Jean Turner tells us how Cody Webb dominated the Prairie Dogs MC Last Dog Standing extreme enduro at Glen Helen Raceway for the third year in a row.
The AMA District 37 Prairie Dogs MC thought of creative new ways to torture riders during the sixth annual Last Dog Standing at Glen Helen Raceway on Saturday, but Factory KTM rider Cody Webb proved that no matter the challenge, the cream always rises to the top.
While the Red Bull KTM-backed Webb received some stiff competition and had some wheel-to-wheel battles with Colton Haaker, Kyle Redmond and Cory Graffunder, in the end, the result was the same, with Webb taking a commanding win. It marked his third win in a row at the Prairie Dogs event.
The final outcome was determined by a combined score of two races–the single-lap “LDS-2” race, and the final two-lap “LDS-3” race, which featured a few additional hill climbs for the select riders who made it through to the final race of the day. Riders had to finish LDS-2 within 45 minutes of the leader for a chance to line up for the final, and Webb set a blistering time that allowed only 15 riders to make the cut.
Things didn’t go so well for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna Factory racer Colton Haaker in LDS-2. After falling back due to a mechanical issue, he got going again only to suffer a big crash where he landed with a rock to his lower back. Haaker finished the loop in a sub-par fifth place and opted to call it a day at that point.
In the final showdown, Webb and SRT KTM’s Cory Graffunder (who finished second in LDS-2) started on the first row, but it wasn’t long before second-row starter Kyle Redmond crept up on Webb and challenged him for the lead.
“Kyle and I had an awesome battle in the beginning,” Webb said. “He had the best pass on me ever. He just showed me up, so that was pretty embarrassing. I hope no one got that on video.”
“I actually passed Cody on this hill climb over here and he passed me back in the matrix [on the EnduroCross track],” Redmond said. “I actually passed him again and I was like, ‘This is pretty cool. I can still get second here if I hang on to Cody for a little while.’”
But Redmond’s run was short-lived, as his clutch went out on a hill, which prompted him to head back to the pits for a quick fix only minutes into the first lap.
“I had to go back to the pits, bleed the clutch, and lost probably 10 minutes or so,” Redmond said.
Fortunately for Redmond, Graffunder also had an issue that sent him back to the pits for nearly the exact same amount of time. Graffunder admitted he made the wrong tire choice for the final, and made a quick stop at the pits to swap rear wheels.
“I switched tires after LDS-2 and put a softer one on thinking that it would really help on the EnduroCross style obstacles, but it really didn’t work at all on the hard-pack dirt or on the loose, silty hill climbs.”
Webb found himself in the same predicament, though he opted to continue his race rather than pull in for a tire change.
“The final race I made the wrong tire choice, but I didn’t want to stop to change it,” Webb said. “I didn’t want to lose the lead I was able to build up in the beginning of the race.”
Riders agreed that the silty hill climbs were the most challenging aspects of the race (along with the heat). Some of the hill climbs were nearly unrideable, with even Webb, Graffunder and Redmond having been assisted to the top at least once.
“On the first lap I made it up, just pushed every inch of the way up, and was completely spent,” Graffunder said. “On the second lap, they watered it and I actually rode most of the way up it. There were guys there with ropes and when you see them, you just kind of let them do their thing. You’re not going to turn down the guy that’s going to help you up the hill when you can save a bunch of energy.”
The top three were the only riders to complete two laps, and only two others completed one lap, making for five total finishers. Fourth place went to AMA EnduroCross regular Mitch Carvolth, who completed one lap, and then elected to wait for Webb to pass him upon hearing that the leader was not far from lapping him. “I couldn’t do another lap,” Carvolth admitted. “So I let him come by and finished behind him.”
Fifth place went to expert rider Garret Carlson, who the Prairie Dogs MC presented with the “True Grit Award.” Carlson literally dragged his Yamaha across the final obstacle with the help of fellow racer Andrew Puckett to finish fifth in LDS-3.
2016 Prairie Dogs MC Last Dog Standing
Glen Helen Raceway
San Bernardino, California
Results: June 18, 2016
Overall
1. Cody Webb (KTM)
2. Cory Graffunder (KTM)
3. Kyle Redmond (Bet)
4. Mitch Carvolth (KTM)
5. Garret Carlson (Yam)
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