Invited Riders for 2011 X Games Enduro X
Published June 22nd, 2011
World class field of riders set to fight for Gold!
A World Class field of riders have been invited for the first ever X Games Enduro X event. Poland’s Taddy Blazusiak is the two time defending GEICO AMA EnduroCross Champion and he will be the heavy favorite; but the opportunity for X Games gold has attracted a long list of riders that will be sure to give him a challenge. American Geoff Aaron has been the biggest thorn in Blazusiak’s side the past few years and he will be armed with a new GEICO Honda. Ricky Dietrich won the 2008 EnduroCross championship and has now shifted his focus to the Lucas Oil AMA Motocross Championship, so it will be interesting to see if he can use what he has learned to take gold. And then you have a few young guns in Lucas Oil backed Colton Haaker and Zip Ty Husqvarna’s Cory Graffunder that are sure to mix things up. Frenchman Antoin Meo, the World Enduro Champion and Monster Energy Husqvarna rider that is also currently leading the World Enduro Championship points will be joined by Germany’s Andreas Lettenbichler. Lettenbichler, who was the 2009 Romaniacs Extreme Enduro winner, will also try to take the gold back to Europe.
You can bet it will be a stacked field fighting for the podium positions at the Staples Center. Below is the list of riders expected to compete.
| Rider | Comments | Country | Team/Bike |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taddy Blazusiak | 2009 and 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Champion 2009 and 2010 FIM World Indoor Enduro Champion Winner of some of the world’s toughest “Extreme Enduro†events |
Poland | Team KTM |
| Geoff Aaron | 10 Time AMA Trials Champion 2009 and 2010 AMA EnduroCross championship runner-up 2x EnduroCross main event winner |
USA | GEICO Honda |
| Ricky Dietrich | 2008 EnduroCross Champion 2007 WORCS Champion Currently racing AMA Motocross Championship |
USA | Vali Motorsports Yamaha |
| Mike Brown | 2009 WORCS Champion 2001 AMA 125 Motocross Champion |
USA | Team FMF KTM |
| Colton Haaker | 2009 and 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Junior Champion (Expert class riders 21 and under) | USA | Team Lucas Oil KTM |
| Kurt Caselli | Multi time top American at International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) 2006 and 2010 WORCS Champion |
USA | Team FMF KTM |
| Cody Webb | 2010 AMA Trials Champion 3rd place at 2010 EnduroCross final in Vegas |
USA | Team Beta |
| Destry Abbott | 5x AMA Hare & Hound Champion | USA | Monster Energy Kawasaki |
| Justin Soule | 3rd in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | Monster Energy Kawasaki |
| Kendal Norman | Multi time Baja 1000 and Baja 500 Champion 2010 AMA Hare & Hound Champion |
USA | JCR Honda |
| Cory Graffunder | Canadian Off Road Champion 4th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship |
Canada | Zip Ty Husqvarna |
| Andreas Lettenbichler | 2009 Romaniacs Extreme Enduro Winner Multi time German Off Road champion |
Germany | Husqvarna |
| Antoine Meo | 2010 E1 World Enduro Champion | France | Husqvarna |
| Joachim Lundgren | 2010 World Indoor Enduro 1 Championship runner up | Sweden | Husaberg |
| Bobby Prochnau | Multi time Canadian Off Road Champion | Canada | KTM |
| Ivan Ramirez | Multi time Mexican Off Road Champion | Mexico | KTM |
| Kyle Redmond | 5th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | GEICO Honda |
| Gary Sutherlin | 6th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | Kawasaki |
| Kevin Rookstool | 8th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | KTM |
| Jamie Lanza | 11th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship Former WORCS Pro 2 Champion |
USA | Zip Ty Husqvarna |
| Rory Sullivan | 12th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | Kawasaki |
| Matt Oppen | 13th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | Kawasaki |
| Jacob Argubright | 15th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | Kawasaki |
| Wally Palmer | 16th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | GEICO Honda |
| Keith Sweeten | 17th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | KTM |
| Ryan Rodgers | 19th in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | GEICO Honda |
| Corey Floyd | 21st in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | Kawasaki |
| Ryan Sandoval | 22nd in 2010 GEICO EnduroCross Championship | USA | Zip Ty Husqvarna |
| Taylor Robert | Top WORCS Championship competitor | USA | Monster Energy Kawasaki |
| Eric Sorby | Former top Motocross racer | France | TBD |
Tickets for X Games 17 will be available for purchase June 23 at all Ticketmaster locations and the box office at STAPLES Center.
2011 GEICO AMA EnduroCross Schedule
Location | Date | Arena / Additional Information
Los Angeles, CA | July 31, 2011 | Staples Center    (Expert only during X-Games)
Everett, WA | August 13, 2011 | Comcast Arena
Indianapolis, IN | August 26, 2011 | Pepsi Coliseum   (Friday during MotoGP weekend)
Ontario, CA | September 17, 2011 | Citizens Bank Arena
Denver, CO | October 1, 2011 | National Western Complex
Boise, ID | October 22, 2011 | Idaho Center
Las Vegas, NV | November 19, 2011 | Orleans Arena     (Double Main event)
EnduroCross tracks incorporate various elements of extreme 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 off road racing will certainly keep you on your feet. Don’t miss your chance to see GEICO AMA EnduroCross “Liveâ€Â. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC will combine to telecast 25 hours of live X Games 17 competition, which will include Enduro X. For the six remaining EnduroCross events, be sure to log-on to www.motorsportshour.com for local air dates/times for the Lucas Motorsports Hour on the Versus network.ÂÂ
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