5 Time National Enduro Champion Steward Baylor drove most of the night from the National MX race in High Point PA to arrive in the Stateline area in the wee hours of Sunday morning to the sound of the pounding rain and the thoughts of another mud race. Throughout his professional career that started in 2009, he has become accustomed to driving long hours, staying up late and racing in the mud and many times rising to the top step of the podium. Stew on the Rocky Mountain ATV MC / Factory Connection KTM got a decent start on Fathers Day in PRO Moto One of the Edelmans Sales GP in the hotly contested FOX RACING J DAY OFF ROAD Championship and knew his main competition would come from the reigning J DAY Champion Simon Johnson on the Plaistow Power Sports / AM PRO / Factory Connection Yamaha who was also enjoying home court advantage as he grew up and lives about 10 miles from the race track. Johnson would show the native of South Carolina around the slick New York hills on lap one and hold the lead throughout most of the second lap but Baylor would take advantage of a better line choice and pass into the lead and set sail to a clear-cut victory crossing the BLU CRU Finish line with a 12-second advantage over Johnson.
The last moto of the day was the second PRO Moto where money is paid for the Holeshot Scott Walker and Chris Canning were locked together as they entered the first turn but Canning would win by a nose and collect the check. Canning would get passed by Baylor and Simon Johnson on lap one but got Johnson back on lap two and held off all but Steward Baylor in the moto to finish second and secure 3rd Overall on the day and continue to lead this very close PRO Championship of 2023.
Stew Baylor lives life on his own terms and enjoys his life very much. He is fun to be around and his personality is very welcoming while he is very easy to get to know. He has fans all around the world because he is a successful motorcycle racer but more importantly, because he is a fun guy who is very friendly and easy to relate to because he races motorcycles for the same reason we all do…….the FUN Factor. Stew also understands his obligation to his fans and off-road fans and this story I am about to tell you is the reason I will be a Steward Baylor fan forever….. It’s the end of the day and the podium interviews have all been said and done, Stew has a 4-hour drive ahead of him and hasn’t had much rest in the last couple of nights. He has just won both PRO motos and is tired, hungry and all loaded up in the truck. A man who is a very good friend of mine wanted his picture taken with Stew and is reluctant to ask because he understands what it is to work hard at your job and need some time to be off duty. A friend asks for him and Stew willingly agrees to take the picture the nice guy that my friend is offering to let Stew stay in the truck and take the picture but Baylor wasn’t having any of that and quickly jumps out of the vehicle to stand by my friend with that big wonderful smile of his and take the picture, exchange some pleasantries and a joke and jumped back in the truck and took off for New Hampshire. A Total Class Act is what Steward Baylor is and I know my friend and I will never forget his kindness, compassion, and friendship. You know some say but I don’t hold stock in it that “ Nice Guys Finish Last “ but Steward Baylor showed today in Huntington NY that Nice Guys Finish First and he went out there and controlled the second moto from the first lap to the last after getting by Canning, took the moto win making it look easy on a gnarly course for a double moto win and the Overall at his very first FOX RACING J DAY Off-Road race that he intimated on the podium he has been trying to fit into his schedule for many years. Simon Johnson had another solid moto to finish 3rd and stand on the second step of the podium and he was sure to wish his Dad, Jamie who has been a huge part of his successful career, a Happy Father's Day in his post-race interview. Gavin Simon rode to 4th in the second moto and fourth Overall, Brandon Gregoire took 5th in moto 2 and 5th Overall, Brayden Nolette 6th in the moto and 6th Overall, Cody Williams 7th for Seventh Overall, 8th in moto 2 and Overall was Nick Casey, 9th in the moto and Overall was Cole Daniel and rounding out the top ten Overall and tenth in the second moto was A Class sensation and local rider from Bennington VT Van Gosselin the second generation racer who is soaring meteorically through the ranks and remember he is doing it at only 15 years old. New England Legend and former Factory Rider and National MX / SX Star Jimmy Decotis showed up on a Trail Jesters KTM to finish just outside the top ten and show a willingness to continue to improve in off-road competition as this round definitely favors woods specialists. It was great to see him riding J DAY and we hope to see him more often.
www.jdayoffroad.com