VOL. 54 ISSUE 1 JANUARY 10, 2017 P87
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK KARIYA
F
ew would've guessed early in
his career that Ricky Brabec
would close out 2016 as a two-
time Kenda/SRT AMA Hare & Hound
National Champion with a seat on the
factory Monster Energy Honda Team,
preparing for his second Dakar Rally.
A former BMX racer, he wasn't a
regular in the AMA District 37 desert
races near his hometown of Hesperia,
California, and even dropped out
of the scene for a few years before
storming back with a vengeance in
2014. A large part of that involved
shedding pounds from his 274-pound
frame, but many consistent hours on
his mountain bike and in the gym (as
well as riding) trimmed him to a much
leaner, stronger 211.
For the second
time in his career,
Ricky Brabec
will wear the
number-one
plate in the AMA
Hare & Hound
Championship.
KING
Of The
DESERT
Aer wrapping up his second
AMA H&H title, the formerly
"chubby kid" from the high
desert heads to his second
Dakar with more experience
and high hopes.
