For the third year in a row, Jagged X and the No. 1919 Polaris Ranger RZR S dominated Best in the Desert’s “Vegas to Reno, The Long Way” race. The No. 1919 desert race team not only finished but took first place honors in what is credited as being the longest off-road race in the United States. The team finished the race in 30 hours and 29 minutes, 15 clear of the closest challenger.

This year’s event was an amazing three-day staged race covering 998 miles of the grueling Nevada desert. The Jagged X Ranger RZR S was piloted by driver of record, Brandon Schueler and Blake Van de Loo, along with navigators Chad Riccio and Mike West. The No. 1919 started in the fourth position on Thursday prepared to take on the first 332 mile stage. Within the first two pit stages, Schueler had overtaken the lead position, and with only a few minor problems, finished the first day well ahead of the competition. Day two and three were much the same and in the end, the Jagged X Ranger RZR S ended up first across the line completing the grueling course and taking the top honors for the third year in a row.

In addition to winning the UTV class, Jagged X also managed to finish ahead of several other classes in the overall standings including the 1700 Jeepspeed and the new 4400 Ultra 4 class. Unofficially, the No. 1919 team finished approximately 125th out of the field of more than 270 starters, in more than 20 classes.

Motowoz Performance Systems had a very successful 2009 ATV racing season. Five of its sponsored riders won six national titles in their respective classes in the 2009 ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championships. Four youth riders and one in the amateur Women’s division earned class crowns after the season finale at Loretta Lynn’s on August 16.

In 2009 Motowoz-supported racers tallied the fastest lap in their classes 117 times, notched 104 moto wins and 46 overall class victories. Alex Szymborski, Holt, Mich., was especially fast on his Cobra ATV outfitted with Motowoz shocks. He won a total of 16 events this year in three classes and both the 90 Auto Jr. and 70 SS class championships. He just missed a third title, losing to fellow Motowoz rider Jacob French of Zimmerman, Minn. French trailed Szymborski in points after the first three rounds due to a few mechanical issues, but rebounded and recorded six wins in the last seven events to secure the title.

“We may not have shocks on every bike, but those that do [run our shocks] win and Motowoz-backed riders had the highest win percentage in the series.” says Jim Jaworski, owner of Motowoz. “It was great to see Jacob [French], the son of a dedicated Motowoz dealer J&J Racing, and Alex [Szymborski] compete. They put on such an epic battle. I congratulate all five national champions for their successful seasons and thank all the racers who used Motowoz products.”

Jaworski thinks the successful 2009 season will lead to a bigger and better 2010.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Josh Creamer went out in style going 1-2 to earn his second overall win of the season at the series finale at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. His teammate Chad Wienen wanted to enjoy some of the winnings as he earned the Moto 2 win and went seventh overall with a 13-1.

Although the championship didn’t go to green, the team had huge success during the 2009 season with four of 11 overall wins, 10 moto wins, and stood on the podium an additional nine times. The KFX450R was also the quad to beat in the Pro Am classes as well with Cody Gibson claiming both the Production and Unlimited championships prior to the final round.

Way To Go Out

The last race was a favorite for both Kawasaki riders. Creamer finished on the podium at last year’s finale and he came back with a vengeance in 2009 going 1-2 for his second career win. In the first moto, he didn’t waste anytime getting out front, taking the holeshot and leading the whole race to victory. In the second moto, he didn’t get a great start, but moved quickly through the pack. By the third lap he was in first, but conceded the lead to his teammate and went on to place second in the moto.

Polaris Ranger RZR S drivers Mark Holz and Doug Eichner picked up two class wins and finished one-two in the overall at WORCS Round 6 at Straddleline ORV Park, in Olympia, Wash.

“Holz and Eichner have done an incredible job racing the Ranger RZR S this season,” says Eric Nault, race team manger for Polaris. “We look forward to another championship in WORCS due to their hard work and dedication.”

Holz took the “UTV Class 1” and overall to add to his first-place series point standings. Holz has a 98-point lead and four first place finishes in WORCS races this season.

Eichner and his Ranger RZR S dominated the “UTV Class 2” and took second overall. Eichner has the lead in the point standings for the class and also has four first place finishes this season.

Polaris Industries Inc. has received orders from the U.S. Army to provide additional vehicles, parts and accessories. Values of these orders exceed $6 million and deliveries are planned for later this year.

The U.S. Army has been using Polaris’ militarized ATV, the MV700, for various operations, including in Afghanistan. According to Polaris the MV700 has proven to be a versatile vehicle in supporting a wide variety of missions conducted in urban, rural, mountain and desert areas worldwide.

“Polaris is very proud to continue its role in providing the U.S. Army and its allies with world-class machines that can be relied on to perform under the toughest conditions,” says Bennett Morgan, president and chief operating officer of Polaris. “We are very serious about what it takes to be a long-term valued supplier to military and government customers. Polaris Defense works very hard to ensure we are providing a complete capability including; vehicles, spare parts and logistical support for this critical market area.”

Monster Energy Kawasaki‘s Josh Creamer bested the field at the Dirt Days National at the Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., the final round of the AMA ATV Motocross Championship. However, it was Dustin Wimmer of Rockstar Makita Suzuki who won the series championship.

Wimmer finished fourth overall on the day, behind Creamer, Honda’s Joe Byrd and Warnert Can-Am’s John Natalie, but it was more than enough to secure his second straight title.

“It feels great,” says Wimmer. “It was a really hard year for the team with me getting injured the fourth race in. I had to work hard and come back strong from the injury. I had a six moto win streak going up to this race. I really got back on top of things.

“At first, I didn’t think I could come back. After I raced the first race back I was like ‘this is pretty impossible if I race like this again’ but then I got some recovery time. All three of us (contenders Chad Wienen and Joe Byrd) could have won it this year. We all had our share of bad luck but we came out on top.”

Team Rockstar / Makita / Suzuki / Yoshimura’s Dustin Wimmer clinched the 2009 Championship in the first moto of the last round of the 2009 ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship. The defending champion’s fourth place overall secured his second crown in front of cheering fans at Loretta Lynn’s MX track in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

Wimmer came into this final round 45 points ahead of the competition after a season that was full of drama. Wimmer had held a commanding early lead only to become sidelined with a shoulder injury a third of the way through the season. Even with sitting out one race and painfully making his way around the track for the next two rounds, Wimmer was finally healthy enough to take six moto wins in a row and regain many of his lost points. He finished first in six of the eleven rounds for a total of 419 points.

