Toth Back on Top at J Day Off-Road

Josh Toth’s return to the top step carried extra meaning this past weekend at Round 4 of the J Day Off-Road Series in Axton, Virginia, as the Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green™ rider captured his first overall victory since suffering a season-ending femur injury late last year. After months of recovery and a determined return to racing earlier this year in both the Grand National Cross Country series and the American National Enduro championship, Toth finally broke through with a hard-fought win that reminded everyone exactly why he remains one of the premier off-road racers. Toth was the lone representative for Rocky Mountain Red Bear Kawasaki Team Green™ at the event, as he's been a longtime supporter of J Day Off-Road and regularly competes in the series when his racing schedule allows it, as he enjoys the different format.

Toth navigated the unique J Day format, which blends woods racing, motocross, and extreme enduro into two 30-minute motos. Competing aboard his KX™450X, Toth battled through the pack to take over the lead four laps into the first moto and was the only rider with a lap time that dipped below four minutes. From there, he broke away from the field to take the win with more than a 10-second lead at the finish line. One element of the track that proved to be vital for many riders was the creek section in the woods. While many riders opted to drop down and ride through the creek before re-entering the woods, Toth made a strategic decision on Lap 2 of the second moto to jump the gap over the creek instead, saving him critical time that helped contribute to his third-place finish in the moto.

Toth’s well-rounded racing background in hard enduro, motocross, and off-road helped contribute to his success at Round 4 of J Day. A fixture of the series since the beginning, Toth’s presence on the race track goes back to his time in the Pro 125 Class at J Day, and he remains closely connected to the program beyond race day. Before the event, he even flew in to assist with building the demanding Xtreme Enduro section at the Lake Sugar Tree GP, giving him firsthand insight into one of the course’s most technical areas.

For Toth, the victory represented far more than just another race win. After breaking his femur, the road back required months of rehabilitation, rebuilding strength, and regaining race sharpness against some of the toughest competition in off-road racing. Although Toth returned to the starting line earlier this year in February, he was still walking with the assistance of a cane at the time, and the opening round of the American National Enduro Championship served as his first ride back in true off-road terrain. This past race marked the first time since the injury that everything fully came together. His speed, endurance, and comfort were on full display as he powered his KX™450X to the overall victory.

With confidence returning and a major milestone now behind him, Toth’s victory may prove to be a turning point in his 2026 campaign, as he carries the momentum into Round 7 of the GNCC series at Powerline Park this upcoming weekend.