Jonny Walker wins the fifth EnduroCross round of the 2025 AMA series in Reno, taking three moto wins for Triumph Racing ahead of Trystan Hart to set-up a final showdown this coming weekend in Everett, November 22.

After consecutive rounds showing the speed but snot nailing the wins, Triumph Factory Racing’s Jonny Walker finally at round five of the 2025 Slavens AMA EnduroCross Series presented by Progressive Insurance.

A dominant 1-1-1 sweep – the first by any rider this season – at the Reno Events Center shrank defending champion Trystan Hart’s points lead to just three with one round remaining, setting up a winner-take-all showdown for the championship.

Walker’s breakthrough performance came at the perfect time, addressing the start issues that plagued him in Redmond while maintaining the blistering pace that has made him a constant threat all season. “Yeah, honestly, I felt good tonight,” Walker explained post-race. “I felt good last week, but I just think my mindset wasn’t good, and tonight, I had a smile on my face pretty much every lap riding around there. I loved the track. It had so much flow. So to win every race, I’m super stoked and I’m gonna carry that into the final round.”

Trystan Hart’s 2-2-3 scorecard marked the first time the Red Bull FMF KTM Factory Racing rider has finished outside the top two since the series began, ending a streak of 15 consecutive top-two finishes.

Hart was candid about his performance. “Jonny rode really good tonight, really, didn’t have anything for him. He was really on it, and I was really just flat, like a desert out there. I had nothing to give, and even if he made a mistake, and I kind of closed in, I still just could not get that extra anything going. But, still all good, me and Jonny next weekend, sparks flying everywhere, should be fun for everyone.”

Ryder LeBlond’s return to the podium with a third-place finish (6-3-2) came on the back of a disappointing seventh-place result in Redmond that left the Husqvarna rider “pretty mad,” LeBlond bounced back with aggressive riding and renewed determination, demonstrating the consistency that has been his goal throughout the season.

EX PRO Moto Results - Round 5

1	Triumph	Jonny Walker	1st	1st	1st
2	KTM	Trystan Hart	2nd	2nd	3rd
3	Husqvarna	Ryder LeBlond	6th	3rd	2nd
4	Kawasaki	Colton Haaker	3rd	5th	4th
5	Yamaha	Cody Webb	4th	4th	7th
6	Beta	Max Gerston	5th	6th	5th
7	Beta	Branden Petrie	8th	8th	6th
8	Beta	Tim Apolle	7th	12th	8th
9	KTM	Nick Thompson	9th	7th	11th
10	KTM	Jaden Dahners	10th	9th	9th

Reno Rnd 5 breakdown

Hot Lap Qualifying: Walker’s Speed Statement

Walker set the tone for his dominant night by posting the fastest hot lap qualifying time of 59.118 seconds, the only rider to break the one-minute barrier. The Triumph rider’s blistering pace gave him first gate pick for Moto 1 and signaled his intent to finally convert his raw speed into overall victory.

Hart qualified second with a time of 1:00.509, 1.391 seconds behind Walker’s benchmark, while Colton Haaker claimed third at 1:00.950. Cody Webb qualified fourth (1:02.635) and Nick Thompson rounded out the top five (1:03.294).

The qualifying results foreshadowed the night’s racing, with Walker’s speed advantage clear from the opening session. Unlike Redmond, where Walker qualified fastest but struggled with starts, the Triumph rider would capitalize on his speed in Reno, converting his qualifying performance into race victories.

Moto 1: Walker sets the tone

Hart grabbed the early holeshot as the gate dropped for Moto 1, but it became immediately evident that Walker had something to prove. With an insane pace that caught everyone off guard, Walker slingshot around the outside in a breathtaking move, making an emphatic statement as he seized the lead.

Hart answered the challenge immediately, matching Walker’s pace and attempting an aggressive inside move through the technical sections. But the pass attempt came just a little too tight after the first couple of laps, Hart bobbled and the mistake dropped him to third place, allowing Colton Haaker into second position.