Robby Gordon is going to be busier than most of us this Labor Day weekend. Gordon plans to race the The Off Road Championship (TORC), at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway, in Crandon, Wis., on Sunday, September 6, and then jump on a plane and head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Labor Day Classic 500, later that night.

As part of the multi-year product development and marketing agreement Polaris and Gordon inked earlier this year, Polaris will be the primary sponsor of Gordon’s No. 007 TORC Chevy Silverado race truck for the TORC race and the primary sponsor on the No. 7 NSCS Toyota Camry, at the NASCAR Labor Day Classic 500.

“I am very excited about this new opportunity with Polaris as the primary sponsor of the TORC entry in Crandon and the NASCAR entry in Atlanta. To combine these two tracks where I historically perform well together on Labor Day weekend should make for an exciting double-header,” says Gordon.

Renthal and Tucker Rocky have entered a new distribution agreement in the United States. Tucker Rocky will carry the full line of Renthal products for sale through its extensive dealer network.

Tucker Rocky will begin distributing Renthal products in the fall of 2009 and all products will be represented in the 2010 Tucker Rocky catalog.

“”Renthal is a strong and very recognized brand in our industry,” says Steve Johnson, president/COO of Tucker Rocky Distributing. “I have always respected not only the brand and the quality of the product, but also the team of people that Henry Rosenthal has put together. We are looking forward to working with the Renthal team and growing this great brand.”

Work is set to begin across Canada on hundreds of outdoor trails, which will help to create jobs and enhance the country’s national trail system.

The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), and Terry Norman, National Coordinator, National Trails Coalition (NTC) announced that over 500 trail projects will benefit from the Government’s $25 million investment in recreational trails, as part of the Government’s Economic Action Plan.

“As part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, Canada is proud to provide the first payment of $12.5 million to the National Trails Coalition to get construction underway,” says Lunn. “By partnering with the National Trails Coalition we are boosting local economies, creating jobs, getting shovels in the ground and providing Canadians with better quality trails.”

Factory Polaris/Rath/Duro Rider Daryl Rath spent the weekend collecting wins on the Sportsman 850 XP.

The winning weekend was started Saturday, Aug 1, at the OMA National being held at the legendary Millville MX track, in Minnesota. The Millville track is well known for hosting the Outdoor Bike Nationals but was perfect for a little cross country action as well. Taking the opportunity of summer break from the GNCC Series, Polaris and Rath are busy getting some additional testing and development done on their race bikes. Taking the win, along with placing sixth overall in the morning class, left Rath ready for Sunday.

“I think this is the best the bike has felt all season, we have dug in hard to put together a winning program and that effort is starting to show with the results.” says Rath.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Kymco have signed a joint-venture contract to produce high performance general gasoline engines.

Under the terms of the contract, Kymco and Kawasaki will invest $10 million to form Changzhou Kawasaki and Kwang Yang Engine Co., Ltd.(CK&K) in the Changzhou National Hi-Tech District. Production is expected to begin next January.

Products of the newly formed CK&K will mainly be exported to North America and distributed around the world under the Kawasaki and Kymco brands. Products will include leaf blowers, power lawnmowers, tree-dozers, pruners, small generators, water pumps, and road cutting machines.

The ongoing battle over the Yamaha Rhino flared up again recently when CBS News produced a story that dealt with injuries and the Rhino. Yamaha feels that CBS slanted its story in favor of the plaintiffs and included misleading information about the Rhino. You can view the CBS News story here. The following is an official statement from Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., in response to that story.

Safety drives everything we do at Yamaha. We are proud of the safety record and safety features of the Yamaha Rhino, which has skyrocketed in popularity due to its exceptional reliability, safety and versatility.

Over 150,000 Rhino owners have used the vehicles safely, including the U.S. military, border patrol, and a growing number of law enforcement agencies, fire fighters and other first responders. In fact, more than 99 percent of Rhino owners have operated their vehicles safely and responsibly over millions of hours of use. The Rhino has won virtually every “first in class” award and top safety ratings in independent reviews since its introduction.

The next custom quad build from Tarantula Performance Racing is in the works and will be released later this summer, but ATV enthusiasts can get a sneak peak at the build in progress right now.

Yamaha’s new motocross-specific sport quad, the YFZ450R, is the base for TPR’s next project quad. TPR is working furiously with its team of sponsors to roll out the quad this summer, and you can watch the project come together online at TPR’s Web log, Tarantula Performance Racing Quad Promotions. The blog is being hosted on the site BlogSpot.com and can be viewed here.

TPR is famous for the Spyder Quad, a Suzuki LTR450 built with Quinn Michael of Outta Control Racing Ministries for the 2008 Indy Dealer Expo. The Spyder Quad was built under wraps, but the TPR project YFZ450R is more of an open secret.

MCX-USA Turbos had fantastic results in every UTV event at DuneFest 2009 in Winchester Bay, Ore. Results are listed below:

UTV Tractor Pull – 1st Place for Clifford Pallin in his Turbo Polaris RZR S
Last Man Standing – 2nd Place for Jentry Painter in his Turbo Polaris RZR
Drag Races – Fastest ET for Jentry Painter in his Turbo Polaris RZR
Show & Shine – 1st Place for Gary & Ryan Giffin in his Turbo Polaris RZR
Motocross Race – 1st Place for Chris Rademacher in Zoom Production’s Turbo Polaris RZR

MCX-USA also released three new turbo kits at DuneFest 2009. In addition to kits already available for the Yamaha Rhino 660 and 700, and Polaris Ranger RZR and RZR S, MCX-USA has also released the Arctic Cat Prowler XTZ, Kawasaki Teryx FI, and Polaris Ranger turbo kits as well.

Rockstar Makita Suzuki‘s Dustin Wimmer sailed to his sixth win of the year in a methodical 1-1 moto sweep at RedBud MX in Buchanan, Mich.

Wimmer has run the gamut of luck this season, starting off exceptionally well, then sitting out two races with an injury, struggling trying to mount a comeback, and then winning the last two races back. Now, Wimmer stands close to winning back-to-back championships in the ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited, this one his toughest yet.

Monster Energy Kawasaki‘s Josh Creamer and Chad Wienen were close behind, keeping the Kawasaki versus Suzuki fight alive for in the Manufacturer’s Cup Championship.

