Story + Photos – Mark Kariya // Publication- Cycle News
After the disappointment of a DNF while leading round seven, 3 Bros./Hatch Racing Husqvarna’s Dalton Shirey came from a mediocre start to win the Desolation 100 hosted by the Rimbenders Motorcycle Club in Blue Wing Flat, Nevada, round eight of the AMA Hare & Hound National Championship Series, Presented by FMF, on Saturday October 9.
Photos by Mark Kariya
However, the bigger news may have been Joe Wasson’s runner-up finish which was enough to get the Beta factory rider enough points to clinch the championship that seemed so distant just a few years ago.
He came into the race 33 points ahead of Beta teammate Zane Roberts so his main goal was simple: beat Roberts. A single position would be good enough.
“I had so much pressure!” Wasson admitted. “I’ve been sick to my stomach all week.”
Things didn’t get much better when the race started. Johnny Campbell Racing (JCR) Honda’s Preston Campbell got the holeshot and immediately put ground on the pack aboard his Kenda/Pro Circuit/Fly Racing CRF450X.
He completed the 40-mile first loop 22 seconds ahead of Shirey, who’d recovered well from a mid-pack start as well as what appeared to be a broken hand at round seven. (“I had sausage fingers,” he noted.) Once out of the bulk of the dust, the defending series champ and his FMF/P-Worx/Troy Lee Designs FX 450 found the passing a little more difficult, but he managed to effect each one with his combination of race craft, horsepower and timing..
Things became a little easier for Shirey when Campbell crashed on the second loop (also 40 miles). The Honda rider managed to remount in time to duel with Shirey, but the spill threw his rhythm off and he overcooked another section, momentarily getting hung up in a bush.
That allowed both Wasson and Roberts to catch and eventually pass him.
Once clear of Campbell, the Beta teammates went at it like the title was on the line. Roberts knew he had to beat Wasson in order to take the championship to the final round and tried his best to push his Kenda/Motul/Klim 480 RR past Wasson.
“I got up there and tested Joe a few times and he responded,” Roberts acknowledged. “He earned it today. My only goal was if he was going to get [the championship], he needed to earn it today and he definitely earned it. Respect to him for that.”
Wasson confided, “I had arm pump the whole race; I was in my head the whole time—I was just trying to keep it together. I was all over the place, but I held it together. Zane gave me a couple good pushes, but I was going to go for broke. I’ve wanted this my whole life.”
Wasson and his FMF/DP Brakes/Kimes Ranches 480 RR did what they needed to do and held Roberts off to sew up the championship before the finale.
Campbell recovered to claim fourth followed by Kenda KTM’s Austin Serpa.
KORR Off-road KTM rider Carter Klein backed up his Pro 250 win at round seven with another one, finishing sixth overall aboard his 3 Bros./DT Racing/Hoosier Tires 250 SX-F, followed by S.W. Roberts Construction-backed Clayton Roberts (who got one more ride on the two-year-old KTM 250 XC borrowed from Gunnar Carlson). Garrett Off-road Racing Husqvarna’s Corbin McPherson finished third Pro 250, and remains the points leader by four over KTM of Aspen’s Clayton Gerstner who was fourth in class after a reported tire issue.
Electric Authority Inc. KTM rider Carter Stears was the first A rider overall and the Open A winner at ninth with J.S. Buchanan/Chidester Transport Racing Yamaha’s Jim Herrero rounding out the top 10 overall.
The Pro Women’s race appeared to belong to Rachel Stout in the early going, but defending champ Britney Gallegos caught up on her Elite Offroad/Colorado Recycling Husky and the pair went back and forth. Stout fought valiantly aboard her Full Factory Offroad KTM, but Gallegos never relented and made the race-winning pass in the very last corner to deny Stout a fourth triumph in Pro Women. Gallegos (who finished 16th overall) goes into the finale nine points ahead now, 195-186. Let’s Ride KTM-mounted Ashley Gage finished on the podium for the first time with her third place.
2021 Desolation 100 AMA Hare & Hound Results
- Dalton Shirey (Hus)
- Joe Wasson (Bet)
- Zane Roberts (Bet)
- Preston Campbell (Hon)
- Austin Serpa (KTM)
- Carter Klein (KTM) Pro 250
- Clayton Roberts (GG) Pro 250
- Corbin McPherson (Hus) Pro 250
- Carter Stears (KTM) A Open
- Jim Herrero (Yam)