Press Release | January 19, 2017
The NHHA racing season kicked off this last weekend with round one of the KENDA/SRT West Hare Scrambles Championship in Rancho Cordova, California at Prairie City OHV.
This is a press press release from National Hare & Hound/West Hare Scrambles)…
Rancho Cordova, CA (January 17, 2016) – The NHHA racing season kicked off this last weekend with round one of the KENDA/SRT West Hare Scrambles Championship in Rancho Cordova, California at Prairie City OHV. More than 700 entries capped off a banner weekend for the WHS as new West Hare Scrambles Director Brian Garrahan assisted the Polka Dots MC through the two day event.
Returning Series Champ Nick Burson and his Purvines Racing DA8 Yamaha Team were some of the first on hand to showcase their new Yamaha program, but the goings wouldn’t be easy as weather in the area would play a major factor in the weekends racing. More than 10 days of record rainfall meant for a mudfest, and riders came from all over to try their hand at catching the hare and starting the season off with a win.
Garrahan stated, “It was a super exciting weekend at round one of the WHS, and perfectly muddy just how the NorCal racers like it! I am really looking forward to what is in store for the future of WHS racing.”
As it always does at WHS events, the action started with the youth program and riders took to the startline for race one, the 65cc, 85cc junior, and junior girls event event. Bryan Southwood took home the first overall win of the season completing multiple laps in the hour long race. Following closely behind in second was Kael Braden while Zaio DeMarco rounded out the podium. Ava Silvestri finished atop the Junior Girls podium while Tyler Masbir took the win in the 65cc class.
The 30-minute Pee Wee race left the gate next, and the little ones looked happier than ever to be out on the weather tattered course. Mud was barely a factor as the youth racers each crossed the finish line with a huge grin on their faces. Taking the win in race two was Ryder Kroll followed by Will Robinson and Cody Solis.
Sunday morning the big bikes took to an elongated course and the muddy conditions continued to plague each of the three races. Starting things off were the ATV’s who raced the long course for 60 minutes. In total, nine bikes took to the start of the ATV event, and topping the box was Jared Middlebrooks who finished ahead of Jose Torres in the Pro Class. Topping ATV A was Mat Blum followed by Matt Alonso and Melissa Robinson who took wins in the ATV B and ATV C classes respectively.
Race two saw the Pro/A/B and C Woman along with the C class field. Riders took to the course for a total of 90 minutes, and it was Kaitlyn Jacobs who took the Women’s overall finishing 4 laps just under the 90-minute mark finishing first in the B class while doing so besting Katherine Pond and Megan Johnson in her class. Sharon Mowell returned to the series to tackle the Women’s A class and ended up being the only entry at round one. After taking a nasty soil sample in the early goings, she regained herself to collect a finish despite losing her airbox in the scuffle. She will be back for round two and hopes to contend for the race two overall. Taking the win in Women’s C was Brianna Bozek followed by Lainey Lord and Emily Summers.
The final race of the day saw the heavy hitters of the series battle it out for three hours. The 2016 overall Champion Nick Burson was on hand along with his teammate Axel Pearson on their brand new Purvines Yamaha machines. Also looking to make a splash was AMA Endurocross regular Max Gerston. It would be all locals atop the podium come the finish as the mud would prove to be a challenge after three hours.
The early goings of the race saw Nick Burson and Steven Godman battling for the holeshot. The Purvines Racing Yamaha of Burson edged out the holeshot, but Godman quickly made a pass stick. Three turns latter, Godman was on the ground and Burson was flying past. The lead was shortlived, however as Joseph Fiasconaro would make a pass midway through the first lap and never looked back. The local put his mud racing skills to the test and eventually gapped the field lap after lap.
Dare Demartile put in a solid ride to finish second overall ahead of Hare Scrambles ace Justin Bonita. The AMA Endurocross star Gerston held on to finish fourth ahead of defending series champ Burson. Steven Godman would eventually ride his way to sixth, followed by Jason Hurst in seventh. Anthonee Gibbs, Brett Sage, and Southern California’s Sage Vincent rounded out the top 10.
In the 250 Pro Class, JT Baker led start to finish on his Husqvarna followed by Dillon Sheppard and Tayson Weeks who finished third. Missing from an expected top-ten finish was Purvines Racing’s Axel Pearson who crashed out early during the pro start he would eventually regain himself to finish 12th in class.
West Hare Scrambles racing returns for round two February 18/19 in Paicines, California for the Picacho Creek Challenge. Check out www.westharescramble.com for more info on round two.
Pro Recap Video Rnd 1 – Kenda/SRT 2017 AMA West Hare Scramble – Prairie City, CA