But no one could match Walker’s relentless pace. The Triumph rider quickly opened up approximately a 10-second gap on both Hart and Haaker by the midpoint of the race, riding with the confidence and flow that had eluded him in previous rounds. Walker’s ability to find clean lines and maintain momentum through the Reno obstacles demonstrated why he’s considered one of the sport’s most talented riders.

Towards the end of Moto 1, Hart managed to make the pass on Haaker to reclaim second position, but the gap between himself and Walker seemed insurmountable. Despite Hart’s late charge, Walker’s advantage proved too substantial to overcome, and the Triumph rider crossed the finish line to claim his first moto victory since Boise, setting the stage for a potential sweep.

Moto 2: Thompson’s gutsy lead

The inverted row start for Moto 2 gave the mid-pack riders an opportunity to shine, and Nick Thompson capitalized brilliantly. The Goshen, Utah, rider took the lead early and held it longer than usual, demonstrating impressive race craft and determination as the Pro-level riders charged through the field behind him.

Ryder LeBlond raced with renewed aggression alongside Thompson, making a late-series push to claim valuable championship points. LeBlond’s attacking style and willingness to battle showed a rider determined to prove his Round 4 disappointment was an aberration rather than a trend.

The top-ranked Pros finally made their way through the pack to catch Thompson, who had remarkably maintained his lead for almost half the race. When Walker and Hart arrived at Thompson’s rear wheel, the pace noticeably quickened as the championship contenders made their moves.

Walker and Hart executed near-simultaneous passes on Thompson, and it became immediately clear that the real battle was between the two championship rivals. Walker’s superior pace from Moto 1 carried over, and despite Hart’s best efforts to match the Triumph rider’s speed, Walker claimed his second consecutive moto victory, moving closer to the first sweep of the 2025 season.

Moto 3: Walker’s dominance

Walker grabbed the holeshot in Moto 3, and with only a second-place finish needed to clinch the overall victory, the Triumph rider adopted an “all gas, no brakes” mentality. Walker’s aggressive approach immediately distanced him from the rest of the field, making it clear he wasn’t content with just securing the overall – he wanted the statement-making sweep.

Hart followed in second position with approximately a three-second gap after four laps. The championship leader pushed hard, attempting to close the distance and prevent Walker’s clean sweep, but the Triumph rider’s pace remained relentless.

Halfway through the race, Hart made a mistake, notably losing his visor and second position to Ryder LeBlond while Walker crossed the finish line to complete his historic sweep, the first 1-1-1 performance of the 2025 season.

Video highlights are here: EnduroCross 2025: Reno Rnd 5 Video Highlights

Looking Ahead: Championship Showdown

The 2025 EnduroCross series comes down to a single, winner-take-all final round in Everett this coming weekend, November 22. Hart has a slim three-point advantage (119-116) in the championship and Walker’s momentum from his Reno sweep has completely transformed the title fight.

Hart’s impressive 15-race streak of top-two finishes ended in Reno, and a candid admission of being “flat” showed honesty as he watched his championship lead evaporate.

Walker’s triple moto win came at the right moment. After weeks of lamenting poor starts that cost him valuable points, the Triumph rider put together the performances when it mattered and his comment about racing with “a smile on my face” revealed the position he is in on the bike right now.

The mathematics favour Hart – he needs only to finish ahead of Walker in the final round to clinch his third consecutive championship – and he has been here before so knows the score when it comes to stepping up in the final round.

But momentum favours the brave and Walker carries the confidence of his first sweep into the season finale and, as he told Enduro21 ahead of the Reno round, he feels like he is the fastest guy out there.

Read our interview with Jonny here:  5 mins with…Jonny Walker talking EnduroCross on the Triumph 450

Battle for third heats up

Beyond the championship battle, several other storylines will play out in the final round. The tie for third place between Haaker and LeBlond (both with 91 points) adds intrigue to the podium positions, while Webb (86 points) remains within striking distance.

The battle behind Hart and Walker is all the more intense – and it could still play a role in Everett as riders get embroiled in their own races – with Cody Webb, Max Gerston and Cooper Abbott among those consistently fighting for top five places. Abbott’s heavy crash in Reno has helped his cause mind you.

