THE CASELLI CUP: AMERICA’S BEST OFF-ROAD RACERS, 2024

America is too big, too diverse and too divided. There’s no single series or championship that can hope to determine the best off-road rider in the country. We have deserts, woods, swamps, mountains and even stadiums that hold races requiring completely different skill sets. This is our annual effort to make sense of it all. The Caselli Cup is a ranking of America’s top off-road riders from coast to coast. It is, of course, very subjective and perhaps even arbitrary. Many of these riders have never met. But, we have found that there’s a distinct pecking order that presents itself at the beginning of each season.
This isn’t meant to be a rehash of 2023. We like to think of this as a snapshot of America’s riders right now. As such, new talent is rewarded for potential, and we try to account for injury and circumstance. We gladly include foreign riders if they are competing in the U.S., and likewise, we consider American riders competing abroad.
The Caselli Cup is now in its 18th year, although it wasn’t always called that. From 2006 to 2012 it was simply our list of America’s best off-road racers. When Kurt Caselli passed in 2013, we changed the name of the award as a tribute to him; he was—and still is—the winningest rider of all. We also changed the criteria. We now feel the rider who wins must exhibit strength and spirit that goes beyond simple race wins. This year we owe a special thanks to Tyler Shepardson of the On the Pipe podcast for the insights he brought to the table. Here are the racers who made the list for 2024.

Photos by Mark Kariya, Simon Cudby, Future7Media, Mack Faint, Ken Hill, Ron Lawson, Mark Tilley & Jack Jaxson

1
U.S. ISDE TEAM

Back in 2016, the collective U.S. ISDE team had an unforgettable year. We won the World Trophy for the first time ever. That’s the highest honor at the ISDE and the most prestigious achievement in a worldwide off-road competition. We also won the Women’s Trophy class and placed second in both the Junior Trophy and the Club classes. We thought we could never equal that. Guess what? We just did. American riders once again won the World Trophy at the 2023 International Six-Day Enduro in San Juan, Argentina, and did it by the biggest margin in recent history. The U.S. Women’s team also won, the U.S. Junior Trophy team was second, and this time our club teams finished first, second and fourth in their division. So, for the second time in the history of the Caselli Cup, we have a group win going to the 31 U.S. ISDE team members. Matching this achievement will be even tougher for the ISDE teams of the future. But, as we have learned, it’s not impossible.

2023 U.S. ISDE TEAM MEMBERS

Dante Oliveira—U.S. World Trophy Team member
Taylor Robert—U.S. World Trophy Team member
Johnny Girroir—U.S. World Trophy Team member
Cole Martinez—U.S. World Trophy Team member
Mateo Oliveira—U.S. Junior Trophy Team member
Grant Davis—U.S. Junior Trophy Team member
Kai Aiello—U.S. Junior Trophy Team member
Brandy Richards—U.S. Women’s Trophy Team member
Korie Steede—U.S. Women’s Trophy Team member
Rachel Gutish—U.S. Women’s Trophy Team member
Josh Toth—U.S. Club Team member
Preston Campbell—U.S. Club Team member
Jaden Dahners—U.S. Club Team member
Austin Serpa—U.S. Club Team member
Axel Pearson—U.S. Club Team member
Devlin Thorn—U.S. Club Team member
Jhak Walker—U.S. Club Team member
Hunter Smith—U.S. Club Team member
Ryan Surratt—U.S. Club Team member
Trevor Maley—U.S. Club Team member
Nathan Ferderer—U.S. Club Team member
Chase Bright—U.S. Club Team member
Jackson Davis—U.S. Club Team member
John Beal—U.S. Club Team member
Kyle Tichenor—U.S. Club Team member
Ava Silvestri—U.S. Club Team member
Rick Emerson—U.S. Club Team member
Jeremy Shoning—U.S. Club Team member
Nolan Cate—U.S. Club Team member
Zachary Toth—U.S. Club Team member
Cade Henderson—U.S. Club Team member

2
DANTE OLIVEIRA–ISDE Gold, AMA NGPC Champion, AMA West Hare Scramble Champion

Technically, Dante is in both first and second this year because he had the best score of all the Americans at the ISDE. His other achievements in 2023 can’t go unmentioned. He won the AMA National Grand Prix Championship crown for the fourth year in a row, dominated the AMA West Hare Scrambles series and even earned some points in the AMA Pro Motocross series.

