Devon HenryThe thrills and wildness of AMA Endurocross returned to Prescott Valley this weekend for Round 2 of their 2023.
Defending Endurocross champion, Johnny Walker, swept the season opener two weeks ago in Everett, WA, and was on a mission to keep that momentum rolling in the second event of the season. The Endurocross Pro Series utilizes a three-moto format, where all qualifying riders race three main events and collect points in every race to determine the overall event winner.
Waker picked up where he left off in the season opener as he stole the pole in hot laps. Early in Moto 1, the 2019 Prescott Valley victor Colton Haaker owned the lead but Walker continued to stalk the former champ, laid down pressure, and with two laps to go Haaker laid down the bike. Walker took advantage and made it four for four, to continue his undefeated stretch in 2023. Haaker would get back up in time to salvage a second-place finish.
In the second moto, the grid gets inverted based on the results of Moto 1, so Walker and Haaker had to start in the back row. But in a relentless push by those two riders, they bullied their way into the top five within just two laps. Cody Webb swiped the lead for the first time tonight but in the same lap, Walker stole the lead away and deprived the field of yet another moto victory. Haaker would earn another second-place finish while Webb rounded out the podium in third.
Moto 3 was the final chance for the field to end Walker’s perfect. Haaker took the point early but Walker was set to pounce. They banged bars coming to the white and the Englishman, Johnny Walker, claimed the checkered flag and remains perfect in 2023 winning all six of the motos through the first two rounds. Haaker would once again finish the moto in second in the moto and in the overall while Webb also concluded the moto and overall in the third position.
Walker owns the points lead while Webb sits second in points with a narrow margin over Haaker in third with four rounds remaining. Peoria, AZ’s Cooper Abbott holds the seventh position in the points, and New River, AZ’s Max Gerston resides in eighth.
Endurocross drops the gate on rounds three and four next weekend in an Idaho Falls doubleheader.
Time to dig into the @EnduroXSeries Support Series races from Prescott Valley!
Congrats Expert winner Dominik Olszowy, Veteran winner David Kamo, Intermediate & Junior winner Jack Williford, Novice winner Declan McCahill, & Women's winner Rachel Gutish! #EnduroCross #EXonMAVTV pic.twitter.com/joOw3mvz1X
— Devon Henry (@devonhenry77) October 22, 2023
