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Second round of AMA National Hare & Hound Series this weekend
February 08, 2012
The following is an industry press release...
Round 2 of the AMA/Kenda National Hare and Hound Championship Series is just a few days away, and the Four Aces MC has laid out over 85 miles of race course. This race will be a 2-loop format. The Four Aces crew is eagerly awaiting the call to drop the banner and get the race underway at 9:00am this coming Sunday morning, in the Spangler Hills OHV area near Ridgecrest, CA. More race info below.
Round 1 Recap:
Round 1 brought it's first win to the 2011 National Hare and Hound Champ, FMF/KTM's Kurt Caselli. Caselli would pick up right where he left off and would lead this race from start to finish for 1st Place Overall; a great way to kick off the new season.
Through the pits after Loop 1 it would be Caselli, Abbott, Pearson, Kamo, Argubright. This would all change during Loop 2 and at the finish line.
Just days after signing a new deal with THR Motorsports, their newest rider David Pearson would bring his green bike to a 2nd Overall finish on the day, after spending just a few short hours on his new ride. Pearson had a good battle with Monster Energy Kawasaki's Destry Abbott and JCR Honda's David Kamo through the technical terrain.
JCR Honda rider David Kamo would come through the pits in 4th Overall and after a great battle with Abbott on Loop 2, everything changed as Kamo would take the 3rd Place Overall podium spot at the finish line. Kamo and Abbott came into the last check neck-and-neck, both getting their fender cards swiped at the same time with Abbott taking off just 2 seconds ahead of Kamo.
Monster Energy Kawasaki's Destry Abbott would have a great start and would make a pass on Pearson early on and tuck in behind the race leader Caselli, as close as possible to make a pass but with the very dusty conditions on race day and no wind, this was close to impossible. Abbott would be 2nd Overall into pit row but would eventually have no rear brakes left during Loop 2. Pearson and Kamo would both eventually catch Abbott. Abbott would come into the finish chute in the 4th Overall spot.
Local resident, Purvines Racing's Justin Morrow would round out the Top 5 overall on his new Kawasaki bike. The Purvines team has switched from Honda's to Kawasaki's for this season. Congrats to Morrow on his 5th Overall finish on the day.
The newest Monster Energy Kawasaki/Purvines rider, Jacob Argubright, would come into pit row in the 5th Overall spot but would later have a crash, causing him to break his collar bone. Argubright has already had surgery to repair the damage and should be able to race his Kawasaki this weekend at Round 2.
Here is the Top 10 overall finish order Round 1:
1. Kurt Caselli - KTM
2. David Pearson - Kawasaki
3. David Kamo - Honda
4. Destry Abbott - Kawasaki
5. Justin Morrow - Kawasaki
6. Gary Sutherlin - Kawasaki (1st place Open A)
7. Ricky Russell - KTM (2nd place Open A)
8. Skyler Howes - Yamaha (1st place 250)
9. Max Eddy Jr. - Honda (3rd place Open A)
10. Axel Pearson - Kawasaki (2nd place 250)
With almost 20 ATV's racing in this first round, the season is sure to be a great one with the quads able to race 7 of the 10 rounds in 2012. Teixeira Tech's Bill Markel would lead the bomb run and ran a great race against the 2011 National Hare and Hound Champion, DirtFirst's Andy Lagzdins, along with first time National racer BlingStar's Keith Carlson, Mark Ornellas and Chris Dobbins. With some of the other racers up in the mix, the technical terrain would cause many to get multiple flat tires. In the end, it would be the 2011 Champ Lagzdins at the finish for 1st Overall, followed by Markel for 2nd Overall with Ornellas in the 3rd Overall spot (1st Place Novice).
ISDE Woman Racer, Nicole Bradford, would race in only her second National Hare and Hound event and we are pleased to have her racing with us for the whole season. Bradford would finish in the 1st Overall spot for the women and had quite the story regarding Loop 2. What she thought was another woman racer wearing pink, turned out to be a man (possibly an Invader MC member). Bradford would turn on the gas to find out at the finish line that she was holding off a man in pink and not another woman racer!
GNCC racer Jimmy Jarrett would race in his first ever National Hare and Hound event and had some funny comments during his pit stop when asked what he thought of the race. "You guys are crazy and this is nuts!" Jarrett would finish in 22nd Overall and will return for Round 2 to seek vengeance!
Quotes from the race:
"My post race follow-up can be summed up in one line - 'WHEN ROCKS ATTACK'! It was all good till they dropped the banner. Thanks to my wife for allowing me to continue to do what I love, RACE or something that at least resembles it!" - Dennis Rommelfanger/So Cal MC, ATV Amateur, DNF
"I had a great race at DMC. I got the bomb run holeshot then went on to finish 2nd quad overall on my King Shocks, Teixeira Tech, suspended Raptor 700." - Bill Markel/Rovers MC, ATV Expert, 2nd Place.
There are always so many great battles going on during the race for the 26 National classes. We simply cannot keep track of everyone and how they are doing in their race, whether it's the Vet class, the 60+ class, the 250 class, etc. We want to hear from you!
In one paragraph or less, submit your post-race stories to NHHA and it may be included in a press release! Everyone from all classes can participate. Also include your name, your class, what you race and where you finished. And don't forget to thank your sponsors! Send your comments to: contact@nationalhareandhound.com
Also, join us on Facebook - National Hare and Hound Association and you may also post your post-race comments and story there.
Race info:
Sign-ups and the race staging area are located at the end of Stephen's Mine Road. Follow the race arrows in from US Hwy 395 and Trona Road near Randsburg.
Sign-ups: Saturday from 12:00pm - 4:00pm. Sunday morning from 6:00am to 8:45am.
Bomb run start practice will be on Sunday ONLY from 6:00am - 8:45am.
Loop 1 is approximately 47 miles and Loop 2 is approximately 40 miles.
There will be an alternate gas stop for both Loops 1 and 2 in the same location. You may send your own crew member to pit you. Please leave prior to 8:30am to get to this location. It is very easily accessible by truck. Directions to the alt gas will be included in the rider's instructions available at sign-ups.
Autograph Signing
There will be a Pro/Am autograph signing on Saturday afternoon in the sign-up area from 4:00 to 5:00pm. Come and meet your favorite racers and get their autographs!
Give-aways
At each round of the National Hare and Hound Series, every racer will receive in the mail (post race) a $10 dollar gift card from Rocky Mountain ATV/MC just for entering to race. We will be giving away a pair of Alpinestars Tech 8 boots this weekend at Round 2 to the first place Vet B rider.
Sponsors
Look for our newest series sponsor, GPR, on pit row.
Fasst Co. will be on pit row with FLEXX BAR demos for you to try out! Please visit them.
Travis "Tuner" Flateau from TBT Racing will also be on pit row for all of your suspension needs.
We want to thank all of the series sponsors for the 2012 season!
KENDA, FMF, Purvines Racing, GPR, Bullet Proof Designs, TBT Racing, Alpinestars, BRP, Dirt Tricks, Fasst Co, Fastway/PMB, FPS Racing, IMS, Leatt, No Toil, RB Components, Rekluse, Rocky Mountain ATV/MC, Works Connection and ZLT! Also, contingencies from KTM and Honda.
Over $30,000 was awarded in 2011 in contingencies and product give-aways! We will exceed that amount in 2012. Please help us support our amazing off-road sponsors as they are fully dedicated to the desert racing community.
For more info on this series and its contingencies, please visit us at: www.NationalHareandHound.com