3
TRYSTAN HART—AMA Hard Enduro Champion, AMA EnduroCross Champion, TKO Winner

Trystan Hart swept the U.S. Hard Enduro Series this year and won the Tennessee Knockout against the best riders in the world. Then he finished the year with a dramatic last-round win of the EnduroCross Championship. The young Canadian has dominated his field in the U.S and is already setting his sights on the rest of the world.

4
STEWARD BAYLOR—GNCC XC-1 #2, AMA National Enduro #2

In 2023 Steward Baylor won more premier-level AMA National Championship races than any other rider in the east. Again. Even though he came up heartbreakingly short of this life-long goal of the overall GNCC Championship, he further solidified his position as the man to beat anywhere he goes. For 2024 he will have a new program that promises to make him more competitive than ever.

5
CRAIG DELONG—GNCC XC1 Champion, AMA National Enduro #4

The 2023 GNCC Championship gave us the most competitive battle in the history of the sport. There were no less than eight overall winners in the course of the year, but Craig DeLong overcame it all to claim the XC-1 number-one plate, which is the most coveted prize in American off-road racing. For 2024 he will return to lead the Rockstar Husqvarna team and defend his title.

6
GRANT BAYLOR—AMA National Enduro Champion, GNCC XC-1 #6

Since 2017, someone named Baylor has been the AMA National Enduro champion. For three of the last four years, it’s been Grant. Beating everyone else in the country is one thing, but when your brother is Steward Baylor, beating everyone else in your family is the most impressive achievement of all.

7
BEN KELLEY—GNCC XC1 #3

After a devastating injury in 2022, Ben Kelley came into 2023 not knowing if he was up to speed. He was. By round two he was on top of the podium, and he would lead the points in the early stages of the year. His recovery was by no means complete, though, and he would struggle in races to come. Going into 2024, he looks forward to steady im-provement and will return to the Red Bull KTM team.

8
JOHNNY GIRROIR–ISDE Gold, GNCC XC1 #8

Johnny Girroir has always had the speed, but now he has the focus and the experience to match. He scored his first GNCC overall win this year and then proved his versatility by excelling in the ISDE, where conditions couldn’t be farther removed from those of his native New England. For 2024 Johnny will return on the Red Bull KTM team.

9
JOSH TOTH—ISDE Gold, AMA National Enduro #3, US Sprint Enduro Champion

Josh usually punctuates the year with an outstanding performance at the ISDE, but this year he outdid himself. He was the top Club Team individual in the whole world and led XC Gear to its win. He also won a National Enduro, was the U.S. Sprint Enduro champion and even raced a round of the AMA Pro Motocross series.

10
DALTON SHIREY–AMA Hare & Hound Champion

Sometimes, when a rider reaches his stride, there’s no stopping him. Dalton Shirey had his best year ever in 2023, winning five rounds of the AMA Hare & Hound Championship. He also made his mark in NGPC and WORCS. Dalton will return to the Rockstar Husqvarna team to defend his title in 2024.

11
MATEO OLIVEIRA—ISDE Gold, NGPC #6, WORCS #2

After dominating the 250 class, Mateo made the jump to a 450 where he had to contend with his brother Dante in the 2023 NGPC Pro class. It was a tough transition, but by the end of the year, he fought his way to the podium. He topped the year with a convincing performance at the ISDE, where he led the Junior Trophy team to second place. He will return as a member of the Red Bull KTM team for 2024.

