Track time can be a little difficult to come by for ATV and UTV riders, so it’s great to hear that Southern California’s Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park has announced completion of a dedicated ATV, Side-by-Side and Trophy Cart track. The track will open on Saturday morning, Oct. 6 at 9:00 am.

“With a layout filled with obstacles, the track was designed to challenge riders of all skill levels,” Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park says in a release.

With the GNCC returning from its annual summer break, Can-Am racers got back to work and picked up five class victories at the Unadilla GNCC in New York state. In the New England ATV Motocross (NEATV-MX) series, three Can-Am DS 450 racers swept the Pro class at round 10 held in Epping, NH. At the final round of the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS), Can-Am-mounted racers won four classes in Taft, Calif.

“I was extremely pleased with all of our 4×4 racers’ efforts on the challenging Can-Am Unadilla GNCC course. Having five class wins was a nice way to start the second half of the season,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Josh Creamer kept his perfect season alive, winning both the Pro and Pro-Am classes and earning the 2012 Pro and Pro-Am titles. It was gratifying to see Josh Frederick finish second in the SxS Production 1000 class and also take second overall in the ATV Pro ranks. Both he and Dillon Zimmerman put in a solid year for team Motoworks / Can-Am.”

As the traditional summer break of the 2012 Grand National Cross Country Series drew to a close, Team ITP was ready for the final four events on the schedule. With fresh ITP Holeshot and QuadCross tires mounted on their newly tuned quads, Team ITP was well rested and motivated at the rugged Unadilla circuit, one of the icons of powersports.

Dave Simmons ( Yamaha) once again dominated the morning race, winning the overall by close to four minutes. It was his seventh overall triumph of the season and tenth straight victory in the Super Senior 45+ class.

Also claiming a big win was Glenn McConnell (Yamaha). This Masters 50+ competitor grabbed his fifth victory of the season and in the process snuck into the points lead for the first time in 2012. After skipping the first race of the year he had been gradually moving up the leaderboard, and Unadilla would be the breakthrough.

Angel Atwell (Honda) finished eighth overall in the morning and second in the Women’s class. She is keeping things tight in this battle, down by just eight in the season points chase.

National Guard / Coastal / Bowers Motorcycle Supplies / Yokley Racing Team rider Jarrod McClure finished third Overall and third in the XC1 Pro Class at the 10th round of the 2012 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series in New Berlin, NY. There were 214 total entries including 13 XC1 Pro racers.

Yokley Racing Summary

The GNCC annual two month summer break is over and everyone was ready to get back to racing. Jarrod McClure has been riding and training regularly with his Pennsylvania neighbor, Chris Borich, so he was ready to go! The historic Unadilla has been the home to Pro Motocross events for more than forty years, and the racers are able race on the famed Professional and Amateur motocross courses as well as eight miles of adjoining woods sections. The conditions were almost perfect.

Josh Creamer rode his BCS Performance / Can-Am DS 450 to the 2012 New England ATV Motocross (NEATV-MX) Pro class championship. Creamer won both Pro class motos at Round 9 in Clifford, Pa. to clinch the title.

Several other Can-Am racers, including Cody Miller, Hunter Miller and Joel Hetrick reached the podium in different racing events in the US. Across the Atlantic Ocean, Americans Josh Frederick and Dillon Zimmerman teamed with Frenchman Jeremie Warnia to finish fourth in the 26th Annual 12 Hours of Pont de Vaux in France.

“Josh Creamer put an exclamation point on his 2012 NEATV-MX season, winning both Pro-level classes at round 9 and securing the 2012 Pro class title with three rounds remaining. His approach and determination this year have been exceptional and he has rewarded himself, his sponsors and BRP with a well-deserved championship,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “I was extremely proud of the way the Motoworks / Can-Am team never quit and battled through adversity in France to earn fourth at Pont de Vaux.”

Best in the Desert’s Vegas to Reno race is the longest and toughest off-road desert race in the United States and it was dominated by Polaris RZR UTVs.

In the starting field of more than 20 side-by-sides for the 534-mile race, was Jagged X’s Brandon Schueler with co-pilot Cody Muir in the No. 1919 RZR XP 4 900; Jagged X’s Matt Parks, Jason Spiess and Landon Kobruck and the No. 1932 RZR XP 4 900; Jagged X’s Bill Schueler and Polaris Marketing and Sales Director Craig Scanlon in the almost-stock 1991 RZR XP 4 900; and Scott Kiger’s Holz Coastal Racing No. 1934 RZR XP driven by Kiger, Mark Holz and William Yokley.

When the dust settled, Coastal Racing would take its first Vegas to Reno win with the fastest time ever for a side-by-side in under 12 hours, and ahead of the trucks and cars. Thirty minutes later, Parks crossed the finish line second with the fastest second place finish for a side-by-side. Finishing fourth and driving the entire race himself, was Bill Schueler, with co-pilot Scanlon, and the almost-stock RZR XP 4. The No. 1991 has raced successfully all season and its fourth place finish in such a challenging race is a true testament to the ability of the RZR side-by-side vehicles. Unfortunately, five-time Vegas to Reno winner, Brandon Schueler, encountered a freak incident with the No. 1919 where a rock knocked off the oil sending unit for the oil pressure gauge and pumped oil out of the car leaving it unable to continue.

Lone Star Racing has teamed up with Murray Motorsports, who is racing its Can-Am Commander in the 2012-13 World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS).

Lone Star will be providing suspension components and support for the team. Lone Star has more than a few championship titles under its belts in the WORCS series with racers like Doug Eichner, Chris Ward and Jeff Stambaugh all winning championships piloting LSR suspended UTVs in the WORCS series. Murray Motorsports will be running LSR’s line of long-travel suspension kits on their newly built Can-Am Commander 800 and 1000 specifically for the WORCS series.

Murray Motorsports has some very impressive results under its belts as well, like winning the 2012 Mint 400, the Henderson Desert Challenge, Silver State 300 and finishing second place in the Baja 500. The team is currently on a 17-consecutive desert finishing streak with over 4,000 miles of desert racing behind it and is currently in the points lead in the BITD 1900 pro UTV class.

Motoworks / Can-Am teammates John Natalie and Joel Hetrick ended the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross Championship series with a bang, finished 1-2 in the season finale at Loretta Lynn’s motocross track in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

“I was pleased with the outstanding effort put in by John Natalie and Joel Hetrick here in Tennessee. Having them go 1-2, and also seeing Josh Creamer finish fourth, at the final round was awesome. Unfortunately, we came up a little short in our attempt to repeat as champions, but finishing second and third overall in the AMA ATV MX Championship points for 2012 is also something to be very proud of,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “We also had four AMA ATV MX National Championship amateur titles this season aboard Can-Am machines, as Travis Spader won three titles and Ries Parvin earned another.”

