Haaker Takes Exciting Denver EnduroCross Win

2015-10-04 08:06
Denver, Colorado hosted round six of the GEICO AMA EnduroCross series and Colton Haaker and Cody Webb had an epic battle for the win. Webb took the early lead and appeared to be well on the way to another win but Haaker slowly closed the gap and made the pass for the lead and win with just over three laps remaining. Webb held on for second and Taylor Robert took the final podium position.

Husqvarna’s Mike Brown took the first heat race win to get the night started and Beta’s Max Gerston and Ty Tremaine took the other two transfer spots.

Geoff Aaron, a long time Colorado resident, took a popular win in heat two. The night started badly for Haaker as he went down in the first turn and got run over by several riders. He got up slowly and then put on an epic charge to work his way to second to earn a transfer to the main event. Colorado’s Eric Rhoten transferred to the main with a third place finish.

Webb took the win in heat three on his FMF/RPM team Maxxis KTM. Kyle Redmond and Noah Kepple took second and third.

The top two riders from each heat race compete in a timed Hot Lap for a single point and the top six gate picks for the main event. Webb was the last rider to go out and he managed to knock off Redmond for the fast time. Aaron rounded out the top three.

When the gate dropped for the main event, Haaker took the Nexen Tire Holeshot ahead Webb and Robert. Webb immediately put pressure on Haaker and the two battled closely for three and a half laps before Webb finally found a way by. Webb opened a small lead while Haaker started to battle back and forth with Robert. Those two exchanged second position several times before Haaker finally broke free and started closing back in on Webb. On lap 12, Webb slid out in a flat corner allowing Haaker pull alongside. The two entered the extremely difficult rock section together and Haaker managed to wrestle the lead away with three laps remaining.

At this point, Webb removed his goggles and appeared to go into survival mode, which allowed Haaker to open a small gap, which he held to take his second win of the season.

Robert rode a relatively lonely race the last several laps to take third, his third consecutive podium finish in three races back after missing the first part of the season due to injury.

Beta’s Redmond rode a solid race to take fourth and also move into fourth in the points. Aaron moved through the pack after a bad start to take fifth on his Gas Gas. Gerston was sixth on his Beta. Brown was disappointed to finish seventh. Nick Thompson finished eighth on a KTM. Rhoten was ninth on a Yamaha and Destry Abbott rounded out the top ten on his Kawasaki.

Ty Tremaine, Noah Kepple and Mitch Carvolth finished eleventh through thirteenth for the final three positions in the main.

“I had a nasty crash in my heat race and Cody has been so solid in the heats and hot laps so I have been losing points” Haaker said. “So I knew it was important to get the win in the main and gain a point for the night”.

“That was a long fifteen laps and I kind of pumped up” Webb said after the race. “It is hard to be up front for that long”.

“I had a real rough start to my night show and had to go to the LCQ” Robert said. “I almost pulled the holeshot from the outside, which was cool, and then Cody, Colton and I had a tight battle those first few laps but then the elevation and technical track got to me a little. But this is three podiums in three races back so I am pretty happy with that.”

Webb still holds a six point lead after Haaker gained a single point on the night after counting the bonus points Webb got for winning his heat race and setting the fast Hot Lap time. Brown fell further behind and is now twenty nine points back in third.

Denver, Colorado GEICO EnduroCross Main Event results
1. Colton Haaker Husqvarna
2. Cody Webb KTM
3. Taylor Robert KTM
4. Kyle Redmond Beta
5. Geoff Aaron Gas Gas
6. Max Gerston Beta
7. Mike Brown Husqvarna
8. Nick Thompson KTM
9. Eric Rhoten Yamaha
10. Destry Abbott Kawasaki
11. Ty Tremaine KTM
12. Noah Kepple KTM
13. Mitch Carvolth KTM

Haaker put in an impressive late race charge to take the lead and his second win of the season in Denver. Photo: Drew Ruiz

Webb had a solid night to finish second and with bonus points for winning his heat and Hot Lap, only lost a single point to Haaker. Photo: Drew Ruiz

Taylor Robert had another solid main event result to stand on the podium in third. Photo: Drew Ruiz

Haaker (center), Webb (left) and Robert (right) celebrate on the podium in Denver. Photo: Drew Ruiz
The women’s class was an epic multi rider battle for the win that came down to the last lap. Rachel Gutish came out on top for the second race in a row on her FMF/RPM Maxxis KTM. Melissa Harten took second and was very close to getting her first ever win. Spain’s Sandra Gomez looked to have the win but got stuck in the rocks on the last lap and dropped to third.

