Beta Factory rider Max Gerston is determined to show that winning the west Hare Scramble Series in 2017 was not a fluke. Gerston took 1st place last weekend at Rancho Cordova, California in round 1 of the series, putting him in the lead early for this year. The conditions were perfect at last weekend's WHS race, and Gerston won with talent and a drive to win.

Round 2 of the West Hare Scramble Series will take place in Prescott Arizona on February 17th and 18th.

Max Gerston: "I'm super stoked to get the win at the first round of the WHS series. My Beta 390 suited the slippery course perfectly. I rode a gear high the whole race and had some good battles. The last lap my rear brake went out so at that point I was relying on the engine braking to slow me down on the slick cobble trails.I'm thrilled with my bike and team and look forward to the next one!"

Jordan Ashburn raced the Kenda RevLimiter Extreme last weekend near Decatur Texas. The attendance was high at the event but temperatures were nearly freezing. Ashburn, who won the race last year, finished in 3rd place overall for the weekend aboard his Beta 300 RR 2-Stroke.

Jordan Ashburn: "With frigid temperatures on Sunday morning, we started on a semi frozen track. I was able to start off with a close 3rd place in moto one. I lost second place right before the finish by getting stuck in a big rock hole just before the finish. I managed to come away with a 2nd place in moto 2. The last race was very slow and technical. I got a bad start and had to push myself through a grueling 45min of catch-up and never was able to catch 3rd place. I ended the day with a 3-2-4 which earned me a 3rd overall."

Photo by Kaeley Porter

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