The first moto belonged to Hetrick, who also earned the weekend’s Fastest Qualifier award, came out of the gate in second and quickly passed for the lead. Hetrick continued to pour it on and ended up winning moto one by more than 13 seconds. His Motoworks / Can-Am teammate Natalie started the race in fifth, but was stuck in a heated battle for the rest of the moto. He eventually worked his way into fourth place before the checkers flew. Creamer (BCS Performance / Can-Am) was in the same clump of racers as Natalie in moto one, but unfortunately his ATV had a loose electrical connection and sputtered a few times, slowing his push. He dropped back from Natalie and ended the moto in sixth.

The GBC Motorsports Heartland Challenge features three different endurance races throughout the three-day gathering of ATV and UTV enthusiasts. The adult ATV Challenge features a 10-hour race in which 14 classes compete simultaneously. The winning Pro Class team will be awarded $6,000 while the Pro-Am winners will receive $3,000. Top honors in the Pro Utility Ironman class will earn the winning rider $2,500, while the Ironman class winner will get $1,500. Other class winners will be awarded $500.

The Heartland Challenge also features a four-hour Side-by-Side UTV race for adults, with $1,000 awards for each of the UTV classes.

Polaris RZRs dominated WORCS Round 7 at Cahuilla Creek in Anza, Calif. last weekend.

RJ Anderson took the checkered flag in the Production 1000 class in his RZR XP 900, with Ryan Piplic and Beau Baron taking second and third. RZRs currently hold the top five spots in the series point standings for the class with Anderson and Piplic tied for the class lead with one race to go.

Can-Am DS 450 riders had a successful weekend, as BCS Performance / Can-Am DS 450 rider Josh Creamer earned multiple wins at round 7 of the New England ATV Motocross Series (NEATV-MX), while Motoworks / Can-Am teammates Dillon Zimmerman and Josh Frederick finishes second and third in the Pro class at round seven of the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS).

“Josh Creamer continued his impressive winning streak in the NEATV-MX series, notching both the Pro and Pro-Am class victories. He’s very determined to earn two class championships on his Can-Am DS 450 in 2012, and we hope he can carry over some of this fortitude to the AMA ATV MX finals at Loretta Lynn’s this coming weekend,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “I’m extremely thrilled for Motoworks / Can-Am Pro Dillon Zimmerman after he put in the best race of his young career this past weekend in WORCS. He finished a very close second place and clearly has established himself as a podium contender each and every weekend.”

Can-Am DS450 ATV racers headed to Buchanan, Mich. this past weekend to take on the best in the world at the famed RedBud MX track for round 9 of the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross Championship series.

Defending champion John Natalie easily won the first moto, but had to come from behind in moto two after crashing in the second turn. He ended the day third overall and kept his title hopes alive with one round remaining in 2012.

“It was a challenging weekend at the Red Bud MX facility in southern Michigan this past weekend. Defending national champion John Natalie came out strong, taking the moto one holeshot and earning a convincing victory. However, he crashed at the start of the second moto and had to come from dead last. He truly earned this trip to the Pro class podium,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “We’re not out of this championship race yet, so we’re going to give it everything we have at the series finale at Loretta’s.”

GBC Motorsports’ Dylan Dixon headed to Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, Calif. this past weekend for Round 6 and 7 of the Yamaha Quad-X Racing Series.

Dixon has been steadily building a solid 2012 racing season and his performances at Glen Helen have established him as one of the region’s most talented up-and-coming racers. In Saturday’s Pro-Am class, Dixon had 2-6 moto finishes, good enough for fourth overall. He fared even better on Sunday with a 2-3 moto finshes landed him on the podium in second overall in Round 7.

Dixon’s successful races are partly a result of his ability to lay down a quick start. He took the holeshot in the second moto on Saturday and was among the top 3 starters in all other motos thanks in part to his GBC Motorsports Bomb Squad MX tires.

Making his return to the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series, 2010 champion Josh Creamer raced his Can-Am DS 450 to a second-place finish at Unadilla, NY.

Creamer was joined on the Pro class podium by defending AMA ATV MX champion John Natalie, who finished third overall. Natalie’s Motoworks / Can-Am teammate Joel Hetrick finished fourth while Canadian Can-Am X-Team racer Richard Pelchat took seventh on his DS 450.

“It was another great weekend of racing, as our Can-Am riders battled hard to earn two spots on the Pro podium in Unadilla, N.Y. Josh Creamer had a memorable return to the AMA ATV MX National series convincingly winning the first moto and ending up second overall. Motoworks / Can-Am pilot John Natalie earned a hard-fought third-place finish and kept himself in the championship points race with only two rounds remaining,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Joel Hetrick just missed the podium, finishing fourth, but gained some valuable points in his pursuit to remain in the top three in the Pro class points race.”

Holeshots were critical in New York as the famed Unadilla Valley Sports Center played hard and fast with limited lines to pass. Creamer, BCS Performance / Can-Am racer and current New England ATV Motocross series Pro class points leader, proved he could still run with the top ATV pros as he grabbed the holeshot and immediately pulled to a three-second lead. Creamer held the lead the entire moto on his way to earning his first moto victory in almost two years. Creamer was fourth at the start of moto two, but moved up to second — passing Natalie — at one point before settling for third. His 1-3 finishes were good for second overall and his first AMA series Pro class podium since 2010.

Team ITP made its mark at the eighth round of the 2012 ATV MX National Championship Series with Holeshot, QuadCross MX and Turf Tamer.

Samuel Rowe was impressive at Unadilla, winning 1-1 moto scores and the overall victory in the Schoolboy Jr. (13-15) class. This Janssen Motorsports-powered Root River Racing rider was also second in the Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) division. With these performances he comfortably holds the championship points lead in both classes with two events to go in the season.

A nod goes to Maci Devenport too, as this young charger captured the Girls (12-15) class with a 2-1 day to close to within just three points of the leader in this field. She also looked to have another winning ride in the works in 90 Production (8-15), but second moto issues dropped her from another podium here. She still leads handily in the standings, however.

Root River Racing’s Haedyn Mickelson hiked up the podium three times at Unadilla. He nailed third-place finishes in Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) and Super-Mini (13-15), and went one better with second overall in Schoolboy Jr. (13-15). This Minnesota native ranks top-three in all three title fights.

Racing for Janssen Motorsports/Roberts Racing Outlaws, Cody Janssen chalked up a 4-3 moto count for fourth overall in the volatile Pro Am Unlimited class. He maintains that same position in the point standings.

Can-Am UTV and ATV raced to five class victories this past weekend at the John Penton GNCC in Millfield, Ohio.

