The Selma Times-Journal

STANTON – Team Boog didn’t win this weekend’s 24 Hour Challenge.

They didn’t place in the top 10 or garner a lot of glory.

But try telling a team of teenagers racing this event for the first time that a 14th place overall finish isn’t special.

The team was formed to honor the late Taylor Reynolds. Mike Reynolds, Taylor’s father and the owner of Reynolds Pasture where the race is held, was proud of the team.

“They’re really young riders, and they learned teamwork this weekend,” Reynolds said. “They race each other on a day-to-day basis. Taylor would have been proud of them.”

The ages of the riders range from 13 to 18. Kody Sasser, Hunter Walters, Michael Johnson and Jordyn Dubose are from Laurel, Miss. Spencer Cook is from Cordova, Tenn., and Tyler Carter is from Stanton.

The original goal of the team was just to finish, but best laid plans turned out even better.

“These kids looked up to him,” team manager Chad Earl said. “They were friends of his, and they rode his bike this weekend. This is their first event as a team. A top 20 finish would have been okay, but finishing 14th out of over 90 teams is great.”

Earl just hopes this good a start means even better things in the future.

“They’ll be back next year,” he said. “We have to thank Robin and Sharray Dubose. Robin is the team mechanic, and she’s like the team mom. They both did a lot of work.”

Overall winner KTM Southeast-Cycle Specialty took its fourth win in the six-year history of the race with a time of 24 hours and 5.528 seconds. The team led the race with 42 laps completed.

Rider Dustin Gibson said the key to their success has been consistency.

“We’ve pretty much had the same strategy over the years,” he said. “I usually always start, and we pick which drivers go when and go from there.”

Elmer’s Team, racing in memory of late rider Elmer Symons, was second overall, 21 minutes, 56.516 seconds behind the winner.

“Everyone did a good job,” team rider Brian Henson said. “We had a few problems here and there, but we did good racing against a factory team. Everyone had a great run. We didn’t have any major problems with the bike.”

Team Spannerwrench, Team Hedgehog, TJSKTM.com, J 3:16 Racing Jr., Acadiana Dirt Riders, Action Kawasaki Yamaha, Planet Fitness and Up and Coming rounded out the top 10.

Winners by Class:

250 Expert – Acadiana Dirt Riders

250 Sportsman – Up and Coming

30+ Expert – Planet Fitness

30+ Sportsman – Craneworks

40+ Expert – Neeley Racing/A-1 Speed

40+ Ironman – Phil Whisenant

40+ Sportsman – THE WORKS Senior 6

50+ – Action Kawasaki Yamaha

Elite – KTM Southeast-Cycle Specialty

Ironman 250 – Ryan Linville

Ironman Open – Brandon Phillips

Ironwoman – Amanda Mastin

Open Expert – Team Hedgehog

Open Sportsman – Dirty South Boyz

Two-man – Cycle Nation