In moto one, Creamer took the holeshot and led the first five laps while Harold Goodman, Wimmer and Doug Gust stayed close behind. Wienen had a rough start, starting back in ninth but in typical Wienen fashion, recovered to fourth place by the end of the moto. Wimmer passed Goodman on the 2nd lap and pressured Creamer until the 6th lap, when he took the lead for the win.

PURE Polaris is working with RKO Enterprises to offer a Fire and Rescue solution for Polaris Ranger Side-by-Side vehicles.

Fire and Rescue units across the U.S. and around the world rely on Side-by-Side-mounted equipment to get to hard-to-reach areas. Many of the vehicles used for Fire and Rescue are Polaris Rangers so Polaris saw the need for a complementary system.

To offer a premium product, Polaris looked to RKO Enterprise who has more than 60 years of experience designing and building the most advanced and best fire apparatus in the industry. RKO products feature exclusive stainless steel precise butt welded piping systems that come with a lifetime warranty, and similar to Polaris, all products are made in the United States.

Off-Road Enthusiast CJ Rena Johnson is on a mission, a mission to cure. Johnson, along with her Pink Polaris Ranger RZR, is visiting private, public, local, state and federal ATV and OHV parks around the country to spread the word and raise money for various charities including American Cancer Society, American Breast Cancer Society, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and St. Jude Children Research Hospital.

“I wanted to show that off-road enthusiasts are an active community involved in helping to improve our lives and the lives of those around us, locally, statewide and nationally,” says Johnson. “We are going to take the nation by storm conquering every ATV and OHV park in our path to raise money, and have fun while doing it.”

“OHV Tour for a Cure” works by having sponsors, groups, businesses, participants, spectators and other riders pledge donations to the charity of their choice. Johnson’s site, CJRenaJohnson.com will keep a running total of monies pledged to the different charities and also list contributors and sponsors. The site also has an updated list of places “OHV Tour for a Cure” will stop so people can get involved. Johnson attends every event and rides along in her Pink Polaris Ranger RZR which has become a symbol of the tour.

The Yamaha OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle) Access Initiative GRANTed more than $110,000 in cash and equipment to ATV riding clubs, national forests, local land managers, recreational conservancy advocates and other members of the greater OHV community in the second quarter of this year. These GRANTs bring Yamaha’s total contributions for 2009 to $300,000, and the total contributions to date to more than $985,000.

Yamaha’s GRANT program (Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails) helps support the Access Initiative’s mission to promote safe, responsible riding and open, sustainable riding areas.

“Yamaha’s commitment to the OHV community, demonstrated by the continued, aggressive GRANT funding and hands-on support, remains strong,” says Mike Martinez, Yamaha’s general manager of ATV and Side-by-Side Operations. “Yamaha considers it our duty as a leading OHV manufacturer to help support these efforts and ensure that OHV enthusiasts have open access to safe and sustainable riding areas.”

It usually doesn’t take much to convince the ATV riders to get a little dirty – in face it’s what we like best. At Dirt Fest 2009 you can ride your ATV while helping raise money for a good cause.

An entire weekend of riding dirty has been organized to help those diagnosed with breast cancer. Dirt Fest takes place July 24 to 26 in the beautiful hills of Monticello, looking over into the Scranton, Penn. area. A breathtaking view is promised from the event or your campsite.

Trail riding will be done of thousands of acres of private property so this is a rare opportunity to ride land you’ve never been able to before.

All proceeds of the event will benefit the Pink Ribbon Riders who directly financially assist both men and women diagnosed with breast cancer.

This three-day event is open to men and women – you must be at least 14 to participate. The cost is $75 per person and you can register on-line at PinkRibbonRiders.com. The event features trail riding, drag races, wheelie contest, ATV decorating contest, live music, silent auction, raffles, giveaways, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and a bonfire on Friday and Saturday night.

An optional price program is offered to those who wish to raise additional donations for the cause. Every $500 raised helps one man or woman diagnosed with breast cancer. For each level of donations you reach you are added to the drawing for a prize.

• $50 for an HMK USA back pack
• $150 or more for a Boyesen shopping certificate
• $300 or more for an HJC helmet
• $500 or more for a riding outfit from KLIM USA

In what turned out to be one of the most exciting AMA ATV Motocross races in recent memory, Rockstar/Makita Suzuki‘s Dustin Wimmer passed a battling Joe Byrd and Josh Creamer in the last corner of the second moto to steal the overall win at Pleasure Valley Raceway, host of round nine of the 2009 ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship.

Honda‘s Byrd appeared headed to the overall via 2-1 moto scores until Monster Energy Kawasaki‘s Creamer attempted an aggressive pass in the final corner of the race, leaving the two riders tangled together and giving Wimmer a path into victory lane.

“It all happened so quick,” says Wimmer. “I was just trying to get around Josh to get some points back for second place and we came over that tabletop side by side and I guess they got tangled up and I went right around them. It happened so quick I didn’t really know what happened!”

Polaris Industries Inc. has unveiled a new low emission electric powered Neighborhood Vehicle, the Polaris Breeze, which is the first new product to be launched by the recently announced On-Road Vehicle Division.

The Breeze is designed for multiple consumer uses such as golfing, comfortably transporting up to four passengers, or carrying light cargo loads. According to Polaris, the Breeze is targeted for consumers living in master planned communities, and will be available in limited quantities for test ride and purchase at Polaris Neighborhood Vehicle dealerships in select markets starting in September 2009. Pricing for the Breeze has not been revealed yet.

“Innovation has always been a driving force behind the success of Polaris, and our new low emission Polaris Breeze is a perfect example of that ongoing tradition,” says Scott Wine, CEO, Polaris Industries. “Our ability to leverage Polaris’ rich history of designing and manufacturing industry leading products, combined with the creativity of our designers and engineers, is a hallmark of our company and a major component for our success. This vehicle is the latest innovation from Polaris and the first of what we expect will be a series of successful ventures into the on-road vehicle category over the coming years.”

Not only is the championship on the line between current point leader Monster Energy Kawasaki‘s Chad Wienen and Rockstar/Makita/Yoshimura Suzuki‘s defending AMA Pro ATV MX champion Dustin Wimmer, but so is the Manufacturer’s Cup, which also features a tight race between the Suzuki and Kawasaki OEMs. But while Kawasaki’s Wienen leads the riders, Suzuki leads the Manufacturer’s Points and has the most overall wins. Suzuki has 332 points, leading over Kawasaki’s 318 points.

