Citing the current economic downturn, Rock Maple Racing has decided to suspend operations of its Quad-X ATV series for 2009.

“This was a difficult decision to make,” says Rock Maple Racing president Tara Saxton. “But with the economic situation right now, we felt it would be tough going in 2009. A lot of folks simply won’t have the funds required to travel and race this year, and we understand.

“When we first tested the waters in ATV racing back in the fall of 2006, response was positive. We had two great seasons of competition in 2007 and 2008, but late last summer we could see participation starting to fall off. As much as we enjoyed ATV racing, the time has come to step back and allow our struggling economy to recover.”

Pro Armor has released what it is calling the best ever designed and developed nerf bar – the Revolution.

“Never before has a nerf bar been able to accomplish so much,” Pro Armor says in a release.

The Revolution allows the user to run metal heel plates or heel guard nets. By removing the eight bolts users can swap out the heel plates and run nets like the Pro Armor sponsored GWC Yamaha and Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki race teams.

“This all new system allows you to set-up your nerf bars for the style and type of riding you choose on any given weekend,” says Pro Armor. “Want to personalize your quad and stand out from the rest? Then run brushed aluminum plates with black nerf bars or any combination you want.”

ITP has introduced a new wheel to its SS Alloy line – the SS312.

According to ITP, the SS312 is one of the strongest one-piece aluminum wheels on the market. It features what ITP calls a “stealthy” matte black finish with bright, diamond-cut machined accents topped with a tough clear-coat.

A custom SS wheel cap featuring an all-new design is included. Sizing is 12×7, 14×6 and 14×8, for precise front/rear fitment. The heavy-duty 12-inch ATV wheel is rated at 700 pounds, while the 14-inch side-by-side UTV applications are rated at 800 pounds.

The #1A American Honda team of Wayne Matlock, Harold Goodman and Josh Caster won the Tecate Score San Felipe 250 overall ATV title on March 13, 2009.

This was the first year in San Felipe that the team rode the Honda TRX700XX. Though it was the same course as last year’s race, each rider on the team spend time running his section of the course multiple times. The course included everything from sand washes and rocky canyons to large whooped out sections as it made it’s way around Baja.

Matlock was the third quad off the line and rode to race mile 25 where he handed the quad off to Goodman, who rode into the big sandy whoops of Borrego and down Diablo Dry Lake. Along the way he was able to take the lead before Caster took over at mile 93.

Caster was able to jump on the quad in the lead by three minutes thanks to Goodman. Caster’s section included the famous desolate and rocky Matomi Wash before handing the quad back to Matlock at race mile 170. Before handing the quad off to Matlock, Caster was able to add another six minutes to the lead.

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., has been awarded a Farm Industry News (FIN) FinOvation Award for the Grizzly 700 FI and the Grizzly 550 FI.

This is the first FinOvation award for the new Grizzly 550 and the second for the Grizzly 700 – both of which were recognized for Yamaha’s Electric Power Steering (EPS) feature and also received top honors at the publication’s annual ATV reviews last fall.

“The Grizzly 700 and Grizzly 550 have both received awards and praise from the farming industry, hunting industry, ATV industry, and ultimately from our customers who have made them the best selling machines in their respective categories,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV/SxS marketing manager. “Yamaha is extremely proud of this recognition from Farm Industry News. This proves our engineers and developers are doing a great job in building utility vehicles that meet real customers’ needs.”

Racer TV, the host program of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series, returns to the Versus Network to cover the 2009 GNCC Series this April. The new season will mark the 9th year of GNCC Racing airing on television, and for the first time ever, the GNCC races will be broadcast in high definition.

All 13 GNCC bike and ATV rounds, 26 races in total, will air on Versus Network in 30-minute episodes. Each race debuts on Saturday afternoon and then re-airs on Tuesday afternoon, with the opening episode airing Saturday, April 4th, at 2:30 p.m. EST and re-airing on Tuesday, April 7th, at 3:30 p.m. EST. That adds up to 26 hours of GNCC Racing on Versus Network, with additional re-airs planned.

This year’s television shows will be produced in house by GNCC series’ producer Racer Productions, following in the footsteps of the popular Racer X Motocross Show episodes from the AMA Motocross Championships. Jason Hooper, director of New Media for Racer Productions, spearheads the effort.

“We think year’s shows will be cooler, livelier, and more fun than ever,” says Hooper. “Our crew learned a lot from the Racer X Motocross Show, and we’ll apply the same principles here: action, fun, personality and cool angles. Plus, the shows will look incredible in HD!”

Jason Weigandt will handle hosting duties for the show. Weigandt, also the host of the AMA Arenacross Series on SPEED, the Supercrosslive! Presented by Parts Unlimited webcast on supercrossonline.com, and the Racer X Motocross Show, has been with the GNCC Series since 2001, and joined the TV broadcast team in 2003.

The Racer TV production crew includes Mike Holbert, a former GNCC pro-class racer on bikes and ATVs. Holbert has been a part of the GNCC TV team since the shows began airing in 2001. Jeremy Saylor, who produced the GNCC shows for Gear Marketing and Media for the last three seasons, also remains on board.

The Can-Am GNCC Series is the only off-road racing series in America airing weekly cable TV programs. Racer TV sponsors Can-Am, Rocky Mountain ATV/MC and Yamaha have contributed to the 2009 television program.

This year’s shows will focus on the battle for the GNCC XC1 and XC2 pro class titles. On ATVs, Yamaha’s Bill Ballance aims for an unprecedented 10th-straight GNCC Championship, with contenders such as Chris Borich, Adam McGill, Brandon Sommers, Bryan Cook and William Yokley aiming to knock him off.

