Las Vegas, Nev. – Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Dietrich rode with the heart of a champion, finishing just two tenths of a second behind the race winner during the season opener of the AMA EnduroCross Series at the Orleans Arena. The race lead changed several times throughout the eight-lap main event, eventually coming down to the last straightaway where Dietrich nearly chased down the leader at the finish. Teammates Damon Huffman and Destry Abbott finished ninth and 10th, respectively.

The opening round in Las Vegas has always been full of anticipation and the 2009 season opener was no exception. Dietrich came out swinging with a heat win and the action didn’t stop there. The eight-lap main event was like no other with several lead changes, lots of crashes, fans out of their seats, and a photo finish.

“I got a decent start (in the main) and tried to push it,” said Dietrich. “It was pretty much Taddy (Blazusiak) and me going at it for most of the race. I was waiting for him to make a mistake, but in the end I think we both made about 20 mistakes. At least that’s what it seemed like. It was a tough race though. I know I rode with a lot of heart and it seemed like he did too.”

The biggest and most challenging part of racing EnduroCross is making it to the main event. Abbott was a testament to how difficult it can be, but how rewarding it is after crossing the line and advancing. Although he crashed in the main event, he gave it his best shot to finish 10th.

“My heat race was stacked and I had to go to the semi,” said Abbott. “I grabbed the holeshot there and led the entire race, which felt good. The main was good, but I went down in the rock pile. I bent my front end pretty good. When the wheel was straight my bars were turned completely sideways. I should have tried to fix it, but I pushed on and struggled because of that.”

Huffman ran smooth and consistent in practice and transferred directly to the main from his stacked first heat. In the main, he got a good jump at the start, but got pushed out and had to grind his way back up. After a few crashes, Huffman settled for ninth place.

“I felt okay in practice, but I wasn’t ever really comfortable with the track,” said Huffman. “I was riding really tight and the track got pretty slippery in the main event. Everyone in the main event was capable of going fast. The start killed me. In the back, people go down in front of you and it’s a lot harder to ride the lines you want. Last year I got fifth in the first round, we tested to make improvements and came back strong. I think we are going to have to go out and do the same thing this time.“

There’s something about Las Vegas that draws in a big crowd to the Orleans Arena for the kick-off of off-roads most spectator-friendly racing. In the main event, it was hard to find a spectator that wasn’t out of their seat.

“I really like Vegas,” said Huffman. “The fans here are always great and the track is usually fun and challenging. It seems like the series is continuing to grow and I can’t wait for the rest of the season.”

After a successful season in 2008, the Monster Energy Kawasaki team returned to the same arena to defend the top-two number plates that Dietrich and Huffman achieved eight months ago.

“It’s a good feeling riding around with the No. 1 plate,” said Dietrich. “I do have to say that I feel a lot more confident this year than I did last year. I feel like I’m riding a lot better than what I was last year. I’ve been lucky enough to have a number one plate before and I know I am going to be the one with the bulls eye all season long.”

Although Josh Morros has competed in local events, the AMA EnduroCross was his first national event that he has entered in since his major injury crash last August. His progress is nothing but miraculous and the mere fact that he is riding less than a year after his accident is an accomplishment in itself.

“I’ve actually done a few races before this weekend, but this race was one of the biggest,” said Morros. “I’ve never done an EnduroCross before and I think I just got my feet wet here. I don’t think I did well, but I’m getting a lot of good comments back. I set my expectations really high so I expect to meet them.”

The EnduroCross riders head to the Mid-West in less than a month for Round 2 of the series in Guthrie, Oklahoma. The track is the biggest on the circuit and keeps the race to a fast pace.

“I have finished second the last two years in Oklahoma and I think the track really suits my style,” said Huffman. “It’s a little more open rather than super tight. I’m taking this series one race at a time. I’m looking forward to the next round.”