Team Travalena took the checkers in the XC2 UTV class in its Can-Am Commander 1000 X, while Motoworks / Can-Am Commander pilot Kyle Chaney picked up a second-place finish in the XC1 UTV class. Meanwhile, Can-Am 4×4 ATV racers Bryan Buchannon (4×4 Open), Clifton Beasley (U2), Kevin Trantham (4×4 Lites) and Forest Whorton (4×4 Senior) all earned class wins in Round 9 of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series.

“All of our riders and teams fought hard and overcame the excessive heat in Ohio. Motoworks / Can-Am Commander 1000 X driver Kyle Chaney led most of the XC1 UTV race. Unfortunately, a lapped racer caused Chaney to crash on the final lap. Thankfully, he recovered to finish a very close second and reach the class podium,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Team Travalena also had great ride, winning the XC2 UTV class. I was proud of the way all our guys raced in the brutally humid conditions, especially our Can-Am 4×4 racers, who earned four class overalls.”

In side-by-side racing action, pilot Kyle Chaney put his Motoworks-backed Can-Am Commander in the top five at the start of the XC1 UTV class race. By the second lap, he grabbed the lead and held it until the final loop. While overtaking a lapped vehicle, Chaney lost control of his vehicle and lost the lead. The team recovered quickly and ended up with a hard-fought second-place finish. In the UTV XC2 class, Team Travelena worked its way up from a top five start and took the class win by over 30 seconds. The team’s impressive charge in its Commander 1000 X also allowed them to finish in ninth overall for the day.

GBC Motorsports riders continue to perform well in Southern California’s Dirt Series aboard their Bomb Squad MX tires.

GBC’s Dylan Dixon is having a breakout season in the 450 Pro class but did not race this round at Competitive Edge MX Park. Dixon holds on to a solid points lead after winning each of the first three rounds.

Joey Berg was coming off of two straight wins in the 450 Pro-Am class. Berg experienced some difficulties and finished Round 4 in seventh, but retains his second place position in the class standings.

National Guard / Coastal / Bowers Motorcycle Supplies / Yokley Racing Team rider Jarrod McClure finished sixth Overall and sixth in the XC1 Pro Class at the John Penton GNCC in southern Ohio. Meanwhile, National Guard / Polaris / Coastal / Yoshimura / DragonFire / Yokley Racing Team driver William Yokley had a mechanical issue and did not finish today while teammate Scott Kiger finished third overall and third in XC1 Modified class.

Summary – ATV

The main concern for everyone at this year’s John Penton GNCC was the heat wave that is hanging over the eastern U.S. Temperatures for race day were well over 100 degrees with high humidity, making it hard on everyone. The course consisted of some new, technical woods sections, open fields, creek crossings and the Sunday Creek Raceway motocross track.

At the start, McClure’s machine did not immediately fire up, putting him near the rear of the XC1 Pros going into the woods. He quickly worked his way up to fifth place halfway through lap 1. The field sections were very dusty, and McClure hit a stump that he couldn’t see. The resulting impact threw him off the ATV, forcing him to dodge other riders as he tried to locate his machine! After losing a few positions, he got going and tried to make up some ground.

McClure worked his way up to a sixth place finish on the last lap. These were some of the hottest and toughest conditions in which Jarrod has competed. The GNCC now takes their summer break and the next event is the Unadilla in New Berlin, NY on Sept. 15. See you there!

High temperatures and sweat-inducing humidity made for sweltering, Safari-like conditions in Millfield, Ohio for the John Penton GNCC. But Team ITP racers managed to overcome the elements and pounce on a number of podiums with their ITP Holeshot- and QuadCross-equipped quads.

The king of the jungle in the morning race was forever-young Dave Simmons ( Yamaha), an Ohio native. This cool cat was the overall winner for the sixth time in 2012, and bagged his ninth straight Super Senior 45+ class kill.

Glenn McConnell (Yamaha) had another good hunt despite feeling diseased from the heat. He snapped up third place in the 50+ Masters class and was 17th overall – and is on the scent of a title with second in the standings.

In the fierce Women’s class, Angel Atwell ( Honda) clawed out the holeshot and persevered to third place while finishing eighth overall in the morning. She’s sunk her teeth into second place in the standings with four events remaining in the season. An amateur’s best nine of 11 scores are counted toward year-end championships.

Can-Am DS 450 racers found plenty of success this past weekend at the AMA ATV Motocross Championship Series and the New England ATV Motocross Series (NEATV-MX).

Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 racer Joel Hetrick finished second at round seven of the AMA ATV Motocross Championship Series, while teammate and defending champion John Natalie finished fourth. Meanwhile, BCS Performance / Can-Am racer Josh Creamer won both the Pro and Pro-Am classes at round six on the NEATV-MX series.

“Our Can-Am racers battled the heat and elements to bring home some impressive top finishes at the AMA ATV MX Nationals and at the NEATV MX regional series,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Joel Hetrick was clearly a top performer all weekend in Ohio, as he was the fastest qualifier, won moto one, earned second in moto two and took second overall in the Pro class. I was proud of the way he battled back from a poor start in the second moto to finish second overall. Defending Pro class champion John Natalie had a difficult time adapting to the track at round seven, but still sits in second in the points race with three rounds remaining. Josh Creamer continued his dominance in the NEATV series, convincingly winning all four motos he entered. We’re excited to have him join John and Joel in Unadilla for round eight of the AMA ATV MX series.”

A heatwave plagued much of the country this past weekend, and the Sunday Creek National in southern Ohio, round seven of the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross Championship Series, was certainly no exception. Following a severe thunderstorm on Friday, the race day’s high temperature and humidity – combined with a rough track surface – put big demands on man, machine and support crews.

Team ITP racers, however, were able to put a number of quads equipped with a variety of Holeshot, QuadCross and Turf Tamer tires into winner’s circle.

Among the winners was Samuel Rowe, who continues to be the teen to beat in Schoolboy class competition. This Janssen Motorsports-powered Root River Racing rider was again on top of the Schoolboy Jr. (13-15) division with a clean 1-1 moto sweep, and also placed second overall in the Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) class. He leads the championship point standings in both classes.

Maci Devenport was a winner in Ohio, claiming both motos of the Girls (12-15) class; that moved her up one position in the standings, to second. This performance was combined with second overall in the 90 Production (8-15) division, in which she sits atop the points.

After a multi-year hiatus, TerraCross racing made a triumphant return to ERX Motor Park in Elk River, Minn. and Andrew Carlson stole the show.

A hybrid motocross track littered with obstacles awaited both Utility ATV and Side-x-Side competitors. With a deal in place to broadcast the four-race series on CBS Sports Network, the Pro Side-x-Side field was bursting with top-level talent including Jeff Loyd, Doug Gust, Daryl Rath, and snowmobile backcountry extraordinaire Chris Burandt. Yet it was Carlson in his Muscle Milk Polaris RZR that took the checkers with a win on Friday, followed by Lloyd and Gust.

