Press Release: February 22nd, 2021 | For Immediate Release | Paso Robles, California 
Best in the Desert - Parker 250
Parker, AZ

Best in the Desert had its first event of the year at the Parker 250. Rolling into this event with confidence, Beta Racing looked to keep up the hot start of the season. Our two riders did just that. Joe Wasson, after starting last, battled through the field to finish on the podium in second place. Teammate, Zane Roberts, overcame a setback to finish just off the podium in fourth place. Reaching speeds of 90 mphs in the desert both riders charged hard all day over the 250-mile course.

Results

Open Pro
Joe Wasson - 2nd
Zane Roberts - 4th
Joe Wasson
Factory 480 RR

"The Parker 250 was really fun! I got there Friday to get tech and registration done. I felt really good going into the race but knew I was at a disadvantage because of starting last. But I put my head down and charged hard! Finally, I got into clean air and made up some time but it just wasn’t enough to close the gap for first! Everything else worked flawlessly and I am really happy with how the team and bike worked!"
Zane Roberts
Factory 480 RR

“I raced the Parker 250 this weekend for the first time and it was quite the experience. I wasn’t sure what to expect considering I’d be soloing the event and spending roughly 4.5 hours on the bike. I got off to a bit of a hesitant and slow start due to dust and the rising sun. Unfortunately, I completely lost my front brake early on. I did what I could for the day and tried to keep it off the ground as speeds were in excess of 90mph at times which can be a little nerve-wracking without full braking ability. Overall, I'm disappointed with the result as I know I’m capable of much better, but happy to walk away healthy and with a decent result.”
Big Buck GNCC - Round 1
Union, SC

For the second straight year, cool and partly sunny conditions met the riders at the Big Buck GNCC, the first one of the year. Beta Racing didn't have the best luck in South Carolina this week. In the XC1 class Cory Buttrick rode a consistent race over the three-hour race but after a few setbacks he ultimately finished in 9th place. Thorn Devlin, who was in a car accident on the way to the race, was able to get on the bike and get a top ten finish in the XC2. Max Fernandez aboard a Factory 125 RR took 5th place in the XC3 class. Rachel Gutish, who lead a majority of the race, took a podium spot in the WXC class with a 3rd place finish.

Results

XC1 - Cory Buttrick - 9th Place
XC2 - Thorn Devlin - 10th Place
XC3 - Max Fernandez - 9th Place
WXC - Rachel Gutish - 3rd Place
Cory Buttrick
Factory 430 RR

“Not quite the jump I wanted off the line, but I was able to make passes quickly once we were in the woods to make it into the top 5. Not long after, I clipped a log shearing off the shifter. After a quick swap, we were rolling again to claw our way back into the top 10. I had one unfortunate fall near the end of the race that really cost some time. I hit a root wrong and swapped off a bank landing 10 feet down into a creek, I went completely underwater. Definitely made the last two laps tough but we kept hammering. A huge thank you to the team for all the effort. Good results are in the future.”
Thorn Delvin
Factory 250 RR

“The first round of GNCC was a challenge for me. With the car accident I got in on the way to the race, my pre-race schedule was less than ideal. My teammates and team were a huge help getting my stuff loaded in their vans which gave us some relief to get to the race. I’m forever thankful for them for doing that. My race performance was subpar. I struggled to put a race together and I started getting a flow too late in the race. My Beta 250RR was awesome in the gnarly conditions, I’m looking forward to a fresh start mentally at round 2 and showing what we are all capable of.”
Max Fernandez
Factory 125 RR

"I got off the line and into the woods in 4th and rode there for a few miles until I got stuck in a mud hole. That put me in the back of the pack. I played catch-up all day and was able to get into 5th place until I bent my shifter back behind my footpeg. Bad luck all day but with everything that happened I'm glad to have salvaged some points, come out healthy, and know what I need to do in order to get on the podium next race. Thank you to the team for all your hard work!
Rachel Gutish
Factory 300 RR

“I am happy to come away with a third-place finish at the opening round of the GNCCs. There were definitely things I could have done better and need to improve on before the next round, but you’ll never hear me complaining about a podium finish! I think this is a good sign for the rest of my season and I look forward to the next round, Wild Boar, here in a couple weeks.”