Mason Ottersberg and Max Gerston at the 3rd round of the Western Hare Scrambles series; Jordan Ashburn, Mike Witkowski, and Rachel Gutish at the 3rd round of the GNCC series!

West Hare Scramble Round 3 Overview
Location: Ocotillo, California
Course Conditions: Sunny skies with loamy soil from rain the day before
Beta Factory Race Team Results: 
-Mason Ottersberg placed 4th at round 3 of the WHS series aboard his 430RR Race Edition. 
-Max Gerston caught a cold the night before the West Hare Scramble event and was unable to race at 100%, but still managed to gain some points for the series totals. 

The next race event for Max Gerston will be at the 4th round of the AMA West Hare Scramble. For more information about the WHS go to: westharescramble.com

MASON OTTERSBERG
Series: West Hare Scramble
Bike: Beta 430 RR Race Edition
"On Wednesday morning I decided last minute to go race in Gorman after seeing pictures on social media about the upcoming rain. I was honestly just looking to show up to get some race seat time, and see where I stacked up. After struggling to find a flow from a dead last start, I was able to basically come from 16th all the way up to 4th place by the end of the 8 laps."

MAX GERSTON
Series: West Hare Scramble
Bike: Beta 390 RR Race Edition
"Gorman didn't exactly go as planned. I was hit with some sort of flu the day before with gnarly stomach pains. The next day it was all I could do to get geared up for the race. I was able to race the first two laps, but then I was hit with stomach pains super hard. I raced another few laps so I could at least card a finish. As of now I plan on resting up in preparation for the race in Idaho next weekend."

GNCC Round 3 Overview
Location: Washington, Georgia
Course Conditions: Scattered showers with occasional mud pits and loamy soil.
Beta Factory Race Team Results:
-Jordan Ashburn placed 6th in the XC1 class at round 3 of the GNCC and is currently in 12th place overall. 
-Mike Witkowski finished in 17th in the XC2 class after a freak mechanical issue forced him to pit for a repair. 
-Rachel Gutish placed 3rd in the WXC class at round 3 of the GNCC and is currently sitting in 3rd place for the season standings.

The next race for Ashburn, Witkowski, and Gutish will be Round 4 of the GNCC on April 7th in Morganton, North Carolina. For more information on the GNCC series go to: gnccracing.com

JORDAN ASHBURN
Series: GNCC
Bike: Beta 430 RR Race Edition
"The General GNCC started off pretty well for me. I was able to make a pass for 4th going into the 3rd lap. The track was very rough and had tons of lines. There were lots of lapped riders as well. I found myself in 5th place on the 4th lap just 21 seconds from the leader. We were all really close all day but the leaders were able to sneak away the last two laps. I finished 6th place for the day. I'm definitely gonna build on this and reach that podium!"

MIKE WITKOWSKI
Series: GNCC
Bike: Beta 250 RR Race Edition
"I got off to a near holeshot on my Beta 250 RR. I went into the woods 2nd. Then a little bit later my bike started to bog. I was trying to figure out the problem but couldn't diagnose it. Once I got back to the pits and we got the bike fixed I was about an hour down from the lead group and dead last overall. I charged on and didn't give up. I came back to 17th in my class."

RACHEL GUTISH
Series: GNCC
Bike: Beta 350 RR Race Edition
"I am happy to have repeated last round's performance, earning another WXC podium finish for Beta. I have always enjoyed The General, and I'm glad that the series returned to the property and reestablished the round. Despite a bad start and some issues throughout the day, I was able to quickly recover to a 4th place finish by the end of the first lap. From there I continued to charge and on the final lap moved into 3rd place. The course was a blast and I am looking forward to the next round in a few weeks!"

Photos by Kato and Ken Hill

Fullerton and Tanke take 1st in their classes at the 2nd round of the National Hare and Hound series!

National Hare & Hound Round 2 Overview
Location: Ocotillo, California
Course Conditions: Dry and dusty desert terrain.
Beta Factory Race Team Results: 
-Chance Fullerton placed 1st in the Pro 250 class at round 2, and after his second place finish in round 1 he is currently leading the Pro 250 class with by nine points. 
-Morgan Tanke is back racing after an injury earlier this year. Tanke placed 1st in the Women's Open A class and is currently tied for 1st place in the series standings. 
-Joe Wasson placed 9th in the Pro class at the event aboard his Beta 430 RR while riding with stiches from a freak accident the week before. Wasson is currently seated in 6th place in the Pro class and overall in the series standings.

The next race event for all three riders will be at the 3rd round of the National Hare and Hound series. For more information about the NHHA go to: nationalhareandhound.com

CHANCE FULLERTON
Series: National Hare & Hound
Bike: Beta 250 RR Race Edition
"My race went well this past weekend running top 5 overall most of the race. I ended up getting lost for awhile and finishing 8th overall and first Pro 250 Class. I can't thank everyone enough who helped me get comfortable on the bike, and I plan on being on the top spot a lot more."

MORGAN TANKE
Series: National Hare & Hound
Bike: Beta 250 RR Race Edition
"I had a great time at the 2nd round of the National Hare and Hound series. The dust was really bad for the first 30 miles and it was super fast which I don't have much experience in. After a speedy pit stop I went on to the second loop and that's where it got more technical. I was able to keep a good pace for the rest of the race and took home the win! It feels great to be back racing after an injury!"

JOE WASSON
Series: National Hare & Hound
Bike: Beta 430 RR Race Edition
"Did some bomb run practice Saturday morning, had a good line, but unfortunately didn't get the jump. I was about 20th off the start and made a lot of passes in the first 20 miles. Then there were some very high speed whoops for a long ways and I wasn't able to run the top pace. I came in the pits in 11th and was able to make one more pass. I was starting to catch the riders in front of me but ran out of time and I ended up in 10th overall."

Jordan Ashburn finishes 9th at the 1st round of the GNCC series.

