Mark Kariya | September 16, 2019
Off-road Support/TBT Racing Kawasaki’s Jacob Argubright rebounded from a dreadful start, and his persistence paid off with a remarkable win at the inaugural Dirty 130, hosted by the Rimbenders Motorcycle Club, in Lovelock, Nevada, September 14-15.
Argubright Takes Dirty 130 Win
Argubright’s triumph at the race serving as round seven of the Kenda/SRT AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series, Presented by FMF, tightened up the points chase considerably. Beta’s Joe Wasson led much of the way in the first point-to-point race on the schedule in years, but the current points leader had to pull to the side of the trail with a couple miles to go and diagnose a bike issue.
Guessing it might be a clogged air filter in his Kenda/FMF/Fly Racing-sponsored 430 RR, he quickly got his bike running again but not before Argubright slipped past after stopping first to ask if he was okay. They finished a second apart, Argubright first through the chute to clock two hours, 56 minutes and 20 seconds for the 123-mile race on his Kawasaki of Simi Valley/Golden Tyre/Fly Racing-backed KX450.
“I was worried, for sure, [after that horrible start],” Argubright said. “I knew it was going to be a long race. You’ve just got to keep chugging along, and I was just in a hurry the whole day. I don’t know how to describe it. Like leaving the pits [and] coming into them, I gave the pit guys a nod that I was going to stop because they were freaking out [that I wasn’t going to stop, but] I slammed on the brakes, and I made it.”
In the final 43 miles, Argubright nearly threw the race away when he slammed a rock with the rear rotor guard, which then rubbed against the rotor and left him with no rear brake for the last half of that section.
“I was still right behind him at that point, [but I thought], ‘I don’t know if I can do this,’ ” Argubright admitted. “But then I caught a little bit of a break, and he had his issue.”
After a fourth-place start behind STI/3 Bros. Husqvarna’s Dalton Shirey, Garrett Off-Road Racing KTM’s Kadin Guard and STI/3 Bros. Husqvarna’s Ryan Smith, Wasson was able to get past Smith and Guard, but it wasn’t until Shirey’s chain reportedly broke that the Beta rider moved into the lead with Argubright in tow a couple minutes behind.
“It was a bummer because I led the whole thing,” Wasson said. “It was a lot of effort.”
With two rounds left (both in California), Wasson now leads Argubright, 186-182.
Purvines Racing Yamaha’s Nick Burson claimed third in a strong 3:00:23, his first podium finish of a season that’s been plagued with various issues. “Last year I never left the podium,” he said. Despite starting practically last, he and teammate Axel Pearson soon found themselves in the top 10. Pearson didn’t stay there long as a rock tore his front caliper off, leaving Burson to go it alone.
When Argubright passed him, Burson tucked in behind him and chased his dust the rest of the way, though he didn’t make it easy on himself with a crash leaving the third and final pit, just ahead of Beta’s Chance Fullerton.
“I just put my head down to make him work for it,” Burson said. “Luckily, I pulled away there at the end.”
Burson sits third in points at 113, while Fullerton finished fourth, equaling his best finish of the season and holds fourth in points with 108.
Smith held on for fifth—also his best finish of the season so far—followed by Economy Floor Yamaha’s Daemon Woolslayer, the Pro 250 winner for the second time this season. Class points leader Zane Roberts DNFed after going down in a first turn crash with Brody Honea that began when reigning series champ Kendall Norman and his Johnny Campbell Racing (JCR) Honda cartwheeled at speed.
Maxxis/FMF/RPM Racing KTM’s Austin Serpa, Reno Motorsports KTM’s Corey Fletcher (the Pro 250 runner-up), Guard and JCR Honda’s Preston Campbell (third Pro 250) rounded out the top 10 overall.
Colorado Recycling KTM’s Brandy Richards topped Pro Women for the sixth time this season, finishing 23rd overall. That puts her at 180 points with Beta’s Morgan Tanke—runner-up for the third time in a row—second in points at 164. Stout Racing KTM’s Rachel Stout claimed third for the day and is third in points at 143.
Kenda/SRT AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series, Presented by FMF
Round 7
Lovelock, Nevada
RESULTS: September 14-15, 2019
OVERALL
- Jacob Argubright (Kaw)
- Joseph Wasson (Bet)
- Nick Burson (Yam)
- Chance Fullerton (Bet)
- Ryan Smith (Hus)
- Daemon Woolslaer (Yam)
- Austin Serpa (KTM)
- Corey Fletcher (KTM)
- Kadin Guard (KTM)
- Preston Campbell (Hon)
Click here for complete results.