SERIES
VOL. 53 ISSUE 3 JANUARY 26, 2016 P55
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY
MARK KARIYA
J
ohnny Campbell Rac-
ing Honda's Ricky Bra-
bec shook off his Dakar
Rally pacing as well as jet lag to
dominate the 49th Annual Desert
Motorcycle Club's Winter Classic
and start the Kenda/SRT AMA
Hare & Hound National Cham-
pionship Series on top. He led
most of the way; combined with
his victory at the series finale
last year, he's two for two now
aboard his Pro Circuit/Lucas
Oil/Fly Racing CRF450X.
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
Factory Racing Off-road Team's
Jacob Argubright and Purvines
Racing Beta's Nick Burson
rounded out the podium at
North Anderson Dry Lake in
the Johnson Valley Off Highway
Vehicle Area east of town.
Off the start, FMF KTM Fac-
tory Off-road Racing Team's
Ivan Ramirez jetted away and
into the lead aboard his Red
Bull/Motorex/Troy Lee Designs
450 XC-F.
As they descended the rocky
hill at the end of the bomb run,
however, Brabec and Skyler
Howes slipped past. Burson
also managed to sneak into
the lead later, having come
from a bad start on his Motul/
Kenda/Klim-backed 480 RR
with Ramirez having a rare off
day and deciding to ride safe to
eventually finish seventh.
Burson likewise had is-
sues. After losing the lead, the
eventual third-place finisher
admitted, "We hit the rocks and
I struggled. I tried not to crash
and throw it away then rode too
timid and just struggled real
bad in the rocks. From there,
I rode my own race. I know
Dalton [Shirey] was pretty close
to me going out on the second
loop [but] I knew I just needed
to stay on pace. We hit the val-
leys and I kind of pulled away
from him."
BRABEC, ARGUBRIGHT, BURSON GO 1-2-3 AT H&H OPENER
BRABEC
BLITZES
