There are dominant performances, and then there are nights when a rider is simply on another level. For Trystan Hart, round three of the 2026 AMA EnduroCross Championship in Everett, Washington, was one of those nights.
Photography by Jack Jaxson
The FMF KTM Factory Racing rider was untouchable, sweeping all three EX Pro motos after topping both practice sessions and Hot Lap qualifying. It was a near-flawless performance by the Canadian and one that moved him to within four points of championship leader, Triumph’s Jonny Walker, as the six-round series reached its halfway point. Husqvarna rider Ryder LeBlond is just another three points back in third.
The victory was particularly sweet for Hart. Everett was the site of last year’s dramatic championship finale, where Walker edged Hart for the title on a tiebreaker after the two finished the season deadlocked on points. This time, Hart made sure there would be no such drama.
The Everett track was no pushover. Multiple lines offered plenty of passing opportunities, but the increasingly slick surface made maintaining momentum tricky. Riders who pushed too hard often paid the price, particularly in the slippery right-hander immediately following the start, where several competitors lost valuable positions.
Hart, however, seemed to have the place figured out from the get-go.
The two-time EnduroCross Champion set the tone by topping Hot Lap qualifying ahead of LeBlond and Walker, then wasted little time taking charge in the opening moto.
By the third turn, Hart had worked his way into the lead ahead of Walker, Cooper Abbott, Colton Haaker and Rocky Mountain Yamaha’s Cody Webb. From there, the KTM rider, Hart, steadily stretched his advantage, building a six-second cushion by the halfway point before cruising to the win.
Walker finished second aboard his Factory Racing Triumph, followed by Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s LeBlond and Kawasaki riders Abbott and Haaker.
The inverted starting order for moto two figured to make things a little more interesting for Hart. And for a few laps, it did.
With the faster qualifiers starting farther back, Webb quickly worked his way into third, while Hart found himself fifth and Walker seventh. Webb took over the lead on lap three, but Hart was already on the move. Just one lap later, the KTM rider slipped past Webb and into the top spot.
Walker made his own progress, eventually moving into second with three laps remaining. Webb held on for third, followed by LeBlond and Abbott.
Two motos down, one to go. And Hart wasn’t about to let a perfect night slip away.
Abbott grabbed the holeshot in the final moto, but Hart wasted little time, slipping underneath the Kawasaki rider to take the lead. Webb and Walker followed, with Walker getting around Webb for second on the next lap.
For a moment, it looked as though the two championship rivals might finally have a proper showdown. Hart had other ideas.
By lap three, he had already opened a four-second gap over Walker, with Webb, Abbott and LeBlond giving chase. From there, Hart kept everything under control to complete the sweep.
Walker settled for his third runner-up finish of the night, while LeBlond claimed third ahead of Webb, Abbott and Tim Apolle.
Hart’s perfect 1-1-1 scorecard earned him a convincing overall victory, with Walker taking second after posting an equally consistent 2-2-2. LeBlond rounded out the overall podium with 3-4-3 moto finishes.
For Hart, the performance was a departure from his usual approach, which typically emphasizes consistency over outright aggression.
“Normally, I like to settle in and just be consistent, and that’s kind of how I’ve molded myself the last decade or so,” said Hart. “But tonight, I topped both practices and the Hot Lap qualifying, and all three motos. Believe it or not, that was only my second time ever going 1-1-1. I knew there weren’t many, because that’s not really my style to hang it out and get everything possible, so it was cool to sweep the motos.”
Walker, meanwhile, admitted he never quite came to grips with the slippery Everett course. Still, three second-place finishes on a difficult night were enough to keep the defending champion atop the standings.
“I can’t say I’m happy because I was struggling all night, and even in practice I couldn’t get a flow like I normally do,” said Walker. “To come away with second on your bad night, I think is a good result.”
EX Expert
The EX Expert feature had plenty at stake, with the top six finishers earning direct transfers to the EX Pro main event.
Max Eppelmann (Beta) jumped into an early lead, but fellow Beta rider Max Gerston stayed on his rear wheel, with James Flynn, also on a Beta, close behind in third.
Gerston made his move on lap two, diving underneath Eppelmann to take over the lead. However, his advantage didn’t last long, as a tangle in the tire section cost him valuable ground.
A lap later, Niko Piazza (Husqvarna) began pressuring Gerston for second, but his charge came to an abrupt halt when he slammed into a log obstacle and dropped to fifth.
As the race wound down, Eppelmann began to fade, opening the door for Gerston to regain the lead. This time, Gerston made it stick, pulling away for the victory. Flynn finished second, while Ricky Russell (Kawasaki) completed the podium.
With three rounds remaining, the championship fight is shaping up to be another Hart-versus-Walker showdown.
After a difficult start to his Las Vegas campaign, Hart has turned things around in a hurry. Walker still holds a four-point advantage, but the momentum has clearly swung toward the KTM rider.CN
2026 AMA EnduroCross Round 3 Results
OVERALL
- Trystan Hart (KTM) 1-1-1
- Jonny Walker (Tri) 2-2-2
- Ryder LeBlond (Hus) 3-4-3
- Cody Webb (Yam) 7-3-4
- Cooper Abbott (Kaw) 4-5-5
- Tim Apolle (Bet) 6-6-6
- Colton Haaker (Kaw) 5-11-8
- Braxton Hintze (KTM) 8-8-10
- Branden Petrie (Bet) 11-7-11
- James Flynn (Bet) 12-14-7
2026 AMA EnduroCross Points Standings
(after 3 of 6 rounds)
- Jonny Walker (69/1 win)
- Trystan Hart (65/2 wins)
- Ryder LeBlond (62)
- Cooper Abbott (55)
- Cody Webb (51)
- Colton Haaker (49)
- Tim Apolle (43)
- Braxton Hintze (42)
- Branden Petrie (40)
- Nick Thompson (34)