Combining elements of motocross with a variety of man-made obstacles including telephone poles, rock fields, mud pits, and massive timbers, TerraCross is the ultimate test of machine and driver. Faced with a 10-lap final, drivers must manage the desire the go for it while protecting their equipment as they pound through massive boulders and launch off huge tractor tires.

While Carlson’s win on Friday had everyone in the stands buzzing, it was his come from behind podium on Saturday afternoon that was perhaps even more impressive. Faced with a back row start in a field of 10 pro finalists, Carlson emerged from the turn one melee’ in seventh place. He then carefully managed the 10-lap race to work his way through the field to eventually find himself in the final podium position. While the battle to this point would have been a perseverance victory alone, Carlson wanted more and mounted one final bid for second place. With legendary off-road racer Daryl Rath in front of him and the finish line in sight; Carlson squared up his RZR and mashed the gas over the tires and final jump, rocketing himself past Rath and onto the second podium box. Gust, meanwhile, cruised to the victory by 9.5 seconds.

It was another successful weekend for Can-Am racers at the Snowshoe GNCC as Motoworks/Can-Am DS 450 racer Chris Bithell finished second overall in the XC1 Pro class, while Andrew Langston (4×4 Open) and Jordan Phillips (U2) each won their class and finished first and second on the morning overall podium.

“Motoworks / Can-Am XC1 Pro Chris Bithell provided this team with some much needed momentum and drive for the remainder of the season after earning his best race finish of the year this past weekend at Snowshoe. He now sits firmly in fourth place in season points, just four points out of third. Some of our X-Team-supported 4×4 racers faced challenges this past weekend, but Forest Whorton and Kevin Trantham continued their winning ways aboard their Outlander ATVs,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “And the depth of Can-Am mounted racers in the field was very evident, as Can-Am ATV racers earned five class victories and the morning overall. It’s great to see Can-Am privateers race their way to victory and take full advantage of the Can-Am Amateur Racing Contingency Program.“

This round of the Can-Am GNCC racing series is staged atop Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia’s Allegheny Mountains at more than 4200 feet and is truly a rider and fan favorite due to its picturesque views and resort-type atmosphere. Snowshoe is considered one of the roughest, most challenging GNCC courses in the series and features a unique asphalt street starting line, demanding hills as well as rough-and-rocky trails.

GBC Motorsport riders put together another strong day of ATV racing at what might be the most difficult stop on the GNCC Series – Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia.

Bryan Buckhannon started things off by leading much of the morning race in both the 4×4 Open class and the overall position. A last lap issue would drop Bryan from the leader board; fortunately his fifth place finish combined with his six wins keep him firmly atop the points standings.

Forrest Whorton continued his domination of the 4×4 Senior class this season with his seventh win, as well as scoring a season high ninth overall. BNR’s Ryan Smith earned his second consecutive 4×4 Novice class win, and Scott Day put in his best race of 2012 with a second place in the U2 class good for fifth overall. Kylie Ahart is quickly proving to be a threat in the Pro Women’s class after moving up this season, and her third place finish this weekend marked her second podium appearance.

National Guard / Coastal / Bowers Motorcycle Supplies / Yokley Racing Team rider Jarrod McClure finished fourth overall and fourth in the XC1 Pro Class. There were 152 total entries including 16 XC1 Pro racers.

Yokley Racing Summary

One of the most interesting and unusual stops on the GNCC circuit is the Snowshoe. Taking place at the famed Snowshoe Resort in West Virginia, the race is known as one of the most difficult of the year. The racers as well as the fans love the amenities of the facility; great hotel accommodations, several restaurants, and ski lifts to transport you to different sections of the course.

The course goes up, down and around the main mountain. Steep hill climbs, many mud bog sections and lots of rocks make this a tough one just to finish. The start is on the main street right in front of the hotels featuring a Grand Prix style live engine start. Five ATVs per row are flagged off every few seconds, racing through the resort and then out into the mountain trails.

Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 racer Josh Frederick and teammate Dillon Zimmerman each finished in the top 10 of the World Off-Road Championship Series Pro class held at On The Edge Raceway in Enterprise, Utah. Frederick posted a fourth-place finish and Zimmerman rallied to finish seventh overall. Collins Webster, Can-Am X-Team DS 450 racer, earned third overall in the Pro-Am class.

“It was a very challenging weekend in Utah, for Motoworks / Can-Am pros Josh Frederick and Dillon Zimmerman. They battled their way through deep-water crossings and a very rocky, short racecourse that forced many bottlenecks. Even with the difficult conditions, I was proud of the way both our riders never quit and fought all the way to the end. We have two races remaining to show them what we’re made of and we will continue to keep fighting for the championship until the very last race of the season,” says Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Collins Webster had a good race on a very difficult course to put his Can-Am DS 450 on the Pro-Am class podium again.”

The ATV MX National Championship Series returned to historic High Point Raceway after a three-year absence to enjoy hard-fought battles under nearly ideal conditions here in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania. This was the sixth of ten rounds on the 2012 schedule. With only four to go following this event, championship pressure was clearly on the rise.

No one is taking on more weight than Merrill Crose, who’s been running ITP tires all season and, after High Point, holds second place in the point standings of an astounding four classes! This weekend he once again won the Veteran 30+ class and was runner-up in Open A and Junior 25+. Issues in the first moto of the 450 A class pushed him back to 11th place, but he came back with a second place in the second moto to finish sixth for the day.

Haedyn Mickelson is another of ITP’s ironmen. This Root River Racing team member scored three podium finishes in three classes: second overall in Schoolboy Jr. (13-15) and third overall in both Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) and Super-Mini (13-15). This tough teen is top-five in all three classes for the season.

On The Edge Raceway, in Enterprise, Utah, saw a flood of RZR vehicles for WORCS round 6. When the dust cleared, RZRs took all three podiums in the Production 1000 class and a RZR 570 took the Production 700 class.

Beau Baron took the checkered flag in the Production 1000 class in his RZR XP 900, with Ryan Piplic and Greg Row taking second and third. RZRs currently hold the top five spots in the series point standings for the class and it’s a tight race with just two WORCS races remaining.

You’ll probably never get to drive a race car with Jeff Gordon or have Usain Bolt coach you for your local track & field meet, but you can get some lessons from nine-time GNCC champion Bill Ballance.

Yamaha Racing is presenting the 2012 GNCC University at the Snowshoe Mountain Resort from June 20-22, 2012. Scheduled just before the eighth round of the GNCC off-road racing series, the GNCC University will be led by the “Dean of ATVs,” Bill Ballance, and “Dean of Motorcycles,” Randy Hawkins. Tuition (including room and board) for the two-day school is $428 per student.

