JCR Honda rider Colton Haaker lands first GEICO EnduroCross win of the year at Sleep Train Arena.
Team Rockstar Energy/Lucas Oil/Johnny Cambell Racing Honda rider Colton Haaker snagged his first GEICO Endurocross win of 2014 during round three of the series at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, California, Saturday night. Haaker was the man to beat all night, setting the fastest hot lap, winning his heat race and then passing Beta USA’s Cody Webb to take the Men’s main event win.
A talent-laden Men’s main event pitted Haaker against Webb, Bel-Ray Husqvarna’s Mike Brown and Red Bull KTM’s Taddy Blazusiak, among others, and this quartet battled handlebar to handlebar for the holeshot in the 15-lap main event. Webb moved into the early lead ahead of Haaker while Brown was mired in sixth place and Blazusiak, who tangled with other riders, was stuck in 11th place.
Webb led the first three laps before Haaker pulled even with Webb exiting the water hole on and made a clean block pass to take the lead. Webb tried to retake the lead in the very next corner, but an overdose of front brake deposited him on the ground. Webb knocked FMF KTM’s Taylor Robert over as he got up but they got going again in second and third respectively. Haaker took advantage of Webb’s mishap to pull clear and cruise to the checkered flag, earning his second career GEICO AMA EnduroCross win.
“I have been working so hard to get another win and it takes so much work to be prepared to make this happen,” Haaker said. “That start was crazy as we all were locking bars and I knew I needed to stay with it to have a chance to win”.
Blazusiak slowly worked his way through the field to move into fourth and then made a pass on Robert when he got stuck in a rock section on lap 10. Blazusiak held the final podium position, with Robert finishing fourth. Cory Graffunder rode a solid race on his KTM to finish fifth ahead of Brown, Beta’s Max Gerston, Geoff Aaron, Gary Sutherlin and Tyle Tremaine.
Only three points separate the top three in the series standings. Series leader Webb holds a mere one-point lead over Haaker, while defending GEICO EnduroCross Champion Blazusiak is only three points behind Haaker.
In the Women’s class 17-year-old Morgan Tanke earned the main event win. Tanke took the lead form Tarah Geiger on the first lap and held it all the way to the finish. Chantelle Bykerk, the defending GEICO EnduroCross Women’s Champion used a last-lap pass to steal second place away from Rily Elinger, who earned her first career GEICO EnduroCross podium finish, third, after pushing Tanke for several laps.
GEICO AMA EnduroCross Series
Sleep Train Arena
Sacramento, California
Results: June 21, 2014 (Roud 3 of 9)
Men’s Main Event
1. Colton Haaker-Hon
2. Cody Webb-Bet
3. Taddy Blazusiak-KTM
4. Taylor Robert-KTM
5. Cory Graffunder-KTM
6. Mike Brown-Hus
7. Max Gerston-Bet
8. Geoff Aaron-KTM
9. Gary Sutherlin-KTM
10. Ty Tremaine-KTM
Women’s Main Event
1. Morgan Tanke-KTM
2. Chantelle Bykerk-KTM
3. Rily Ellinger-KTM
4. Rachel Gutish-KTM
5. Tarah Geiger-KTM
6. Lexi Pechout-She
7. Melissa Harten-GG
8. Megan Griffiths-KTM
9. Brianna Vinsonhaler-KTM
10. Megan Blackburn-Kaw
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