“Suzuki is extremely proud to be leading the Manufacturer’s Cup,” says Pat Alexander, Sports Promotion manager at American Suzuki Motor Corp. “The competition this year has been tough but the hard work that the Rockstar/Makita/Yoshimura team has put in is really showing in results. Dustin is just five points out of the Championship and is really coming on strong after his brief layoff from a shoulder injury and Doug’s results have definitely proven that he is still just as competitive as he has always been for so many years.”

Lonestar Racing of Mesa, Ariz. has introduced a beefed up chassis for the popular Yamaha Raptor 250.

According to Lonestar Racing, many riders are pushing the lightweight Raptor 250 beyond its natural limits.

“Unfortunately with any factory quad getting this type of use, it is bound to fail,” Lonestar Racing says in a release. “Lone Star Racing has come to the rescue with a solution that provides an affordable chassis that will hold up to the abuse of the toughest riders and racing conditions.”

Lonestar’s chassis is made of fully TIG welded 4130 chromoly steel. It features two extra motor mounts on the bottom of the motor, stronger accessory tabs, pivot plates, shock mounts, as well as a removable sub frame. The tubing thickness was also increased in the critical stress areas to prevent the frame from twisting or cracking.

William Yokley finished 27th Overall and 14th in the XC1 Pro Class at the Snowshoe GNCC. There were 172 total entries with 19 XC1 Pro Riders. Team Rider Mark Notman finished 28th Overall and ninth in the 22-rider XC2 Pro Am Class.

William Yokley’s Race Summary:

It’s always a privilege to come race at the Snowshoe Resort with the first class hotels and restaurants right by the course. Snowshoe is very unique with a live engine Grand Prix style start and the 20 mile lap is the longest of all GNCC events. Snowshoe is the highest elevation in West Virginia at 4848 feet, and the views are spectacular. The Racer Production crew makes this event the most difficult one of the year, but with a $50,000 purse on the line, it should be tough!

I started in row 6 and was 15th in the XC1 Pro Class at the end of lap 1. The course takes you through all kinds of terrain. There are many wet springs that make for deep ruts and mud holes; add to that the exposed tree roots that like to swallow up your wheels. There are extreme elevation changes including a steep 1,000 foot climb leading into the finish check. One of the most challenging things about this area is the rocks, they are everywhere; the ones you don’t see are the most dangerous! I saw pieces of skid plates, heel guards and foot pegs scattered around the course after meeting up with all the rocks. I got pitched over the handlebars once and was hung up several times in bottlenecks, but all the riders I talked to experienced pretty much the same thing. I finished the race 14th in my class and my Polaris was still running great and not too beat up!

In an unprecedented surprise, privateer Brian Wolf on a Yamaha took home the overall win at the MotorcycleUSA.com Snowshoe GNCC, round 9 of the 2009 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series, making him the first XC2 Pro-Am ATV rider ever to take a GNCC overall win.

Wolf was welcomed on the podium with wolf howls and thunderous applause by the largest podium crowd the 2009 season has seen so far.

“I’m so pumped, so excited to be here,” Wolf said as he accepted his $10,000 purse prize from MotorcycleUSA.com. “I’m really not going for the overall. I’m going for the XC2 Championship. This is just a bonus. “

Making the win even bigger, Wolf said this would be his last year competing in GNCC and when asked if he thought he would return for the next season because of his big win, Wolf still didn’t have any definite answers.

If you’ve been following along at home, you’ll know that ATV.com has been busy building up a Project Yamaha Raptor 250 that one of our lucky readers will get to take home.

Though the Raptor was already head and shoulders ahead of the rest of its 250cc sport quad competition, we thought it would be fun to outfit it with a variety of bolt-on accessories and replacement parts to boost the performance and give it a new look.

Our goal was to build a machine that just about anybody with basic set of tools and a little knowhow could duplicate for themselves at home without pulling their hair out from frustration. Also, since the Raptor 250 has a reasonable sticker price to begin with, we wanted to keep the budget within reason. The end result certainly isn’t a full-on race quad, but it is a machine that has more power, improved handing and comfort, added protection and a much bigger “Wow” factor than what you’ll find on the showroom floor.

Off-road racing fans can watch what is being heralded as the toughest one day off-road race in the world from the comfort of their living rooms. The 2009 King of the Hammers race will be featured on Spike TV’s Extreme 4×4 on June 27 and 28 at 12:30 pm ET.

Xtreme 4×4 host Ian Johnson joined the 92 drivers in the desert on Feb. 26-27, 2009 to see man and machine compete against The Hammers at Johnson Valley OHV in California. The two day battle has been whittled down to 30 minutes of action packed racing. Viewers will see some of the top racers, including this year’s King Jason Scherer. Also featured are Casey Currie, Rick Mooneyham, Adam Woodlee and the 2008 King of the Hammers winner Shannon Campbell.

The ATV Safety Institute has launched a group of free interactive online safety courses on its Web site. The goal of the courses is to enhance the total learning experience for all-terrain vehicle enthusiasts so that they can enjoy safe, fun-filled riding experiences.

The ASI ATV Safety Online courses are custom designed for each specific adult, teen (12-15 years old) and youth (6-11 years old) audience. The adult e-course also includes tips and advice for parents and guardians to coach and supervise youth throughout their ongoing learning process.

“With a simple keystroke ATV enthusiasts can interact with our online courses in preparation to taking one of our half-day, hands-on ATV RiderCourses. Or they can use the e-courses to refresh what they learned during a RiderCourse they may have taken recently or even years ago,” says Paul Vitrano, executive vice president, ASI. “Our focus is on offering a total learning experience to help achieve rider safety for young and old, experienced and inexperienced riders, and we realize how critical a role the internet plays in the educational process for most Americans today.”

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., has launched www.TruthAboutRhino.com. The new Web site has been created to provide accurate information about Yamaha and its Rhino Side-by-Side (SxS) vehicles, to combat a recent flurry of inaccurate information and negative advertisements targeting the vehicle, and to encourage Rhino customers and the off-road industry to show their support for the SxS segment.

