After taking a hard earned third place at the Boise EnduroCross, Factory Husqvarna rider Cory Graffunder is building a head of steam headed towards the last round of the 2012 EnduroCross in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 17. The Vegas round is the only round that offers "2 Main Events" for the price of one. "Last year I made it on the box in the first main, but I also dislocated my finger on the last lap of the race. I hit a post and my finger just popped out. I put it back in place myself [while being interviewed for the Lucas Oil TV show] and raced the second main, got 6th, but had a lot of trouble hanging on." (The finger was broken and still dislocated he was told two days after the race.) Cory took a Bronze at the 2012 X Games, but has been off the pace until Boise. " After X Games I was in the points lead for the AMA Western Hare Scrambles Series with on round left. I was at Glen Helen and got landed on and crashed hard. The injury was a broken big toe [3 pins and 20 stiches] and a back injury. [cracked tail bone] I had 4 1/2 weeks until the "Big Sky" event. After about three weeks the stiches came out, next week the pins and with a few days left the doctor told me it was my choice to ride, so off to Montana. My back was still hurting and I smashed my foot about 5 miles from the finish, but my Husky 511 did the job and I won the Championship." Cory would go on to take the runner-up spot in the WORCS Pro 2 Championship as well. He would also suffer an injury to his ankle and the same toe he had broken during the WORCS Race. "Being injured is part of the sport, but I think I have had my fair share this year. I was off the bike until three days before the Denver EX and did not make the main event. When I got back to California I went into full EX training. I also did some "ditch digging" constuction work with Jamie Lanza. We would work 8 hours then ride for 4 hours. I was feeling better, but my timing was off. I made the main event, in Everett Washington and finished 6th. With only a week between rounds, I just prepared for Boise. The Idaho round was good for me, I won my heat and went stright into the main event, firts time all season. The Boise track was so hard that all of the Pro's were having trouble. I knew that the total amount of mistakes, or lack of, would determine the race. My Husky 310 gave me a great start and I was in third place in the first few laps. Taddy (KTM) and Cody (Beta) were gone, but my teammate Kyle Redmond, Justin Solue' and Taylor Robert, all put a charge on me. I was able to hold each rider off and finish third to Taddy and Cody and got a spot on the "box" for Husky and the rest of my sponsor's. I feel I am 90% and will be at 100% for Vegas." The last round of EnduroCross is held at the Orlean's Arena. The Amateur program is on Friday November 16, which is free to the public. The Pro's will trake to the track at 2:00 pm on Saturday, November 17, for practice and the MVP Hot Lap, wich is also free to the public. The pits are open and the doors of the Arena will open at 6:00 PM for a "meet and greet" with the riders and a full vendor display of the best Off-Road Products in the country. This will be a sell-out get your tickets or listen to the "live" web cast. For more information go to EnduroCross.com. DB in AZ
