Mark Kariya | April 19, 2021
2021 Cherry Creek Hare & Hound Results: Joe Wasson tightened his grip on the points lead by scoring his third-consecutive triumph in the AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series, Presented by FMF, in Jericho, Utah, April 17. It wasn’t easy, though, as he had to pass Johnny Campbell Racing (JCR) Honda’s Preston Campbell, who led most of the first 65 miles, and then hold off Beta teammate Zane Roberts. After 93 miles of torrid racing, Wasson led another Beta 1-2 with Campbell more than satisfied with his first career Open Pro podium.
Joe Wasson headed another Beta 1-2 in the 2021 AMA Hare & Hound National Championship. Wasson’s latest win came at the Cherry Creek National in Jericho, Utah. Photo: Mark Kariya
Round four of the series saw a record turnout of 613 riders—including 171 Youth racers—at the 60th Cherry Creek Hare & Hound hosted by the Sugarloafers Motorcycle Club, making it the biggest event of the season and the largest numbers-wise in many years.
With the unprecedented number of entries and dry conditions over the 51-mile first loop, getting a good start was important as always, and Off-Road Support/TBT Racing Kawasaki’s Jacob Argubright leaped past the pack to grab the holeshot shortly after the bomb followed by Slam Life Racing (SLR) Honda’s Justin Morgan, Campbell, Rocky Mountain ATV-MC Suzuki rider Bridger Steele, Wasson, Roberts, Let’s Ride KTM’s Blayde Jones, Pro 250 leader Clayton Gerstner and the rest of the Pro line.
Morgan slipped past Argubright to take the lead for the first time in his career, but the Monster Energy/Lava Propane/Fly Racing CRF450X-mounted rider couldn’t hold off Campbell who went to the front about five miles in.
With a best-to-date fourth, this was new territory for young Campbell and his VP Racing Fuels/JL Ray/Fly Racing CRF450X, though he insisted, “It was clean air and I felt comfortable and fast on the first loop. I had about a 30-second lead [over Wasson at the end of that 51 miles], I think.
“The second loop (about 42 miles long and more in the hills where snow and small cedars made for slower going with the constant turning) was more of a struggle for me.”
That’s just what Wasson was waiting for, and he played the role of cagey veteran perfectly. “There’s a couple of kids that can just sprint [early] and I don’t like to come out super-fast like that, just to keep my heart rate down and click into my flow and then I start picking it up,” he explained. “They come out really hot and they can’t hold that speed forever and then I’ll start closing on them.
“That’s a good strategy and it’s been working for me.”
He finished the race in two hours, 27 minutes and 58 seconds aboard his Kenda/Motul/Fly Racing-backed 480 RR, adding another five points to the gap he owns over teammate Roberts, 115-96.
Roberts considered himself fortunate to claim the runner-up spot for the third-straight round on his FMF/HBD Graphics/Klim 480 RR as he’d crashed in the early going, losing the entire front fender.
“I’m feeling all right,” he said, “a little sore after a pretty good get-off in the beginning. Jacob [Argubright] and I were going across the whoops together, and I just kind of slid sideways. I thought I was going to get high-sided off so I decided it was better to just lay it down while I could. I came out of it pretty unscathed—unfortunately, the fender came off. The only real issue with that is that I didn’t know what to do at the checks [since I didn’t have my fender card to mark any more] so I had them start [marking] the front number plate.”
Remarkably, Roberts rebounded from that to chase down Wasson, finishing just 20 seconds behind at 2:28:18 with Campbell satisfied with his third-place result in 2:30:15.
Citing a lack of fitness, Argubright nonetheless didn’t lose much ground on his Team Green/Golden Tyres/Fly Racing KX450X, claiming a solid fourth in 2:31:29, Morgan fifth in 2:36:04 despite being sick with a lung infection.
The Pro 250 battle saw Gerstner lead aboard his Husqvarna of Aspen/Kenda/SRT TC 250 until he crashed in the latter stages. That was all the opening that Corbin McPherson needed and he snatched the class victory and sixth overall in 2:36:35 on his Garrett Off-road Racing/Blud Lubricants/Fly Racing Husky FX 250, a disappointed Gerstner picking himself up for seventh in 2:37:29.
Steele, 3 Bros. KTM’s Carter Klein (the third Pro 250) and Buchanan Trucking/Chidester Transport Racing Yamaha’s Kolton Lynn rounded out the top 10 overall.
Hampered by a recent hand injury, reigning Pro Women champ Britney Gallegos had to dig deep to pass Beta’s Morgan Tanke-Colon on the second loop to secure her third win in a row aboard her Elite Off-road/Bobby J’s/CST Tires-backed Husky FX 250. The leader at the end of loop one, Tanke-Colon settled for the runner-up spot, 17 seconds behind, while Utah’s Rachel Stout took third on his Bell Helmets-backed KTM.
AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series, Presented by FMF
Round 4
Cherry Creek National
Jericho, Utah
RESULTS (April 17, 2021)
OVERALL (Top 10)
| 1. |
Joe Wasson |
(Bet) |
| 2. |
Zane Roberts |
(Bet) |
| 3. |
Preston Campbell |
(Hon) |
| 4. |
Jacob Argubright |
(Kaw) |
| 5. |
Justin Morgan |
(Hon) |
| 6. |
Corbin McPherson |
(Hus) 250 |
| 7. |
Clayton Gerstner |
(Hus) 250 |
| 8. |
Bridger Steele |
(Suz) |
| 9. |
Carter Klein |
(KTM) |
| 10. |
Kolton Lynn |
(Yam) |
Click here for complete Cherry Creek Hare & Hound results.
