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California is so awesome this year! It’s been a couple days since the race, but for like the 5^th time this year, we have had the chance to race on a weekend after heavy rain! It’s awesome!!!  Leading up to the race though, it was a couple days of stressful preparation!

Pre Race

We decided late Wednesday night to sleep in our own beds and get up early to drive out on Thursday morning. The problem with this was that my dad had some of the course materials for the Four Aces, and we needed to be on the road early.  We around 4 o’clock we woke up and got on the road so that we would be there around sunrise. I was really excited going into this because I knew my experience in Red Mountain would give me a good advantage over the rest of the guys out there.

Ed followed us out in the Off Road Support Truck, and I napped in the motor home.  When we got there our friends from Nevada- Jerry and Donny- were waiting for us and excited to help.  My dad dropped off the materials to the club, and Ed, Jerry, Donny, and I unloaded the truck.  It was still amazingly wet out so I couldn’t resist a chance to go riding. Ed followed me in the T-Rex and we basically just screwed around for a while.

Later that night Ryan Abbatoye’s Dad Mark showed up and we had dinner before going to bed pretty early. I was pretty tired and slept in until about 10 AM on Friday morning. When Chris and Patty arrived we helped them with their stuff and pretty much had a relaxing day in the desert. I rode some more and enjoyed the fact that there was little to do with such great dirt.

Friday night we watched the Olympics and had pasta with a couple club members who were also there. Ryan was coming up in the morning so we really just tried to relax as much as possible.

Saturday

Saturday morning Ryan was there when I woke up. I helped him unload his stuff, and my dad took us all for a ride. Josh Morros and his family were here so it was a fun warm up for the day ahead. Ryan was helping with the scoring again so he had to leave early while the rest of us got to ride some more.

At noon I went to signups and got entered into the race. After I was done I went and ran the bomb a couple of times. The trees had really grown in and I was a little worried about where I would start. After some thinking I decided that it would be best to start on a trail, so Justin Imhof and I decided to get up early and get to our spot.

At 3 o clock we had a photo shoot for TBT Racing. Grumpy came out, and we had a lot of fun playing on a berm or two.  Brett Saunders, Sarah Kritsch, Colton Sanders, and Dylan Murdock were all there and we really tried to push each other.  It was different to actually be riding for the camera, but I think it worked out pretty well. The photos can be viewed at,   www.photosbygrumpy.com.

Sunday Morning

Sunday prerace we ran the bomb a couple more times and I was feeling really good. David Pearson was practicing way to the left, and Destry was far enough away that I wasn’t worried about seeing him any time soon.  Justin and I had the agreement that we would let who ever got off first have the trail, and from there It would be a free-for-all. I knew that it was his first race back, so I really didn’t know how hard he would be pushing it.

We rode back together to have breakfast, and his dad watched our bikes until we came back for the start. Apparently there was some excitement at the start line while we were gone, but it was all handled by the time we came back, and it really didn’t matter much because we were both so focused on the race.

The Start

As the banner went up I really focused on being relaxed. I know that I can get a one-kick start when I just slow my breathing down and wait for the banner to fall. Once it lit it was up to me to put the thing out front.  I get a one kick start and was able to out edge Justin to our line. There were a few riders around on all sides, but the dust wasn’t an issue so I just charged on. As we passed the dust I could see that I was about top 5 or so.

A mile later I had made on an inside pass on a turn on who I thought was Kendall but I’m honestly not sure and I found myself behind Destry. Thinking back to the start I had a month ago at round one, it was pretty exciting to be this far up front at round two!  Somewhere after the highway crossing, Destry let me by and I tried to push as hard as I can. Honestly I did have an advantage here because I am used to the terrain and know how to read the dirt here in Red Mountain, and I feel that is why Des let me pass.

David and David were up front having their own battle, and I pretty much kept them in sight for the entire first loop. Into the pits it felt like everyone in District 37 was rooting for me as I was third overall and didn’t intend to look back. The look on Ed and My dad’s faces when I came in is really what motivated me to push hard on loop two. Destry pulled in for gas as I was leaving my pit and I knew that I needed to work on catching the KTM of Pearson and Kamo.

Loop Two

Up the first hill of loop two David Pearson bobbled and I could see Kamo catching him.  I just pushed hard and came to within about 4 seconds of those two. Again this was a trail that I have ridden multiple times, and I was able to really put the pressure on them on top of the ridge.  I didn’t know what direction I was going, but I knew how the trails worked and that is exactly how I was able to make the pass.

