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Brabec Battles to a Victorious Finish! The AMA KENDA/SRT National Hare and Hound racing action returned to the desert this past weekend where over 300 of America’s gnarliest off-road racers took to the 80-mile course for a chance at once again conquering a Hare and Hound. The notoriously difficult Desert MC round, which has historically been the opening round of the series is known for being difficult, and this year the host club did not disappoint. Two loops, and near perfect racing conditions meant that racers would be treated to some of the best desert dirt in the history of the series, and the battles were fierce all the way through the finish. YOUTH
Youth racing kicked off on Saturday after record rainfall in Southern California, and it was Nephi Utah’s Ryder Sperry who took the win in the first event of the season. Making the 8 hour trek south with his family, Sperry completed lap one in third place and would battle his way to the front by the end of the third loop. As the only rider to finish 5 loops, Sperry took the win, $25 contingency from Fasst Co., and the points lead as the series heads east to New Mexico. Joining Sperry on the podium were Sean Taylor Freeman of New Mexico and Brennen Watson of Victorville. Look for these three to go at it again as Freeman welcomes the fast 50cc racers to his hometown desert in February. The second race of the day on Saturday saw the Girls division battle it out with the 65cc class. Local youth fast racers Laci Olivas and Andrew Schulz put on a show taking turns trading for the lead. Schulz who is known for being a multi-time 50cc champion in the series held his 65cc KTM wide open trying to keep up with Laci Olivas out front. The racing action was intense as the two leaders came through the scoring shoot at the end of the fourth lap side by side. In the end it was Laci Olivas who would take the checkers first (and $25 contingency from Fasst Co.), followed by Ty Woolslayer and Kassidy Laswell who finished second and third in the girls division on the day. Schulz held on to finish first in the 65cc class, and second overall by more than two minutes. Joining Andrew on the podium were Jett Lessing and Lane Forbes our reigning 65cc champion.
Closing out the day on Saturday, the heavy hitters of the youth course hit the Zip Ty Start Line in a first-ever event for the NHHA where youth racers were fighting for an overall and their chance at winning some of the contingency offered up by Fasst Co. Mason Matthies proved to be dominate on the day leading wire to wire to collect the $50 contingency from Fasst Co. The wet dirt meant awesome traction, and he screamed his Yamaha 85 to first overall by more than a minute thirty come the KTM Finish Line. Joining Matthies up on the box were Hagen Boyce and Cody Kurtz. Carson Boyce finning first in the Jr. 85cc class followed by Maxwell Shapiro and Cayden Chidester.
BIG BIKE
The racing action was intense out front, with a photo finish at the checkers to determine the winner, but it was the stories of the A, B, and C riders who stole the day. Riders like Chris Swanson who came out for his first time ever to try a NHHA event, only to put in a solid ride finishing 24th overall and first B rider come the checkers. Or Forest Minchington who spends his days traveling the world surfing and riding dirtbike in exotic locals such as Costa Rica who finished 26th overall after a dead last start from the A row. It takes a special class of racer to conquer and NHHA event and over 200 riders proved to be of that class on Sunday morning. One position what is notorious for dedication is the last rider to finish a Desert MC event. As the final finisher at any NHHA event, it is obvious that the rider has dedication, but when you mix in the fact that it was Desert MC and one of the coldest and most difficult events on the schedule, and you have someone who embodies the heart of a true off-road racer. This years final finisher was first time desert racer Edmond Reedy who finished the 80 mile course in 5 hours 31 minutes and 53 seconds which was good enough to collect 4th in the Open C division. Regardless of the fact that it took him more than three and a half hours longer than the first overall finisher, Edmond gets to add his name to the mix of some of the best off-road racers in the world. ATV
Chris wasn’t the only ATV racer this weekend as over 20 bikes tackled the course trying to prove they had what it took to finish the grueling course. Second on the day was Robbie Cockrell who has seen his own share of NHHA ATV wins. Third on the day was our 2016 champion, and 2016 AMA ATV Racer of the year Colt Brinkerhoff. Brinkerhoff had to borrow his sister-in-laws 250R after last minute bike trouble rendered his 450 unrideable. Look for these three to battle thought the season as any of the above are capable of taking a win in the ATV class.
