Cycle News Staff | September 17, 2018
Colton Haaker made sure that defending champ Cody Webb wasn’t going to run off with this year’s AMA EnduroCross Championship by claiming victory at round two. Haaker (Rockstar Energy Husqvarna) saw Webb run off with the opening-round win a few weeks earlier in Arizona, but this time, at a new EnduroCross venue at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, California, September 15, Haaker took control in the 21-lap final and with the victory moved into the points lead in the young season.
Haaker was fast all day and night. The former AMA EnduroCross champ and FIM SuperEnduro Champion, Haaker, won his heat, bracket-racing showdown and the main event, despite falling on the first lap.
Ty Tremaine, on the electric-power Alta, nabbed the holeshot and held the lead to the end of the first lap. Webb then took over the point position while Haaker found himself in 11th position after falling.
Haaker quickly sliced through the field and made his way to second by the fifth lap and then closed in on Webb over the next five laps. Haaker made a pass on Webb for the lead at the start of lap 11 of what ended up being a 21-lap main. Haaker looked set to pull away but then fell in a rock corner a few laps later, allowing Webb to close to his rear wheel. But Haaker was on a mission and pulled away again for the remainder of the race to take the win.
Webb looked set for a second-place finish, but Tristan Hart (SRT Husqvarna) snuck up on him and the two battled wheel to wheel through the rock pile on the last lap, with Webb crashing and Hart continuing on to take second. Webb recovered for the final podium spot.
Tremaine continued his strong night with a fourth-place finish, the best ever for an electric powered motorcycle. Cristobal Guerrero (Yamaha) traveled all the way from Spain and scored a fifth-place finish. He is a regular in the FIM Super Enduro series where he finished this season seventh overall.
South American Benjamin Herrera (Beta) rode to a sixth-place finish in only his second ever EnduroCross.
Geoff Aaron (GasGas) finished seventh ahead of Kyle Redmond (Husqvarna), Cooper Abbott finished (RPM KTM) and Ty Cullins (Beta), who filled out the top 10.
Shelby Turner (KTM) battled Kacy Martinez (FMF/KTM) for the win in the Women’s Pro main. Martinez closed on the last lap but couldn’t make the pass on Turner.
Morgan Tanke finished third despite injuring her foot in practice.
Destry Abbott (KTM) again won the Vet class. He had to recover from a few small mistakes in the early laps. Dan Hayakawa finished second and Eric Schettler finished third to make it an all Arizona podium.
David Kamo took the Open Amateur class win. William Riordan and Gavin McCarthy rounded out the podium.
In the Amateur B class, Cole Wilton took his first EnduroCross win. Nick Saia and Ryan Gouveia went 2-3.
Italy’s Emanuel Angius won the TrialsCross main event. Coleman Johnson and Lior Ebiaz finished second and third, respectively.
In the local AMA District 37 class, Tyler Smith took the win despite his chain coming of during the race. Frederick Parr and Sam Capt completed the podium. CN
2018 AMA EnduroCross Series
Round 2
Orange County Fairgrounds
Costa Mesa, California
RESULTS: September 15, 2018
SUPER ENDUROCROSS MAIN
- Colton Haaker (Hus)
- Trystan Hart (Hus)
- Cody Webb (KTM)
- Ty Tremaine (Alta)
- Cristobal Guerrero (Yam)
- Benjamin Herrera (Beta)
- Geoff Aaron (GG)
- Kyle Redmond (Hus)
- Cooper Abbott (KTM)
- Ty Cullins (Beta)