IN
THE
WIND
P16
SUTHERLIN TOPS RABBIT CREEK NATIONAL HARE & HOUND
R
ockstar Energy Husqvarna
Factory Racing Off-Road
Team's Jacob Argubright ap-
peared to be on his way to a
sure win at the 41st Annual Rab-
bit Creek 100 by Dirt Inc., round
two of the Kenda/SRT AMA
Hare & Hound National Champi-
onship Series.
First to the bomb, he set the
pace through the first 70 miles
and held a minute-and-a-half
lead over FMF KTM Factory
Off-road Racing Team/Bonanza
Plumbing-supported Gary
Sutherlin at the main pit.
But with only a couple miles to
go on the more technical 35-mile
second loop, he drowned his
Bel-Ray/Dunlop/Moose Racing
FC 450 and could only watch,
helpless, as Sutherlin motored
past. (Knowing that his race was
done, Argubright waved to warn
Sutherlin that the creek crossing
was deeper than it looked and
actually reached over to prevent
his friend from falling over when
Sutherlin bobbled.)
Thus, after missing round
one due to an accident while
practicing in December, Suther-
lin got his 2016 season off to
a winning start with round-one
winner Ricky Brabec second
and Fastheads Yamaha rider
Skyler Howes rounding out the
podium.
"This series is the only series
that I still have a chance of win-
ning a championship at so I put
a lot of emphasis on this week-
end getting back to myself, just
that confidence," Red Bull/Troy
Lee Designs/DA8 Training 450
XC-F rider Sutherlin said.
"It was just one of those
things—I was in the right place
at the right time. That's racing. I
was bummed to see him sitting
there, but at the same time I
needed to get as many points
on these guys as I possibly can
to jump me up in the points
standings."
Argubright finally got his Brak-
ing/Dunlop/Fly Racing FC 450
running and got it to the finish
line—sans seat, which he left
by the water—10th Pro and 20th
Gary Sutherlin
grabbed the lead
(and eventual
victory) from
Jacob Argubright a
couple miles from
the finish.