Cycle News Staff | November 5, 2020
The 2020 Geico AMA EnduroCross Championship concluded with the final two rounds playing out at Glen Helen Raceway, Monday and Tuesday, November 2-3, with Colton Haaker wrapping up his fourth title. Haaker sealed the deal during the final day of racing with third overall, which gave the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna rider eight points to spare over runner-up and longtime championship rival Cody Webb. Tryston Hart, the overall winner at the series finale, ended up third overall, just one point behind Webb.
Haaker Earns Fourth EnduroCross Title
Webb, on the FactoryOne Sherco, made a run on Haaker in Monday’s race by taking the overall win after the three-race main events, but Haaker held his ground the best he could with second overall. He kept the damage to a minimum, which meant Haaker would go into the next day’s fiinal race with a 10-point lead over Webb, with Hart another four points back.
All Haaker had to do in Tuesday’s final round was to finish sixth or better and the championship would be his for the taking once again. The defending champ, despite riding with a sore back from a previous crash, had no troubles finishing within the top six, his 3-3-3 tally giving him third overall and the number-one plate for another year.
“Tonight, I was pushing as hard as I felt like I needed to on an oversaturated track,” Haaker said. “It was really wet in the first moto, so I took it easy and let the race come to me and finished third. I ultimately finished third in each moto but each race I got more comfortable with being in the position I was in. You just had to be smart out there. This year was really tough for me, I had a bulged disc in my back at round two and since then I’ve been fighting it really hard, but I’m happy to come away with my fourth title.”
Webb fought to the bitter end but came up just a little short of winning back the number-one plate he last owned in 2015.
“That final moto was a little was a little finicky and I didn’t totally trust Haaker in the beginning,” said Webb who went 2-1-2 on the final day. “I think I rode a little too soft in the beginning because I didn’t want to risk second in the championship. Then I charged and reeled Trystan in and he made a mistake at the end so I threw a Hail Marry at the finish there to try to make a pass.
“We had a good season,” Webb added. “The Sherco factory was able to send over some maps and settings to help improve the bike. The tougher tracks these last few races also helped me be more competitive. Ultimately, it was a good year and I feel that we can improve from here.”
Hart had nothing to lose on the final day and dropped the hammer which resulted in the overall win, going 1-2-1 on the afternoon. A bad start and a couple of mistakes in the second race allowed Webb to get away and run off with the win, preventing any chance Hart had of getting second in the championship. Despite getting the Bronze, it was a breakthrough year for the KTM rider, Hart, who has proven that he is a new contender for the EnduroCross number-one plate.
“I don’t really care about the overall win today…unless your number one, it doesn’t even matter,” he said. “All I care about is getting that number one. So the most important thing for me is that I am there with Colton and Cody and can compete for that number one plate. I got the speed so now I just need to be more consistent.”
In the Women’s class, Shelby Turner (KTM) won Monday’s race and was going for the perfect season in Tuesday’s final but Beta’s Morgan Tanke prevented that from happening. Tanke grabbed the holeshot in front of Shelby and Sherco’s Louise Forsley. Tanke got a big break when Shelby went down early in the race.
Shelby got going again but with still a lot of time left in the race. She got around Forsley then slowly started catching the leader, Tanke. With just a few laps to go, Shelby could see Tanke just ahead of her but that would be as close as she would get.
Tanke held her ground, hardly setting a foot wrong the whole race, and took the win.
Shelby, however, wrapped up her fourth EnduroCross title, with Tanke finishing second and Shelby third.
The Italian motorcycle manufacture TM emerged from the 2020 season with two class championships, one in the Super EnduroCross Junior class and the other in the Vet 35+ class. Ty Cullins (eighth in the Super EnduroCross Championship) took home the Junior number-one trophy (for riders 21 and under) and Ryan Gouveia the Vet 35+ number-one trophy.
Tyler Smith won the Amateur/Intermediate Championship. Shelby Turner was runner-up. CN
2020 Geico AMA EnduroCross Championship
Rounds 5-6 (Final)
Glen Helen Raceway
San Bernardino, California
RESULTS (November 2-3, 2020)
Tuesday (Top 10)
1. |
Trystan Hart |
(KTM) |
1-2-1 |
2. |
Cody Webb |
(She) |
2-1-2 |
3. |
Colton Haaker |
(Hus) |
3-3-3 |
4. |
Max Gerston |
(Bet) |
4-4-6 |
5. |
Noah Kepple |
(Hus) |
7-5-4 |
6. |
Cooper Abbott |
(KTM) |
5-7-5 |
7. |
Cory Graffunder |
(Yam) |
6-6-7 |
8. |
William Riordan |
(KTM) |
8-9-9 |
9. |
Ryder Leblond |
(KTM) |
10-8-10 |
10. |
Ty Cullins |
(TIM) |
11-10-8 |
Monday (Top 10)
1. |
Cody Webb |
(KTM) |
3-1-2 |
2. |
Colton Haaker |
(Hus) |
1-6-1 |
3. |
Trystan Hart |
(KTM) |
2-3-4 |
4. |
Cooper Abbott |
(KTM) |
7-2-3 |
5. |
Max Gerston |
(Bet) |
4-4-5 |
6. |
Noah Kepple |
(Hus) |
5-5-8 |
7. |
Cory Graffunder |
(Yam) |
8-8-6 |
8. |
Ty Cullins |
(TM) |
6-11-7 |
9. |
Spencer Wilton |
(KTM) |
13-7-9 |
10. |
Ryder Leblond |
(KTM) |
10-9-10 |
2020 Geico AMA EnduroCross Championship Final Standings
1. |
Colton Haaker |
(Hus) |
139 |
2. |
Cody Webb |
(She) |
131 |
3. |
Trystan Hart |
(KTM) |
130 |
4. |
Cooper Abbott |
(KTM) |
105 |
5. |
Cory Graffunder |
(Yam) |
90 |
6. |
Noah Kepple |
(Hus) |
88 |
7. |
Max Gerston |
(Bet) |
85 |
8. |
Ty Cullins |
(TM) |
68 |
9. |
William Riordan |
(KTM) |
68 |
10. |
Ryder Leblond |
(KTM) |
61 |