12
RYAN SURRATT—ISDE Gold, NGPC #2

Ryan has long had one foot in the motocross world and one foot off-road. This year he shifted most of his focus to the NGPC series, and it paid off with two overall wins and a second place in the year-end points. At the ISDE he rode on the XC Gear team with Josh Toth and Austin Serpa to win the Club Team competition on the world stage.

13
JUSTIN HOEFT–WORCS Champion

Justin Hoeft spent most of his early years getting dirty in the amateur motocross world. For 2023 he rode WORCS as a privateer and won the championship in a field that included factory riders.

14
JORDAN ASHBURN—GNCC XC1 #4

Jordan Ashburn has been in the trenches of the GNCC Pro class for over a decade. Last year was different: he had a number-one plate on his bike and a big target on his back. He withstood the pressure like a true champ and came away with a win in the most competitive season ever.

15
RICKY RUSSELL–GNCC XC1 #5

At 32 years old, Ricky is another veteran of GNCC racing who finds his way onto the podium race after race, year after year. In 2023 he started the year with a broken collarbone, but managed to add another win to his career total, which now stands at four.

16
COLE MARTINEZ—ISDE Gold, NGPC #4, WORCS #6

17
AUSTIN WALTON–NGCP #3, AMA West Hare Scrambles #9

Even though Austin admits that 2023 didn’t go as he planned, he still finished on the podium three times and was third in the AMA NGPC Pro class. Austin will return to the Rockstar Husqvarna off-road team in 2024 where he will contest NGPC and hare scrambles once again.

18
RYDER LAFFERTY–GNCC XC1 #13

Ryder started 2023 with two consecutive wins in the GNCC XC2 class. Late in the season, he made the jump up to the XC1 class and found himself leading most of his very first race against the best riders in the country. Look for his stock value to grow even higher in 2024.

19
LIAM DRAPER–GNCC XC2 Champion, AMA National Enduro Pro 2 Champion

There’s something about the XC2 class that appeals to riders born south of the equator. New Zealand’s Liam Draper won an intense battle to become the XC2 champion in the GNCC ranks in 2023 and backed it up with a National Enduro Pro 2 Championship for the AmPro Yamaha team.

20
ANGUS RIORDAN–GNCC XC2 #2

Angus might have been the runner-up in the XC2 class, but he was the top 250 rider in the overall GNCC standings at the end of the year because of the difference in overall finish versus class results. Whether or not the points work in his favor, he’s a serious contender in any class he rides.

21
ZANE ROBERTS–AMA Hare & Hound #2, AMA West Hare Scrambles #3

If you plan on winning a hare & hound or hare scrambles out west, you have to go through Zane Roberts first. Zane was a contender in every race he entered in 2023, but didn’t get to the top step of the podium in either series because of two serious issues—Dante Oliveira and Dalton Shirey. He will ride for Beta again in 2024.

22
GRANT DAVIS–ISDE Gold, GNCC XC2 #18

Grant Davis seemed like a wildcard selection for the U.S. Junior Trophy Team, but team manager Antti Kallonen saw something undeniable in the young rider. Grant proved himself in Argentina and is now living and training with Kailub Russell.

23
CODY WEBB–AMA Hard Enduro #2, EnduroCross #4

After years of injury and disappointment, Cody Webb finally put together a full season of racing in 2023. His results still didn’t reflect who he is or what he can do, but no one in his right mind would count Cody out for a return to form in 2024.

24
COLTON HAAKER–EnduroCross #3, AMA Hard Enduro #5

Colton Haaker still might be the best EnduroCross rider in the world regardless of what the points say. The schedule for that series is heavily weighted towards one brief period at the end of the year. If Colton is on, watch out. He will return for the Rockstar Husqvarna team in 2024.

25
RACHEL ARCHER–GNCC WXC Champion, U.S. Sprint Enduro Women’s Pro Champion

Female athletes struggle to get the attention they deserve, but sometimes they just can’t be overlooked. Rachel Archer won nine GNCC WXC races and 10 U.S. Sprint Enduro races. She will defend her titles for a new team in 2024.