Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Destry Abbott Climbs Back On the Podium in Utah

Monster Energy Kawasaki Irvine, Calif. (May 24, 2011) Monster Energy Kawasaki's Destry Abbott Climbs Back On the Podium in Utah 0e97e924-1071-44ff-a189-36344a93889a.jpgMonster Energy Kawasaki's Destry Abbott scored a third-place finish at Round 8 of the AMA National Hare and Hound series in Jericho, Utah. When Abbott arrived in Utah, the conditions were perfect and he was feeling on top of his game. The first 65-mile loop was the faster loop, which was comprised of a variety of terrain. The second loop was 35 miles and entailed more technical riding, through trees and tight mountain trails. A dead-engine start specialist, Abbott got off the line quickly, and ended up in third after the bomb. Since it had been raining for several days prior to the race, the dirt was in perfect condition for the event. Abbott rode smart and maintained a good pace throughout the race to finish on the podium in third place.

Monster Energy Kawasaki Under the Tent Jericho Wilderness The first loop of the race started out with a drag race off the line, through an open field, and routed the racers through a gate which led to miles of single track through open fields, trees, and river beds. A few miles into the race, Abbott maneuvered into second and was pushing hard to reel in the leader. Even though the course would take him through some of Utah’s beautifully diverse countryside, he didn’t have much time to enjoy the view as he was focused on catching the leader. “The Utah dirt was perfect,” said Abbott. “Since they’ve been getting a lot of rain the traction was so good that I could really push my KXâ„¢450F harder than normal. I had a first kick-start, but pulled a wheelie off the line which I’m sure was entertaining to watch. Fortunately, I was able to get the end of the bomb in third. The first part of the 65-mile loop was awesome. We rode single-track through the trees for a while before dropping into a really fun, tight sand wash. The rest of the loop was really fast and sketchy for me. There were a lot of fast valleys covered with grass, and I started to lose a little time in these spots where it was hairball to hold the throttle open. As we rolled into the pits I saw the top three of us had a good gap on fourth, and decided to play it smart and save energy for the second loop.” Over the River and Through the Woods Abbott maintained a good pace throughout the entire second loop, but was not able to make up time on the leader. The second loop involved very technical riding through trees and very mountainous terrain. Several times he had to cross streams or navigate very tight, rocky sections of trail through tight woods. While this type of technical terrain is typically Abbott’s forte, he wasn’t able to reel in the leader, and finished the race in third place. “I actually had a really good time today,” said Abbott. “I felt more like myself at this race and it was nice to be running up front where I feel I should be riding. The second loop of the race was definitely more technical stuff through the mountains and around patches of snow. We climbed up into the hills and it was a lot wetter in the higher elevation. There were a lot of first and second gear climbs and descents through tight forest trails. I honestly feel like I have the best bike out there. My KX450F is so awesome, it handles really well in those conditions and had plenty of low-end power you need on those kinds of mountain trails.” Back to WORCS Next week Abbott regroups with fellow Monster Energy Kawasaki teammates Justin Soule and Taylor Robert for Round 5 of the World Off Road Championship Series in Payette, Idaho. With more mountainous terrain on the horizon, Abbott feels confident going into the next round of the WORCS series. Currently in fifth in the points standings, Soule will be working hard to climb closer to the top of the leaderboard. Robert, who currently sits only two points behind the series leader, will be charging hard to climb to the top of the leaderboard. Results AMA National Hare and Hound Series - Round 8 Jericho, Utah May 21, 2011 Pro Class Results 1. Kurt Caselli, KTM 2. Kendall Norman, Honda 3. DESTRY ABBOTT, MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI 4. David Pearson, Honda 5. ROBERT UNDERWOOD, KAWASAKI Pro Class Points 1. Kurt Caselli, KTM, 187 2. David Pearson, Honda, 159 3. DESTRY ABBOTT, MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 146 4. JACOB ARGUBRIGHT, KAWASAKI, 121 5. JUSTIN MORROW, KAWASAKI, 84