Race report and results from a dramatic double-header in Idaho, rounds three and four of the 2024 AMA EnduroCross series where Colton Haaker and Jonny Walker shared the wins, Haaker and Hart exchange blows and the KTM rider extends a 16-point lead in the championship.

The Slavens Racing AMA EnduroCross Series presented by Progressive Insurance didn’t need much hype but the tight track at the Mountain America Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho, certainly spiced up the series.

With Haaker back at his no-compromise best, defending champion Hart in championship mode and Walker putting Triumph on top of the box, the headlines were dominated by the argy-bargy between Haaker and Hart on night one – it was classic indoor enduro couple of nights!

Friday fight night

Triumph Racing’s Jonny Walker turned the fastest Hot Lap time 0.5 of a second ahead of Haaker to claim the first gate pick for moto one on night one, topping the time charts with a 00:33.960, compared to Haaker’s 00:34.411. Hart was third-fastest with a 00:35.057 ahead of GasGas Factory Racing’s Will Riordan (00:35.563) and Rockstar Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Ryder LeBlond finishing out the fastest five.

Moto 1

Starts were all important on the tight and technical Mountain America Center course, and Haaker was the clear leader when the field exited the first turn of the opening moto, followed by LeBlond, James Flynn (Beta) and Hart.

From there, Haaker began to gap the field, leading Hart by nearly seven seconds at the end of five laps. Meanwhile, LeBlond had a mishap in the rocks, allowing Riordan, Walker and FactoryONE Sherco USA’s Cooper Abbott into third, fourth and fifth.

Walker also bobbled in the rocks but eventually passed Riordan for third, while Haaker took the win 10 seconds ahead of Hart with Walker in third. Riordan and Abbott rounded out the top five with LeBlond rebounding for sixth.

Moto 2

The second moto inverts the 16 riders' finish positions from race one to establish gate picks, meaning the top eight riders from race one start on the second row and Rieju’s Dominik Olszowy took advantage of a front-row start to lead the field into the opening lap for the second moto.

Of the top riders, Abbott was fourth, Haaker seventh, Walker ninth and Hart in 10th. Haaker meticulously worked his way to the rear wheel of Olszowy by the midway point of the race and waited patiently before overtaking the Polish rider in the rock section a few laps later.

At the checkers, Haaker took another comfortable win, followed by Olszowy, Abbott, Hart and Walker.

Moto three drama

In the third and deciding moto, Haaker beat Hart for the holeshot, as the two rivals were followed by LeBlond, Abbott, Factory Beta’s Max Gerston and Walker into the first lap. Haaker once again pulled a slight gap on the field, however, Hart was determined not to let the Husqvarna rider sweep the night and slowly reeled Haaker in until he was right on Haaker’s rear wheel.

On the final lap, Hart block-passed Haaker in the turn before the rock garden to take the lead, but almost immediately got hung up in the rocks, allowing Haaker to retake the lead. Haaker crossed the finish line just 0.2 seconds ahead of Hart at the finish, as the two riders collided in the air, causing Hart to hit the dirt and a bit of pushing and shoving between them as tempers flared.

Haaker claimed the overall win for the night with just three points, followed by Hart on eight points, Abbott completing the podium in third with 12 points, while Walker (13) and LeBlond (16) rounded out the top five.

The Women’s Expert class returned to action in Idaho for its four-round series. Since most of the women riders were also competing in Spain at this year’s ISDE, the series promotors decided not to start their EnduroCross series until the Idaho round.

Enduro Engineering/GasGas/FXR Moto’s Shelby Turner dominated both motos of the class, going 1-1 to take the overall win. FactoryONE Sherco USA’s Hallie Marks went 3-2 for second overall, with defending Series champ, Team KBS Sherco’s Rachel Gutish struggling in the rock section for third overall.

Rnd 3 Pro class highlights here: 2024 AMA EnduroCross Rnd3 recap – elbows out in Idaho!