From the original 2004 Rhino 660 introduction to present day, TruthAboutRhino.com documents key points in the history of the vehicle. Some sections of the site offer Yamaha’s safety recommendations and product specifications, while others highlight the many awards and accolades that the Rhino has received. Visitors to the site can find Yamaha history and general corporate background, and Rhino customers and enthusiasts can “Rally Around the Rhino” by filling out an online form or emailing messages or questions to: info@truthaboutrhino.com.

“With TruthAboutRhino.com, Yamaha has created a home for accurate information about our company and the Rhino product line, and we’re encouraging our customers and the industry to show their support,” says Steve Nessl, marketing manager for Yamaha’s ATV & SxS group. “We’ve seen a disproportionate amount of negative and inaccurate information distributed recently, so we wanted to create a place where our customers, the general public and the news media can get the real facts.”

If you buy any Renthal off-road handlebar between July 1, 2009 and October 1, 2009 you will receive two free limited edition Renthal handlebar pads. Simply purchase any Renthal Twinwall, Fatbar or 7/8” off-road, mini or ATV handlebar during the promotion period to qualify.

Qualifying purchasers will receive one “Stars” LE pad and one “Stripes” LE pad. Visit Renthal.com to download the redemption form and send it, along with a copy of the receipt to: Renthal Bar Pad Promotion 27636 Avenue Scott, Unit A, Valencia, Calif. 91355. You can also e-mal the form and receipt to usasales@renthal.com and use “Renthal Bar Pad Promotion” as the subject line.

Pads will be shipped directly from Renthal Ltd. In Valencia, Calif., after redemption form and receipt are received. Expect two to three weeks for delivery.

ATV.com is building up a Project Yamaha Raptor 250. This is the fifth article in a six-part series. Once the build is complete we will be giving the modified Raptor to one of our readers. Click here to enter for a chance to win.

Over the first four articles in our Raptor 250 Project we’ve enhanced the power with a package of GYTR accessories; upgraded the traction with some new tires from Kenda and some slick wheels from MotoSport Alloys; added some protection with armor from DG Performance and Nerf bars from GYTR; and increased the comfort with a set of Flexx handlebars, Quad Tech seat cover, PowerMadd handguards, and bar clamp and risers from Santor Design Co. With all our performance upgrades complete, we chose to add something that would really make our project Raptor stand out. Eye candy!

Some say beauty is no contest. Well, in this case we decided that it is. We wanted the lucky person who wins the Project Raptor to turn heads wherever they go. To do this, we enlisted the services of Santor Design Co. for a new graphics package and Maier USA for some killer plastics.

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s ATV team took its third overall victory in a row after Chad Wienen’s stellar 1-1 performance at Unadilla Valley Sports Center in New Berlin, N.Y. during Round 7 of the AMA Pro ATV Motocross Championship Series.

Honda’s Josh Upperman grabbed the holeshot in the first moto, with Suzuki’s Doug Gust and Wienen close behind. Wienen got past Gust on the sixth lap and reeled in Upperman three laps later. Upperman was able to hold off Gust to finish second. Gust finished ahead of a pack of three Can-Am riders to finish third.

Honda’s Joe Byrd, who was leading the series coming into Unadilla, had a crash while he was running fourth. He managed to finish 11th in the moto. Defending champion Dustin Wimmer, who was still nursing an injured shoulder, was way back in 17th after the first lap, but he fought his way up to 10th.

In the second moto Gust got off to a great start to grab the holeshot ahead of Wienen. The Kawasaki pilot got past Gust quickly for the lead – one he would not relinquish. Gust was holding second until the final lap when Can-Am’s John Natalie passed him right before the finish.

Fines Double Racing made it two-for-two in the 2009 SCORE International desert race series by winning the Utility ATV class at the Baja 500 aboard an Arctic Cat Thundercat.

Racers Reid Rutherford, Benn Vernadakis and Tony Valerio finished with a time of 13 hours and 57 minutes while averaging 31mph in the grueling terrain. Only two vehicles in this class competed this year, and only the Fines Double Racing team crossed the finish line.

“The power of the Thundercat’s 1000H2 motor is amazing,” says Rutherford. “It says something when you can go out with a 600lb Sport Utility and beat some of the true sport ATVs and dirtbikes half its size. Arctic Cat’s are known to take abuse, and the obstacles this race throws at them is proof it’s the most durable ATV.”

Polaris Racing’s Luke Beechey dominated the final day of the 2009 Finke Desert Race to claim victory in the Quad division of Australia’s most prestigious enduro race.

The Finke Desert Race is Australia’s most famous enduro, attracting hundreds of competitors in Trail Bikes, Cars or ATVs. Racers compete over two days in Australia’s Outback from the iconic town of Alice Springs to desert outpost, Finke, across desert sand, rocks and gravel.

Beechey reached Finke in third position on his Polaris Outlaw 525 IRS, just one second behind Polaris Racing’s Aaron Ovens (Outlaw 450 MXR). On Monday’s return run to Alice Springs, Beechey flew home to greet the checkered flag in an overall time of five hours 33 minutes, 15 minutes faster than his nearest rival.

On June 6, 2009 the #1A American Honda team of Wayne Matlock, Harold Goodman, Josh Caster and Wes Miller won the Overall ATV title at the 41st annual running of the Tecate SCORE Baja 500 aboard a Honda TRX700XX.

Matlock’s team of riders headed south of the border looking to continue its recent success in the SCORE series. The team spent over a week prerunning each of their sections of the course to prepare for the grueling race.

The #1A quad with Matlock aboard would start third off the line behind the 2A and 3A quads. With just early morning light, heavy dust and having raced many times in Baja, Matlock stuck with his plan to ride a safe pace for his first ride. He held his position behind the two lead quads before handing the quad off to Caster at race mile 37 in Ojos Negros.

Caster took the quad and continued with the team’s plan of riding safe and holding their position early in the race. During his first ride he was able to overtake many motorcycles fighting through the thick dust of the lead bikes. Caster would hand the quad off to Harold Goodman at race mile 95 at Nuevo junction still holding the third place position.

ATV.com is building up a Project Yamaha Raptor 250. This is the fourth article in a six-part series. Once the build is complete we will be giving the modified Raptor to one of our readers. Click here to enter for a chance to win.

Safety & Comfort

Speaking from first hand experience, being comfortable while riding your ATV can make a world of difference. After coming out of past seasons with several broken bones and more than a few bumps and bruises, we knew we had to look for some products that would help reduce the risk of injury and improve our overall riding comfort.