That’s right; I made the pass and put myself in the lead of a National Hare and Hound. Everything I have worked for had come to full view and I really felt like I belonged there.  We went down into the nasty hills back behind Charlie’s place and I didn’t want to look back. In the deep canyons I could hear the echoes of all of our bikes. I knew they were there, but I just kept riding. We came to a trail that I remember from the year before I assumed we were going left, and the trail went right. I was literally off course for 5 feet and the time it took me to turn put me in third, I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT!

So I followed the guys with Destry right behind me into another canyon, as we started to go DOWN I realized I was where they call it “the Royal Flush” It is a large waterfall type of downhill and everyone was slow.  I followed to the bottom and placed my wheel into a rock that I couldn’t recover from, I tipped over and felt like had been stuck in the bolder section at a round of Endurocross! You can see the video here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWuQ0dbr_QI. Im the third bike ( with the orange helmet!)

This fall put me into 5^th right alongside my friend from Arizona Gary Sutherlin. Gary and I battled across the next valley about 20 seconds down of the leader and the worst possible thing happened. We got stuck by a train. Sitting there staring at each other wondering what would happen when it had passed.  With one car to go I looked at him, looked at the flagger, and took off around the back of the train jumping the tracks.  Gary followed and we came into the pits side by side with the top four literally feet in front of us. – I guess they missed the turn for the pits and ended up in the 2-loop finish or something. Sitting there I could see both Davids at KTM, Destry and Gary right in front of me in the Kawi Pits, and Kendall stopping ahead at Honda. I pulled out before the tank was full and tried to get beat the guys out of the pits.

Loop Three

Loop three was short and only 17 miles. I got out of the pits physically in 5^th, but used my knowledge of the terrain again to pass Kendall less than a mile out. I knew where the road crossings were, and gassed it through as he slowed down. By this time I was in 4^th, and pretty much settled into where I was.  Kamo was leading and I could see his dust. Then I saw him get hung up on a hill. Destry and Pearson passed and I followed along with. I was now in third with about 10 miles to go.

Along one of the ridges I watched Pearson bobble and Des took over the lead right in front of me, unfortunately as this was happening Kamo was going past me and I was back in 4^th.  I stayed where I was and finished about 10 seconds down of Kamo for a 4^th overall.

Dave Pearson held on to get the win, followed by Destry Abbott in second, and David Kamo in third. I was happy in forth and Kendall was right behind me in fifth overall.

Results: 1. David Pearson (KTM); 2. Destry Abbott (Kaw); 3. David Kamo (KTM); 4. Jacob Argubright (Kaw); 5. Kendall Norman (Hon); 6. Gary Sutherlin (Kaw); 7. Ryan Abbatoye (Kaw); 8. Nick Burson (Husq); 9. Justin Imhof (KTM); 10. Justin Morrow (Kaw)

Other Notes

I was happy with my performance, but now I know that the podium is where I belong. This weekend’s race has opened my eyes to what it takes to be a professional athlete, and I know that it is achievable with my talent and determination. Those guys ( who had always been role models) have accepted my riding abilities and really are helping me develop into where I want to be. After the race all three of them sat and talked with me about what I did right (or wrong) and how they were able to pass me.

At this point in my racing career I am still very young, but I look forward to what is in store for the rest of 2010 and what will happen next year and beyond. I think it has been a learning experience thus far, and will continue to be for the rest of my life!

As always I would like to thank my sponsors who make racing possible: Kawasaki of Simi Valley, Kawasaki Team Green, Monster Energy, TBT Racing, BRP, FMF, IMS, Fastway, Pro Moto Billet, Rekluse, and Off Road Support.

Additionally I would like to thank everyone in the 100’s who support me and my racing. I am one of the only pits to have SO MUCH SUPPORT each and every week! Thank you all for that and the great words of encouragement.

Congratulations also to my friend Justin Imhof who had a great race to finish 1^st 250 and 9^th overall! I can’t believe he did that well in his first real race back!  I through in a photo of his with that 1x plate, I expect him to be keeping that thing for a while! Also congrats to AJ Madrid who overcalled the Ami line and got his last transfer. From now on he’ll be racing with the big boys! Great job AJ, you deserve it!

Thanks to Matt McGowen for all of the great photos!

The next race for me will be Johnson Valley for the Checkers World Championship Hare and Hound at the end of February, after that I’ll be heading back down south to Round Three and the Kind of the Desert National Hare and Hound.

See you at the races!

-Jacob911

Jacob911.com