The Slavens Racing AMA EnduroCross Series presented by Progressive Insurance visited the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the weekend, for round one of its six-round series where Redbull FMF/KTM Factory Racing’s Trystan Hart took a big step towards defending his 2023 title by claiming the overall win.
Words and Images by AMA EnduroCross
Hart posted a runaway victory in the first race and followed that up with a pair of runner-up spots to claim the overall win with a total of five points. Triumph Factory rider, Jonny Walker, of Great Britain, the 2022 EnduroCross champion, was second overall with a total of 11 points after posting a 7-3-1 finish, while FactoryONE Sherco’s Cooper Abbott was third overall with 13 points with his 4-3-6 tally.
To kick off the evening, Dominic Olszowy of Poland, posted the fastest time during the Hot Lap qualifying on his factory Rieju with a time of 32.782 seconds to set the starting order for the first of three motos. Five-time EnduroCross Champion, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Colton Haaker followed with a 32.783, while Hart was third-fastest with a time of 32.863. Walker was fourth (34.017 seconds), with Walker fifth (34.187)
Hart capitalized on a great start, squeezing by Olszowy in the first turn to take a lead he would never relinquish in race one, lapping his way up past fifth place by the finish. Olszowy kept Hart honest by sticking to the KTM rider’s rear wheel until the halfway mark of the race, eventually finishing second, with Haaker rounding out the top three. Abbott was fourth with Factory Beta rider Max Gerston in fifth.
The second moto inverts the sixteen riders’ finish positions from race one to establish gate picks, meaning the top eight riders from race one start on the second row.
Starting from the back, Abbott was the first of the top riders to make a move, passing into fourth position soon after the start. He was soon followed by Walker, who took the lead from Abbott a lap later, wanting to make amends for his seventh-place finish in the first race. Haaker went down on lap two, dropping out of the top five, while Hart struggled at mid-pack trying to get around slower riders.
By lap four, Hart had moved his way up into third and set his sights first on Olszowy and then on Abbott. On the final lap, Hart made an inside move on Abbott to secure the runner-up slot, with Walker taking the win at the checkers, followed by Hart, Abbott, Riordan and Gerston.
Walker wasted no time taking the lead in the third and final race, grabbing a clean holeshot and leading the pack into the opening lap, followed by Rockstar Husqvarna Factory’s Ryder LeBlond and Hart. Halfway into the race, LeBlond put a pass on Walker when the Triumph rider spun on a rock. LeBlond rode a smooth and steady race for the final few laps to take the win, followed by Hart in second and Walker in third. Riordan was fourth with Gerston in fifth.
After one round, Hart leads the series standings with 30 points, followed by Walker with 25 and Abbott with 21.
The Slavens Racing AMA EnduroCross Series presented by Progressive Insurance resumes on October 19th at Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley, Arizona. For more information on the series please go to www.endurocross.com.
COLORADO EX PRO CLASS OVERALL RESULTS
1. Trystan Hart (KTM) 1-2-2
2. Jonny Walker (Tri) 7-1-3
3. Cooper Abbott (Shr) 4-3-6
4. Will Riordan (GG) 6-4-4
5. Max Gerston (Bet) 5-5-5
6. Colton Haaker (Hsq) 3-6-8
7. Dominik Olszowy (Rie) 2-10-7
8. Ryder LeBlond (Hsq) 8-13-1
9. Tim Apolle (Bet) 12-8-9
10. Anthony Johnson (KTM) 14-7-10
