Monster Energy Kawasaki Under the Tent

Consistency Crowned the Champion
Dietrich was a constant threat for the podium, taking his place there five out of six rounds this season. He was also the only competitor to make all six main events.

“The main idea behind EnduroCross is to be consistent,” said Dietrich. “I was able to do that this year and it ended up paying off. After finishing second in the WORCS series, its like redemption to win this championship. I’ve worked really hard for it and I can’t wait to run the number one next year.”

A Great Night
Dietrich’s 2008 off-road season continued to bring recognition to the young rider’s success. The AMA Racing Athlete of the Year award was presented to Dietrich in front of thousands of people during opening ceremonies.

“It was a complete shock to me,” said Dietrich. “I knew that I was up for the award, but I had no clue that they were going to present it when they did. I am really honored and I hope that I can continue to represent off-road racing in the best possible way.”

What He Needed To Do
Dietrich’s teammate Huffman took two wins this season, finishing just five points behind first. During the penultimate round in Ohio, Huffman rode through a dislocated finger, but gave up his lead to Dietrich when he did not make the main. He rode flawlessly all night in Vegas and came away with his third win of the six-round series.

“The season went really well for me,” said Huffman. “I did what I needed to do tonight in order to be a threat for the championship. In the end it wasn’t my season for the championship, but I am really happy to come away with second considering I had the problem with my finger in Ohio. I love EnduroCross and I’m really excited to be racing it again next year.”

Dusty Rabbit
Coming out to have a little fun, Abbott showed speed during practice and qualifying. In his heat, he was taken out in the first few turns and went to the semi-final. He won the semi and advanced to the main event to finish with a solid eighth.

More Coverage
The sport of off-road racing is getting its chance to shine on TV with each round being broadcast on the Versus network. Dietrich and Huffman got a chance to kick off the coverage on Saturday with special guest announcers Larry Huffman and David Bailey.

“Its really exciting to see a sport like EnduroCross take off,” said Huffman. “The crowd was great tonight and it really gets you pumped up for the race. I hope that more and more people realize how fun this kind of racing can be.”

Fancy Helmet
Dietrich decided to get a little crafty with his helmet for the last round in Las Vegas. His helmet was covered with the finest stickers and glitter that money can buy.

“I figured it was Vegas and I wanted to have something special to wear,” said Dietrich. “I spent a good $60 at Michael’s to make sure it looked this good.”

The Stache
To keep things upbeat and fun, Huffman decided to race the final EnduroCross with the best groomed moustache in the pits. After growing it out for a Halloween costume, he kept it for good luck in the finale.

“I was really hoping that the stache would give me a little power tonight and I think it ended up working out quite well,” said Huffman. “Maybe I’ll bring it back for next year.”

2009 Off-Road Team
The Monster Energy Kawasaki off-road team will be gearing up for 2009 with the same trio that brought them two championships in 2008. Abbott, Dietrich, and Huffman will be leading the charge on the all-new 2009 KX™450F and KX™250F.

No Shave for Ricky
There was more than a championship on the line in Vegas for Dietrich. Off-Road Supervisor Jason Smigel made a bet with Dietrich that if he didn’t win the championship, he was going to have to shave just the top part of his head and then go out all night looking a bit awkward. Fortunately for Dietrich, he won the championship, and got to keep his hair.

Results

AMA EnduroCross Championship Series
Orleans Arena – Las Vegas, NV

Expert Class Main Event Results
1. DAMON HUFFMAN, VALENCIA, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI
2. RICKY DIETRICH, MENIFEE, CALIF., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI
3. Geoff Aaron, KTM
4. Taddy Blasuziak, KTM
5. Bobby Prochnau, KTM
6. Mike Ahola, Honda
7. Patrick Smage, KTM
8. DESTRY ABBOTT, PEORIA, ARIZ., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI
9. Kyle Calderini, Honda
10. Kyle Redmond, KTM
11. Mike Brown, KTM