GNCC Round 1 Overview
Location: Union, South Carolina
Course Conditions: Scattered Showers with occasional mud pits and loamy soil.
Beta Factory Race Team Results:
-Jordan Ashburn placed 9th in the XC1 class at round 1 of the GNCC and is currently sitting in 4th place overall in the Kenda Full Gas Sprint Endruo series. 
-Mike Witkowski received a DNF after a crash early in the race resulting in an injured shoulder. Witkowski's next race will be at round 2 of the NEPG series.

The next race event for Jordan Ashburn will be Round 2 of the GNCC on March 10th in Palatka, Florida. For more information about the GNCC series go to: gnccracing.com

Mike Witkowski's next race event will be Round 2 of the NEPG on March 4th in Forest Hill, Louisiana. For more information about the NEPG series go to: nationalenduro.com

JORDAN ASHBURN
Series: GNCC
Bike: Beta 430 RR Race Edition
"The start of the season was a little "rough" with nearly 1000 bikes racing the track was brutal. I started out the first lap in 7th not getting a good jump off the line. I struggled battling the changing track conditions lap after lap. I was able to hang in there until lap 3 when I fell going around a mud hole. Then I lost sight of the group ahead. I ended up 9th in XC1, and I'm ready for them at the next round."

MIKE WITKOWSKI
Series: GNCC
Bike: Beta 250 RR Race Edition
"The GNCC started out well with me going into the woods in about 4th place. I quickly hopped into the lead about a half a mile in the race. I ran in the lead for 2-3 miles before picking a bad line and getting passed by a couple riders. Then halfway through the 2nd lap I made a rider error and went down really hard. I got the bike up and running with thanks to a fellow Beta racer that stopped to help me. But it was to great of discomfort to proceed on with the race. I am dealing with great soreness and discomfort but nothing is broken."

Photos by Kato

Morgan Tanke takes 2nd place in round 5 of Endurocross!

The fifth round of EnduroCross took place last weekend in Phoenix, Arizona. 

Morgan Tanke had another great weekend on-board her Beta XTrainer placing 2nd place in the Women's Class main event. Tanke now sits in 3rd place for the series overall points standings. 

Max Gerston placed 8th in the main event. Gerston is currently in 10th place in the overall standings for the Super Enduro Cross Class. Gerston is currently 7 points from 9th place and 9 points from being in 7th place overall.

Ty Cullins ran into some problems early on, but later finished the main event in 9th place. Cullins is currently placed in 11th, only eight points behind Gerston.

Round 6 of the EnduroCross series will take place in Boise, Idaho on November 4th. For more information on the series go to: endurocross.com

Morgan Tanke:
"Stoked to grab another podium this season! I struggled a bit in practice but I was able to shake it off in the main. I rode good, consistent laps with minimal mistakes to get a 2nd place finish. The track had two technical rock sections that I really liked and getting through them clean each lap played a big role in my end finish."

MAX GERSTON:
"Scottsdale Endurocross was good and bad. I finally started to feel a little stronger since my injuries about a month ago. However, I made it hard on myself in the main with a last place start and a crash in the sand section when coming together with a competitor. I was able to fight back to 8th in the main. Looking for a strong ride in Boise."

Ty Cullins:
"The night started out pretty slow when a crash in the qualifier sent me to the LCQ. I was able to get the win in the LCQ and go to the main where I ran a strong pace for the whole 14 laps and kept the mistakes to a minimum. I came away with a 9th place finish."

Jordan Ashburn finished 8th overall in the GNCC series!

The last race of the GNCC series took place last weekend in Crawfordsville, Indiana. This 13 race series ended with a bang as racers competed for final positioning.

The weather at the event was cold and wet, which provided optimum traction for riders in some areas of the course. However, some steep hill climb sections became a problem as riders fought to find traction.

Jordan Ashburn ended the day in 8th place aboard his Beta 300 RR, which put him in 9th place overall for the XC1 class. 

Jordan Ashburn:
"Got a great start at the final GNCC this past weekend. The track made for some intense battles it was very fast and open. I was battling for a top 5 position for 3 laps but when I came into the the pits I got passed, everyone was really close. I made a few mistakes and allowed the group to get away from me. I found that making up time was very difficult. I ended up 8th in XC1. "

Photo by D Tanke

Jordan Ashburn takes 2nd place at round 8 of the Sprint Enduro series!

Round 8 of the Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro series took place in Young Harris, GA. Riding conditions were great, and racers battled to secure positions knowing the series is coming to an end. 

Jordan Ashburn grabbed a second place finish closing the series points gap. With only one race left in the season, Ashburn is only 8 points behind 1st place Steward Baylor. 

Round 9 of the Kenda Full Gas Sprint series will take place in Big Buck Union, SC on November 11th. For more information on the series go to: sprintenduro.com

Jordan Ashburn:
"I closed the first day with a test win and finished 2nd for day one. I started off Sunday good with another test win. I battled for good test times all day and ended up winning the last one with my fastest time all weekend on the enduro test. I finished the weekend just 5 seconds from an overall victory. We are still in contention for the championship with only 1 round left."

Joe Wasson returns to the AMA Hare and Hound Series

The eighth round of the AMA National Hare and Hound series took place in Lucerne Valley, CA.

This was Joe Wasson's first Hare and Hound series race coming back from a serious wrist injury. Wasson rode smart and fast as the dry riding conditions and windy environment took its toll on the riders, however Wasson was able to keep a strong pace and finished ninth on-board his Beta 480 RR.

Round 9 of the Hare and Hound series will take place in Barstow, CA on November 12th. For more information on the series go to: nationalhareandhound.com

Joe Wasson:
"I found a spot I felt pretty comfortable with. Lined up at 9:30, the banner went up, and we took off. Didn't get a great start and with the dust being so bad I just rode smart and made passes where I could. After 40 miles I had my first pit stop. Then I was able to get by a couple more people the next 40 miles and rode to a solid 9th place. Not the greatest finish but felt good for being my first race back after a gnarly injury. I know where I need to improve to get back on top!"