WOMEN The NHHA always plays host to some of the fastest woman on two wheels and round one did not disappoint. Round one saw entries from multi-time X Games Medal winners, AMA Endurocross Champions, GNCC Champions and some of the most amazing female athletes in the world. Leading the pack was non-other than FMF KTM Factory Racing's Kacy Martinez who is tackling the series full time for her first time. At 53rd overall, Martinez held her own against the boys finishing just an hour off the pace of the fastest racers and took home the Elegant Cabinetry $500 Woman’s Pro bounty. Joining Martinez on the box, each taking their share of the Elegant Cabinetry #WomenofNHHA purse were Brittney Gallegos ($300) and Rachel Gutish ($200). PRO 250
Also new for 2017, the NHHA has secured a purse to pay all the way out to 10th overall. Round one 10th overall finisher was Ryan Smith who collected the Chidester Transport Racing cool $100 courtesy of the #chidester10thoverall prize. Collecting funds as part of the #upandcoming racing fund, which is provided courtesy of Rick’s Custom Shutters and Blinds, were Alex Pearson, Justin Morgan, and Nic Garvin who took home $175, $150, $125 respectively. Nick Burson on his new Purvines Yamaha finshed the day at 6th overall and collected $200 as part of the #triplethreat prize money which is sponsored by Rick’s Custom Shutters and Blinds.
PRO The story of the day, however, was the top five racers who swapped positions for the lead more times than we have events this season. Battling it out Bar to Bar, Joe Wasson, Jacob Argubright, Gary Sutherlin, Taylor Robert, and Ricky Brabec each took turns leading on the day. Think about those names, and the caliber of events that each of the five have competed in over the years, and you get a sense for what kind of racers show up for NHHA events. With Factory efforts from Beta, KTM, Husqvarna, Yamaha, and Honda the National Hare and Hound Series has quickly become the must race off-road series of the country, and if the 2017 season goes anything like round one, we are all going to have a lot to watch this season. After 80-miles of bar to bar desert racing, the top 4 riders were separated by only 30 seconds, with the top two crossing the checkers less than a bike length apart from each other. Be sure to check out the NHHA Facebook page for multiple angles from the final 4 miles of racing where each of the top four rides held the lead for a second or two. In the end it was 2-time champion Ricky Brabec on his JCR Honda that edged out the Factory KTM of Robert. In what was without a doubt the closest finish in NHHA history Robert was on the gas gaining on Brabec as they crossed the checkers. Not to disappoint, Purvines Yamaha’s Gary Sutherlin made a pass on Factory Husqvarna’s Jacob Argubright in the final miles to take the final podium position with Argubright less than 8 seconds behind in fourth. The Factory Beta of Wasson held his own against the 450 veterans and finished a respectable 5th overall on the day.
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In
a first ever event for the NHHA, youth racers were fighting for an overall
and a chance at winning the contingency offered up by the Fasst Co for the
Youth Hound Development Program.
Saturday
night proved to be a wet one as rain fell non stop making for an interesting
morning on the Zip Ty Start Line. The Hare and Hound Series, which without a
doubt is the most difficult off-road racing series in the nation, becomes
that much more difficult when you take out the element of dust. The wet dirt
meant that racers would expect no less than three hours minimum of bar to
bar racing action, something that is unheard of in difficult racing events.
Over 250 racers took to the Zip Ty Start Line at round one to try and
complete a race that only the best of the best have be able to conquer in
the past. It was no easy task, but when it came down to the finish, the NHHA
is happy to report that racers crossed the KTM Finish Line with a big grin
on their faces.
ATV
Racers at NHHA events always have their hands full as most of the racing is
gear towards their two-wheeled brothers, but it truly is the best of the
best who come out time and time again to tackle the NHHA racecourses.
Limited to only one loop at NHHA events, the ATV racers take the brunt of
the beating with their 300 pound plus machines trampling through whoops,
sandwashes, and tight rocky trails. Round one winner was none-other than
Chris Peatross who has worked his way up the NHHA ranks to record his first
EVER NHHA ATV Pro win after starting with the series back in 2011! From all
of us at the NHHA CONGRATS CHRIS, you really earned this one!
The
FMF 250 Pro Class returned for 2017 and and fleet of Yamaha’s looked to
take the spot atop the box. It was only one KTM, however, that was able to
hold the blue bikes off of the top step. New to the 250 pro class for 2017,
Utah’s NHHA Youth ace Braydon Bland made a statement at round one
finishing with a four minute margin over the second place 250 pro racer at
11th overall which matched his career best NHHA finish. Look for him to be a
threat in the top ten as the season progresses. Joining Bland on the podium
were fellow Utah racers Tyler Lynn and Daemon Woolslayer who rounded out the
podium in the field of ten 250 pro racers.
