After three rounds of displaying championship-winning speed but struggling with starts that cost him crucial points, Jonny Walker, the Triumph Factory Racing rider, delivered a complete performance at round five of the 2025 Slavens AMA EnduroCross Series presented by Progressive Insurance. Walker’s dominant 1-1-1 sweep, the first by any rider this season, at the Reno Events Center reduced defending champion Trystan Hart’s points lead to just three with one round left, setting up a winner-takes-all showdown for the championship.
Walker’s breakthrough performance arrived at just the right moment, fixing the start issues that troubled him at the previous round in Redmond while keeping the high pace that has made him a constant threat all season. “Yeah, honestly, I felt good tonight,” Walker explained after the race. “I felt good last week, but I just think my mindset wasn’t right, and tonight, I had a smile on my face pretty much every lap around there. I loved the track. It had so much flow. So, yeah, to win every race, I’m super excited, and I’m going to carry that into the final round.”
For Hart, the night was his most challenging performance of the season. The Red Bull FMF/KTM Factory Racing rider’s 2-2-3 scorecard marked his first time finishing outside the top two since the series began, ending a remarkable streak of 15 consecutive top-two finishes. “It was a bit of a subpar night for me, but I think that is 15 top-two finishes for me in a row, so that is pretty cool,” Hart said, finding the silver lining despite his struggles.
Hart was candid about his performance. “I mean, it’s not that fun when you just win every race, honestly, so let’s be honest there. So, Jonny rode good tonight. [I] didn’t have anything for him. He was on it, and I was just really flat, just really flat, like a desert out there. I had nothing to give, and even if he made a mistake, and I kind of closed in, I still just could not get that extra anything going, so, kind of a bummer. But, oh well, still all good, and me and Jonny next weekend, sparks [will be] flying everywhere—should be fun for everyone.”
Ryder LeBlond’s return to the podium with a third-place finish (6-3-2) was the night’s feel-good story. After a disappointing seventh-place result in Redmond that left the Husqvarna rider “pretty mad,” LeBlond bounced back with aggressive riding and renewed determination, showing the consistency he’s aimed for all season.
Hot Lap Qualifying
Walker set the tone for his dominant night by posting the fastest hot-lap qualifying time of 59.118 seconds, becoming the only rider to break the one-minute barrier. The Triumph rider’s blazing pace earned him the first gate pick for moto one and signaled his intention to finally turn his raw speed into an overall victory.
Hart qualified second with a time of 1:00.509, 1.391 seconds behind Walker’s benchmark, while Colton Haaker claimed third at 1:00.950. Cody Webb qualified fourth (1:02.635) and Nick Thompson rounded out the top five (1:03.294).
Moto One
Hart grabbed the early holeshot as the gate dropped for moto one, but it became immediately clear that Walker had something to prove. With an incredible pace that caught everyone off guard, Walker slingshotted around the outside in a jaw-dropping move, making a bold statement as he took the lead.
Hart responded to the challenge right away, matching Walker’s pace and trying an aggressive inside move through the technical sections. But the pass attempt was a little too tight after the first couple of laps, causing Hart to bobble and forcing him to take his feet off the pegs to readjust. The mistake cost him several crucial seconds and dropped him to third place, allowing Colton Haaker to move into second.
But no one could match Walker’s relentless pace. The Triumph rider quickly gained about a 10-second lead on both Hart and Haaker by the race’s midpoint, riding with the confidence and flow that had previously eluded him in earlier rounds.
Toward the end, Hart managed to pass Haaker to take second place, but the gap between him and Walker seemed impossible to close. Despite Hart’s late push, Walker’s lead proved too large to overtake, and the Triumph rider crossed the finish line to secure his first moto win since Boise, setting the stage for a potential sweep.
Moto Two
The inverted-row start for moto two gave midpack riders a chance to shine, and Nick Thompson took full advantage. The Goshen, Utah, rider took an early lead and maintained it longer than usual, showing impressive race skills and determination as the top riders pushed through the field behind him.
Ryder LeBlond raced with renewed aggression alongside Thompson, pushing hard late in the race to earn vital championship points.
The top-ranked riders finally broke through the pack to catch Thompson, who had surprisingly kept his lead for nearly half the race. When Walker and Hart reached Thompson’s rear wheel, the pace noticeably picked up as the championship contenders made their moves.
Walker and Hart nearly simultaneously passed Thompson, quickly revealing that the real battle was between the two championship leaders. Walker’s faster pace from the first moto continued, and despite Hart’s efforts to keep up with the Triumph rider, Walker secured his second consecutive moto win, closing in on his first sweep of the 2025 season.
Moto Three
Walker took the holeshot in moto three, and with only a second-place finish needed to secure the overall win, the Triumph rider played an “all gas, no brakes” game. Walker’s aggressive style quickly put him ahead of the rest of the field, showing he wasn’t just after the overall, he was aiming for the dominant sweep.
Hart stayed in second place about three seconds behind after four laps. The championship leader pushed hard to close the gap and stop Walker’s clean sweep, but the Triumph rider kept a relentless pace.
Halfway through the race, when Hart came back into view, he was noticeably without his visor and, more importantly, had lost second place to LeBlond. The incident raised questions about what exactly happened during Hart’s brief disappearance from the racing line, but the outcome was clear: LeBlond had taken the runner-up position, and Hart had fallen to third.
LeBlond seized the opportunity, riding with confidence and consistency. In a post-race interview, he said, “By the time the last moto came around, honestly, I felt effortless. Obviously, Jonny kind of gapped us, but between the battle between second/fourth, I don’t even know how many guys were battling there at the end, but yeah, I felt pretty effortless, had consistent laps, and, yeah, I definitely still had more in the tank and more to show.”
Walker crossed the finish line first to complete his sweep, pumping his fist in celebration as he claimed the first 1-1-1 performance of the 2025 season. The victory not only proved Walker’s championship credentials but also shifted the momentum dramatically heading into the final round.
Hart’s points lead—which was six after his win in Redmond—is now reduced to just three points (119-116) after Walker’s sweep in Reno. The championship race that once favored Hart’s consistency now depends on a single round.
After three consecutive second-place finishes in which he demonstrated championship-caliber speed but faltered on execution, Walker’s Reno performance proved he can put together the complete package when it matters most.
In the championship standings, LeBlond’s strong performance moved him into a tie for third place with Haaker at 91 points. Both riders trail Hart and Walker significantly but are engaged in their own battle for the final podium spot, with Cody Webb (86 points) still within striking distance.
Branden Petrie from Tomahawk, Alberta, won the Expert main event with a dominant performance on his Beta. Marc Fernandez from Barcelona, Spain, took second place on his Rieju, while Jaden Dahners from Enumclaw, Washington, finished third to complete the Expert class podium.CN
2025 EnduroCross Round 5 Results
OVERALL (Top 10)
- Jonny Walker (Tri) 1-1-1
- Trystan Hart (KTM) 2-2-3
- Ryder LeBlond (Hus) 6-3-2
- Colton Haaker (Kaw) 3-5-4
- Cody Webb (Yam) 4-4-7
- Max Gerston (Bet) 5-6-5
- Branden Petrie (Bet) 8-8-6
- Tim Apolle (Bet) 7-12-8
- Nick Thompson (KTM) 9-7-11
- Jaden Dahners (KTM) 10-9-9
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