Photo by Shan Moore

MAX GERSTON LEADS THE WEST HARE SCRAMBLE SERIES WITH ONLY ONE RACE TO GO!

Round 9 of the Kenda West Hare Scramble Series took place last weekend in Truckee, California. This high altitude race was dry and dusty with perfect temperatures throughout the day. The course was riddled with rocks and technical sections, but also contained wide open and tight woods sections.

Max Gerston was racing while still trying to recover from his injuries related to a crash during a practice session. Gerston managed to pull off a 2nd place finish, only six seconds behind 1st place. Max's finish demonstrates his determination to win the series, while overcoming pain and the brutal conditions of racing. 

The last round of of the W.H.S. Series will be held in Wilseyville, California on November 18th. For more information on the series go to: westharescramble.com

Max Gerston: "The Donner Hare Scramble was insanely dusty and the course was rocky and technical. I was able to get out in the lead about halfway through the first lap and was in pain but able to go on for a second            
overall."

JORDAN ASHBURN FINISHES 10TH IN ROUND 12 OF THE GNCC SERIES

Jordan Ashburn placed 10th in the 12th round of the GNCC Series. The event took place last weekend in St. Clairville, Ohio. The conditions were a little wet with some sections containing standing water and mud.

Ashburn was up front battling for the lead for a while until he landed in a mud pit that threw him off his Beta 300 RR 2-Stroke. The crash caused Ashburn to fly head-over-heels into the mud, while the mud created a suction that trapped the bike. After some help from a few spectators, Jordan was able to get the bike out of the mud-pit and upright. Ashburn fought his way through the rest of the race finishing in the top 10.

Jordan is in 10th place in the overall points standings for the series, with only one race to go he is one point away from a 9th place finish for the 2017 series.

The last round of the GNCC Series will take place on October 28th in Crawfordsville, Indiana. For more information on the series go to: gnccracing.com

Jordan Ashburn: "I was really excited going into the weekend seeing that there was no dust in sight. I got a great start and was challenging for the lead for the first couple laps. I found myself in a great position until I reached the creek jump. I miscalculated by jumping just a bit too far to the left causing my front wheel to disappear as I landed in the mud. I struggled to get my bike out losing 5 mins or so. I was able to get out finally riding with some really
sore legs from going over the bars. It was a frustrating weekend knowing I had the speed to possibly win the race. We will push for a strong finish in the last round!"

Photo by Kato

Morgan Tanke takes 4th place in Reno!

Morgan Tanke grabbed 4th place aboard her 2017 Beta XTrainer at Round 2 of the Enduro Cross Series in Reno. The event lasted way into the late hours of Saturday night, and competition picked up as racers battled for positioning. Tanke's solid finish placed her in fourth for the overall points standings in the series. 

Ty Cullins won his qualifier round and was off to a great start, but in the main event he got stuck in a first turn pile-up which set him back. Cullins placed 9th in the main event, which landed him in 10th place for the overall points standings for the season. 

Max Gerston is injured but hopes to return for the next round in Denver.

Round 3 of the Enduro Cross series will be held on September 30th in Denver, Colorado at the National Western Complex. For more information about the series go to endurocross.com

Morgan Tanke commented:
"Reno didn't really go the way that I was planning. My XTrainer got me off to a good start and everything was looking good until the rock section where my bike got buried in the gaps. I finally got out of the rock section only to do the same thing the next lap. I'm ready to put in some more work this week and turn things around in Denver!"

Ty Cullins commented:
"The track was pretty fast and more of a moto style, which isn't really my style but I was able to make it work and get the win in my qualifier. In the main I had a decent start but went down with a couple other riders in one of the first corners and had to play catch-up for the rest of the race. I battled my way back up to 9th by the end, my results are getting better and I'm looking to improve on them even more this weekend in Denver."

Injuries for Beta Riders at Round 11 of the GNCC
The last GNCC event in Masontown, WV was dusty to say the least. Beta rider Jordan Ashburn was having trouble finding his groove early on, and as he was starting to settle in a few mishap's took him out for the day. 

Asburn was unable to finish the race due to some minor injuries, but is okay and will be competing in the next event. As a result Ashburn now sits in 8th place for the overall series points standings in the XC1 Open Pro Class.

Nick Davis also found himself in trouble after losing visibility in the dust and hitting a rock that made him go down. Davis ended up dislocating his shoulder when he landed and took a DNF, but he is looking forward to competing in Ohio. 

Round 12 of the GNCC will take place in St. Clairsville, OH on October 7th and 8th. For more information on the GNCC Series go to gnccracing.com

Jordan Ashburn Commented:
"Well, I'm bummed today didn't turn out too well. I got a bad start and it was a super dust bowl. Lots of silt with rocks and super fast fields. I was chasing 6th for a lap and a half and couldn't get close enough to make a pass. I ended up crashing in a rocky field and landing flat on my back in a bunch of rocks. One hit me right at the top of my hip and I have a baseball-like knot. I tried to finish out the race but I wasn't able to."

Nick Davis Commented:
"Not a good weekend for me. Got off to a good start and was running fourth in the dust, but unfortunately couldn't see very well and lost the front end on a rock. When I came down I dislocated my shoulder and that was the end of my day."

Photo by Adam Booth

Max Gerston Takes the Lead in the West Hare Scramble Series!

The 8th round of the West Hare Scramble Series took place in Jericho, Utah last Saturday. The conditions varied throughout the day. Riders faced hot humid weather, which created a course that had some packed ground that offered traction and dry sections that made it hard for the riders to see at times.

Max Gerston finished on the podium in 3th place aboard his 2018 390 RR, which put him first in the points chase. Gerston now has a six point lead with only two races left this year. The next West Hare Scramble will be held in Truckee, California on the 7th and 8th of October.

