Burson leads the way, with three Betas finishing inside the top five at the Moose Run National Hare and Hound.
Purvines Racing Beta USA rider Nick Burson scored his first Kenda AMA/NHHA National Hare and Hound win of the season at the 64th Annual Moose Run in the Spangler OHV area near Red Mountain, California, today.
Burson had to withstand constant pressure from round one winner Ivan Ramirez on the FMF/factory KTM and Ricky Brabec on the THR Motorsports/Monster Energy/Precision Concepts Kawasaki to bag the overall win on the 85-mile desert course, which featured two loops, the first spanning 51 miles and the second 34 miles. Burson covered the race distance in 2 hours, 14 minutes and 52 seconds, averaging 37.81 mph. In the end, he crossed the finish line just five seconds ahead of Ramirez, who posted a time of 2:14:57. Brabec finished 1 minute and 13 seconds behind Ramirez, completing the race distance in 2:16:15.
“We were all pushing really hard,” a happy Burson said after the race. “I’m stoked to come away with the win in my hometown.”
Burson established himself in the lead right off the start, leading Husqvarna’s Jacob Argubright, Ramirez and Brabec through the first check. Argubright would later suffer a mechanical failure, ending his day with a disappointing DNF. Burson continued to run up front through the end of the first loop to collect the Bike Week Radio Show “First to the Pits” $100 bonus. Brabec had made his way to second at that point, with Ramirez third, ahead of Purvines Racing Beta USA rider Justin Morrow.
Although his pursuers were never far behind him, Burson stayed cool and rode an excellent second loop to secure the overall win, while Ramirez erased a 30-second deficit to pass Brabec for second overall. Brabec still finished comfortably ahead of Morrow to earn his first visit to an AMA National Hare and Hound podium. Purvines Racing Beta USA’s Axel Pearson finished fourth overall, giving the Italian brand three finishes inside the top five. KTM rider Skyler Howes was fifth overall.
Other noteworthy finishers included Yamaha-mounted Ryan Smith, who finished seventh overall and first 250cc finisher, followed by 30+ winner Morgan Crawford on a KTM. Open winner Tyler Renshaw finished 10th overall on a Kawasaki.
The 2014 Kenda AMA National Hare and Hound Championship heads north to Murphy, Idaho, for round three, hosted by Dirt, Inc. The race is scheduled to take place March 22-23.
64th Annual Moose Run
Spangler Hills OHV
Red Mountain, California
Results: February 9, 2014
Overall
1. Nick Burson-Bet/Overall Winner
2. Ivan Ramirez-KTM
3. Ricky Brabec-Kaw
4. Justin Morrow-Bet
5. Axel Pearson-Bet
6. Skyler Howes-KTM
7. Ryan Smith-Yam/250 Winner
8. Morgan Crawford-KTM/30+ Winner
9. Brandon Prieto-KTM
10. Tyler Renshaw-Kaw/Open Winner
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