Press Release

GEICO EnduroCross interview: Colton Haaker


GEICO
EnduroCross Interview: ’09 E3 Spark Plugs Pro Junior Champ Colton
Haaker


One
of America’s top young off-road racers is back to defend his EX
title beginning this weekend in Las Vegas




IRVINE,
Calif., (July 12, 2010) –
When
dreams of being a professional motocross racer are cut short for
whatever reason – as they are for the vast majority of kids that
choose that path – most seem to slowly gravitate away from the
competitive side of the sport, eventually becoming motocross dads
themselves down the road.



For
GEICO AMA EnduroCross, presented by E3 Spark Plugs’ Colton
Haaker
, 20, the journey was
no different. A promising young MX talent with fine dirt bike
pedigree (his father’s a two-time ISDE medalist), Haaker was
considered one of the top ten national amateur prospects five years
ago. But a series of wrecks and subsequent TBIs forced the Haaker’s
to pull the plug on Colton’s pro motocross dreams – though that’s
not to say he quit dirt bikes altogether.



Opting
for the equally aggressive sport of Trials, with a somewhat lesser of
a chance of being injured due to another rider’s mistake, Haaker
turned pro at 16 and won his first AMA national Trials title – 125
Expert – two years later. Joining the GEICO EnduroCross Series in
2007, Haaker would contest all the rounds on a Montesa Trials bike
and wrapped up the season with a 4th
place finish at the Vegas finals, often times competing against guys
upwards of a decade older than him.



While
continuing to hone his off road skills in 2008, Haaker would
eventually land on Lucas Oil’s radar and the EnduroCross-friendly
lubricant giant would back Haaker so that he could travel to a
mixture of off-road events, including Trials Nationals, WORCS,
EnduroCross and the ISDE Qualifiers – where Haaker was named to the
’08 America’s Junior Team.



Rallying
back from a 2008 season-ending injury in Spain (collarbone), this
past year’s efforts would culminate with Haaker being named the
2009 E3 Spark Plugs EnduroCross Pro Junior Championship overall
winner. GEICO EnduroCross caught up with Haaker at his home in
Murietta, Calif., as he was getting things ready for the Orleans
Arena season opener this Saturday, July 17th.




GEICO
EnduroCross:
Yeah, Colton.
You back on the Kawi this year?



Colton
Haaker:
Yep, with Lucas Oil
Racing.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
Do you get a
chance to defend your E3 Spark Plugs EnduroCross Pro Junior
Championship?



Colton
Haaker:
Yeah, it’s 21
years and younger.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
What have you
been doing during the off-season to get ready for EX?



Colton
Haaker:
I moved to
Murietta, moved out of my parent’s house, to fend for myself –
grow up a little bit. Been riding some WORCS races, then raced the
AMA Motocross round up at Hangtown – which was my first-ever pro
motocross. I was able to qualify for the day program and ended up
like 30th
overall.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
How’d you do
in your WORCS race?



Colton
Haaker:
I got 2nd
in the Pro 2 class at round four.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
You had to be
pretty pumped with Hangtown, qualifying on your first try and all.



Colton
Haaker:
Yeah, I wish I
could have done a bit better. My bike was pretty stock.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
Did it still
have the price tag on it from the dealership?



Colton
Haaker:
Just about
(laughter). Basically just pulled it out of my garage and went
racing.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
Are you
running any more MX Nationals this summer?



Colton
Haaker:
I’ll probably do
Washougal, run a 450 there though. EnduroCross is only six rounds, so
I could fit in some more motocrosses. If I had some more help from
the Kawasaki factory I think I could do a lot better.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
Your dad’s a
two-time ISDE medalist (Bronze in Holland ’84 and again in Spain in
’85). Do you hope to match his accomplishments some day?



Colton
Haaker:
I figure that’s
probably in my future, yeah. It’d be pretty cool to go there and
represent your country, know that you’re one of the best off-road
riders out there. Hopefully at some point of my career I can achieve
that.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
We’re
fortunate to have here in the States the world’s premier indoor
off-road racing series. That said, what do you feel is the most
difficult aspect of GEICO EnduroCross?



Colton
Haaker:
The most difficult
part is staying out of trouble. It’s such a small track and there’s
so much that can go on with other riders … just staying clean and
getting some luck on your side will go a long ways in EnduroCross.
You could be having a great night and some guy falls in front of you
and you have nowhere to go. So the most difficult part is actually
racing it.
A lot of people can ride EnduroCross, but to race it is a LOT
different.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
Last year you
placed 4th
overall in the premier class in GEICO EnduroCross, just four points
back of Damon Huffman for an overall podium spot (115-111). That and
the E3 Spark Plugs EnduroCross Pro Junior Championship under your
belt, do you feel you’ve got a pretty good shot at the overall
title this year versus guys like Taddy Blazusiak and Ricky Dietrich?



Colton
Haaker:
Yeah, for sure. As
a matter of fact Ricky Dietrich lives right down the street from me
and his old mechanic is my mechanic this year. I’ve never really
had anybody help me a lot, outside my dad, so that’s been a lot of
help having Tanner there already. I’m going into this year with
more experience and I’m as good as I can be right now. I know Taddy
and those guys are the same, so I’m going to give it my best and
race like I came to win.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
Last question.
How would you explain EnduroCross to your buddies that don’t ride –
but are into action sports.



Colton
Haaker:
I’d just say
‘Have you ever seen six lead changes in one lap?’ Nobody’s
invincible in this sport. Taddy was the best guy last year, but a lot
of guys are going to have it for him this year. We’ve got two new
venues, Indy and Washington, with new locations bringing out new
people to watch EnduroCross. Pumped to get things going this week in
Vegas.



GEICO
EnduroCross:
Right on.
Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Colton, and good luck
next Saturday, July 17th,
at the Orleans.



Colton
Haaker:
Thanks. Gonna be a
great race to open the 2010 EnduroCross season in Vegas. Place is
always packed and the racing’s unreal. Look forward to seeing
everyone there next Saturday!



EnduroCross
tracks incorporate various elements of off road racing into a
supercross-style setting, including rocks, boulders, logs, sand, mud,
a water-hole … and even a few special obstacles like giant tires
thrown in! Known as the “toughest racing on two wheels,”
this indoor version of extreme off road racing will certainly keep
you on your feet. With its excitement and unpredictability the
EnduroCross championship has always gone down to the wire and this
year will be no different as the series starts and finishes at Vegas’
Orleans Arena! Don’t miss your chance to see GEICO Powersports AMA
Endurocross “Live.”



ENDUROCROSS
is a registered trademark of Source Interlink Magazines, LLC.



For
rules and race information visit www.EnduroCross.com
or email endurocross@sourceinterlink.com


For
TV airing dates/times visit www.motorsportshour.com



Source
Interlink Media Motorsports
:
Encompassing
the highly successful
AMA
GEICO MiniMotoSX presented by Monster Energy
,
the
AMA
GEICO EnduroCross Championship Series, presented by E3 Spark Plugs
and
the

AMA EnduroCross Grand Championships
,
the Source Interlink Media Motorsports brands reach millions of
motorcycle enthusiasts with live events, DVD packages, web sites,
television and magazine coverage. Visit
www.minimotosx.com
or
www.endurocross.com.


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