4. Thad Duvall (Hsq) 5. Trevor Bollinger (Hsq) 6. Ricky Russell (Hsq) 7. Andrew DeLong (Hon) 8. Russell Bobbitt (KTM) 9. Thorn Devlin (Bet) 10. Jonathon Johnson (Hon)