With a shiny new Yamaha Raptor 250 in the garage primed for our project build, we decided to outfit this awesome machine with some cool products that will hopefully spare the lucky winner the heartache of riding the bench while nursing preventable injuries. Well, at least that’s the idea.

Jimmie O’Dell has been named manager of Can-Am’s burgeoning ATV racing program.

O’Dell’s duties will include developing a vision for the Can-Am program and carrying it out in partnership with the race teams, staff and racers themselves. He will work closely with BRP’s marketing, technical and engineering departments to deliver performance results aimed at promoting the Can-Am ATV brand.

“We are very excited to have Jimmie come on board to the Can-Am ATV race program,” says Denis Morin, vice president of product development for Ski-Doo and Sea-Doo. “He brings a large amount of passion for racing and has a long history of off-road experience both as a racer and employee. Jimmie is a perfect fit for us and he brings a great personal perspective to our race program.”

O’Dell began working for BRP in 2001 as a district sales manager in the southeastern United States. In 2007 he was appointed as manager of the BRP call center and also oversaw the technical publications department for all brands at BRP, Inc.

The Ranger RZR S added another win to its impressive collection in WORCS, and the Sportsman 850 XP with power steering continues to show its brawn in the GNCC series.

Doug Eichner piloted his Ranger RZR S to a first-place finish at Riverdale Raceway, June 6-7, in Toutle, Wash.

Coming off Daryl Rath’s third place finish at the Mountain Ridge GNCC, The Sportsman 850 XP EPS and Rath racer Frank Batista took second in the 4×4 Open class, at the John Penton GNCC. Batista’s strong finish puts him in fifth place in the class rankings with teammate Daryl Rath sitting in second.

William Yokley finished 16th overall and 12th in the XC1 Pro Class today. There were 175 total entries with 18 XC1 Pro Riders. Team rider Mark Notman finished 86th Overall and 16th in the 22 rider XC2 Pro Am Class.

William Yokley’s Race Summary

Millfield is always a nice track to race. The area is scenic near the college town of Athens. The conditions were very good this year with not too much mud or dust. I got a great start and arrived at turn one right at the front, but I was on the outside and got hammered by several riders all contesting the same space. I entered the woods just inside the top 15, and settled in to complete lap one in 13th. On lap two, I caught a stump with my front wheel, which dropped me back a few places to 15th. I worked my way back to 12th place at the finish in a pretty uneventful race.

Mark Notman got a good start and finished the first lap in 6th place. He had a very good race going until a plug broke in his cooling system, allowing the coolant to leak out ultimately overheating the engine and not completing the 4 laps.

We have a three-week break until the next race in Snowshoe, WV. I’ll be busy preparing for the race and participating in a photo shoot for one of my sponsors. I also am making an appearance at the National Guard Youth Development Camp in Greenville KY. This is always enjoyable to meet and teach ATV safety to the kids of National Guard soldiers. I’ll see you at the Snowshoe!

Yokley Racing Team Sponsors are: The Army National Guard, Polaris Industries, Kenda Tires, Elka Suspension, Roll Design, HMF Exhaust Systems, IMS/Roll, PURE Polaris Lubricants & Fuels, Intense Fabrication & Design, Douglas Wheel Technology, Moto Pro Training, Tire Balls, Andrews Cycle, Tsubaki Chains, IMS, Four Apparel, ASV Levers, CV4 Hoses, Hygh Octane Design, PIER Graphics, Universal Handlebars, Scott Goggles, ATVRiders.com, Hetrick Motorsports, Powermadd, Recluse Clutches, and Monavie Energy Drinks.

The Wiseco John Penton GNCC, round 8 of the 2009 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country series, presented some of the tensest racing action thus far this season as Rockstar/Makita Suzuki‘s Chris Borich took the win after a neck-and-neck race with FRE KTM’s Adam McGill in dry, sunny conditions. McGill eventually broke his A-Arm and finished 13th. Yamaha‘s Taylor Kiser finished in second and Warnert Can-Am‘s Chris Bithell made his first podium appearance this year in third place.

The race began as the riders took the first turn in a roaring freight train. Kiser got off to a great start and took the holeshot. McGill, Houser Racing’s Bryan Cook, Jeff Pickens, and Bithell followed in hot pursuit. The 12-mile race track prevented most pass attempts but McGill was able to take the lead by the end of the first lap, followed by Cook, Kiser and Pickens.

Borich began making his move in the second lap after a slow start at the beginning, and was able to move up to second place, right on the heels of McGill. Cook, in one of the best races he’s had since his win at Steele Creek, fell to third but kept a close gap on the leaders. Bithell began moving up and by the end of the second lap was in fourth place.

Kymco USA has announced that it will offer a sales training program to all Kymco dealers, with incentives including a free scooter for the first 25 dealers who have two salespeople successfully complete the course.

“It is well known that companies willing to invest during tough times usually come back even stronger when the economy improves,” says Steve Lazoff, director of sales for Kymco USA. “Offering this quality training course, with financial incentives for completion, is one more way we are going the extra mile to support our dealers.”

The training package was developed by The Glenn Roller Institute in Scottsdale, Ariz. Roller developed his sales training package after videotaping and studying motorsports sales people as they interacted with customers. The research alone took 8 months.

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., has named the recipients of its inaugural Yamaha-ACT Scholarship Program. The University of Florida Chapter of the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) will receive the chapter award, and Whitney Siegfried and Katherine Kuykendall, both ACT members from Purdue University, earned the individual scholarships. As recipients of the individual scholarships, both Siegfried and Kuykendall will also have the opportunity to serve as interns for Yamaha during the 2009 Ag Media Summit.

Yamaha’s new scholarship program was launched this year to provide financial assistance to members of the ACT, a national college student association with 354 registered members located on 17 college and university campuses across the country. ACT’s mission of fostering professional development is at the core of the new Yamaha-ACT Scholarship Program.

As part of the application process, students were asked to incorporate important ATV and Side-by-Side (SxS) safety messages into practical communications pieces such as a feature story, brochure or press release. This part of the application was meant to show an example of the students’ quality of work, and also to seed safety messages that they can carry throughout their careers as professional communicators.