Series Standings After Round 5:

1. Trystan Hart    119
2. Jonny Walker  116
3. Colton Haaker 91
4. Ryder LeBlond 91
5. Cody Webb     86
6. Max Gerston   76
7. Cooper Abbott 68
8. Tim Apolle       68
9. Braxton Hintze 63
10. Branden Petrie 56
11. Nick Thompson 54
12. Marc Fernandez 37
13. James Flynn    36
14. Niko Piazza      28
15. Anthony Johnson 26
16. Jaden Dahners 23
17. Ty Cullins         21
18. Blake Neville   6
19. Coleman Johnson 5
20. Dustin McCarthy 5

EX EXPERT: Petrie Claims Expert Main Victory

Branden Petrie from Tomahawk, Alberta, claimed the EX Expert Main victory with a commanding performance on his Beta. Marc Fernandez from Barcelona, Spain, secured second place aboard his Rieju, while Jaden Dahners from Enumclaw, Washington, completed the podium in third.

EX Expert Final Results - Round 5:

Branden Petrie (#99) - Tomahawk, AB

Marc Fernandez (#56) - Barcelona, NA

Jaden Dahners (#110) - Enumclaw, WA

EX NOVICE: Surry Extends Dominance

Ethan Surry from Parksville, BC, continued his stranglehold on the EX Novice division with another commanding victory, claiming wins in both Division 1 and the Main event. Tegan Warnick from Shelley, Idaho, secured second place with Landon Johnson from Lantzville, BC, completing the podium in third.

EX Novice Final Results - Round 5:

Ethan Surry (#419) - Parksville, BC

Tegan Warnick (#131) - Shelley, ID

Landon Johnson (#111) - Lantzville, BC

EX INTERMEDIATE: Eppelmann Continues Winning Form

Max Eppelmann from Stadecken-Elsheim, Germany, claimed another EX Intermediate victory, demonstrating the technical prowess that has made him one of the standout performers in the developmental classes. Cole Clarkson from Paradise, California, secured second place with Cooper Stevens from Lake Stevens, Washington, completing the podium in third.

EX Intermediate Final Results - Round 5:

Max Eppelmann (#344) - Stadecken-Elsheim, NA

Cole Clarkson (#319) - Paradise, CA

Cooper Stevens (#12) - Lake Stevens, WA

EX VETERAN: Amos Claims Veteran Victory

Ray Amos from Athol, Idaho, claimed the EX Veteran Main victory, overcoming his third-place Division 1 finish with a strong performance. Bobby Prochnau from Salmon Arm, BC, secured second place after winning Division 1, with TJ Scrupps from Stanwood, Washington, completing the podium in third.

EX Veteran Final Results - Round 5:

Ray Amos (#78) - Athol, ID

Bobby Prochnau (#24) - Salmon Arm, BC

TJ Scrupps (#218) - Stanwood, WA

EX JUNIOR: Clarkson Claims Junior Victory

Cole Clarkson from Paradise, California, claimed the EX Junior Main victory with a commanding performance that showcased his ability to compete across multiple classes. Kael Widdicombe from Billings, Montana, secured second place after winning Division 1, with Max Eppelmann completing an impressive night by claiming third place in Junior after winning the Intermediate class.

EX Junior Final Results - Round 5:

Cole Clarkson (#319) - Paradise, CA

Kael Widdicombe (#47) - Billings, MT

Max Eppelmann (#344) - Stadecken-Elsheim, NA

EX CLUB: Stevens Maintains Club Dominance

Cooper Stevens from Lake Stevens, Washington, continued his dominance of the EX Club class with another commanding victory. Landon Lampinen from Stanwood, Washington, secured second place with Shandon Millett from Ephraim, Utah, completing the podium in third.

EX Club Final Results - Round 5:

Cooper Stevens (#12) - Lake Stevens, WA

Landon Lampinen (#18) - Stanwood, WA

Shandon Millett (#60) - Ephraim, UT

 

More information: www.endurocross.com

Photo Credit: Jack Jaxson