Rockstar Energy’s Colton Haaker pulls off a dream win and claims the 2015-16 Maxxis FIM Super Enduro World Championship in Madrid, Spain.
What a difference a few days makes.
Last weekend, Rockstar Energy Husqvarna’s Colton Haaker was celebrating his first career Maxxis FIM SuperEnduro World Championship round win during round five in the Czech Republic in what is his rookie year in the series.
Last night, in Madrid, Spain, Haaker made history as the first American to win the Maxxis FIM SuperEnduro World Championship when he finished second overall to fellow American Cody Webb in the series finale. Haaker capped the night by winning the last of the three Finals in dramatic fashion to finish the round on 52 points, just one behind the FMF/KTM-backed Webb. However, in the final points tally, Haaker earned the title over Webb, 292-284.
“I’m pretty pumped for winning the World Championship,” Haaker said. “It’s just so nice to see all that hard work paying off. Honestly, this season was just insane. It was my rookie year racing the series, so I knew I had a lot to learn. I started the championship with a fourth overall in Poland, and then kept building on that. Since Poland I never missed the overall podium.”
Red Bull KTM’s Jonny Walker came into the evening with a one-point lead on Haaker in the series standings, but Walker was nursing an injury suffered at the previous round and finished outside the top five in all three Finals. Instead, Haaker battled with Webb for the right to become the first American to win the Maxxis FIM SuperEnduro World title, and Webb struck first by setting the fastest time in the Akrapovic SuperPole event to determine the starting order for the three Finals.
Multi-time Maxxis FIM SuperEnduro World Champion Taddy Blazusiak of Poland scored the win in the first Final with Spain’s Alfredo Gomez second. Haaker finished second with Webb third, but Webb turned right around in the second Final and scored a critical win to keep his series title hopes alive. Haaker was right there in second place with Blazusiak third. That left Webb just two points behind Haaker in the series points standings with one final race left to decide which American would hoist the title, and it remained to be seen whether or not Blazusiak would play a huge factor in the outcome.
But Haaker left no doubt as he snatched the lead away from Webb in dramatic fashion on the last lap after Webb led most of the third Final. Haaker crossed the finish line to claim the win, and he immediately began celebrating like a madman at the prospect of earning his first career World Championship.
“The final in Madrid was just another crazy night of racing, and it all came down to the last corners of the last lap,” Haaker said. “It was a super-exciting moment, and I’m pretty sure the fans loved it too. To win the world title means a lot to me and proves that we were ready to do it. Despite fighting hard until the end, I’ve enjoyed this championship a lot. I can’t wait to be back next year.”
2015-16 FIM SuperEnduro World Championship
Madrid, Spain
Results: March 19, 2016 (Round 6 of 6)
Prestige Final 1
1. Taddy Blazusiak-KTM
2. Alfredo Gomez-KTM
3. Colton Haaker-Hus
4. Cody Webb-KTM
5. Mario Roman-Hus
Prestige Final 2
1. Cody Webb-KTM
2. Colton Haaker-Hus
3. Taddy Blazusiak-KTM
4. Mario Romab-Hus
5. Taylor Robert-KTM
Prestige Final 3
1. Colton Haaker-Hus
2. Cody Webb-KTM
3. Taylor Robert-KTM
4. Mario Roman-Hus
5. Alfredo Gomez-KTM
2015-16 Maxxis FIM SuperEnduro World Championship Series Points Standings (after 6 of 6 rounds)
1. Colton Haaker-292
2. Cody Webb-284
3. Jonny Walker-269
4. Taylor Robert-229
5. Alfredo Gomez-221
6. Mario Roman-176
7. Ty Tremaine-162
8. Taddy Blazusiak-157
9. Andreas Linusson-77
10. Kevin Rookstool-71
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