The sixth round of the Appalachian Championship Enduro Series was held in Bergholz, Ohio, on August 13. The event was hosted by Ohio Valley Trail Riders. Not only was it a round of ACES, but it was the AMA Ohio State Enduro Championship.

Broc Hepler of Slippery Rock, Pa., snatched the Lumberjack 100 win aboard his Lunova Racing Husqvarna. Hepler is the 2015 and 2016 ACES overall champion.

“I thought the trail was great,” Hepler said. “It shows how much work the club did for us to have new sections that were really long in length. It is awesome to have 30-plus minute tests. My bike setup is nothing special; I really have been enjoying the power of a 450.”

Hepler didn’t tell of a particularly hard section but said he is not sure on the exact test — but a few had some really steep downhills.

“With the slippery conditions, I remember being on the brakes and still sliding pretty fast while trying to turn on the off-cambers,” Hepler said.

Finishing a minute and five seconds behind Hepler was AA competitor Nick Fahringer on his Sherco. Other AA class competitors Mike McGinnis and Zach Klamfoth took third and fourth respectively. Josh Kellough, 250A competitor, rounded out the top five.

Hepler said he has been focusing on an AWRCS championship that is closer to home for him.

“It is a hare scramble series,” Hepler said. “It is nice to have the races within an hour instead of the four-hour drive to southern Ohio.”

He said he’d like to thank Lunova Racing for the support.

Overall A

Josh Kellough

Second-year ACES competitor Josh Kellough of Waverly, Ohio, took the Overall A win on his 2016 YZ 250. He finished fifth overall and had an elapsed time of 142 minutes, 52 seconds. Chris Sturman, 250A class competitor, and Joe Geyer, Open A competitor, finished second and third out of all the A-class competitors.

Kellough said the first two tests were really sloppy, but later on in the day it flowed pretty well.

“My goal is to continue to get Overall A for the rest of the season and get ready for AA in 2018,” Kellough said.  “I’d like to thank Zach Klamfoth for pushing me to better my self every race and my girlfriend Mary for being my pit and gas woman. Also, ProTune Suspension, FiveSixO Graphics, Forma Boots, Rocky Mountain ATV/MC, FMF, 100%, Shift MX and Dunlop.”

Overall B

Dan Mead captured his second Overall B win of the season on his YZ 250. Mead is from Pitssburgh, Pa., and  rode in the 30-plus B class.

Jacob McMannis and Nick Corwin of the Open B class were both vying for the Overall B honor, but ended up taking second and third out of the B-class racers.

“I’d like to thank Ohio Valley Trail Riders for putting an awesome course together,” Mead said. “Those trails were very similar to the stuff I practice on, so I felt right at home.”

However, Mead said he got into some trouble at the start of the fourth test, so he struggled through the last two tests.

“I want to thank all of the people who have been helping me — they know who they are,” Mead said. “Josh Cetto and Jim Johnson have been coming to the races with me.”

He said the next three weeks might be rough with three-straight races, but he’s ready for Muddobbers!

View full results.

View the rest of the schedule.

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ACES Support
ACES is generously backed by sponsors who contribute to the growth of the series and support the racers.

Presenting Sponsors: Multi-Wing and AOMC

Feature Sponsors: Athens Sport Cycles, Clinton County Motorsports, Fly Racing, ICO Racing and Motorex.

Associate Sponsors: Action Extreme Sports, Coppersmith Powersport, Five Six O Graphics, Klamfoth, Inc., KRW Cycles, Pointview Cycle, Rehmert’s Kawasaki/KTM, Tri-State Powersports and Wheelsports.

The next round of ACES, the Grassman Enduro, is scheduled for June 4 in Chandlersville, OH. The event is hosted by the Ohio Woods Riders.