The Grinding Stone Hard Enduro off-road motorcycle race returns to Page for its second year on March 26. It’s the first round of a 10-event national series organized by the American Motorcyclist Association that runs from March through August. 

“I’m really focused on getting as many spectators out on the course as possible to see what this is all about because it is pretty spectacular, and these guys are amazing,” race promoter Jim Flynn said.

“It’s a national event. I have top off-road riders signed up from all over the country, from Canada, Mexico, Brazil. The pro teams are all going to be showing up.”

Hard, or “extreme,” enduro events are long-distance races designed to test “riders’ skill and their machines’ capabilities over the most challenging terrain each venue has to offer,” according to the AMA website. 

Flynn said Page’s terrain – including sand, rocks and sandstone – makes it different from any other race in the series, or even any other hard enduro race in the world. Last year’s race “got a lot of attention worldwide” through videos on YouTube and Instagram that have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, he said.

“The other races on the schedule, especially back East, have a lot more mud, humidity, grass, just different things that we don’t have out here in the West,” Flynn said.

“The sandstone in Page is very unique because maybe the first time you ride over it you have really good traction, and second time you ride over it, the traction may be gone. It’s really hard to read and it makes it very challenging.” 

The race will be a five-hour timed event run over a 13-mile course, with the winners determined by which riders cover the most distance within the time limit. Categories include pro men, pro women and a range of amateur classes.

“The majority of amateurs that enter this race won’t complete one 13-mile lap. They’ll be out there for four or five hours, and they’ll make one or two checkpoints,” Flynn said, adding that there will be four checkpoints per lap.   

“The top pros, I’m expecting maybe four laps over the five-hour period. I think the lap times are going to be somewhere around an hour, an hour ten. It’s hard to gauge until you actually get those guys out there.” 

Flynn encouraged spectators to come out and watch the race, which starts at 11 a.m. The start/finish and pit area will be set up at 3020 Border Street off Coppermine Road.

Although it’s possible to watch the race for free along the course, the $10 per person gate fee will give spectators access to the pit row, vendor row, food vendors and start/finish area, where they will be able to see the pro pits, talk to racers before the start and enjoy live music after the awards ceremony.

An off-highway vehicle map will be available for spectators who want to take their own vehicles out to watch the race. For those who don’t have their own four-wheel-drive, a local tour guide operator will have 15 UTVs to shuttle spectators around the course for free. Glen Canyon Powersports will also have 20 Polaris Razors available for rent at the event.

“We’re setting up a festive atmosphere. It should be a really good time,” Flynn said. 

“I think it’s something unique that not many communities get to see this type of racing at this level. We’re kind of an off-road community. Most folks here enjoy the off-road, and this will be a spectacle.”