Beta Announces Desert-Racing Team

Cycle News Staff | November 17, 2012

American Beta and Purvines Racing have joined forces to field a formidable off-road team for the 2013 season, which now includes a strong presence in the desert.

Purvines Racing will field a 10-rider desert team aboard three different Beta RR models including the 450 and 498 RR four-strokes as well as the all new 250 RR two-stroke.

Justin Morrow and Nick Burson, who finished third and fourth, respectively, in the 2012 AMA National Hare & Hound Series, will compete in the 2013 desert championship on the Beta 498 RR, while number-one Vet racer Dan Caparelli will be on the 450 RR.

Other team members include TJ Hannifin, Ryan Smith, Axel Pearson, Jeremy Purvines, Curtis Bradley, Jesse Canepa, and Todd Abrotowski.

“We are very excited to have Ron Purvines and his team representing Beta motorcycles in the hare and hounds, Best in the Desert and the other desert racing venues,” said American Beta Marketing Manager Tim Pilg. “We feel Purvines has a well established team structure that has proven to be a contender in many championships. We will be there to offer the team as much support as possible to show that our bikes are very capable of winning in harsh off road conditions.”

American Beta will be providing the team with some factory support as well as some cross-over sponsorship through their current team supporters. Beta will also use Purvines’ feedback to further develop their bikes for the American market.

Team owner Ron Purvines said, “Purvines Racing is excited to be a part of the Beta family. We’re going into our third season with an amazing partnership. We’ve worked hard to build our team and reputation in the off-road racing industry and believe that Beta is equally committed as we are to the sport. After 35 years of racing and two years of being a team owner it is a pleasure to be associated with a company that has the same integrity and dedication to racing that I have.”

Beta will contune to compaign other off-road championships, including GNCC and EnduroCross racing. Cody Webb, Beta’s top gun in the EnduroCross Championship, will return for the 2013 and ’14 seasons.