Idaho EX Pro Class Round 3 Top 10 Results:

1. Colton Haaker (Hsq) 1-1-1

2. Trystan Hart (KTM) 1-2-2

3. Cooper Abbott (Shr) 5-3-4

4. Jonny Walker (Tri) 3-5-5

5. Ryder LeBlond (Hsq) 6-7-3

6. Dominik Olszowy (Rie) 11-2-9

7. Will Riordan (GG) 4-12-7

8. Tim Apolle (Bet) 7-11-6

9. Max Gerston (Bet) 8-10-8

10. Braxton Hintze (GG) 9-6-11

Saturday – Maiden Triumph win for Walker

Having finished fourth overall on Friday, Jonny Walker came into Saturday’s race looking for redemption and knowing this was scheduled to be his final outing at this year’s EnduroCross series before returning to Europe.

Hart carried a 15-point lead over Haaker after Friday night’s results, with Walker another 14 points back and still looking for his first overall win. Setting the fastest qualifying time in practice set the tone for the race for the British rider as they moved onto Hot Laps which would tell the tale of the tape.

Haaker it was who turned an impressive 00:30.450-second lap time to top Walker second at 00:31.957, with Abbott (00:32.006), Hart (00:32.085), and LeBlond (00:32.334) finishing third through fifth.

Moto one

Hart was first out of the first turn to start Moto One, with Haaker and Abbott in tow. The rock garden was the most technical part of the course again and that’s where most of the passing took place. It was, in fact, where Hart snuck around Haaker to take the lead on lap two, as Abbott followed suit, dropping Haaker to third.

Walker eventually passed Haaker for third, again in the rock section, and a short time later displaced Abbott for second. At the finish, the order was Hart, Walker Haaker, Abbott and Olszowy.

Moto two

Starting in reverse order for moto two, Haaker was the first of the top riders out of the first turn in fourth with Abbott seventh, Walker and Hart in eighth and ninth.

By lap four, the cream had risen to the top and Haaker, Walker, Hart and Abbott occupied the top four positions.

Walker pulled to within striking distance of Haaker on the final lap, but Haaker was able to hold on for the win, with Walker second, Hart third, Olszowy fourth and GasGas-mounted Braxton Hintze in fifth.

Crucial Moto 3

Haaker, Walker and Hart went into the final moto tied in points for the overall win, all three with four points, meaning moto three would be a “winner take all” affair.

Walker was quickest off the line, a rare fast start for the new Triumph Racing rider which would prove crucial. Haaker and Hart moved into second and third by the end of lap one, setting up the big showdown.

After a couple of nights of at times chaotic racing, Walker looked calm as he pulled away and rode a steady race to the flag, while Haaker and Hart battled over second. Haaker got jammed up between two logs midway into the race and dropped to sixth, moving Hart into second.

At the finish, Walker got his first moto win of the season, with Hart second and Abbott in third. For the overall, it was Walker with the victory, Hart second overall and Haaker third overall. Abbott and Olszowy in fourth and fifth overall.

After the two nights of racing, Hart extended his lead in the championship standings to 16 points ahead of Walker, 110 points to 94 points. Haaker sits in third with 91 points, with Abbott (75) and Olszowy (63) in fourth and fifth.

In the Expert Pro Women division, Shelby Turner dominated again, taking the early lead ahead of Marks and Harten in moto two. Gutish made a late run from last to end up second and some chaos in the rocks, leaving the order at the finish Turner, Gutish, Marks, Melissa Harten (KTM) and Bailey Lerwill (GG).

Idaho EX Pro Class Round 4 Top 10 Results:

1. Jonny Walker (Tri) 2-2-1

2. Trystan Hart (KTM) 1-3-2

3. Colton Haaker (Hsq) 3-1-4

4. Cooper Abbott (Shr) 4-7-3

5. Dominik Olszowy (Rei) 5-4-5
6. Ryder LeBlond (Hsq) 6-9-6

7. Braden Petrie (GG) 10-6-8

8. Braxton Hintze (GG) 11-5-9

9. Tim Apolle (Bet) 13-8-7

10. Max Gerston (Bet) 7-11-12

The Slavens Racing AMA EnduroCross Series presented by Progressive Insurance resumes on November 9th at First Interstate Bank Center in Redmond, Oregon.

More information including how to watch live: www.endurocross.com

Word Credit: Shan Moore

Photo Credit: Jack Jaxson