Max Gerston Commented:
'The Jericho, Utah Western Hare Scramble was nasty. High speed whoops, silt beds, and dangerous dust was the theme of the race. I stayed focused for the 100 mile beat down and was able to come out with a 3rd. I still have the points lead and look forward to the last couple rounds that are supposed to be a little more technical."

Ashburn Finishes in 5th
Round 10 on the GNCC Series took place last weekend in New Berlin, New York. The track conditions were great, and the riders battled to earn points with only three races left in the series. Ashburn was able to lead a couple laps, but after some mishaps he finished in 5th place, and is in 7th place overall for the series.

The next GNCC race will be in Mason Town, West Virginia on September 23rd.

Jordan Ashburn commented:
"I got off to one of my best starts of the year running up front for a good while. Then I made a mistake and got stuck on a hill needing some assistance to pull up to the top. I got back rolling and ended up falling and twisting my hand guard in the same lap. So I had to stop in the pits to knock it down. Then I was able to regather and have a good last few laps."

Photo by Kato

Morgan Tanke Took the Win at the 2017 Kenda TKO!

Riders came from around the world last weekend to compete in the TKO event. Riding conditions were decent at the beginning of day one. However, the track worsened with every lap. Mud-caked-rocks and loosened terrain made it difficult for riders to navigate what were previously good lines. Crashes and falls began to take place more commonly, but the pace of the race barely slowed down, as racers battled for positions.

In the Women's class only two riders made it to the final event on Sunday; Morgan Tanke and Victoria Harcy. Morgan took 1st place in the Women's Class in Sunday's main event on board her Beta XTrainer. 

Morgan Commented:
"The TKO was nothing short of awesome! Right from the start I knew the day was going to be difficult, the slick rocky terrain was much different than what I'm usually used too.
Within 2 miles of the race course, a dumb mistake almost cut my day short. I hit a log that forced me to take an impromptu swim on the first deep creek crossing. After a couple of minutes, my XTrainer lit back up and I was on my way. 
After some tip overs and a lot of energy spent I made it to the finish in 1st! I couldn't believe how slick all of the rocks got throughout the day, it was definitely good practice for the Endurocross opener in Las Vegas!"

Gerston and Ashburn Finished 4th & 5th
The men's pro class had some close finishes between the top racers, which made for an
action packed weekend. Beta riders Max Gerston and Jordan Ashburn battled each other, and 3rd place finisher Mario Roman, for positions throughout the event. 

Jordan Ashburn Commented:
"Well, we had a pretty successful day at the TKO. Started off the hot lap with a tip over so I started the first knockout in 13th place. The first knockout I pushed hard and cleaned most of the sections and was able to finish 3rd overall. 
The second knockout race, I started off good with the lead and just continued to ride smooth and came in 3rd overall again. I started the final knockout on the front line and ran 4th pretty well the whole race till the last lap. 
I kept having troubles going up the waterfall section. And the last lap Max passed me there. I fell too many times and was completely wore out. We managed to help each other up and he beat me to the finish so we finished 4th and 5th respectively."

Photo by D Tanke Images

Jordan Ashburn Leads the Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series!

Competition picked up as racers challenged each other knowing that the series is drawing to an end. Overall standings in the 2017 Kenda Full Gas Sprint Enduro Series shifted last weekend. Jordan Ashburn is now leading by seven points over second place rider Steward Baylor. This is Jordan's second big win in a row after placing 1st in Round 4 of the series at Ohio.

The track conditions got pretty bad as the weekend progressed with temperatures reaching 87 degrees and an average humidity level of 67%. Over the weekend the track began to dry up making it hard for riders to keep traction while creating dust that at times was almost impossible to see through.

Jordan commented on the weekend:
"I started Saturday with a big win in the first cross test. I managed to hold the lead the rest of the day over Stew and Cory. It came down to the last test. Stew and I were really close but I was able to edge him out for the days win."

"Day two didn't start as well, the dusty grass-track was really tough to ride. I stayed constant and kept in the top 3 all day. For the final test, I was 4 seconds down from the leader and had to make a hard push to make up some ground. I ended up nudging him out by 3 seconds by days end with an overall win for the weekend."

Jordan Ashburn Places 3rd, While Nick Davis Places 4th at the Tough Like RORR Race in Pennsylvania

In the last RORR main event on July 1st and 2nd, Beta riders Jordan Ashburn and Nick Davis both put forth great effort. Jordan placed 3rd with heat times that were just a few hundredths of a second from 2nd place. Nick Davis came in a solid 4th place ending only seven seconds behind Jordan.

The course was brutal with temperatures around the mid 80's. The competitiveness was so fierce that at times only fractions of a second separated racers from one another. The track itself transitioned from dust-ridden grassy knolls and flats, to mountainous forested terrain covered in sharp-jagged rocks and boulders.

Jordan Ashburn commented:
"Tough like RORR was not to disappoint this year, the track was very technical. I got off to a good start in the top 3 before making a mistake and dropping to around 7th place. I managed to make some passes and caught up with the third and fourth place riders, and then I battled with second place for the rest of the race. On the last lap I got stuck on a hill and couldn't make the pass coming into the finish, so I finished in 3rd just a mere 8 seconds from 2nd place. "

Nick Davis stated:
"Today was tough. One of the hardest races I have ever done in my career. I got off to a good start, made a few mistakes, and fell back. But the last lap I put my head down and charged to 4th. I couldn't be happier after the tough year I have had with my injury."

Look forward to the next events; the NEPG-Round 5 on July 23rd, and Round 6 of the Full Gas Sprint Enduro on August 5th

Max Gerston Takes his 1st win at Mt. Baker West Hare Scramble!

Last weekend was packed with action in the West Hare Scramble. Max Gerston took his first ever victory allowing him to take the series points lead.

A small heat wave hit Bellingham, WA on Saturday with highs reaching over 90 degrees. The heated air helped dry up the weathered ridden track that was impacted by a storm the previous week. The mixture of heat and wet ground made for a grueling race that lasted over two and a half hours.

