IRVINE, Cal. – Factory Beta and Stillwell Performance-backed Cody Webb took a decisive win tonight in Salt Lake City’s inaugural AMA GEICO EnduroCross event. The win was Webb’s second after taking the first round victory in Las Vegas and puts him and his Beta two-stroke 300 into the points lead.
The race fans in attendance at the Energy Solutions Arena saw a night go almost perfectly for GEICO-supported Webb. He took the holeshot and win in his Heat Race and put down the fastest Hot Lap for gate pick during the night program (both earning him a bonus championship point and essentially tying the points going into the main event).
The final race wouldn’t be easy for Webb. Factory Husqvarna’s Mike Brown started strong, grabbing the Nexen Tire $500 Holeshot award in front of the pack. Brown began to pull away early, taking Webb, Factory Red Bull KTM’s Taddy Blazusiak, and Factory FMF KTM Offroad’s Taylor Robert with him. Last week’s winner, and co-points leader going into the race tonight, Rockstar/JCRHonda/Lucas Oil’s Colton Haaker went down and started the first full lap of racing in dead last.
By lap four, Webb was applying serious pressure to Brown, waiting for a mistake. His chance came quickly with just a slight bobble from Brown in the Wood Pile. Webb attacked and went to the front by lap five. At the same time, Robert moved past Blazusiak and all of the front-runners came into lapped riders. The battle became serious for the third podium spot as KTM teammates Blazusiak and Robert kept it close. Meanwhile Haaker had charged all the way back to fifth place where he would eventually finish.
Going into the second half of the race, Blazusiak had passed Robert for third and began putting pressure on Brown for second. The top four had a clear track for a brief moment after moving through the entire field of lapped riders. Webb managed to pull out a 10-second lead going into the final laps only to get stuck and fall over in the elevated rock turn. Luckily, he got moving again quickly and kept it on the gas.
It seemed the race for third was going to be where the action was until Blazusiak turned up the pace and put serious pressure on Brown and moved past on lap 12. Robert would follow and get the third podium spot on the final lap.
After an inadvertently flown white flag causing some final-lap confusion, the final checkered flag went to Webb in first, Blazusiak second and Robert third.
The GEICO AMA EnduroCross, fueled by Monster Energy and presented by Lucas Oil championship standings stand with Webb in the lead at 143, Blazusiak settles in second three points back with 140 and Haaker fell 10 points back after sharing the lead to 133.
Cody Webb was thrilled with his second win of the season. “My race was awesome,” Webb said. “I felt great, and I got into the lead and pulled a big gap. The white flag was thrown and then not thrown, I was the winner and then not done yet. So it did not make sense but I got the win and the points lead so I am happy.”
Blazusiak continues to take a long-term look at the season. “I made mistakes but then towards the end of the race I got that rhythm going again and started working on the guys,” Blazusiak said. “In the end, I am happy with second. It’s a good second looking towards the championship.”
Robert feels 100% taking third. “The track was really nasty but I got a decent start and passed Taddy for third but then got stuck trying to get around Brownie and Taddy got me back and eventually, I got Brown to get on the podium,” Robert said. “I kind of had a slow start to the season due to the injury that I had setting me back but now I am feeling 100% so I am back up there battling for the top spots.”
Salt Lake City Results:
1. Cody Webb – Beta
2. Taddy Blazusiak – KTM
3. Taylor Robert – KTM
4. Mike Brown – Husqvarna
5. Colton Haaker – Honda
6. Max Gerston – Beta
7. Ty Tremaine – KTM
8. Nick Thompson – KTM
9. Bobby Prochnau
10. Geoff Aaron – KTM