IRVINE, Calif. – The attention of the world’s off-road community will zero in on Las Vegas’ Orleans Arena this weekend for the opening of the 2010 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series, presented by E3 Spark Plugs. Many of the best off-road racers on the planet – including defending EnduroCross champion, Poland’s Taddy Blazusiak (KTM) and 2008 champ, American Ricky Dietrich (Kawasaki) – will line up for an EnduroCross main event in what’s considered by many to be the most technically demanding and aggressive test of man and motorcycle that’s ever been laid out on an arena floor.

 

"As we set out on the sixth year of racing GEICO EnduroCross, the field of racers competing reads like a Who’s Who from the pages of the industry’s off-road magazines," said Mike Karsting VP of Events for Source Interlink Media. "Along with Taddy and Ricky you’ve got a former AMA Outdoor National champion and 2009 WORCS champion (Mike Brown/KTM), Colton Haaker/Kawasaki - the 2009 E3 Spark Plugs Pro Junior EnduroCross champion and Pro Junior EnduroCross runner-up, Husqvarna’s Cory Graffunder. You’ve got five-time AMA Hare & Hound national champion Destry Abbott and a six-time WORCS champion Justin Soule with the factory Monster Energy/Kawasaki team doing battle with last year’s runner-up Round 4 winner and series runner-up Geoff Aaron on the revolutionary all-wheel-drive Christini/KTM and 2004-’05 WORC champions and ’08 ISDE Gold Medalist Nathan Woods (Husaberg).

 

Add to the mix young lions Kyle Redmond (Yamaha) and Jamie Lanza (Kawasaki) and there isn’t much room for any newcomers to squeeze into the 11-man main event – though with the 1^st-to-last nature of GEICO EnduroCross, a couple certainly will.

 

"Have you ever seen six lead changes in one lap? Nobody’s invincible in this sport," says Haaker. "Taddy was the best guy last year, but a lot of guys are going to have it for him this year. Pumped to get things going in Vegas this weekend."

 

The Pro EX class lineup for the 2010 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series opener, presented by E3 Spark Plugs, at Vegas’ Orleans Arena:

 

 

EnduroCross tracks incorporate various elements of off road racing into a supercross-style setting, including rocks, boulders, logs, sand, mud, a water-hole… and even a few special obstacles like giant tires thrown in!  Known as the "toughest racing on two wheels," this indoor version of extreme off road racing will certainly keep you on your feet. The GEICO Powersports AMA EnduroCross series will be captured by the Versus Network, to be aired on the popular grassroots racing program; The Lucas Motorsports Hour. With its excitement and unpredictability, the EnduroCross championship has always down to the wire and this year will be no different as the series starts and finishes at Vegas’ Orleans Arena! Don’t miss your chance to see GEICO Powersports AMA Endurocross "Live" - and be sure to log-on to www.Versus.com for local airing dates/times for the Lucas Motorsports Hour.