Max held the lead the entire race, putting a two minute gap between him and second place finisher Joey Fiasconaro by the third lap. Max later told us "After a bad start, I was able to set a good pace and put some distance between me and my competitors as I knew they would be charging hard."

After the race Max said,  "It feels good to get that monkey off my back and I want to keep the ball rolling for the rest of the year."

About 2,800 miles away in Snowshoe, West Virginia a battle for the 8th round of GNCC took place. The track conditions at the event were almost perfect with a rain storm that past through a week before the race, and the temperature at around 75 degrees. However, there were some sections thick with mud that made the track a little brutal to ride.

Jordan Ashburn stated,"I started in the second row 10 secs behind the first row. I made a couple mistakes the first lap picking bad lines. I worked all day trying to recover from that, and I feel like I could have been on the podium. "Jordan ended up finishing in fourth place in the XC1 class coming from 10th place in lap one.

With the points he earned from getting 4th place at Snowshoe, Jordan is seated 5th place in the overall points standing, which is only 3 points ahead of 6th place Trevor Bollinger. With such a tight points gap the next few races will be exciting to watch as the season end closes in.

At the same event Beta USA rider Nick Davis placed 8th, while his teammate Drew Higgins placed 12th in the XC2 250 Pro class. Nick was running in 5th place when his rear brake pedal snapped off making him stop for a quick pit. "The team got it changed fast and got me back out there. I came from 12th and ended up in 8th, and just made the top 20 over all."

Photo by Kato

Beta race team news!

Jordan Ashburn takes 1st place at Full Gas Sprint Enduro!
The races in Uhrichsville, Ohio last weekend started off with almost perfect weather conditions. Competition was fierce and the pace of each race amplified by each day. The gap between 1st place rider Jordan Ashburn and 2nd place rider Steward Baylor narrowed as the weather conditions worsened. 

Rider Jordan Ashburn stated; "My goal for the weekend was to put my head down and minimize mistakes. I couldn't have done it without all the support from my team."

Nick Davis Takes 1st place in the 4th Round of the East Hare Scramble Championship Series, while Kyle McDonal took 2nd!
Nick Davis pulls off a win after returning from a recent leg injury. His conditioning and practice seems to be paying off, while he prepares to return back to the GNCC series.
Kyle McDonal ends the race in second place, but is leading the AMA East Hare Scramble Championship Series in points. 

Justin Wallis Takes 8th place in the WORCS Race event at Glen Helen Raceway.
The scorching heat wave was expected to be too much for the riders last weekend at Glen Helen. The races had to be rescheduled for an earlier time than originally anticipated, while shortening the race time to an hour and a half. 
Wallis is currently sitting in 9th place overall for the WORCS Pro MC series.

Beta USA's Rodney Smith has been promoted to head up the Beta USA race department. The AMA Hall of Famer and five-time GNCC champion has been working for Beta for the last 12 months as a rider coach and now will take over as the race team manager. 

Beta USA's President Tim Pilg comments, "It has been a huge benefit to our team ever since Rodney came aboard full time last season. His approach to racing matches our goals for the team so it made perfect sense to have him take over the team manager position."

Smith is looking forward to developing the team and more, "I'm very excited to have this opportunity to run the Beta USA race team! I've been working & coaching the riders this year and now Beta has asked me to manage the team. I'm very excited to bring my experience I've learned over the years as a racer and champion as well as being inducted in the AMA hall of fame! I've had the chance to see & learn from my past managers, including Mike Webb, and now I'm looking forward to being able run my own team & to further give our racers the knowledge & experience to win some more championships for my riders, Beta, & myself."

Beta's GNCC pilot Jordan Ashburn had this to say, "Being able to work with Rodney Smith is a true privilege. He is a former GNCC champion with lots of knowledge. I'm really excited for him to take charge of the Beta race team and help us achieve our goals."

Smith will also work with EnduroX rider's Max Gerston, Ty Cullins, and Morgan Tanke as the EnduroX season begins in Las Vegas on August 19th along with the other team members.

Photo by Shan Moore

Gerston podiums in last weekend's AMA WHS (West Hare Scramble) Championship!

Beta USA's Max Gerston finished 3rd in last weekend's AMA WHS (West Hare Scramble) Championship held in Redding, California proving the talented racer from Arizona is a contender for the title. The event had rain before the start which eliminated the dust and greeted riders with almost perfect conditions. Gerston is looking very comfortable on his 390 RR and is currently second in points.

Gerston describes his race, "I had a great time at the Shasta Dam Hare Scramble. There was a lot of different terrain and my Beta 390 was the perfect fit for the job. The course was a 20 mile loop with everything from fast roads with huge water bars to virgin technical single track. It was a little fast for my liking but I still had a blast and ended up with a solid 3rd place finish, Braaap!"

The Beta GNCC team was at round four of the popular series held in Morganton, North Carolina. XC1 racer Jordan Ashburn was in 10th after the first lap and continued to make a charge to the front however with the pace of the top five, Ashburn ran out of time and finished the three hour race in 6th.

Ashburn had this to say, "Steel creek is a super tough track with huge braking bumps and steep hills. I didn't get the best start to the race. I came around the first lap in 10th place. I managed to make some passes over the next few laps and got to 6th. I was able to end the day in 6th place and get some good overall points."

Teammate and XC2 specialist Nick Davis made his GNCC return after his dislocated leg at the opening round. Davis got the holeshot of the XC2 start and ran as high as second in the race however faded to an eventual 8th place at the finish. Not a bad result considering the extent of his injury. 

Davis had this to say, ""My Beta 250 RR got me off to an awesome start by grabbing the hole shot. From then on I ran with the lead pack for the first hour and a half then my leg got weak. I started having to sit a lot and hold on really tight with my hands. Which then resulted in my hands blistering very severely. But all in all for being about 70 percent and haven't ridden in weeks I will take the finish that we got. Lets bring on the next one!" 