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki rider Chris Borich is on the top of the points standings after winning four of the first seven Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series races. Round 8 takes place this weekend at the Wiseco John Penton GNCC in Milfield, Ohio.

Despite Borich’s impressive start to the season, he leads the GNCC standings by just 12 points, and FRE KTM’s Adam McGill and Yamaha’s Taylor Kiser are within striking distance.

Borich and McGill duked it out at the previous race, the Mountain Ridge GNCC, in a tense final lap. McGill led the pack alone through most of the race until Borich started closing in on him, shaving off seconds on each lap. On the last lap, Borich out-dueled McGill, handing McGill yet another close second-place finish.

Arctic Cat Inc. has reported a net loss of $16.7 million on net sales of $90.7 million for the fourth quarter ending March 31, 2009.

For the fiscal 2009 full year, Arctic Cat posted net sales of $563.6 million compared to $621.6 million last fiscal year. The company reported a fiscal 2009 net loss of $9.5 million, versus a net loss of $3.3 million in fiscal 2008.

ATV sales totaled $64.1 million in the 2009 fourth quarter compared to $142.9 million in the same period last year. For fiscal 2009, Arctic Cat’s ATV sales were $247.3 million compared with $350.3 million the previous year. ATV revenues were down for the quarter and full year due to lower ATV retail sales during the current economic downturn, and the company’s decision to lower production to reduce dealer inventory.

ATV.com is building up a Project Yamaha Raptor 250. This is the third article in a six-part series. Once the build is complete we will be giving the modified Raptor to one of our readers. Click here to enter for a chance to win.

Protection

Most of us are very conscious about protecting a number of things in our lives. Our families, our health and our investments are some of the more obvious examples, but what about our ATVs?

ATVs, after all, touch on all those. They can provide us with hours of enjoyment with our families, keep us active and fit and are certainly a financial investment – unless, of course, you’re lucky enough to win our Project Yamaha Raptor 250.

Just like you wear a helmet, boots and gloves to keep you safe while riding, your ATV needs some protection from the terrain you so often tread upon. We chose to help safeguard our Project Raptor with a few key products from DG Performance and GYTR.

It was touch-and-go as Yoshimura and Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki headed into this weekend’s race in Delmont, Pa. The question hanging over everybody’s head – was Dustin Wimmer ready to get back on the track and rack up enough points to salvage his championship bid? Ultimately, the defending AMA ATV Motocross champion decided he was fit to compete.

Because of his injury Wimmer had no practice times leading up to the race weekend, but his practice times the day before the race were among the fastest.

“I knew I was going to have to just dig deep down and find the strength to make it through two motos,” says Wimmer. “I hadn’t even been to the gym in three weeks so stamina was going to be the hard part.”

Casey Martin officially threw his leg over his new factory-backed Polaris/Rath/Duro Team Outlaw 450MXR this past weekend, at the Steel City AMA MX National. Martin accepted the challenge of competing in a premier class on a new machine with determination, as he had only a few days to prepare for the race.

When an unfortunate dirt bike incident sidelined Factory Polaris Rider Landon Hurst #179 for the remainder of the 2009 season, the search for an additional rider was on. Hurst, who has been part of the team since the beginning, will be missed under the team’s tent. He has been a crucial part of helping in the progress of the team and is anxious to return and compete with his new teammate.

Martin arrived at Rath Racing in Minnesota early last week to spend a few days on a test track. Not really knowing what to expect, he was surprised.

A program aimed at building and upgrading trails as well as creating jobs for Canadians took another step forward when the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), and Terry Norman, national coordinator for the National Trails Coalition (NTC), launched the call for applications for the Government of Canada’s $25 million investment in recreational trails, part of the Government’s 2009 Economic Action Plan.

“Our Government sees this investment as a win for recreational trails, a win for everyone who uses healthy living space, and a win for job creation and investment in communities across Canada,” says Minister of State Lunn. “Shovel ready projects that are set to break ground in 2009-2010 will create new and better trail infrastructure for a variety of trail users such as hiking, cycling, equestrian, ATVs, cross country skiing and snowmobiling, just to name a few. Even better, these projects will leave a lasting legacy of trail infrastructure that will benefit Canadians for years to come.”

The funds will be used to create, upgrade and sustain non-motorized, snowmobile and all-terrain-vehicle trails throughout the country. Eligible projects will include the construction of new trails, the upgrade, improvement and rehabilitation of existing trails and bridge and water crossings, improved signage as well as trail surveying and tracking. The Government of Canada’s investment of $25 million will be matched by the NTC and their provincial, territorial, municipal or private funding partners.

Monster Energy Kawasaki‘s Josh Creamer and Chad Wienen took home the top two spots on the podium during round six of the AMA Pro ATV MX championship at Steel City Raceway in Delmont, Pa..; a first since Kawasaki made its return to ATV motocross racing a few seasons ago.

Creamer took decisive victories in the first and second motos, a welcome comeback to the front after a few tough races.

“It’s been a rough two weeks,” says Creamer. “I’ve spent a lot of time working on this and I couldn’t be more happy.”

Steel City’s event featured a dry first moto and a muddy second race as afternoon thunderstorms came down.

“It was pretty unpredictable,” says Wienen. “I’m not a mud rider but the bike was working awesome.”

Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Josh Creamer earned the first AMA win of his career, while teammate Chad Wienen followed close behind to finish second overall at the sixth round of the AMA ATV Motocross Championship at Steel City Raceway in Delmont, Pa.

The victory was Kawasaki’s second win in a row in the Pro class. The Kawasaki KFX450R also had strong results in the Pro Am classes as Cody Gibson and Joel Hetrick won the Pro Am Production and the Pro Am Unlimited, respectively.

The day seemed to be going Creamer’s way as soon as the gate dropped in the first moto. He rode a solid first moto to come away with a comfortable victory. In the second moto it took him less than a lap to get to the front and that is where he stayed for his first overall AMA win.

Paul Holmes took his KTM 505 SX to another overall win in the fourth round of the 2009 ACU British MMX Quad Championship on May 24. Holmes went 2-1 in the two motos to secure the overall victory.

A traditional old-school natural terrain circuit, the Asham Woods venue proved to be extremely fast and dusty as the day progressed. Holmes and teammate James Hellewell were involved in some fantastic battles throughout their two twenty five minute plus two-lap motos that kept the large crowd well entertained.

