Colton Haaker Clinches the EnduroCross Junior Pro Championship
November 25, 2009 Finishing fourth in the Pro Main Event last Saturday night in the Las
Vegas finals I clinched the E3 Spark Plugs Junior Pro Championship. The
night did not start too hot as I had a terrible hot lap and later found
myself in a first turn pile-up in my heat race. Getting up second to
last neck and neck with Blazusiak, we would both make an impressive run
to the front to finish the heat in first and second transferring
straight to the main. I kept him in check the entire race... In the
main event I started in sixth position by the third turn I was in
third, by the fourth turn nearly last!!!!!! As I was headed into this
rock turn I had Destry Abbott ahead of me who decided to take a close
look at the rocks and auger in leaving me stuck, with nowhere to go
right behind him. Sitting there for what felt like an eternity I
finally squeezed by him to stall it right after. Solidifying my nearly
last place position. Moving my way up through the pack I found myself
in a battle for third with Huffman who was only one point ahead of me
for third in points going into the race. It was down to the last lap
whoever finished ahead of there would be on the podium and finish the
year third points. We went into the same rock turn that gave me fits on
the first lap. I went down right in the beginning of it, and as I was
getting up Huffman went down as well. However he remounted and kept me
at bay for the remainder of the lap.
On another note fourth position was more than good enough to clinch the
Junior Pro Championship and I was able to celebrate on the podium. It
was a great year, a learning year. I won a championship, not the
championship i set out to win but being two Pro championships to win
this year I'm happy I was able to get the only other available one.
Next year I get to defend that title and go for the premiere
championship.
I want to thank everyone who supported me this year. My sponsors,
family, supporters, friends. Everybody was really pulling for me and I
could tell. I appreciate it very much and hope to continue to repay
that support with podiums, wins and championships.
Thank you to: Lucas Oil Products and Studios, Kawasaki, Bully Dog, Klen
Laundry, Shoei, Scott USA, Alpinestars, Dunlop, Tubliss, Motion Pro,
Works Connection, Ride Pg, Guts, Acerbis, Yoshimura, themotodoc.com, my
parents, family and friends, Cassie Simpson, Scott McClemore, Jason
Smigel, Jeff Decker, and Bob Patison.
