Ricky Dietrich |
Damon Huffman |
Taddy Blazusiak |
Ricky Dietrich
As the reigning AMA EnduroCross champion, Monster Energy Kawasaki's Ricky Dietrich has quite a target on his back coming into the 2009 series. The only rider to qualify for every EnduroCross Expert main event in 2008, Dietrich brings to the table a host of off-road skills combined with raw, uncorked speed that has proven to be competitive with the top racers in several AMA Pro Racing disciplines. Under the guidance of top trainer and former motocross star Ryan Hughes, Dietrich has worked harder than ever to prepare for the '09 EX season, and his blazing speed in early season WORCS and AMA motocross events have made it clear that Ricky's not going to let the title go without a fight.
Damon Huffman
Known to most race fans as the 1997 FIM World Supercross Champion, speedster Damon Huffman has recently become a formidable force in off-road racing. Why? It could be his blazing fast motocross-inspired speed, his ridiculously high level of natural talent or just the fact that he has an awesome moustache. Whichever way you slice it, Huff Daddy is one of the top EnduroCross racers in the biz, and there's a good chance that he won't let his Monster Energy Kawasaki teammate run off with another championship.
Taddy Blazusiak
It's safe to say that most EnduroCross fans probably couldn't locate Poland on a world map. However, they sure as heck could point out Taddy Blazusiak on the track, because he's probably the guy out front! With a competitive trials background and a flowing, creative riding style, Taddy is a sure crowd pleaser at every round. The likable KTM rider will be on a mission at EnduroCross in 2009, as an injury early last season relegated Taddy to third place in the final point standings. A champion of the Erzberg Rodeo, the Hell's Gate Enduro and some of the hardest races on Earth, Taddy is a proven competitor. If anyone else is going to win the title this year, they'll have to get past Blazusiak first!
Geoff Aaron
What do you get when you combine pure trials skills, a relentless sense of determination and some really, really long legs? Geoff Aaron, that's what! A 10-time AMA trials champion, Aaron scored fourth place overall in the 2008 EnduroCross championship aboard his Christini all-wheel-drive KTM. With a mistake-free riding style and a crowd-pleasing charm, Aaron is a consistent front-runner and a hero rider at every EnduroCross round. Will 2009 be the year for Aaron to finally bag an elusive EnduroCross title? There's no doubt that he'll be in the running!
Colton Haaker |
Nick Brozovich |
Bobby Prochnau |
Colton Haaker
At the end of the 2007 EnduroCross season, Colton Haaker was known primarily as a trials specialist with a brazen personality and a knack for holding it wide open. When it was announced that the 2008 series would not allow trials bikes in the expert division, Haaker surprised everyone with an extremely successful switch to off-road bikes. Armed with a great support ride from Lucas Oil, the young rider became an instant front-runner and a top-five finisher in the overall series points, not to mention a huge thorn in the side of anyone who tried to pass him through the rocks. Haaker comes into 2009 strong, confident and hungry to earn his first win. Keep an eye out for this kid!
Nick Brozovich
Success in EnduroCross comes from a wide variety of elements, and Nick Brozovich has them all: speed, consistency, heart and a good bit of luck. Although he's thus far failed to score any overall EnduroCross wins, Brozovich was on his game for nearly every heat race, semi, last-chance qualifier and main event that he lined up for. Now a member of Johnny Campbell's famed JCR/Honda race team, Brozovich will take on the competition in 2009 with a new bike, a new look and a new desire to reach-and stay on-the top of the podium.
Bobby Prochnau
You don't want to mess with Bobby Prochnau. One of the physically strongest riders on the track, Prochnau is 240 pounds of pure power. A logger by trade, Big Bobby spends his weekdays chopping down trees and his weekends riding over them. But don't think that just because Prochnau is a bruiser that he isn't a nice guy; this Canadian has a humble demeanor and the spirit of a champion, and he's no stranger to the EnduroCross podium. Having spent some time racing the competitive WORCS series, Prochnau is faster than ever coming into the new season of EX, and there's a good chance that he'll be a top player throughout the series.