After posting first and 18th fastest times respectively in qualification, the opening moto for Holmes and Hellewell was not without its problems. After settling in to an opening lap fourth, Holmes’ initial progress was hampered significantly by the incessant dust before battling through to second. Hellewell was running just outside the top 20 and on a charge before getting a puncture which forced an unfortunate early retirement.

The second race of the day provided the most exciting action for the KTM pilots. After starting in second, Holmes took the lead halfway around the opening lap. He would swap the top position several times over the opening three laps in an epic battle before making his break at the ten-minute mark and holding position for his fourth moto victory in a week. Hellewell put the disappointment of the opening moto behind him to charge through the field from 21st on the opening lap to finish 15th at the checkered flag.

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., has teamed with Codemasters, host of the “FUEL Your Adrenaline” sweepstakes, to giveaway a 2009 Yamaha Raptor 250 ATV.

The sweepstakes is in conjunction with the release of FUEL – an open-terrain multi-vehicle racer video game that will ship this May for the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360 and the entertainment system from Microsoft Games For Windows LIVE.

“The Raptor 250 is the hottest pure fun, adrenaline pumping sport ATV for entry-level to experienced riders – it’s a perfect fit for fans of the all-new FUEL game,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV marketing manager.

KYMCO USA has teamed up with the IndyCar Series as an official partner. The multi-year partnership will make KYMCO the official scooter and off-road utility vehicle of the IndyCar Series. KYMCO will also have official status with Firestone Indy Lights, the premier ladder series for drivers and teams striving to compete in the IndyCar Series.

“We are extremely pleased to be involved in IndyCar Series racing,” says Eric Bondy, president of KYMCO USA. “It’s a thrilling form of American racing with an established fan base that is only getting bigger. This gives us an excellent opportunity to expose our brand to new customers around the country and throughout the world.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased to have a company like KYMCO come on board with the IndyCar Series,” says Greg Gruning, vice president of sales for the Indy Racing League. “KYMCO manufactures quality products that the IndyCar Series staff will rely on throughout the course of the IndyCar Series season.”

Maine ATV and snowmobile clubs are trying to ensure injured riders have access to emergency medical attention on the trails.

Club leaders are working with LifeFlight of Maine to prepare up to 3,000 helicopter landing zones along Maine’s 17,000 miles of off-road and snowmobile trails.

Though setting up 3,000 landing zones sounds like a huge amount of work, many zones would require little work to become operational. A landing zone could be as little a parking lot, an intersection between two roads or an open field. As long as the area is clear of trees and power lines and has less than an eight-degrees slope a helicopter can land.

KTM ATV riders Paul Holmes and Stefan Schreiber took the top two steps on the podium at the opening round of the 2009 GOLDSPEED EMX European Quad Championship on May 17.

Holmes rode his KTM UK 505 SX to the top step of the podium by winning all three motos.

“This has been a fantastic result for KTM, the team and myself, and we could not have asked for a better start to our Championship campaign,” says Holmes. “The 505 SX was really strong off the line for the opening race and I was able to get the holeshot, which was really important for that moto as the circuit was still very muddy. I was able to pull a five second lead and just maintained this to the flag. In the next two motos I had to work my way through from 5th after the second corner, but with the bike working really well in the rougher areas I was able to make new lines and moved to the front quite quickly.

Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki/Yoshimura factory rider Dustin Wimmer, the defending AMA Pro ATV Motocross Champion, missed the Sunset Ridge National with an injured shoulder. With Wimmer out, Monster Kawasaki’s Chad Wienen captured his first win of the season with 1-1 scores at the previous race at Sunset Ridge, and Honda’s Joe Byrd took over the series points lead from Wimmer.

It will be a last minute decision for Wimmer to race this weekend as the battle for the championship resumes at Steel City Raceway in Delmont, Pa. on May 24. The event also marks round five of the amateur portion of the National program.

The event takes place at the Steel City Raceway, the legendary home of AMA Motocross for bikes, as well as the ATV Open, the invitation-only challenge race that runs in conjunction with the bikes on Labor Day Weekend. Wienen won the ATV Open last year, so he no doubt looks forward to getting back on Pennsylvania soil.

The technically challenging track takes advantage of the terrain, with the track laid out in a valley to provide nearly 100 percent viewing for spectators. Tickets on Sunday are $15 for fans ($10 for ages 6-11), and admission includes full pro pit access, and an autograph session.

Joe Byrd, the 2006 and 2007 AMA Pro Motocross Series’ Champion, broke Wimmer’s winning streak with his victory a few weeks ago at Ballance MX and is now the points leader, despite having bike problems at Sunset Ridge. Wimmer is only 11 points behind in second and Wienen, who suffered through a few mechanical problems at the beginning of the season, is in third.

Josh Creamer, of the Monster Energy Kawasaki team, fell to fourth in the points standings, despite an improved fourth place finish at Sunset Ridge. Pennyslvania’s own 2005 Champion John Natalie had a bad run at Sunset Ridge to come in ninth, falling to seventh in the points, but has shown the speed all season to win races. In addition, nationally-recognized stars including veteran Doug Gust, Jeremy Lawson, Josh Upperman, Pat Brown and a crop of hard charging rookies will make up a full gate of talent in the AMA Pro ATV Class.

The pro class will feature two 20-minute races on Sunday, taking place at noon and 3 p.m., with the combined scores of both races determining the overall winner.

The pro riders will run as part of a full schedule of amateur racing, including classes for Youth, Women and veteran riders. Amateurs will practice on Friday and race on Saturday and Sunday. Pros will practice on Saturday and race on Sunday.

Related Reading
Wienen Sweeps Motos at Sunset Ridge National

Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Chris Borich claimed his second-straight Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series victory after a two-hour duel with FRE KTM’s Adam McGill at the Mountain Ridge GNCC in Somerset, Pa. on May 16.

McGill finished just inches away from Borich’s back bumper, and then, for added dramatics, Borich’s engine blew as he crossed the finish. GT Thunder Yamaha’s Brandon Sommers took his third-straight podium finish with a third.

“It was so much fun, that might have been the best battle me and Adam we’ve had,” says Borich. “I got an okay start, I was hooked up with (Chris) Bithell there in third, then he made a mistake in a rock section and I went around him. They told me I was down 45 seconds to McGill, so I just decided to put the hammer down and see what we had.”

McGill had the early lead after passing Jeff Pickens, and then braced for a battle.