Rachael Gutish took her second win in a row in Denver. Photo: Drew Ruiz

Gutish (center), Harten (right) and Gomez (left) celebrate on the podium in Denver. Photo: Drew Ruiz
EnduroCross events also include three support classes and Canada’s Stephen Foord managed to win two of them. The forty four year old won the Vet 35+ class to start the evening. Colorado’s Joey Hamilton was a close second and David Stirm took third. Foord then came back later in the evening to take his second win in the Open Amateur class. Cody Miller led most of the race but got stuck behind some lapped riders on the last lap and dropped to second he made big push to pass Foord at the finish line and went over the bars spectacularly. Kale Elworthy took the final podium spot.

In the TrialsCross class, Darren Myers had a great battle with fourteen year old Micah Hetrich to take the win. Madison Leigh rounded out the podium.

The GEICO AMA EnduroCross championship will be back in action on Saturday, October 17 at the XFINITY Arena in Everett, Washington.

Just three rounds remain to determine the 2015 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Champion so make sure you stay tuned to see who will take the number one plate.
If you have never been to an EnduroCross, you must get to an event in 2015. The exciting show and amazing skills on display will blow you away. And if you want to see how your skills match up to the EnduroCross track, there are classes for Open Amateur, Vet 35+, Women and TrialsCross that anyone can enter! Sign up today! https://secure.tracksideonlineresults.com/mmsx_ex/

You can get Everett EnduroCross tickets at the following local Kawasaki Dealers:
Bellevue Motorsports: www.bellevuemotosports.com
Skagit Powersports; www.skagitpowersports.com
Cycle Barn: www.cyclebarn.com

Tickets for all of the 2015 EnduroCross events are available at: http://motocross.transworld.net/endurocross/buy-tickets/

If you can’t be there in person, you can follow the events via the FMF Live Timing and Scoring at: http://endurocross.escoremx.com/liveresults.asp

All eight 2015 GEICO AMA EnduroCross events will air full one hour shows on CBS Sports Network. The Las Vegas event is scheduled to air on Wednesday, May 13th at 7:00 PM ET. For more information, please visit www.CBSsportsnetwork.com.
2015 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Championship Schedule

March 6, 2015 - Daytona Beach, Florida. Ocean Center (Friday Daytona Bike Week)
March 21, 2015 - Salt Lake City, Utah. Energy Solutions Arena
May 1, 2015 - Las Vegas, Nevada. Orleans Arena (Friday - Supercross weekend)
June 5, 2015 - Austin, Texas. X Games, Circuit of the Americas
September 26, 2015 - Sacramento, California. Sleep Train Arena
October 3, 2015 - Denver, Colorado. National Western Complex
October 17, 2015 - Everett, Washington. XFINITY Arena
November 7, 2015 - Boise, Idaho. Ford Idaho Center
November 20/21, 2015 - Ontario, California. Citizens Business Bank Arena

Schedule is provisional.
For more information, please visit www.EnduroCross.com


EnduroCross tracks incorporate various elements of extreme 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 off road racing will certainly keep you on your feet.

ENDUROCROSS is a registered trademark of The Enthusiast Network.
For rules and race information visit www.EnduroCross.com or email endurocross@sorc.com

TEN: The Enthusiast Network is the world's premier network of enthusiast brands, such as MOTOR TREND, AUTOMOBILE, HOT ROD, SURFER, TRANSWORLD SKATEBOARDING, and GRINDTV. With more than 50 publications, 60 websites, 50 events, 1,000 branded products, the world's largest automotive VOD channel, and the world's largest action/adventure sports media platform, TEN inspires enthusiasts to pursue their passions. For more information, visit http://www.enthusiastnetwork.com.

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