Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Craig DeLong wrapped up his rookie season in the NE Pro1 division with a third-career podium finish at the final round of the 2021 AMA National Enduro Championship in Stanton, Alabama. Teammate Trevor Bollinger also battled alongside DeLong for a podium position, coming away with a solid top-five finish at the ninth round.
Both riders were strong out of the gate but it was DeLong who put himself into a podium position right away with third in the opening test. He maintained consistent fourth-place finishes through the next few tests before charging his FX 350 into a strong second on test five. Rounding out the final test in fifth, DeLong was able to secure the final spot on the overall podium.
In his rookie season in the premier division, DeLong finished with an impressive fourth overall in the series standings. Amassing three podium finishes and four top-fives, DeLong has established himself as a front-runner in the class moving forward.
“Today was good, I was kind of steady around third to fifth all day,” DeLong said. “I had a good battle with Trevor pretty much all day, we were pretty close. I’m happy to end the season with a podium and hopefully carry that into next season. I didn’t hit the ground once all day or make any big mistakes, so it was a good way to end the season.”
Bollinger grabbed a top-five in the first test, which put him in a position to battle with DeLong early on. He edged out his teammate in the next three tests, finishing third, and the duo engaged in a head-to-head battle for the overall podium spot. Despite strong 5-4 finishes in the final two tests, it wasn’t enough for Bollinger to secure a spot on the overall podium and he had to settle for fifth on the day.
Battling through the lingering effects of injury this season, Bollinger put together a string of solid rides in 2021, including four top-five finishes and a podium later in the season. Despite missing the opening round altogether, Bollinger still managed to solidify an impressive top-five overall in the championship standings.
“The 2021 race season is in the books and it has been the hardest one yet for me,” Bollinger said. “I had my latest ACL reconstruction at the end of 2020 and coming in with an injured body, I knew it would be a struggle trying to balance when to let my body heal and pushing myself to get back up to speed. Through it all, I have learned a lot about myself and racing, and I’ve learned to love it that much more, so I’m excited to see what 2022 has in store.”
Gobbler Getter National Results
NE Pro1 Results
1. Josh Toth (KTM)
1. Josh Toth (KTM)
2. Steward Baylor Jr. (YAM)
3. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
…
5. Trevor Bollinger – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing
NE Pro1 Championship Standings
1. Steward Baylor Jr., 231 points
1. Steward Baylor Jr., 231 points
2. Josh Toth, 210 points
3. Ben Kelley, 178 points
4. Craig DeLong – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 161 points
5. Trevor Bollinger – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 132 points
