Denver’s Western Events Center was witness to a spectacular EnduroCross battle as Husqvarna’s Colton Haaker took a tough-fought victory over series rival Cody Webb with a second-to-last-lap pass on a lengthy, technical and demanding course. KTM’s Cody Webb led nearly every panel up to the point of the deciding pass and the duo was so fast these people lapped third-place finisher, Beta’s Max Gerston before the checkers. The podium was Gerston’s first of the year.
Photo by Ian Reid
Husqvarna's Colton Haaker took his fourth win within five races in Denver. This particular Nexen Tire Holeshot certainly helped, but he wouldn't see the guide again until nearly the last lap.
Haaker was the only racer in the best three who won his heat race earlier in the evening, giving your pet an additional bonus point on the championship. The other heat race victories visited Haaker’s Husqvarna teammate Mike Brownish and RPM KTM’s Ty Tremaine—the first heat race win associated with his career.
Haaker backed up his early evening win with a blistering time in the evening hot lap—a one-lap run against the clock for an additional reward point and first gate choose for the main.
Cody Webb’s night did not start as smoothly. The two-time defending champ hit the outdoor patio, hard, in the first few feet of his heat race. He was bruised but not broken and managed to fight his way directly into second to get into the main. Gerston finished second in his heat race at the rear of Tremaine.
When the main event gate dropped, Haaker took his momentum straight to the very first corner and the $500 Nexen Tire Holeshot award and an early guide. The speedy points leader appeared as if he wanted to run away. Close at the rear of was Brown with Webb following in third. By the time the group had been finishing the first lap, the treacherous matrix showed its teeth and grabbed Haaker, allowing Webb to advance into the lead with Brown being released in third.
In the first few laps it became clear Webb was clearing the track’s obstacles more cleanly and consistently than the remaining field. Haaker was fast, as usual, but the nasty matrix was his nemesis and slowed him several times as he fought to gain floor on the defending champion. At one point, Webb made a mistake over the large tractor tires, hitting their kill switch with his hip and actually going backwards down the tires to create another attempt. Haaker closed the particular gap and was poised to produce a move only to have the matrix stop him again.
Photo by Ian Reid
Beta's Max Gerston rode hard to move up and into the final podium position from a mediocre start.
During laps two through fourteen, Webb plus Haaker held their one-two place and simply decimated the rest of the field, lapping third place in the process. It wasn’t until the second-to-last lap that Haaker was once again in position to make a proceed and Webb left the door wide open. After the firewood pile, Webb wasn’t cleanly jumping into a corner where Haaker was. On lap 14, Webb went extra wide in to the corner after getting off-line with the firewood. The stumble and extra area in the corner was all Haaker needed to put a wheel in and secure the first-place position. From there, the 2016 points head raced to the finish Webb would give it all he had to finish a close 2nd with Gerston a lap lower in third.
“This one was difficult, ” Haaker said. “I kept messing up the matrix and Cody was nailing it. Soon, I acquired over making mistakes in the beginning and started racing smoother and kept on it through lappers. Then, Webb had a mistake after the firewood and I got in there. I just needed to enter front on the last lap plus I’m glad I made it happen. ”
Picture by Ian Reid
KTM's Cody Webb rode a smart, fast and consistent race. He led nearly every lap but a small mistake and an open door let Colton Haaker in for the win at the end.
“It was a great race here in Denver, ” Webb said. “Honestly, it was a rough day for me after heading down really hard in the heat race and had in order to ice both my wrists, my shoulder and tailbone and consider some advil to get out here. I got an ok start in the primary and knew I was nailing the matrix so when Brown and Haaker had trouble in there I caused it to be to the front. It was really vital to jump out of the firewood tonight and am just couldn’t quite commit while I was in the lead. I understood right away Haaker jumped it and had a line on me for your lead. I was riding at the top of my game and know I could have experienced it tonight. After the two-week break I know I’ll be ready to be back. ”
“I am super stoked, ” Gerston said. “I got away to a rough start but I had been able to find some cool ranges through the firewood pit and get simply by some guys. At that point I was within fifth and had to battle through 4th and then had to battle my teammate Kyle Redmond to get into third. We had some fun block passes plus I’m just stoked to be upward here at the end of the night although I was lapped by the top 2 guys. I honestly don’t understand how I could go any faster than I was and I was still lapped. ”
Ty Tremaine had a consistent race to finish third, battling from sixth, to eighth, back up to 5th and finally making the pass for fourth on lap 12. Kyle Redmond, who raced most of the top level in third, ended up fifth. Mike Brown struggled with the matrix for hours but still kept in the mix using a sixth place finish. Noah Kepple finished a strong seventh after a tough LCQ race full of crashes. Chip Thompson recovered from an up-and-down day to finish eighth. Trystan Übertrieben kritisch broke into the top ten again having a ninth place result and GasGas’ Geoff Aaron rounded out the very best ten after missing track walks and all practices due to a tight traveling schedule.
Wyatt Hart, Cory Graffunder plus Ty Cullins finished eleventh by means of thirteenth respectively.
Five-time EnduroCross Champion Taddy Blazusiak missed the Denver circular due to his nagging thumb injuries from round two. His team reported he would be racing the particular upcoming Everett, Washington round within two weeks.
Photo by Ian Reid
Haaker (center), Webb (left) and Gerston (right) made the Denver podium.
2016 Denver AMA EnduroCross Main Event Outcomes
- Colton Haaker, Husqvarna
- Cody Webb, KTM
- Max Gerston, Beta
- Ty Tremaine, KTM
- Kyle Redmond, Beta
- Mike Brown, Husqvarna
- Noah Kepple, KTM
- Nick Thompson, KTM
- Trystan Hart, Husqvarna
- Geoff Aaron, GasGas
- Wyatt Hart, Husqvarna
- Cory Graffunder, KTM
- Ty Cullins, Beta
Haaker’s stage lead over Cody Webb grew to 12 in the championship, with 128 and 116 respectively. Brownish still sits in third with 93 points.
Photo by Ian Reid
Shelby Turner (center) and Morgan Tanke (left) finished first plus second in the Women's main. Rachel Gutish (right) rounded out the podium.
Canada’s Shelby Turner took the girl fourth win in five races this weekend in the Women’s main event riding a KTM. The Canadian is taking the two-week EnduroCross split to compete at the ISDE. Morgan Tanke finished second on her Beta and those two are now separated simply by an 11-point gap, with 122 and 111, respectively. Rachel Gutish took her KTM to 3rd and also sits in third put in place the championship.
EnduroCross events also include 2 support classes for Amateurs plus Vet riders 35 and old. Steven Stultz took the win in the amateur class with a good battle over third-place finisher Spenser Wilton early in the race. Wilton might find trouble in the rocks and Kevin Dupuis moved in to have a well-earned second place.
In the Vet class, Kurt Nicoll came to Denver looking to back up his first-ever electric bike win. But Vet class stalwart Stephen Foord and his Beta acquired other plans. Foord took the win, with Nicoll coming in second and Jack Sawatzky coming in 3rd on his KTM. Both Foord and Sawatzky are Canadian.
The series will certainly resume Saturday, October 22 in Everett, Washington. Tickets are available at: www.EnduroCross.com/buy-tickets/