Blazusiak kicked off his day by
setting the fastest hot lap to set
the starting order for the first of
three motos with a time of 35.61.
FactoryONE Sherco rider Cody
Webb had the second-fastest time
of 35.64. Webb's Sherco team-
mate, Cooper Abbott, had the
third fastest hot lap with a 36.34
lap time. Gutzeit was fourth fastest
while Beta rider Jonny Walker
rounded out the top five.
Four-time and defending AMA
EnduroCross Champion Colton
Haaker had a tough time in the
hot lap. He went down in the
firewood section and pulled up
the rear when all was said and
done, giving him last choice for
starting position in race one.
Blazusiak took the Moose
Holeshot and an early lead in
moto one ahead of Hart, Webb
and Walker. Blazusiak held onto
the lead for the duration of the
race, though Hart was closing
the gap lap after lap until a hic-
cup in the rock garden slowed
him down right before the white
flag came out. Walker took third.
Haaker also had issues after
starting on the second row. A
midrace fall in the rock garden
kept him out of the top five, plac-
ing sixth.
The second moto, which in-
verts the 16 riders' finish positions
from race one for gate picks, so
the top eight riders start on the
second row. Nick Thompson shot
out of the gate for the holeshot
with Abbott and Hart right behind
him. A few laps in, Thompson
ROUND 1 / SEPTEMBER 18, 2022
MAVERIK CENTER / SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH
P70
OFF-ROAD I GEICO AMA ENDUROCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP
Defending champ Colton Haaker
had a tough night. He could never
find his rhythm after stumbling in
the hot lap competition.
