January 27, 2009 -- Woodcliff Lake, NJ - Husqvarna's desert racing renaissance continued in California at Round #1 of the AMA National Hare & Hound Series. Despite extremely cold and windy conditions, Ty Davis and two members of his Zip-Ty Racing Team, Gary Sutherlin and Nick Burson, were in contention all day at the 42nd Annual Desert MC-promoted event in the legendary Johnson Valley.
Davis was the first of his unit to advance his Husqvarna TC450 toward the front of the field over the very rocky, very rough 80-mile Hare & Hound course. He rounded the smoke-bomb 4th overall battling high wind gusts that made the going difficult to stay upright and on-track for every one of the 400 or so entrants. Conditions were especially sketchy over sections where the undulating landscape took racers over exposed ridges.
Ty Davis "The cold and high winds made it very challenging," said Davis, a local resident of the desert who is no stranger to the desert's extremes. "We were really being blown around but that made the dust a non-factor and made it possible for me to stay right on the tail of the rider I chased for most of the race, Destry Abbott. This race was a whole lot of fun for me."
As the race raged on "ZipTy" moved up and held 3rd for most of the second 40-mile loop. He was eventually overtaken by Abbott and moved back another slot by teammate/protege Sutherlin who passed Davis for 4th place overall on the final charge, just ahead of Bossman Davis in 5th. Sutherlin put in a journeyman's effort on his Husqvarna TC510 and fueled rumblings around the race paddock that "Husky is reclaiming the desert again... and doing it quickly!"
Still beaming from his 1st overall desert win in early January, Zip-Ty Racing teammate Nick Burson was hoping to carry his momentum into this AMA National. Unfortunately a stomach ailment and a less than glorious start found Burson working his Husqvarna TC510 up through the pack from 20th and capping his day in the desert with a respectable 11th overall.
4th Place Gary Sutherlin, Husqvarna TC510
5th Place Ty Davis, Husqvarna TC450
11th Place Nick Burson, Husqvarna TC510