Corona, CA: Burson Wins USDR Championship...Fifth time for Nick Burson!

All Nick Burson needed to do was finish the race - or in this case, make it to the halfway point - to claim the title, but the dominant USDR star decided to close out his season with another win. Zip-Ty Husqvarna's Burson charged to a convincing win at Red Mountain, California for the fifth and ultimate round of the U.S. Desert Racing championship.

"I actually led from the beginning," Burson said. "But I took it easy for an hour because you only have to do half the race to get points. But once I got an hour in, I relaxed and picked up the pace. I'm really stoked to end the series on such a good note!"

Aside from a nearly flawless season in USDR, Burson had several other high points in 2011, such as his victory at the VCMC Qualifier Enduro at The Ranch, where his strong performance showcased his skill as a tight-terrain specialist, as well as a desert authority. Much like his 2011 Husqvarna TXC511, Burson is very at home in the wide-open, high-speed terrain, but is surprisingly capable in the technical conditions as well.

"The TXC511 with the CTS handles really well," Burson said. "In the desert it always feels really natural. You don't have to change the gearing because the six-speed transmission gives you a lot of bottom end and still a lot of top end. I ran stock gearing all year."

Aside from possibly racing the upcoming Tecate Hare Scrambles, Burson's 2011 season is wrapped up. The Ridgecrest, California native looks forward to defending his USDR championship once more in 2012, along with contesting the National Hare & Hound series and Best In The Desert.

"We're all super proud of Nick," commented Husqvarna National Marketing Manager Corey Eastman. "He's a solid racer and a great person to have representing Husqvarna. We all want to thank him for another fun season, and for Husqvarna's third-consecutive U.S. Desert Racing championship."