This week in US powersports racing.
RENO PODIUM MARKS A STRONG FINISH TO COLTON HAAKER’S AMA ENDUROCROSS SEASON
The final round of the 2023 AMA EnduroCross Championship saw Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Colton Haaker race to a second-place result in the EX Pro Class, securing third position in the final standings at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Event Center in Nevada.
Haaker’s momentum from the previous round win continued as bikes hit the circuit in Reno, with the number 10 setting the second-fastest time in the Pro Hot Lap session. After gaining a top-three start in Moto 1, Haaker charged into P1 by the midway point and would lead the field home for the opening race win on his FX 350.
Wedged deep in the field off the start in Moto 2, Haaker had his work cut out for him as he fought his way through the top 10, making a series of decisive moves throughout the race. A final lap pass for the lead completed what was a remarkable performance, setting up a showdown in the final EX Pro Class race of the season.
All of the contenders were up front at the start of Moto 3, with the championship wide-open as the gates dropped. Haaker’s strong form continued as he battled hard among the leaders, eventually taking a sixth-place result to conclude his 2023 campaign.
Following a consistent season, including a dominant round victory in Redmond’s penultimate stop of the year, multi-time EnduroCross Champion Haaker recorded a series of podiums throughout the 2023 series, which landed him a solid third overall in the EX Pro Class standings.
“It was a good night tonight,” commented Haaker. “I would’ve liked to have won and was in a good position heading into the final moto after getting the two opening race wins, but the last Moto was just a freight-train, which made it difficult to pass. From where I have been the last couple of years, this year was a massive step up, mentally, physically, and just everything. I’m stoked to rebound as we have done – we were really coming on strong there, although sights now shift to next year.”
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing teammate Ryder LeBlond posted the fifth-fastest time to open his day in Nevada during the Pro Hot Lap segment, before a lowly start in Moto 1 saw him slice his way through the field and take a fourth-place finish.
Launching to another tough start in Moto 2, LeBlond posted a steady ride over the duration of the eight laps, racing to an eighth-place score. Moto 3 began for LeBlond with another start outside the top 10, as he fought his way forward throughout the entirety of the race and finished P5 in the final outing of the season. A 4-8-5 Moto scorecard earned LeBlond sixth on the night and fifth overall in the 2023 AMA EnduroCross Championship.
“Final round here in Reno was a good one!”LeBlond said. “There was a lot happening tonight in the championship between a few guys, so I tried to just ride my own races, which was tough, especially in Moto 3. We were all so close together, it was like a massive freight-train all moto, which was super-cool. I finished fifth in the standings and proved a lot to myself that I can be a top guy next year, which is a massive improvement from where I was last season.”
EX Pro Results – Round 6
1. Trystan Hart, KTM, 2-3-1
2. Colton Haaker – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 1-1-6
3. Cooper Abbott, Sherco, 5-5-2
…
6. Ryder LeBlond – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 4-8-5
EX Pro Championship Standings
1. Trystan Hart, 147 points
2. Jonny Walker, 140
3. Colton Haaker – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 137
…
5. Ryder LeBlond – Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory Racing, 98
TRYSTAN HART AND FMF KTM FACTORY RACING CLINCH AMA ENDUROCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP IN RENO THRILLER
RENO, Nev. – FMF KTM Factory Racing Team’s Trystan Hart has clinched the 2023 AMA EnduroCross Championship in the EX Pro Class, after a thrilling sixth and final round of competition saw him deliver a pivotal victory to cap off the season in Reno.
Hart posted a time that secured him P4 following the EX Pro Class Hot Lap session, setting the tone for what would be an intense night of EnduroCross action at Nevada’s Reno-Sparks Livestock Event Center.
Moto 1 saw the Canadian ace power his KTM 350 XC-F to a strong start, circulating comfortably inside the top five after lap one. A calculated ride saw the number 84 climb into P2, which is where he would cross the finish line and gain valuable points toward his championship tally.
The second moto began with all of the title contenders buried in the pack, with each having their respective work cut out for them across the eight-lap encounter. For Hart, another measured effort eventuated in a hard-fought third-place result, which set the stage for an epic winner-takes-all encounter in Moto 3.
Rising to the occasion in true championship form, Hart took control early on in the third and final outing. In the end, less than two seconds separated the top four of the action-packed third race, with Hart’s victory and weekend overall enough to seal the 2023 title.
Hart built momentum incrementally as the series progressed, with victory in Rounds 3 and 4 establishing his place in the title-fight. Second position at Round 5 set up a final round thriller, with Hart sealing his third win of the season in the decider – adding the AMA EnduroCross crown to his 2023 AMA U.S. Hard Enduro Championship earned in June.