Davis' teammate Drew Higgins also had a decent finish with a solid seventh at the line. Higgins had filled in for Davis, however team coach Rodney Smith was impressed with his performance and made the call to keep him in the series. 

Higgins comments, "The race yesterday was held in the mountains of North Carolina, it was a race that I was looking forward to. My race started off good, I was about 6th or 7th heading into the woods. Not too long after entering the woods, I began to get super pumped up from my under gloves. I started to ride really tight and not flowing through any of the bumps and going the speed I needed to go. I dropped back to 9th for the majority of the race, and on the last two laps I made a hard charge and caught 6th. Wishing I could have made the pass, but had to settle for a 7th. My last two laps were my best feeling laps, after I finally got rid of the arm pump and started riding like myself. No excuses, the bike worked awesome. Wishing I would have been able to charge right from the beginning and go with the fast guys. But I know what to do next time for my hands, and I learned a lot today with race strategy and as a team we learned a lot about fuel mileage. My shoulder and back are feeling really good, so I'm ready to get home and get back to riding and get ready for round 5 in South Carolina!"

Max Gerston will race the Glen Helen 2-Stroke World Championships this weekend aboard a special 300 RR set up for moto. The race will be a nice cross trainer for the EnduroX season coming up in August.

Photo by Kato

Jordan Ashburn continues his podium streak!

Beta USA's Jordan Ashburn finished third overall for the weekend at round three of the Full Gas Sprint Enduro series held in Abingdon, Virginia. Ashburn raced his 430 RR in the slick conditions to finish only eleven seconds behind second place. 

Ashburn describes his race, "Saturday started pretty slow, I had to be pretty cautious in the muddy conditions. The enduro test was pretty slick. I was able to finish the day with a 3rd place going into Sunday and almost steal a test win. Going into Sunday I was close to second. I battled times all day back and forth and ended up a mere 11 secs from 2nd overall. I'm looking to keep building steam and working hard!"

Out in the West, Beta factory rider Justin Wallis finished 7th at round six of the WORCS championship held in Las Vegas at the Orleans Arena. The race is very unique in that the track design races inside the arena and stretches out to the parking lot. Wallis struggled to find his speed during the event and is looking forward to round seven in Hurricane, Utah in three weeks.

The Beta factory Trial team competed in rounds 1 & 2 in Amarillo, Texas this past weekend and will do battle at rounds 3 & 4 in Sedan, Kansas this weekend. Look for a full race report next week! 

This weekend the Factory Off Road Team's schedule is round four of the of the GNCC held in Morganton, South Carolina with rider Jordan Ashburn (XC1). Teammate Nick Davis (XC2) is returning after healing from his injury. Drew Higgins will join Davis in the highly contested XC2 class as well. 

In the West, Max Gerston will be racing in round four of the West Hare Scramble Championship held in Redding, California.

Photo by Shan Moore

Four Riders, Four Different Venues

Beta USA's team competed in four different events this past weekend. USA Factory rider Max Gerston and Beta support rider Kyle McDonal both finished second place at the AMA National Hare Scrambles East and West championships respectively while Morgan Tanke finished 6th in the Ironman (Ironwoman!) class at the Glen Helen 6-hour endurance race. Drew Higgins finished 12th at round 2 of the AMA National Enduro series held in Florida.

Max Gerston explains his race, "I got off to a crummy start but was able to make some quick passes on the motocross track and worked my way into second quickly. The course was fast, slick, and flowy which perfectly suited the Beta 390. Once I learned the course I was able to put down some better lap times but it wasn't enough to get the win. I am happy to finally get the ball rolling in the series and carry this momentum into the following rounds. I had a lot of fun and ended up second place."

Drew Higgins had an off day overall, "The day started off pretty good for the first test as I ended up 9th. Second test was amazing, the trail flowed and the markings were really good. The third test was a struggle for me, many of us got lost, and I ended up getting turned around on the trail and rode the same part of it twice. I figured they would throw it out so I kept pushing the rest of the day knowing my day wasn't over. The fourth and fifth test were similar in terrain, and the sixth was very tight. I felt good in the tight stuff and could pick up a few seconds for my overall finish. The end result was 12th on the day, and I'm ready to improve on that result at the next round."

Kyle McDonal comments, "The race was a lot of fun, I definitely had to take my time through some sections and pick good lines. I made the pass for second about three quarters of the way through the first lap and Wally (Palmer) had a good lead already. He was riding too good for me to make up any time on him. Overall it was a good race for points at only the 2nd round of the championship. I feel really good about the race and can't wait to show my progress in the upcoming races."

Morgan Tanke had a fun yet enduring race, "Racing for 6 hours straight is no joke! The first half of the race seemed to go by pretty quickly but the 4th hour started to take its toll on me when the track was deteriorating. I was able to ride a steady pace and regain some energy to put on a charge at the end. Finally the end was near with an hour to go, I picked the pace back up and finished strong beating out 18 other riders!"

This weekend the Factory Team's schedule is round three of the GNCC held in Sparta, Georgia with riders Jordan Ashburn (XC1) and Drew Higgins (XC2) filling in for injured Nick Davis. In the West, Justin Wallis will be racing in the round six of the WORCS series held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Photo by Kato

Higgins earns a top 5!

Beta USA's Drew Higgins finished in fifth place at round 2 of the GNCC series held in Palatka, Florida this past weekend. Filling in for the injured Nick Davis, the young Texan proved his fitness and riding ability is on point. Higgins' teammate Jordan Ashburn hit a knocked down telephone pole on the first lap after running seventh in the XC1 class, ending his day.

Drew Higgins explains his weekend "I was really looking forward to this opportunity to race in the GNCC this weekend, it was something that I have been working towards. Leading up to the race was awesome, Rodney put us through a couple days of conditioning which I feel helped. I really think that his additions to my workout routine are going to be beneficial. The race started off great, I nailed the holeshot and led for a little. During the first lap I got passed by a couple guys, I followed them to learn as much as I could. I was sitting in 5th after the first lap and stayed there pretty much the whole race. I passed and got to fourth place for one lap, then got stuck back in fifth when I pitted the second time. After the pit I rode smart and tried to minimize the mistakes to end up 5th. The bike worked amazingly all day long, I was very pleased with the suspension. My suspension tuner Bryce Rivera has it spot on and I'm really glad he is now working with the team."

