23.10.2020
Round 1 - AMA EnduroCross Series - October 23, 2020
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Canadian rider Trystan Hart made his official debut with the FMF KTM Factory Racing Team on Friday for the 2020 AMA EnduroCross Series opener at Glen Helen Raceway, where he just missed the overall podium in fourth overall. KTM-Supported rider Cooper Abbott, Hart’s former FMF/RPM/KTM Racing Team Maxxis teammate, had a stand-out performance at Round 1 earning a career-first overall podium in the Super Pro class by virtue of a career-first race-win in the second moto.
Hart started off strong by capturing the fastest time in the day’s Hot Lap aboard his KTM 350 EXC-F, which placed him in a favorable starting position for the first of three motos. In the first race, Hart got off to a top-three start and quickly moved into second as he set his sights on the leader just ahead. While attempting to pass for the lead, Hart went down and he dropped outside the top-five early on. He was able to re-mount and charge his way back into podium contention around the halfway point and he rode strong in the final laps to secure the last podium position behind two of the series’ multi-time champions.
For the second moto, riders were inverted from race one’s results to determine their start positions, thus placing Hart on the second row.He battled through the chaos on the opening lap to sit just outside the top-10 early on but he ended up going down hard on lap two and he lost substantial time dropping him to the back of the pack. He immediately put his head down and charged through the field to ultimately salvage eighth in that race.
For the final moto, start positions were based on the race two results and Hart was able to capitalize on a clear start as he powered his way into second early on. He maintained second for the first half of the race until another crash sent him back to fourth. He quickly demanded the third-place position and he finished strong with another podium in race three. Despite a tough second moto, Hart was able to finish just off the overall podium in fourth with a pair of consistent third-place finishes in tow.
Trystan Hart: “It was a tough night for me. I got the fastest hot lap and from there it kind of went downhill. I had good speed to run up front tonight but crashes kept me from reaching my full potential. I’m excited to hit the restart button and try again tomorrow.”
For Abbott, the night went fairly smooth as he positioned himself upright and on-track throughout the night. The young rider showcased his strength and ability against the most seasoned riders in the sport and he held tough to come away with his first-career win in the pro class, along with a pair of solid fourth-place finishes to give him a spot on the overall podium.
Cooper Abbott: “I’m extremely pumped to get my first-career podium at Round 1 against a stacked group of racers. I’m really hoping to carry this momentum into the rest of the season.”
In the Women’s class, KTM-supported rider Shelby Turner dominated the competition to claim the first victory of the season in the class. She also put forth an impressive performance to take the Amateur class win, where she came away from Round 1 as a double-winner.
Round 2 of the series will take place tomorrow, October 24 once again at Glen Helen Raceway. For more information on the series and full results, visit
www.endurocross.com.
Super Pro Class Results – Round 1
1. Colton Haaker, Husqvarna, 2-1-1
2. Cody Webb, Sherco, 2-2-2
3. Cooper Abbott, KTM, 4-1-4
4. Trystan Hart, KTM, 3-8-3
OTHER KTM
10. William Riordan, KTM
11. Anthony Johnson
12. Ryder Leblond, KTM
13. Branden Petrie, KTM
14. Spenser Wilton, KTM
16. James Flynn, KTM