Ballance will lead the group of Yamaha Racing ATV instructors including Taylor Kiser, who is currently second in points in the GNCC’s XC1 pro class, 2011 XC2 champ Walker Fowler, eight-time GNCC Women’s Champion Traci Cecco and Johnny Gallagher, who is currently running 10th in the XC-1 class.

Can-Am ATV and side-by-side riders won races in several different classes and series in both the U.S. and Canada this past week.

Leading the way at round five of the New England ATV Motocross Series (NEATV-MX), BCS Performance / Can-Am DS 450 pro Josh Creamer swept both the Pro and Pro-Am classes in New Hampshire. In Texas, Hunter Miller won the Open Expert and Pro-Am classes aboard his DS 450 ATV in the Texhoma Quad Racing Association (TQRA) series. Hunter and his brother Cody Miller also competed in the Texas Off-Road Nationals (TORN) series on Saturday and each notched class victories in their Commander 1000 X side-by-side vehicles. Can-Am X-Team racers also won separate racing events in Iowa and Canada.

“Josh Creamer, who won both the Pro and Pro-Am classes on his DS 450 in New Hampshire, dominated in the NEATV-MX series once again. He continues to impress during his pursuit of a double championship in 2012,” says Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “The Miller brothers were unbelievable in Texas, competing and winning in two different series. Hunter, who also won the TQRA SxS title for Can-Am, had an exceptionally strong weekend in both the Commander 1000 X and on board the DS 450 ATV.”

Race morning started off really well with confident riders feeling good about their sections. The #1A Matlock Racing/Team Honda quad was the third quad to leave the start line. Wayne Matlock was off to a good start on the first 21 miles that is infamous for being full of booby traps and extreme dust and this year would be no exception. At one point, Matlock commented how surprised he was at how close he was to the quad in front of him without knowing it because the dust was too thick to see until he was right on the other quads rear bumper. At race mile 21, all the quads were coming through in the same order as they started.

Matlock handed the #1A Honda off to new team member Dofo Arellano. The rider change was very quick and it was a good thing because with the thick dust the quads were stacked up pretty tight. With Arellano off and running, Matlock jumped in the chase truck and head down to the Ojos Negros road crossing at race mile 39 to see Arellano come through. It did not take long for the lead quad team, #3A, to come through. Hot on their heels was the #2A Can-Am team, followed by the #5A Yamaha team. At that point, Arellano was missing and the team suspected that something must be wrong. After waiting for awhile a few more quads passed by and finally Arellano pulled in. He had come into an off-camber turn a little too fast, went off the road, and flipped the quad pinning himself under it. He first yelled for help from the nearby spectators then he realized that they could not hear him nor see him. He managed to get out from under the quad. Once it was right side up he was able to get it fired up after about 20 kicks. The quad was flooded from being upside down. Now with the quad running and back on course he had some time to make up. He had fallen back to sixth place. Arellano rode smooth and fast for the rest of his ride to race mile 100 and managed to push through the dust to fourth overall quad. He handed the quad off to Josh Caster at Honda pit 2 a little over eight minutes down from the #2A Can-Am team.

GBC Motorsports will return as the title sponsor of the Fifth Annual Heartland Challenge, scheduled for August 16-18 in Carlisle, Iowa.

The GBC Motorsports Heartland Challenge will once again offer ATV and UTV enthusiasts from across the country the opportunity to participate in a one of the most exciting endurance races around.

With more than a dozen ATV classes, including an Ironman class, the Challenge proves to be a true test of endurance and teamwork as racers attempt to outride and outlast during the 10-hour event. Additionally, the event hosts a special three-hour Youth ATV challenge and a four-hour adult Side-by-Side challenge. GBC Motorsports will be providing more than $17,000 in cash prizes for top class finishers.

John Natalie notched his first overall win of the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series under the lights at Ballance Moto X in Oakland, Ky. Natalie, the defending AMA ATV MX Champion, won Pro both motos on his factory Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 and climbed to within 15 points of first place in series points. DS 450 pro Joel Hetrick recorded a solid third-place finish to join his teammate on the Pro class podium.

“The Motoworks / Can-Am team had a great weekend at round five of the AMA ATV MX National Series in Kentucky. Our Can-Am pro racers had a tremendous Saturday night, dominating the second moto and earning first and third overall. John Natalie rode brilliantly on his Can-Am DS 450 and truly earned the top spot on the podium with a history-making win at the first-ever night race for AMA series. He was in true championship form,” says Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Fellow Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 racer Joel Hetrick earned third overall to maintain his third-place position in the standings. Can-Am amateur class racers also won a total of six classes aboard the DS 450 in Kentucky.”

The Kentucky race marked the first time in the history of the AMA ATV MX series that the races would be held at night under the lights. Past Grand National Championship TT races have been held under the lights, but never a motocross event. Motoworks / Can-Am pilot John Natalie excelled aboard his DS 450 during the evening racing at Ballance Moto X. After posting the fastest qualifying time, he came out of the first-moto gate in second place. He quickly passed for the lead and then fought off one challenger before notching his first moto victory of 2012. He followed up that win by earning the moto two holeshot and, after being pressured by his teammate Hetrick, leading the entire race for a 1-1 moto sweep.

Motoworks / Can-Am teammates Josh Frederick, Dillon Zimmerman and Collins Webster piloted their DS 450 ATV to the overall victory in front of more than 20,000 fans at the 2012 12 Hours of La Tuque in Quebec, Canada. The trio of racers, who all compete in the World Off-Road Championship Series on Can-Am ATVs, won by two minutes and finished a lap ahead of the competition in the Quad Pro class and were joined on the Pro class podium by another Can-Am racing team.

“It was great to see Josh, Dillon and Collins successfully team up to put the DS 450 on top of the podium and repeat as the Pro Class winner of the extremely challenging 12 Hours of La Tuque,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Not only did Team Motoworks / Can-Am post back-to-back titles, it was an all-time best finish for Can-Am at this race since its beginning in 2001, as two teams finished in the top three. In all, an astounding five Can-Am teams finished in the top 10.”

The 2012 course featured plenty of dust and whoops as well as a tricky sand section to keep riders on their toes for the 12-hour endurance event. The 11th annual event is held northeast from Montréal and consists of three, four-hour sessions (two in daylight and one in darkness). The object is to complete as many laps of the course as possible in each session. When a session ends, the race ATVs are impounded and cannot be worked on until the start of the next session. After 12 hours of racing, the team with the most laps completed wins.

GBC Motorsports traveled to Riverside, Calif. for the second round of the Dirt Series at Milestone MX this weekend.

Dylan Dixon was once again the star of the day, taking both holeshots and winning both motos on his way to another overall win in the Quad 450 Pro class using his GBC Motorsports Bomb Squad MX tires.

Joey Berg made his first go at the Dirt Series at Milestone, posting a win in the Quad 450 Pro-Am class. Berg also took both holeshots and won both motos and is tied for the class lead.