"I found myself off to a bad start early on. I was close to the back and the dust had us to a near stand still. It started pouring rain halfway through the first lap, so the conditions changed very quickly, and I was able to work my way to 7th place on the first lap. I suffered a major get off directly behind the pits clipping a telephone pole that was sawed off 5 feet above ground. This ended my day in a hurry landing head-first and obtaining a nice knot on the head." explained Ashburn.

Factory rider Justin Wallis raced round 5 of the WORCS series in Lake Havasu however suffered a rare mechanical failure during the race and not be able to finish the race.

This weekend the Factory Team's schedule is round two NEPG help in Ormond Beach, Florida. Drew Higgins will try and put his Beta 300 RR on the podium. In the West, Max Gerston will be racing in the round three WHS held in Gorman, California.

Photo by Ken Hill

GNCC round one race report!

Beta USA's Jordan Ashburn finished in ninth place at round 1 of the GNCC series held in Union, South Carolina this past weekend. The Tennessee racer continues to push himself to reach the top step of the podium aboard his Beta 430 RR. Ashburn's teammate Nick Davis hit a tree after running fifth in the XC2 class ending his race with a dislocated hip. 

"Round one of the GNCC didn't go as well as I expected. I took the lead on the first lap and was able to come around in the front. I started to struggle with my bike setup on the track and I wasn't feeling comfortable as the race pace stepped up. I am going to try and make some slight changes on my setup this week to be dialed in for this weekend's round 2." explains Ashburn.

Nick Davis describes his race weekend, "My Beta 250 RR had me off to a great start sending me to the top 10 out of 40 racers on Sunday. It was very hard with the dust to get ahead, but we managed pretty well and was able to get all the way up to top 5 on the second lap. I was heading up to pass for 4th (Ty Tremaine) when everything fell apart, I hit a hole which kicked me up into a section of trees. I ended up needing a life flight out of there. I dislocated my hip and I have a fractured T1 in my back. It will take a few weeks to heal up but I hope to return for round 3 in Georgia. Thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers."

Next on the Factory Team's schedule is round two of the GNCC series this weekend, known as the Moose Racing Wild Boar held in Palatka, Florida. In the West, Factory rider Justin Wallis will be racing at rounds 4 and 5 of the WORCS series in Lake Havasu, Arizona, a race which he won last year.

Photo by Ken Hill

Ashburn earns second podium!

Beta USA's GNCC specialist Jordan Ashburn finished in third place at Round two of the Full Gas Sprint Enduro held in Monticello, Georgia this past weekend. The Tennessee racer continues to improve his speed at the two-day events and is becoming very comfortable aboard his Beta 430 RR.

"Saturday started off good as I stayed consistent in the top five. Although I kept struggling on the cross test I ended up fourth for the day. The conditions continued to deteriorate Sunday and the cross
test was super dusty and sketchy. I found myself picking my bike up in the second test from sliding out in a corner. At the end of the day and with the scores all added up I finished in third place for the weekend." explains Ashburn.

Ashburn's teammates Drew Higgins and Nick Davis finished 8th and 13th. Higgins posted his best finish so far this season and is using the series as a cross training tool for the National Enduro Series.

Drew Higgins describes his race weekend, "The race for me this weekend went awesome, I felt like I'm starting to get my speed near where I want it to be to go for top 5's and podium finishes. The race on Saturday went good, I didn't have anything crazy happen, but stayed consistent all day and finished the day in 10th. They ended up running the cross test four times, and the enduro test only twice because of mud, which kind of hurt me because the cross test was mainly motocross. But I did the best I could and my times were still pretty close. Sunday I found my groove early in the day and started moving up in the overall. There was four enduro tests today, and only two cross tests, so I felt more confident in my speed in the woods to be more competitive with everybody. All in all the weekend was a step in the right direction for me, and I'm very happy with the new suspension. I'm feeling really confident on it now, and ready for the National Enduro on March 19th."

Next on the Factory Team's schedule is round one of the GNCC series this weekend known as the Big Buck held in Union, South Carolina where Jordan Ashburn and Nick Davis will duke it out to be the first Beta rider to win a GNCC in the XC1 or XC2 class.

Photo by Shan Moore

Beta riders vs. muddy race courses!

Beta USA had two of their racers competing in different events yet both were a mudfest! WORCS racer Justin Wallis aboard his Beta 430 RR at Round 3 of the WORCS Series held in Taft, California finished ninth while his teammate Max Gerston placed 6th aboard his Beta 300 RR 2 stroke at the AMA National West Hare Scrambles.

Heavy rains in Taft the night before the race turned a perfect course into a sloppy mess. While the racing was still action packed, it proved to be a tough event as the mud challenged many of the riders. Wallis used his Kenda Southwick tires to his advantage however a slow start from the beginning eliminated his chances for a podium finish.

Round 3 of the AMA West Hare Scrambles which was held at the Clear Creek riding area in Coalinga, California where Max Gerston did pretty well despite the muddy conditions along with some goggle issues finishing the race in 6th place.

"The race was super sloppy and nasty. It was freezing cold and raining for the 3 hour race making it a brutal one. I pulled a holeshot and learned the course the entire race. I dropped back to 5th after many goggle issues and a few tip overs. I had enough sand in my eyes to build a motocross track at this point. My 300 RR suited the terrain well and was solid throughout the race." Gerston explains.

Team Manager Tim Pilg comments, "Both our racers struggled with the muddy conditions. There were two separate events however with the amount of rain we have been getting here in California, they were both very muddy. It was a tough weekend for sure however I am confident in my team and what they are capable of."

