Ricky Brabec comes from behind to win the 65th Annual Check Chase National Hare & Hound in Barstow, California.
Though hare & hound races are long, it’s extremely difficult to recover from a bad start due simply to the nature of the terrain where most of them are held—the dry, dusty desert.
On those rare occasions that someone does rebound from a poor start, you can bet that man is a championship-caliber rider, which explains how reigning Kenda/SRT AMA Hare & Hound National Champion Ricky Brabec pulled that feat off at round two of the series. The THR Motorsports/Precision Concepts/Bonanza Plumbing-sponsored rider found himself mired in the dust off the start of the 65th Annual Check Chase World Championship National Hare & Hound hosted by the Checkers Motorcycle Club, made a determined race-long charge and passed his way into the lead about 10 miles from the finish of the race outside of Barstow, California, yesterday.
“I charged the entire race,” Brabec said afterward. “I don’t think I took one break start to finish! I didn’t really get tired.
That Brabec pulled out the win over the 80 miles of loose rocks, silt, ridgeline vistas and virgin trails is all the more remarkable considering that he had teamed up with Robby Bell to win the Best in the Desert race in Laughlin, Nevada, just day before the Check Chase.
FMF KTM Factory Off-road Racing Team’s Ivan Ramirez spent most of the day in front or close to it after enjoying a stellar start while Purvines Racing Beta’s Axel Pearson had a day similar to Brabec’s. After looping out on the start (it was his first time racing the team’s brand-new 480 RR) followed by a crash near the bomb, he had plenty of ground to make up, but he also managed to do so.
“After that, I was kind of mad at myself because I was riding so bad, but then I picked up the pace, felt good, was able to pull off the course and make some passes and just rode my own race,” Pearson said.
Brabec’s training partner and round-one winner Gary Sutherlin was running well within the top five after a mediocre start when he hit a ditch too fast and jammed his wrist. Early reports are that Sutherlin has suffered a serious enough injury to keep him off the bike for a while, which could affect his chance to defend his WORCS championship.
Brandon Prieto equaled his best-ever finish in fourth while Pearson’s teammate Nick Burson rolled in for fifth after a couple of huge crashes left him with a broken tooth and lacerated chin.
With his 2-1 finishes so far, Brabec now holds the points lead as the series heads to Idaho next month.
2015 Kenda/SRT AMA Hare & Hound National Championship
Check Chase National Hare & Hound
Stoddard Wells OHV
Barstow, California
Results: February 22, 2015 (Round 2 of 8)
Overall
1. Ricky Brabec-Kaw
2. Ivan Ramirez-KTM
3. Axel Pearson-Bet
4. Brandon Prieto-KTM
5. Nick Burson-Bet
6. Skyler Howes-KTM
7. Justin Morgan-Yam
8. Dalton Shirey-Hus (first 250)
9. Ryan Smith-Yam
10. David Kamo-KTM
11. Colton Udall-Hon
12. Steve Kirk III-Yam
13. Jared Schlapia-KTM
14. Morgan Crawford-KTM
15. Brody Honea-Kaw (first A Open)
16. Kevin Murphy-KTM (first A Vet)
17. Taylor Stevens-KTM
18. Brian Klinger-KTM
19. Jeff Trulove-KTM
20. Derek Steahly-KTM
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