Mike Brown starts the 2013 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series with two-straight wins. Photography by Drew Ruiz.
Mike Brown backed up his opening-round win in the 2013 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series with another solid victory at the Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California, June 8.
Like he did in round one in Las Vegas, Brown pretty much took control of the event right from the get-go. He was quickest in the afternoon hot laps, and he followed that up win a win in his evening’s heat race. His only glitch on the day was finishing second in the nighttime hot laps that determine starting-gate pick for the main, where he scored a wire-to-wire victory.
“I have started the season really well but there is still a long ways to go for the championship,” the FMF/KTM Team rider said. “But this is like getting the holeshot on the season”.
Brown, however, could never relax during the race, as he had Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Taylor Robert on his tail for all 10 laps.
Robert struggled with vision and had to remove his goggles, making things more difficult for him.
“I just could not see because Brown was roosting me every lap when we exited the water hole,” Robert said.
Filling out the podium was Husqvarna’s Cory Graffunder who survived late-race challenges by Taddy Blazusiak and Colton Haaker.
Both Blazusiak and Haaker went down right off the start and spent the race catching back up. Haaker was threatening Graffunder for third late in the race when he fell, losing a position to Blazusiak, who ended up fourth. Haaker had to settle for fifth.
Brown leads the points race with 50, followed by Blazusiak with 40 and Robert with 37.
In other classes, Adam Booth took the Vet-class win ahead of Stephen Foord and Jason Gitchel. Justin Morgan won the Open Amateur final followed by Steven Godman and Kale Elworthy. Fourteen-year-old Ty Cullins won the TrialsCross main, followed by Michael Salsman and Nathan Brown.
Sixteen-year old Lexi Pechout captured her first ever EnduroCross win. Fellow Canadian Chantelle Bykerk took second. Rachel Gutish led all but the last lap before getting stuck in the firewood pit and dropping back to third.
RESULTS
PRO:
1. Mike Brown (KTM)
2. Taylor Robert (Kaw)
3. Cory Graffunder (Hus)
4. Taddy Blazusiak (KTM)
5. Colton Haaker (Hon)
6. Kyle Redmond (KTM)
7. Gary Sutherlin (Kaw)
8. Justin Soule (Kaw)
9. Max Gerston (Beta)
10. Eric Rhoten (Beta)
11. Jacob Argubright (TM)
12. Ryan Sandoval (KTM)
13. Ricky Dietrich (Hon)