Next on the Factory Team's schedule is round two of the Full Gas Sprint Enduro held in Monticello, Georgia where team members Jordan Ashburn, Nick Davis, and Drew Higgins will do battle.

Photo by Harlen Foley

Ashburn on the podium at Sprint Enduro!

Factory Beta's Jordan Ashburn threw down some solid times at this past weekend's opening round of the Full Gas Sprint Enduro held in Gaston, South Carolina. Ashburn finished on the podium in third beating out fourth by a mere 2 seconds. Teammates Drew Smith and Nick Davis also raced the series finishing 13th and 16th respectively in what was a stacked field of talent.

Ashburn describes his race, "Day one was a little bit of a struggle from the first test. But after that we started getting the ball rolling a little bit with some top fives. At the end of day one I found myself sitting around one hundredth of a second behind fourth Place. Day two was a good day for learning. I came out strong and determined to try and make some ground up. I was able to make up 17 seconds on Russel Bobbitt and round out third on the podium. I feel we made some good changes this weekend and learned a lot. Thank you to my team for all the support."

Drew Higgins used the race as cross training for his National Enduro series. The Sprint Enduro formats force riders to be at 100% from the start as each special test may only last a few minutes and the racers are divided by very close margins. Higgins improved his times as the weekend went on and had this to say about the event,  "The weekend for me was a good step in the right direction, I felt like I made improvements in every test. I started out Saturday a little slow, but found my groove towards the end of the day. Sunday was much better, my bike was working awesome all day and I felt like I was being smoother. I have a little bit more speed to find, but I know what I need to work on for the next round. Looking forward to doing suspension testing next week as I think that will help my confidence a lot. It was a great weekend with the team, and I think we all know what we can do to be better and get Beta on the podium."

Nick Davis struggled early on in the tests, however began to regain his speed finishing strong at the end. The GNCC XC2 racer picked up the pace as the days went on.
  
"I had a decent weekend. Struggled a little with the sprint pace, these boys are fast and with me never doing these races before I was a little off pace. I can't thank Rodney Smith and Zack Huberty enough for all they did and helped me so much with advice and over seeing my bike. I will be ready and stronger for the next one. I can't wait!" Davis explains.

Out in the West, Beta racer Joe Wasson had a day he would rather forget. Racing Round two of the National Hare & Hound Championship in Alamogordo, New Mexico. Wasson was primed and ready for the event however a bad fall at the beginning of the race forced Wasson into looking for help on the course with a broken arm and a severely dislocated hand. Wasson was transported to El Paso, Texas where he received surgery on his arm and hand and is recovering. Wasson will be out of action for an undetermined amount of time waiting for his arm and hand to fully recover.

Team Manager Tim Pilg had this to say about the weekend, "I was very excited about the weekend until I got the call from my team mechanic Kevin Spina that Joe was in a bad crash and had to get medical attention. Joe is a great pleasure to work with! I have informed our team that we will wait for his recovery and let him come back when he is ready."

Next on the Factory Team's schedule is round two of the National West Hare Scramble championship in Coalinga, California where Max Gerston will try to pull off a win at the technical event. Justin Wallis will compete at round 3 of the WORCS series held in Taft, California. Both of these events will be interesting as the forecast is rain all weekend in the area.

Photo by Shan Moore

Max Gerston 2nd at King Of Motos!

The Beta Factory race team was busy this past weekend with their extreme team's first event at the King Of Motos (KOM) held in Johnson Valley, California. Factory rider Max Gerston finished the event in second aboard his 300 RR two stroke. Woman racer Morgan Tanke rode her Beta Xtrainer to a solid 16th place in the amateur division beating more than 60 other racers.

Gerston describes his race, "King of the Motos 2017 was a crazy one. GPS navigation and an added night race portion complicated the race and amplified the technical aspects of the Extreme Enduro. I had a solid setup with my Beta 300 RR and was able to have consistent rides with a 3rd in the night portion, a 2nd in the morning portion, and a 3rd in the afternoon segment resulting in a 2nd place overall. I am happy with the result and excited to build off of that for the rest of the 2017 race season."

Morgan Tanke was also pleased with her finish, "The new 3 moto format at King of the Motos this year was awesome. The night race was definitely one of the craziest races I've ever done. Starting up a technical canyon with 100+ racers all at once at night was insane! The morning desert moto also had a super difficult start but once I got through I was able to ride a steady pace and conserve my energy for the extreme moto. Midway through the 3rd moto I had a major bike issue and there wasn't much I could do to fix it. I kept on going and limped it home to the finish! Betas are the toughest motorcycles out there, no doubt!"

Across the country, round one of the National Enduro series was getting kicked off. The season opener was held in Wedgefield, SC which was the same location as the East coast Hare Scramble. The event was used as a warm up for many of the factory teams so the Pro class was stacked. NEPG regular Drew Higgins made his Beta race debut finishing in a solid 14th position. Higgins teammate and GNCC racer Nick Davis used the event as a warm up finishing 20th.  

"My day started out really good, got off to a good start in the first test and ended up 8th. Tests 2 and 3 were good, made minimal mistakes and tried to just maintain my speed throughout the test. I felt like my bike was working awesome all day, besides some mistakes in test 4 that cost me some time. I hit a tree that was bent over and it ripped me off my bike, after I got going I crashed again trying to get back into my groove. I rode as hard a could for tests 5 and 6, but my pace was a little off of what it should be. All in all I was really happy with my fitness and my bike, I just need to limit the mistakes that I make, and ride smoother. I'm looking forward to building off this result, and going up from here in my finishes." Higgins explains.

Next on the Factory Team's schedule is round two of the National Hare & Hound championship in New Mexico where Joe Wasson will try to put his Beta 480 on the box. Beta racers Jordan Ashburn, Nick Davis, and Drew Higgins are competing in Gaston, South Carolina at round one of the Full Gas Sprint Enduro.

Photos by Diahann Tanke