2008 AMA/Maxxis EnduroCross Race Report

Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ricky Dietrich took home the 2008 AMA Maxxis Endurocross with a second place finish in the Vegas finale.

After months of intense racing, the 2008 AMA/Maxxis EnduroCross Series made its final stop in Las Vegas, Nevada. Endurocross is a new sport where athletes compete on an indoor closed course filled with various obstacles including rocks, logs, water, and other barriers.

The championship boiled down to two riders: Ricky Dietrich and Damon Huffman--both Monster Energy Kawasaki teammates locked in a tight battle to closeout the season and separated by only 10 points coming into the final round. Dietrich was required to podium in order to take home the championship if Huffman did his best and won. But getting into the main event with a packed house of talent was challenge enough for all the world's top racers in attendance. Luckily for Team Monster Energy Kawasaki, both of their top riders were on their "A" game and qualified straight into the main from their stacked heat races.

The crowd went wild as the bikes gathered at the starting line for the main event. The holeshot winner, Damon Huffman, took home the $900 WORCS holeshot award and never looked back on his way to a dominating win. Last year's winner Taddy Blasuziak (KTM) started in second place as Ricky Dietrich followed in third place. Taddy had bad luck through the course, becoming hung up in numerous places and stalling twice in the gnarly "Matrix" section ending up in 4th overall for the night.

After his second place start, Dietrich rode a smart race to the #1 plate, consistently clearing obstacles and keeping himself in a place to take the championship. Dietrich went for the move on the second place spot in the pond, but Taddy held on to the handlebars and pulled away. After a great fight with Blazusiak, Ricky took second in the rock garden and never looked back finishing in second and winning the championship.

Rounding the podium was Former US Trials Champ and Christini/KTM rider Geoff Aaron. Aaron dropped the hottest hot lap competition of the night, seeding himself as the rider to beat for the evening. After a decent start he move smoothly through the field eventually passing Blazusiak for the third spot through the rock garden on the fifth lap.

While Huffman and Dietrich made the main event of the evening a routine Kawasaki win-fest, there was plenty of action throughout the night with a season full of Endurocross Grand Championships (EXGC) awarded.

In the 35+ class, Big Air Tod Sciacqua took the early lead and crashed less than the other "old" guys to take the win and the class championship. Honestly, the nicest guy in the pits rode like a champ and deserves some respect, even if he wore pink pants.

Fellow FODR (friend of dirt rider) Ryan Dudek of Cycle World wrapped up a solid Open 2-Stroke championship by airing it out and being completely radical in general.

Taylor Robert grabbed the Open 4-Stroke championship by beating a field of hungry thumpers (including DR's own Chris Denison) on his way to the number one plate for the valve-and-cam crowd.

Representing the trials population was Patrick Smage. Smage rode his sweetly tuned trials animal of a machine. He wrapped up the inaugural Trialscross championship reserved just for you guys that like your bikes to go as much vertical as they go horizontal. Plus, if you ever want to race in an open face, Trialscross has an entry for you.

That about wraps it up from Vegas, we're four beers into this story and ready to go to the casino. For more on Endurocross, including TV times for Endurocross coverage, check out http://www.versus.com. Endurocross is aired as part of the Lucas Motorsports hour. For more information go to http://www.motorsportshour.com