Jamie Lanza
If you were to give one rider the "heart" award for 2008's EX championship, it would most certainly go to 21-year-old Jamie Lanza. Standing just 5 feet 5 inches tall, Lanza's height is in no way an index for his focus, as the young ripper was a constant force in the Expert division. An animal when it comes to going fast through the nasty stuff, Lanza has consistently finished in front of much more experienced, taller and more accomplished racers, and his young career is still gaining plenty of momentum. Watch out for this guy, because he packs a lot of punch on-and even off-the racetrack!
Jamie Lanza | 
Ty Davis | |
Ty Davis
You can't consider yourself a true off-road fanatic unless you've heard of Ty Davis. At 40 years young, Davis launched his professional racing career out of the gate at age 16 and has been on one big, successful journey ever since. From his 125cc West Coast Supercross Championship in 1990 to several Baja 1000, National Enduro and Hare & Hound championships, Davis has been victorious in nearly every racing venue at which he's tried his hand. He's even scored an EnduroCross win in the Vet 35-plus class, although a top spot in the Expert class has eluded him. However, Davis still managed to sneak into nearly every main event of the 2008 season, even while managing his business and team, Zip-Ty Racing.
Phil Smage
At each round of the 2008 EnduroCross series, a trials rider was able to qualify for the Expert class main event by winning the TrialCross class. And at nearly each round of the series, Phil Smage was there to capitalize. By grabbing numerous Support class wins throughout the year, Smage made several main events and was able to nab a top 10 overall finish for the series. No slouch on a motocross machine, Phactory Phil rides his KTM 125 with style and speed, and most certainly deserves a nod as a solid, accomplished EnduroCross pro.
Mike Brown |
Kyle Calderini |
Kyle Redmond |
Mike Brown
One of the coolest things about a night at an EnduroCross race is that you will likely see heroes who are adept at several disciplines of riding, not just off-road. One such rider is KTM's ever-talented Mike Brown, a quiet Southerner who lets his resume-including a prestigious 125cc National Moto-cross championship-do the talking. Brownie has recently made the switch to off-road, and has been quite successful not only in WORCS but also in the arena-tight confines of EnduroCross. A hard-charger with one of the highest fitness levels in the sport, Brown has proven time and time again that he doesn't know the meaning of the word "quit." If anyone has the tools to quietly pull a win out from underneath the competition, it's this guy!
Kyle Calderini
If you take one part speed, one part crazy, two parts skill and mix them with one part four-stroke, you get Kyle Calderini. A journeyman racer with a true love for the sport, Calderini just wants to ride his dirt bike, be it at an AMA supercross, arenacross or EnduroCross event. With his wide-open technique and a quiet confidence, Calderini represents the typical privateer racer who probably should be pitted under the awning of a major off-road team but doesn't really care that he isn't. That said, if this young racer keeps dicing with the factory boys like he has been, his support level may start to move toward full team status. This kid rips!
Kyle Redmond
A few years ago, some kid from Southern California came out of nowhere and earned an instant reputation as one of the toughest riders in the sport. From Top American honors at extreme enduro races to solid finishes in EnduroCross, this kid popped out of the woodwork and kept it coming. His name is Kyle Redmond, and a nicer racer you would be hard pressed to find, though don't get in his way on the track because he definitely knows how to bring the heat! Redmond is your everyday, average 20-something-year-old who likes to travel the world and turn heads at every race he attends. If you ever see a leader at EnduroCross and find yourself thinking, "Who is that?" there's a pretty good chance you're talking about Kyle.
Patrick Smage
Another trials star who has found success in EnduroCross is Patrick Smage, brother of Phil Smage and a similarly talented rock-hopper. A top National Trials pro with a good sense of balance and line selection, Smage began to make himself known last year as someone with serious potential to grab a trophy, and he's certain to be successful in the Expert class if he so chooses to set his sights there. As soon as he finds a bit more sprinting speed in order to combat some of the former motocross champions, the younger Smage should be all over the front of the pack no matter whom he's lined up against.
Eric Rhoten
If you look up the word "heart" in the moto dictionary, there's a good chance you'll see a big photo of Eric Rhoten layin' waste to a big, slippery EnduroCross log. This guy may not have the fastest bike or the lowest qualifying time at every round, but he has more determination in his little finger than most racers have in their whole bodies. Rhoten can be seen charging through the worst sections on the track with unmistakable grit, and he always gets up and keeps pushing after a fall. With some strong top-five finishes and a great base of skills, this rider definitely has a bright racing future.
