Trail Rider Magazine

weight and pressure of a # 1 plate will affect him. For such a young man, he is blessed with poise and maturity. While he is the youngest of the top 5, and will only get faster, he's got his work cut out for him in 2013, here's why. The Case against Steward Baylor - His current strength is his potential undoing; meaning his ragged edge, go-for-broke style comes at a potentially big price. That price is injury and right now, he is still recovering from last year. Fortunately, he had the Enduro championship sewn up before suffering serious wrist and shoulder injuries that caused him to skip the final round of the series. Next year's champion will not likely have the luxury of skipping a round. Keep in mind that since the influx of young talent from the GNCC's (starting in roughly 2010), no one has won back-to-back titles – and with good reason. With the talent pool being as deep as it is, coupled with the speeds having never been faster, it's hard to repeat as champion in this fast paced, high stakes environment. He has already spent the entire off-season rehabbing last year's injuries, which will no doubt affect his early results assuming he even makes the first round. Will he be ready? No one actually knows; it could be that serious. Also running up front, i.e., in the vicinity of 21A is vastly different from riding on row 36 where the more efficient lines have been established. Baylor is also going to contest both the GNCC and National Enduro series, and by virtue of the number of races being run, there is an increased chance of aditional injury. Finally, others may be fighting for their professional life and will be motivated accordingly. Baylor has a great career ahead of him, 2013 may be the cost of tuition for it. The Case for Mike Lafferty – At age 37, the end is near – or at least a few years away as Mike would like to race until he is 40. With time running out for earning a record breaking 9th championship, there is Mike Lafferty a sense of urgency in the Lafferty camp, *BUT* it isn't overblown or over emphasized. His program continues to evolve in response to life's vicissitudes and this year's program is even more focused and intense than his 2012 effort. These changes will keep him lean and in shape. I would be very surprised to learn that someone works harder than Mike during the week. Of equal importance is that Mike has avoided the injury bug over the past few years. And by focusing solely on the National Enduro Series, he is less exposed to potential injury. Mike was very consistent last year. If he can maintain that consistency, he will be there at the end. Finally, the light weight, low drag two stroke seems to have fueled a late career renaissance. The Case Against Mike Lafferty - While Mike's legacy is already firmly cemented, others are fighting for their professional careers and/or just trying to pay the mortgage or keep food on the table in their chosen profession. Will someone be more motivated than Lafferty and gain an edge? It's entirely possible. And if he begins to fall behind, how will it affect his outlook? The Case For Russell Bobbitt - I expect Russell to come out swinging like it's 2011 all over again. I don't think a third overall sat well with him....or KTM. Imagine how disastrous the season could have been if Mullins and Buttrick were in the mix? Was being placed on the Husaberg squad a promotion? No, but it wasn't a demotion either. The move to Husaberg was more of a lateral move, but let's face it, the KTM squad is the crème de la crème in off-road racing. I think both Bobbitt and Lafferty would like to change that perception - which will certainly help fuel Bobbitt's fire. Russell is also entering 2013 healthier than he's been in a couple of years. More importantly, he is back on a PDS bike. As he never really got in sync with the KTM linkage, we expect him to Russell Bobbitt be comfortable on the Husaberg much sooner than he did with the 2012 KTM XC. Russell is also roommates with Nick Fahringer. They ride and train together. Does this help or hurt Russell? Regardless, what I think it boils down to most is that Russell may feel like his back is against the wall, and that is when he's most dangerous. The Case Against Russell Bobbitt - The injury bug. It's hampered him for the last couple of seasons. Russell will also be contesting the OMA series, which means greater exposure to potential injury. The Case For Nick Fahringer – Nick is as fast as anyone in the top 5, and at times, faster. The expectations were high for Nick coming off an inspiring 2011 season where he won three races in row. Nick even won the penultimate round of the 2011 series with a partially torn ACL, earning him a factory Husaberg ride for 2012. But then something happened, I'm not sure what, but he struggled for most of the 2012 season. January 2013 65

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