Round 5 of the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series heads to Oakland, Ky. this weekend for the first-ever race under the lights at the Ballance Moto X facility. This year’s championship battle in the ATV Pro class has been one of the ages, literally. The top five contenders in this year’s title run range from ages 19 all the way to 36.

Defending champ and ATVMX veteran John Natalie holds the coveted number one plate this season after proving to be the most dominant racer of 2011. The elder statesman of the group, Natalie is quickly realizing that the ever-evolving sport of ATV racing is now piloted by a youthful generation. Especially Natalie’s newest Motoworks/Can-Am teammate Joel Hetrick, who has shown bursts of speed with two overall wins in his 2011 rookie season, in addition to his overall victory in Round 3 this year. Nineteen-year-old Hetrick is the only rider – besides points leader Chad Wienen – to take home an overall win this season.

The Mountaineer Run, held at Marvin’s Mountaintop in Masontown, WV, was another new stop on the 2012 Grand National Cross Country schedule, but for many it had an old school feel. Round seven of 13 was held on a technical, rough, rocky, semi-muddy course not far from the familiar Snowshoe GNCC site. Plus it was also just good old fashioned hot, which all added up to a challenging weekend for man and machine. But Team ITP was up for it, and notched a number of victories using a variety of ITP QuadCross and Holeshot tire setups.

A most impressive display of skill and endurance was put up by Patrick McGuire (Yamaha). The Valencia, Penn. native blasted out of the first turn in first and never looked back, leading the XC2 Pro Am class from start to finish, securing his second win of the season by nearly three minutes. It was good for ninth overall out of 186 top competitors in the afternoon wave of racing, and moved him back into the points lead.

Finishing second in XC2 was Matt Hanna, backed by Greg’s ATV and running ITP tires on his Yamaha YFZ450. It was Hanna’s third podium appearance of the season, which puts him in fifth place in the class standings.

National Guard / Polaris / Coastal / Yoshimura / DragonFire / Yokley Racing teammates Scott Kiger and William Yokley finished second and third in the Side by Side XC1 Modified Class at the Mountaineer Run GNCC in Masontown, WV. Meanwhile, National Guard / Coastal / Bowers Motorcycle Supplies / Yokley Racing Team rider Jarrod McClure finished sixth Overall and sixth in the XC1 Pro Class.

Summary – Side by Side

The GNCC Series moved on to the Mountaineer Run in West Virginia for Round 3 for the Side by Side machines. This race is new for the GNCC Series in 2012 and the competitors did not know exactly what to expect. The track featured a very technical 4.6 mile course with lots of rocky sections and tight woods. Taking care of your machine in the rocks would be important today.

The start flag dropped and after the first few turns, Kiger had the lead with Yokley in third. Later in the lap, Kiger slid wide in a turn and had to back up, dropping him back to third place. The course had tight woods trails and a few open areas, and about one half of the track was on totally newly cut trails. Both Yokley and Kiger had good pace and other than a few bottlenecks, they were on pace for good finishes.

While Andrew Carlson is best known for turning quick laps on a snowmobile, when the weather gets warm he turns his attention to UTV racing.

Last week, Carlson kept his racing skills fresh during his off-season with a pair of class wins (Truck #1 and UTV Stock) during the inaugural race of the 2012 summer season at ERX Motor Park, and it was more than just an appetizer. This weekend, Carlson will head south to Mineral City Speedway in Fort Dodge, Iowa to compete in his first Can-Am IATVHSS race.

After a tough couple of races, Team DragonFire’s Ken Benson blazed to a commanding Class 2 (850cc Production UTV) win at the WORCS race at Race Town 395 in Adelanto, Calif. this past weekend. Described as a “torture test,” Benson blitzed through the tough terrain due to his newly dialed-in suspension system. He was even able to turn lap times on par with the 1000cc Class 1 UTVs despite a 150cc displacement disadvantage.

“Race Town 395 was one of the most aggressive tracks of the season,” says Benson. “After spending the first half of the year chasing mechanical and suspension issues, the car was perfectly dialed-in for Race Town! The desert loop was completely whooped out and the MX track jumps forced decisions to be made at every launch… fortunately we were able to float through the entire course while others struggled.

Polaris RZRs were out in full force at the Race Town 395 WORCS race, in Adelanto, Calif. this past weekend.

Walker Evans/Polaris Racing’s RJ Anderson took his third consecutive win and extended his points lead in the class for the season. A RZR also took the SxS Production 850 class and Cody Rahders’ RZR 570 finished a respectable second in the SxS Production 700 class. Rahders is currently in the third position for the series, just five points out of the lead.

GBC Motorsports riders are coming off another successful weekend of racing, earning class wins in both the GNCC and WORCS series.

Limestone 100 GNCC

Hopes were high rolling into the second consecutive brand new facility for the Limestone 100 in Springville, Ind., and both the track and the team of GBC Motorsports riders delivered.

Leading the way this weekend was sophomore XC1 rider Kevin Yoho, who led early and kept himself within the lead pack through the race, even setting the fastest lap on Lap 3. Yoho finished the race in a season best sixth place and has been steadily improving with each round. Johnny Gallagher put in another consistent run for eighth place and remains in the sixth position in the XC1 season standings.

Braden Henthorn’s rough start landed him in 13th at the completion of Lap 1, but he overcame these early difficulties and climbed all the way to a podium spot. Henthorn finished second in the XC2 Pro-Am class, helping him maintain a slim points lead in the class standings. Randy Hamilton earned his first ever Pro-Am Top 5 finish and continues to improve rapidly in only his second year of GNCC competition.

Can-Am X-Team racers had a very busy weekend in three different racing series, picking up wins on two of them. Competing at the inaugural Limestone 100 GNCC, Can-Am X-Team racers earned four 4×4 class overall wins. As well, Can-Am pilots won both the Pro and Pro-Am classes at round five of the Texhoma Quad Racing Association (TQRA) series. Can-Am ATV and Commander side-by-side racers also went to work in the World Off-Road Championship Series in Southern California.

“Can-Am racers had a busy weekend with mixed results. We competed in three different racing series in three different states. Chris Bithell put in a good effort to finish fourth after he started the Pro class race at the back of the pack at the Limestone GNCC,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Our Can-Am 4×4 racers tamed the new course, as Bryan Buckhannon, Cliff Beasley and Forrest Whorton each posted convincing wins their classes. In the WORCS series, Dillon Zimmerman put in another top-five performance on his Can-Am DS 450 while Josh Frederick salvaged a top-10 finish and still sits second in the points chase. And in Texas, Hunter Miller had a great weekend in the TQRA series winning two classes and finishing third on the UTV Pro class podium.”

