SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Cody Webb took his first win of the 2016 AMA EnduroCross Championship at round three inside the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. The FMF KTM rider took the lead from Husqvarna’s Colton Haaker on the second lap and held a fairly comfortable gap throughout the fifteen lap main. Haaker, the winner of the two previous rounds held on for second while Mike Brown passed Geoff Aaron late in the race to take the final podium spot.
Webb, Haaker and Brown each won their respective heat races to take the bonus point that goes with that. The top two from each of the three heat races face off for a single hot lap against the clock for an additional bonus point and first gate pick for the main event and Brown showed he still has amazing speed to set that fast time over Haaker and Taddy Blazusiak.
Haaker took the $500 Nexen Tire Holeshot award to start the main event and looked likely to run off with his third win in a row. But Webb stuck close and took advantage of a small mistake to take the lead on lap two. The two top dogs of EnduroCross had a back and forth battle as Haaker closed a few times only to make a mistake and even hit the deck in a slick corner once to allow Webb to gain the gap needed to take the win.
“The main event start I think I used my engineering, analytical skills and got a good start from the inside,” Webb said. “Colton and I yo-yoed back and forth the whole race and I was able to get my first win of the season.”
“The race was tough and with no water hole they decided to water the track quite a bit and it was super slick,” Haaker said. “I had a crash around lap ten which was super costly but on to the next one in Phoenix in two weeks.”
GasGas backed Aaron kept the two leaders in sight for several laps and looked likely to take the final podium spot until Brown closed in on him late in the race. The two riders battled for a few laps before Brown took the spot for good on lap 12. Aaron held on for forth.
“I was sick during the off season so I did not get to ride until the week before Atlanta so I am gaining endurance and looking forward to a week off to keep improving,” said Brown. For Aaron, it was amazing he even qualified for the main event. “I had a bad heat race and then derailed my chain in the LCQ and got it back on and was able to work my up to take the last qualifying spot and last pick for the main. So it was great to come out with a good start and ride with the leaders for the early part of the race,” Aaron said.
RPM KTM’s Ty Tremaine had another good ride for fifth. Beta’s Kyle Redmond finished sixth. Canada’s Trystan Hart was impressive for seventh on his Husqvarna. Max Gerston finished eighth on his Beta. Eric Rhoten, an EnduroCross veteran was solid for ninth. Kevin Rookstool rounded out the top ten on his Suzuki. Noah Kepple and Cooper Abbott finished eleventh and twelfth respectively.
Blazusiak was involved in a strange crash that took him out of the main on the first obstacle due to his handlebars jabbing him in the groin and getting lodged into his riding pants. He was not seriously injured but was forced out of the race.
Haaker now holds a one point lead over Webb in the championship with 74 points. Brown currently holds third Tremain and Gerston round out the top five.
Shelby Turner took her second win of the season in the Women’s main event on her KTM. Morgan Tanke challenged her the entire race distance and finished second on her Beta. Tarah Geiger took the final podium spot on her Honda.
EnduroCross events also include three support classes. Tyler Kinkade took the win in the amateur class over Steven Stultz. In the Vet class, Jason Gitchel took the Vet class win over David Stirm and Richard Black. Anthony Johnson won the TrialsCross main over Roger Flud and Kaden Jenkins.
EX Pro Feature Results
- Cody Webb
- Colton Haaker
- Mike Brown
- Geoff Aaron
- Ty Tremaine
- Kyle Redmond
- Trystan Hart
- Max Gerston
- Eric Rhoten
- Kevin Rookstool
- Noah Kepple
- Cooper Abbott
- Taddy Blazusiak
EX Pro Feature Championship Standings
- Colton Haaker (74)
- Cody Webb (73)
- Mike Brown (59)
- Ty Tremaine (48)
- Max Gerston (44)
- Geoff Aaron (41)
- Taddy Blazusiak (38)
