Caselli Crashes, Argubright Wins at AMA Hare & Hound Round 5

Monster Energy Kawasaki Team Green/Purvines Racing’s Jacob Argubright shook off the disappointment of a bad night at the opening round of the AMA Racing/GEICO EnduroCross Championship Series kickoff in Las Vegas to get his first-ever National triumph the next day at round five of the AMA Racing/Kenda National Hare & Hound Championship Series outside of Jericho, Utah.
 
In doing so, he became the first racer besides Kurt Caselli to notch a victory this year, stopping Caselli’s win streak at four.
 
And what happened to the FMF/KTM Factory Off-Road Racing Team star?
 

A rare crash while leading comfortably about 40 miles into the Sage Riders Motorcycle Club’s Sage Rider National at the Little Sahara Sand Dunes Recreation Area left Caselli beat up with a suspected collarbone injury. He was slated to be examined more completely by his own doctor on Monday morning, May 7.
 
“I just hit a rock on a downhill and went over the bars,” he explained. “Obviously, I didn’t see it. It was just like a regular crash--I’m sure everybody’s done that in the desert at least once--but I landed on my shoulder pretty hard and hit my head pretty hard. I didn’t get up too quick and just sat there--did the whole body check to see what was wrong and I knew my shoulder was bruised or something pretty bad. So that was it; my day was over, which sucked.
 
“The next round (at nearby Cherry Creek) is up in the air, still. I’m not sure where we’re going to be in two weeks, if I’m going to be able to race or not.”
 

Argubright was the first rider on the scene and said, “I saw him on the ground and I made sure he was okay. After that, just a lot of things were running through my mind. I tried to push and I made a lot of mistakes--blew corners--but I kind of put it together. I was just getting tired at the end, but I kept it going.”
 
Despite his nervousness, Argubright kept it going in front for the rest of the race, though Purvines Racing Kawasaki teammate Justin Morrow ran a strong second less than a minute back all afternoon, unable to punch through the dust to make a real run at Argubright. It marked his first podium at a National.
 
Local favorite T.J. Hannifin rebounded from a two-kick start that left him midpack aboard his Pro Cycle Racing Kawasaki to claw his way back to third at the finish, just 15 seconds behind Morrow. Like Morrow, the dust made it impossible to get closer for a pass attempt, but he still won Open A.
 
THR Motorsports Kawasaki’s David Pearson chose a wide line off the start that kept him in the dunes all the way to the banners, but it didn’t work out as planned so like Hannifin, he spotted the field quite a few positions. By the end, he made it up to fourth place, the first time this season he’s failed to earn a spot on the podium, but with Caselli’s DNF, Pearson still made up a huge amount of ground in the points chase.
 

A third Purvines Racing Kawasaki racer—Nick Burson—ran in the lead pack all day and ended up fifth for the third race in a row. Johnny Campbell Racing Honda’s David Kamo also ran well—until he reached the alternate fuel stop on the first loop and couldn’t find his gas can. After several others passed him in the pit, he finally got fueled up (no outside assistance was permitted at the two alternates) and would end up sixth followed by Nick Thompson (another local and the second Open A), Cody Shafer, Brady Elton and 250cc A winner Skyler Howes.

Results
1. Jacob Argubright (Kawasaki KX450F)

2. Justin Morrow (Kawasaki KX450F)

3. T.J. Hannifin (Kawasaki KX450F)

4. David Pearson (Kawasaki KX450F)

5. Nicolas Burson (Kawasaki KX450F)

6. David Kamo (Honda CRF450X)

7. Nick Thompson (KTM 350 XC-F)

8. Cody Schafer (Kawasaki KX450F)

9. Brady Elton (KTM 300 XC)

10. Skyler Howes (Yamaha YZ250)