The 2026 AMA EnduroCross Championship is shaping up to be a battle to the bitter end after FMF KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart claimed his third consecutive overall victory Saturday night at the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, November 7, closing to within a single point of defending champion Jonny Walker with just two rounds remaining.
Photos by Jack Jaxson
Hart’s 1-2-1 performance was enough to secure the win over Walker and Ryder LeBlond, but the results hardly tell the entire story of an evening filled with aggressive racing, costly mistakes and plenty of close encounters on a tight, hard-packed track that offered little room for error.
While Hart continued his remarkable midseason turnaround, Walker endured what he described as perhaps the worst night of his career, although the Triumph rider managed to salvage second overall and preserve his championship lead.
The contrast between the two title contenders could hardly have been greater.
Hart entered Salt Lake City riding a wave of momentum following victories in Nampa, Idaho, and Everett, Washington, where he swept all three motos. The two-time champion had recovered from a disastrous season opener in Las Vegas, where a disqualification dealt a serious blow to his championship hopes, to pull within four points of Walker entering round four.
Walker, meanwhile, had been the model of consistency, finishing on the podium at each of the opening three rounds. However, with Hart steadily chipping away at his advantage, the pressure was beginning to mount.
Hart set the tone early at the Maverik Center by posting the fastest time in the Hot Laps competition, demonstrating the speed that would serve him well throughout the evening.
With the racing surface quickly developing a polished, slippery blue groove, starts became especially important. Passing opportunities were limited, and riders who found themselves buried in the pack faced an uphill battle.
Hart made the most of his opportunity in the opening moto, grabbing the holeshot ahead of LeBlond and Walker. Cooper Abbott, meanwhile, ran wide early, effectively eliminating himself from contention for the lead.
Walker eventually worked his way onto Hart’s rear wheel, but the KTM rider held his ground to claim the win. Walker settled for second, with LeBlond third and Cody Webb fourth.
The inverted starting order for moto two shuffled the deck considerably, with Walker and Hart forced to work through traffic.
Max Eppelmann (Beta) emerged with the early lead, while LeBlond wasted little time moving forward, advancing to second by lap three. Hart was 12th after the opening lap, while Walker dropped to 14th on lap two.
LeBlond eventually took command, with Braxton Hintze moving into second. Hart continued his charge through the field, advancing to third before passing Hintze to finish second behind LeBlond.
Walker, meanwhile, mounted a determined recovery, gaining another position on the final lap to finish fourth. Hintze completed the top three.
The final moto provided Hart with another opportunity to capitalize on a good start, and the Canadian responded by grabbing the holeshot ahead of Abbott and Hintze.
Walker, however, found himself back in sixth as the field battled through the opening corners, and the racing behind Hart became increasingly chaotic.
Out front, Hart was able to avoid the trouble and ride his own race, taking the checkered flag ahead of Abbott and Webb to complete another impressive evening.
“I think I got some lucky bounces here and there,” said Hart. “In that last moto, I just watched the carnage behind me. I could hear it. I could see it in some of the corners, and it sounded like a pretty good race going on behind me. That was probably the highlight of my third moto.”
For Walker, who finished fifth in the final moto, it was an evening he would just as soon forget.
“Honestly, that was probably the worst night I’ve ever had on a bike,” said Walker. “I felt like I had good speed, but anything that was going on out there on the track, I seemed to end up in the middle of it. So, it’s just one of them nights. And yeah, hey, we’re still in it.”
LeBlond completed the overall podium with a 3-1-8 scorecard, while Abbott finished fourth with 6-7-2 results. Webb rounded out the top five, followed by Hintze, James Flynn, Branden Petrie, Colton Haaker and Tim Apolle.
Haaker’s appearance was also noteworthy, as the former EnduroCross champion made his debut aboard a Beta 300 two-stroke.
With the series heading to Idaho Falls for a two-night finale on November 13-14, Walker leads Hart by the slimmest of margins, 91 points to 90. LeBlond remains within striking distance with 82 points, followed by Abbott at 73 and Webb at 68.
After four rounds, the championship that once appeared to be slipping away from Hart is suddenly within his grasp. But with two nights of racing remaining and Walker still holding the red plate, the 2026 title is far from decided.CN
2026 AMA EnduroCross Round 4 Results
OVERALL EX PRO (Top 10)
- Trystan Hart (KTM) 1-2-1
- Jonny Walker (Tri) 2-4-5
- Ryder LeBlond (Hus) 3-1-8
- Cooper Abbott (Kaw) 6-7-2
- Cody Webb (Yam) 4-9-3
- Braxten Hintze (KTM) 12-3-4
- James Flynn (Bet) 13-5-7
- Branden Petrie (Bet) 9-12-6
- Colton Haaker (Bet) 8-10-9
- Tim Apolle (Bet) 11-6-10