The eight-round Dirt Series opens with over $65,000 worth of cash prizes and contingency awards. That includes STI Tire & Wheel, which has posted $2,500 in contingency dollars at every event. STI will also be providing trackside support through Triumph Motorsports. Visit Triumph’s Anthony Martin and crew for details on STI contingency and if you need tires, mounting or other race-related products and services.

The program includes ATVs, UTVs and dirt bikes. Practice is offered on Saturday as well as from 7-8:30 a.m. on Sunday; the first gate drops at 9:15 a.m.

The sixth stop of 13 on the 2012 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series schedule this year found the ATV competitors and their supporters in Springville, in the south-central part of Indiana, for the first Limestone 100. And while many of this large crowd had never plied the woodsy, hilly trails of this venue — centered around the Lawrence County Recreation Facility — they found the conditions to be similar to what’s found at The Ironman GNCC which takes place not far from here every October.

That’s a race that Team ITP’s Adam McGill knows very well, and he put his extensive experience to good use by nearly winning at Limestone. McGill ( Honda) worked his way up from a mid-pack start to hold fifth place at the end of the first 10-mile lap, then kept the pressure on to jam into first place on lap two. The West Virginia native led the majority of the race from that point (three laps) but on the last lap he physically ran out of gas — “I started to hit a wall,” as he described it — and had to settle for a safe second overall.

It was McGill’s fourth runner-up finish of the season, and kept him in second place in the premier XC1 Pro division point standings.

National Guard / Coastal / Bowers Motorcycle Supplies / Yokley Racing Team rider Jarrod McClure finished 87th Overall and 12th in the XC1 Pro Class after breaking a suspension component. There were 154 total entries including 12 XC1 Pro racers.

Summary

The Limestone 100 is another new venue this year on the GNCC schedule. The track featured some unique obstacles including rough creek beds and lots of hills. The warm weather was great for racing. McClure was coming off of a good run at the last GNCC in KY, and was looking forward to battling for a podium finish today.

McClure got a great start at the drop of the green flag, and grabbed the $250 Holeshot Award. He led for part of the way around the 10-mile course until he clipped a tree, and fell back to seventh place. He spent the next 3 laps charging his way up to fourth place. McClure was turning fast lap times, and was in position for a good finish.

ITP has made available $128,750 in contingency for the 2012 AMA ATV MX National Championship Series and a good chunk of that had to be paid out after ITP racers found success in the third round at Budds Creek MX in Mechanicsville, Md. Dipping deeply into the ITP “MX Bucks” pool Team ITP riders Chloe Buerster, Mike Barnhart, Maci Devenport, Haedyn Mickelson, Sean Taylor and Samuel Rowe.

Rowe collected three moto wins on his way to overall victory in both the Schoolboy Jr. (13-15) and Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) classes. This put the Janssen Motorsports-powered Root River Racing rider in the points lead for the latter, and into third for the season in the former.

Root River Racing’s Sean Taylor made a consistent day pay off as 3-2 moto finishes got him the overall win in the highly competitive Pro Am Unlimited class.

Haedyn Mickelson of Root River Racing continued his season’s hot streak with fourth overall in the Schoolboy Jr. (13-15) and Super-Mini (13-15) classes, as well as a runner-up finish in Schoolboy Sr. (14-17). He currently leads the point standings in that last class, and is top-five for the season so far in the other two.

Motoworks/ Can-Am DS 450 racers picked up a pair of big wins this weekend as Joel Hetrick won round three of the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross Championship Series (teammate John Natalie finished third), while Josh Frederick and Collins Webster teamed up to win the ATV Pro Class at the Best in the Desert Silver State 300. Also at the Silver State 300, Team Desert Toyz/Can-Am raced its Can-Am Commander 1000 X to a third –place finish in the UTV Pro class.

“We are thrilled to have both our Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 racers Joel Hetrick and John Natalie reach the AMA Pro class podium. While Joel didn’t win either moto, he was the most consistent pro racer with two second-place rides, and earned the overall in only his third race aboard the Can-Am DS 450. Natalie’s moto-two victory was also another bright spot for our team and helped him secure third overall,” says Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “I’m also pleased with our Best in the Desert series success. Having our Motoworks / Can-Am team of Josh Frederick and Collins Webster win the ATV Pro class and Cory Sappington’s Desert Toyz / Can-Am X-Team Commander 1000 X finish on the UTV Pro class podium is really a great accomplishment.”

The makers of the popular Friday Night Lights summer and fall MX/ATV race series have developed a new race series for local riders of all levels to compete at various tracks and locations in southern California. The first race of the series is May 20 at Cahuilla Creek in Anza, Calif. Click here for more information about the series.

Racers interested in participating in the GBC Bucks program for the Dirt Series must complete a GBC Bucks form for each event and return by mail or fax to the following:

Attn: Rider Support
222 S. Harbor Blvd. Suite 700
Anaheim, CA 92805
Fax: 310-694-9109

BCS Performance / Can-Am X-Team racer Josh Creamer won the Pro and Pro-Am classes at round two of the 2012 New England ATV Motocross (NEATV-MX) series. In Can-Am / Grand National Cross Country racing action, five Can-Am racers won their classes this past weekend at the inaugural Can-Am Mammoth GNCC event held in Kentucky.

“Josh Creamer continued his Pro and Pro-Am class dominance by winning in the sandy Southwick soil aboard his DS 450. I was thrilled to see Richard Pelchat have such a great showing, challenge Josh and give us two riders on both the Pro and Pro-Am class podiums,” says Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “In GNCC action, our morning Can-Am 4×4 racers keep impressing us with their convincing wins. To have Bryan Buckhannon, Cliff Beasley, Kevin Trantham and Forrest Whorton post victories, and to do it on the brand new Mammoth course, shows a lot of dedication, drive and focus. Unfortunately a badly bent sprocket literally derailed Chris Bithell’s chance to shine in Kentucky, but he’ll be back at round six ready to challenge for the XC1 Pro class overall.”

National Guard / Coastal / Bowers Motorcycle Supplies / Yokley Racing Team rider Jarrod McClure finished fourth overall and fourth in the XC1 Pro Class. There were 189 total entries including 14 XC1 Pro racers.

Yokley Racing Summary

The Mammoth is a new location on the GNCC schedule this year, and everyone was excited to experience a track that had never been ridden on. The facility is a beautiful property located right next to Park Mammoth Resort Golf Course, and is a combination of fast, rolling field sections as well as lots of tight, freshly cut, and technical woods trails. It was a hot day in the 80’s and the woods sections featured an abundance of rocks.

At the drop of the flag, McClure got a good start and was battling for position in turn 1 when he ran over another machine’s wheel. The impact launched his ATV in the air with the rear end about four feet higher in the air than the front. McClure managed to hang on and actually ran with the leaders in third place going into lap 2. Lapped riders were difficult to get around in the tight sections since there was usually only one racing line.