Trystan Hart:“Wow, what a season! I got two fifth places to start it off and, at that point, the championship was really out of the question because Jonny (Walker) won the first six motos. After that, I don’t think anyone had money on me, and we found something. I skipped going to an Extreme race, and it really made a big difference – the suspension and just a little more rest. The second half of the season, I rode really good and went 1-1-2-1 in the final four races, so what a crazy season and, honestly, what a crazy journey it’s been to get here. I’ve been through so much, this series has been so tough on me after we went from the 15-minute motos to these sprint races… This one is special, it wasn’t easy, and thank you very much to everybody behind me on the way to this championship!”
EX Pro Results – Round 6
1. Trystan Hart, KTM, 2-3-1
2. Colton Haaker, Husqvarna, 1-1-6
3. Cooper Abbott, Sherco, 5-5-2
EX Pro Championship Standings
1. Trystan Hart, 147 points
2. Jonny Walker, 140
3. Colton Haaker, 137
FMF KTM FACTORY RACING’S DANTE OLIVEIRA TAKES AMA WEST HARE SCRAMBLES TITLE IN STYLE
WILSEYVILLE, Calif. – A sixth overall victory of the year saw Dante Oliveira clinch the 2023 AMA West Hare Scrambles (WHS) Championship in convincing fashion at Wilseyville’s final round on Sunday, the FMF KTM Factory Racing rider continuing his winning form that has ultimately been the story of his season.
Oliveira had already successfully defended his AMA National Grand Prix Championship (NGPC) crown and formed part of Team USA’s commanding World Trophy victory at this month’s FIM International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), where he also stood on the individual podium in third overall.
On return to U.S. competition and back on-track in a bid to claim the WHS title onboard his KTM 450 XC-F, Oliveira recovered from a tough start in challenging conditions to hit the lead midway through the opening lap. A race-long battle eventuated with Zane Roberts, only for Oliveira to take control on the sixth and final lap and take the checkered flag in P1.
It was a fitting way for the 23-year-old Californian to take home the WHS Pro Class Championship, returning back to his roots and winning all but Round 4 of the series to build a dominant 37-point advantage by season’s end.
Dante Oliveira: “It was a good way to end the year back with D36! A terrible start made for a fun race… I passed for the lead halfway through lap one and was having a good battle with Zane [Roberts] along the way. I also wanted to give a shoutout to the team for giving me a great platform to win races and championships this season, it’s been a great year with the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team together.”
Pro Results – Round 8
1. Dante Oliveira, KTM
2. Zane Roberts, Beta
3. Giacomo Redondi, GASGAS
Pro Championship Standings
1. Dante Oliveira, 201 points
2. Giacomo Redondi, 164
3. Zane Roberts, 137
Rachel Gutish Defies Injury to Capture EX Women Pro AMA EnduroCross Championship
GASGAS-supported Rachel Gutish has captured the 2023 AMA EnduroCross Championship in the EX Women Pro ranks after a gritty final round victory in Reno, Nevada, on Saturday night.
- Rachel Gutish wins AMA EnduroCross Championship directly after ISDE success
- Overcomes shoulder and rib injury to claim long-awaited first title
- Final round victory completes dream season for GASGAS-supported rider
Gutish, who is fresh back from winning as part of Team USA at the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) in Argentina, lined up with a recently-separated shoulder and fractured ribs, but there was no stopping her on the way to a well-earned championship.
Even though she missed the penultimate round of the season while at the ISDE, Gutish’s five wins in six rounds including the season finale was enough to claim a first-career AMA EnduroCross crown under the most extreme of circumstances.
Rachel Gutish: “All the way around, it’s just been an amazing season for me. My first EnduroCross win was 10 years ago and it took me this long to finally get my title! It’s something I’ve worked for off and on for years and years now, so to finally reach the moment I’ve dreamed of feels so good. We did as much as we could to take care of my shoulder, but the rocks were tough on me with the injury, and I’m so glad that we were able to get through and win the championship.”
Five-time AMA EnduroCross Champion Taddy Blazusiak’s season was unfortunately cut short following the penultimate round in Redmond, the Polish legend still recovering from a badly sprained ankle that he had been managing for the past month.
EX Women Pro Results – Round 6
1. Rachel Gutish, GASGAS
2. Melissa Harten, Beta
3. Hallie Marks, Sherco
EX Women Pro Championship Standings
1. Rachel Gutish, 150 points
2. Melissa Harten, 142
3. Hallie Marks, 134
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