Lake Elsinore, CA – The kick-off of the 2019 AMA National Hare and Hound Championship series was in full effect this weekend, located in Lucerne Valley, California. Hosted by Desert MC of District 37, the near 80-mile course for the “52nd Winter Classic” was laid out as two loops; one loop being of moderate difficulty, and the second being very difficult and decorated with plenty of technicality.
On Sunday, Off-Road Support/KSV/TBT racer Jacob Argubright lined up on the mass-style start line, ready to put his KX 450 to the test. Off the start, he ended up at the bomb in 6th place overall and focused on understanding the pace of the group through to Check 1. As the pace of the front runners settled, Argubright found his groove and began to pick off riders through the dust. As the leaders came into Pit, he sat 4th overall; 1-minute and 23 seconds off of the leader.
Following a quick fuel pit, Argubright continued on, chasing closely behind the top three taking off onto the now more technical Loop 2. With approximately 40-miles to the finish, Argubright put his technical skills in play on the increasingly difficult terrain. Eventually making the pass on the front runners, and moving into the lead at roughly mile 50, he upped his pace for the next 30-miles to the finish line. Making the descent on the final challenging boulder-filled hillside, the crowd cheered for the racer in the fluorescent orange helmet, who raced across the finish line 2-minutes and 17 seconds over second place; Argubright’s first overall win on a Husqvarna since 2016.
“I’ve put so much work into preparing for the start of the year, and it feels very rewarding to see these results. Today was such a positive day for me both in racing and for my program. The course was absolutely of National caliber, and my bike was unbelievable through all the obstacles. I’ve got a full year ahead of me, and I know this is just the beginning. I can’t thank my dad and sponsors enough for their support in making sure I was prepared to race today,” Argubright stated.