Photos by Amy McConnell, XCountry Photos

It’s always an interesting adventure to compete at a brand new venue. When the 2012 Grand National Cross Country Series arrived at Park Mammoth Resort in the rolling hills of south-central Kentucky for the fifth round of the series, everyone was faced with trying to learn new trails and figure out an ideal machine setup. Racers and mechanics took their closest guess — because no pre-riding is allowed in GNCC racing — and then hoped for the best when the green flag flew.

Luckily the Team ITP riders had a number of options to choose from when it came to tires – from the Holeshot to the QuadCross XC.

Dave Simmons ( Yamaha) captured yet another overall amateur morning race victory. On what turned out to be a mostly tight and technical course, Simmons led the way ahead of nearly 240 other athletes in a wide variety of classes. This performance marked the fifth time in a row he’s won the Super Senior 45+ class in 2012, and was his third morning overall of the season.

Fox-supported athletes put on a show in the most recent round of the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross Championships, sweeping the podium in the competitive pro class.

Chad Wienen led the way, taking both moto wins and the overall pro win at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Tenn., where he was joined on the podium by John Natalie Jr. and Joel Hetrick.

Wienen battled the elements in the first moto and came out ahead after a rain blew through the area and created slick conditions for racers. Those conditions, however, worked to his advantage in his hard-fought win.

“It was nasty out there at the end. The track was slick and rough, but we were able to turn it up for the last two laps,” says Wienen. “My Fox shocks soaked up all the bumps and I was able to get around the competition and take the win.”

Can-Am ATV and UTV racers continue to find success this season and this past weekend was no exception. Team Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 racers John Natalie and Joel Hetrick finished second and third in the Pro class at round two of the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross Championship Series held at Muddy Creek in Blountville, Tenn., while Can-Am X-Team ATV and side-by-side racers also had a successful weekend, winning several classes at races held in Texas and Iowa.

“We were excited to have both John and Joel reach the AMA Motocross Pro class podium at Muddy Creek,” says Jimmie O’Dell, race manager, Can-Am. “Although we didn’t get the overall victory, both of our racers rode well, despite the slick conditions, put themselves in contention and ultimately earned a trip to the podium. John has led motos at both rounds and is currently second in the Pro class points race, while Joel has been the fastest qualifier twice, so they definitely have the speed and skills to win every race they enter.”

Team ITP riders came into round two of the 2012 ATV Motocross National Championship Series at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Tenn. determined to keep their substantial momentum from the opening round rolling.

ITP’s sponsored guys and gals, riding with a variety of ITP QuadCross MX and Holeshot MXR6 tires as well as T-9 Pro Series wheels, claimed several class wins and stepped up on the podium regularly after the dust had settled.

One of the highlights of the weekend for ITP was the on-track introduction of ITP’s all-new Turf Tamer Classic MX. This legendary tire has been redesigned for modern sport quads and features an industry-first pre-grooved tread pattern for an extra competitive edge on loose, loamy track surfaces.

Muzzys Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Jon Crowley got off to a perfect start at the Valley Off Road Racing Association (VORRA) season opener, racing through the muddy course to win the first two rounds of the series. A few hundred miles away in the desert town of Surprise, Ariz., Funco Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Garrett George scored the first podium of his career with second in the SXS Production 850 class at Round 4 of the World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS).

While the VORRA event organizers originally planned to host the opening rounds over the course of two days, after a week of torrential downpours, the course was so saturated they decided to cancel racing altogether on Saturday to give the track a chance to dry out. With two full rounds to complete Sunday, racers had to prepare mentally and mechanically, for a long day of racing. Each round consisted of three motos, where the winner would be determined by the overall score. After three grueling motos through the mud, Crowley finished 3-1-1 to earn his first win of the series.

“The course was incredibly muddy,” says Crowley. “It was just a thick, clumpy, soupy mess. Instead of racing on a one-mile course for six laps, they had to eliminate half the course and changed the race to 12 laps. Many of the Class 11 and Class 9 vehicles were getting stuck because they were only two-wheel drive and sliding all over the place. With my Teryx I just powered around them like stationary obstacles. I knew from the beginning it was going to be a race of attrition. It was kind of like a desert race where you have to beat the desert before you can beat your competitors.

This past weekend’s Big Buck GNCC, the fourth round of the Grand National Cross Country Series, featured heavy dust on a rough course with lots of hidden stumps and other nastiness lying in wait to ruin someone’s day. Several ITP-sponsored racers were able to fight through the conditions and earn a podium finish.

For the second event in a row, XC1 Pro star Adam McGill ( Honda) was able to storm back from a tough start and put himself in solid contention for the overall victory. His bid for the win came up just two seconds short after two hours of racing. This inspiring performance shot him into second place in the point standings with seven events still remaining on the long schedule.

XC2 Pro Am series leader Patrick McGuire ( Yamaha) just missed the podium with a fine fourth place and 13th overall out of 157 riders in the afternoon wave of racing. McGuire held onto his number one position in the class standings.

And how about Dave Simmons (Yamaha), who placed second overall in the morning wave while capturing yet another Super Senior 45+ class win? That’s four out of four so far, and he’s making it look easy in the process.

After opening the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series by sweeping both motos in Round 1, Chad Wienen will be sporting the red number plate on his Wienen Motorsports/SSi Decals/Walsh Race Craft/ Yamaha YFZ450R this weekend at the newly renovated Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Tenn. But you can bet defending champ John Natalie and teammate Joel Hetrick will be more than ready to avenge after round one, as both Motoworks/ Can-Am racers came close to winning in Georgia.

It wasn’t actually Wienen who lead the most laps at Aonia Pass MX, though, as Natalie dominated most of Moto 2 until Wienen put an exciting pass on the defending champ on the final lap just before the finish line stretch. And Baldwin Motorports/PEP’s Josh Upperman led the early stages of Moto 1 before Wienen and Hetrick took over the lead battle until Hetrick was sent off the track crashing and was forced to watch the remainder of the race as his ATV was towed out.

RJ Anderson topped a field of 31 UTVs in Saturday’s Round 4 of the World Off Road Championshp Series (WORCS) at Speed World MX in Surprise, Ariz.

Anderson rode his Holz Racing-built Polaris RZR XP 900 to a first-place finish in 47 minutes and 27 seconds, just two second in front of Ryan Piplic. Anderson’s win for Holz/Walker Evans Racing maintains his lead in series points.

Todd Seaver raced well in his Holz Racing/Carl’s Cycle Sales RZR XP 900 and placed fifth. Josh Frederick pulled double duty for his Can-Am/Motoworks team, first taking second in the Pro ATV Class on his Holz-equipped DS450, then racing his Holz-built Commander 1000 to a 10th place finish. Jake Greco and Mitch Guthrie Jr. finished 12th and 22nd respectively in their Holz-equipped RZR XPs.