Eric Rhoten | 
Destry Abbott | |
Destry Abbott
Don't you dare call Destry Abbott old, because even at 37 years of age this Monster Energy Kawasaki rider will jump right in and dice with the young guns. He even writes post-race reports and has his own website at www.destryabbott.com! How cool is that? Aside from not acting his age, Destry likes to pin it on a motorcycle. He's an ace in the desert and has five AMA National Hare & Hound Championship trophies on his mantle, but that doesn't mean that Abbott is limited to just going fast outdoors-EnduroCross is right up his alley. A fixture in most main events with a calculated style, "Dusty Rabbit" is one rider you can definitely count on to come out swinging. Will 2009 be the year for Abbott to bag a win? Don't count him out!
Wally Palmer |
Sebastien Tortelli |
Mika Ahola |
Wally Palmer
Have you seen Wally Palmer race? If so, there's no doubt that you remember it; he was the guy jumping twice as high, riding twice as fast and crashing twice as hard as anyone else. Wild Wally has a unique "pin-it-to-win-it" riding style that keeps the crowd on its feet and the competition wondering how this guy is able to pull off half of the things that he does. A quiet rider off the track who admittedly "runs on adrenaline," Palmer is quite possibly the single most fantastic racer to ever not win an EnduroCross main event (although he did take a Baja Designs Night Race victory after losing his headlight, but that's a different story altogether). Nevertheless, if you only watch one racer at EnduroCross, make sure it's Wally!
Sebastien Tortelli
A two-time World MX champion, Sebastien Tortelli has had a career that most racers only dream of. Now retired from National motocross and supercross competition, Tortelli recently started the Champ Factory riding school in Perris, California. But when he's not training the bright racing stars of tomorrow, Tortelli likes to ride. A lot. He got a taste of EnduroCross in 2008 and liked what he found, so much so that he's planning on hitting more of the rounds this season. At present, Tortelli isn't certain whether he's doing the whole season or not, but if so there's a good chance that the Champ Factory could be adding another #1 plate to the wall by the time the year is through.
Mika Ahola
Never heard of Mika Ahola? That's OK, because most Americans aren't super familiar with Finnish motorcycle trivia. If they were, they would undoubtedly know about a curly-haired racer who has two World Enduro Championships and seven World Trophy victories with Team Finland at the International Six Days Enduro. A former podium finisher, Ahola knows exactly what it takes to get to the top in EnduroCross, and there's a very good chance that we'll see him there again soon. Plane tickets from Finland to the U.S. and back aren't exactly cheap, but let's hope that this talented racer takes the plunge again soon because he is a joy to watch on the track. Skilled, fit and hungry for a win, Mika Ahola is a name that every EX fan should know.
Jason Raines
A star rider on Randy Hawkins' famed AmPro/Yamaha off-road team, Jason Raines is a serious threat wherever he goes. His conditioning is incredible. His technique is nearly perfect. And when he gets his rhythm going, look out! This year, Raines plans on hitting select races from all of the big off-road series and then sticking with whichever championships he is most successful in. We can tell you right now that he may have a hard time deciding which one to go with, because the five-time AMA National Hare Scrambles champion has the ability to be a front-runner in every discipline of off-road there is! From the woods of National Enduro to the bogs on the GNCC tour and even onto the tight confines of a legit EnduroCross course, Raines rocks the track and rides his Yamaha for all it's worth.
Hungry for some EnduroCross race action? The 2009 season spans six rounds all over the U.S., so there is no reason not to get in on the action! Whether you want to attend as a spectator or as a participant, tickets and entries are available online, along with a wealth of information regarding the series. For more, log on to www.endurocross.com.
2009 AMA/ Geico EnduroCross Presented by E3 Spark Plugs Schedule:
Las Vegas, NV - July 25
Guthrie, OK - August 15
Florence, SC - September 12
Columbus, OH - October 3
Denver, CO - October 24
Las Vegas, NV - November 21