Related Reading
Borich Wins Maxxis General GNCC

ATV riders can breathe a sign of relief as the U.S. House has voted down a bill that would have banned motorized vehicles from more than 2 million acres of public land.

Senate Bill 22, known as the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, failed to get the necessary two-thirds vote of the House members by the narrowest of margins. The vote was 282 yes to 144 no for 66.2%. If just two of the ‘no’ votes went the other way, the bill would have reached the two-thirds required.

The American Motorcyclist Association and other off-road enthusiast groups were upset with the bill because it was more than 160 bills put together to form a single bill more than 1,300 pages long and because it was fast-tracked through the Senate earlier this year. Senate Bill 22 was then positioned for a final House vote without the consideration of House members on more than 70 bills in the package.

Can-Am ATV racers had a successful weekend with top-10 finishes and wins in the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country, ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship presented by Parts Unlimited and ITP Quadcross series.

“This past race weekend is when the 2009 ATV racing season begins in earnest for everyone,” says Del Bohlman, racing manager for Can-Am ATVs at BRP. “And with our success across the board during the weekend, it is safe to say we are ready to bring BRP more championships this season and start where we left off in 2008. All of our racers, teams and staff are ready to go and cannot wait for the next rounds of racing.”

Can-Am Outlander ATVs swept the 4×4 classes in the second round of GNCC racing in Georgia. Bryan Buckhannon, Michael Swift and Cliff Beasley; each won the 4×4 Open, 4×4 Limited and 4×4 Lites classes respectively. Jamie Bithell, who races for the Can-Am X-team, took second in the competitive College A (16-21) class on his DS 450. A Renegade 800R ridden by Team Warnert Racing/Can-Am pilot Rick Cecco won the U2 class after taking the holeshot against the rest of the class.

The steps of the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City saw young ATV riders, parents and state lawmakers rally to support an exemption to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) on March 4.

Missouri State Rep. Tom Self organized the press conference that followed the rally. Self also sponsored a successful Missouri House resolution urging the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to “provide a waiver or exclusion for youth ATVs and motorcycles from the lead limit requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.”

The CPSIA effectively bans the sale of any product intended for children 12 and under that fails to meet lead restrictions. Youth-sized motorcycles and ATVs, which include lead in batteries, brakes, engines and other components, fall into that category according to the CPSC. The ban also includes many parts needed for repair.

Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Chris Borich bested the field to win the Maxxis General GNCC, round two of the 2009 Can-Am GNCC Series in Washington, Ga. on March 7.

Borich’s win comes just a week after finishing second in the season-opening River Ranch GNCC. Yamaha’s Taylor Kiser, who took the checkered flag last week, finished second, while FRE KTM’s Adam McGill was third for a second straight week.

“It was a really fun race, we were just battling all day,” says Borich. “It was good to ride with Chris (Bithell) and those guys, it seemed like we were just on a trail ride together. It’s good to ride with people you know won’t take you out.”

Defending champion and Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Dustin Wimmer started off the season in style by winning the opening round of the 2009 ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship presented by Parts Unlimited.

After coming up short in the first moto, Wimmer rebounded by grabbing the holeshot and the win in the second moto to secure the top spot on the podium.

“It’s always easy getting out front first. You don’t have to work as hard,” Wimmer said after the second moto. “However, it is never easy on a rough and sandy track like Glen Helen Raceway. I came up on two wheels in the second or third lap and thought I was going to lose it. But defending my championship like this; it feels great.”

The first moto was an exciting way to open the 2009 season. Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Josh Creamer grabbed the holeshot and was followed by a pack of Honda’s including rookie Nick DeNoble, Josh Upperman and Joe Byrd. Wimmer was fifth after the start and took about half the race to reach and pass Byrd to move into second. Wimmer then began to stalk Creamer late in the moto and actually took the lead on a few occasions. Creamer, however, changed his lines and held his ground to win the first moto of the year.

Tarantula Performance Racing (TRP) says its youth ATV front bumper, rear grab bar, heel guard and nerf bar meet or exceed the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) lead limits for youth products. Also TPR’s Race Safe and Race Safer grab bars for all youth ATV DRR models meet AMA racing requirements.

TPR says it has obtained certificates of conformity from all of its raw material providers and its powder coat applicator for all products used in TPR’s manufacturing process. According to TPR, all materials used in its youth and adult ATV parts meet, or are far below, the 600 parts-per-million lead content restrictions enacted in February by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Doug Eichner finished third on both his Polaris Outlaw 450 and Ranger RZR S at Round 2 of the WORCS Racing Series in Adelonto, Calif.

Eichner blasted out of the gate taking the holeshot and took third overall in the Pro class on his Outlaw 450. He currently is sitting in fourth in the Pro ATV standings. In the UTV race, Eichner won the UTV 2 class by five minutes and finished third overall. Eichner is the defending UTV champion and this was his first UTV race of the 2009 WORCS season. Mark Holz and his Ranger RZR took first overall in the race and are undefeated in the series.

Rath rode his Sportsman 850 XP with power steering to a third place finish in the 4×4 Open class at the season-opening GNCC Series event in River Ranch, Fla. Teammate Frank Batista finished fourth. The team had some minor setbacks during the race and look to have everything dialed in for the next GNCC race, on March 7-8.

DragonFire Racing of Mesa, Ariz. has introduced a new series of side-by-side suspension systems – Black Magic.

According to DragonFire, the Black Magic suspension systems feature lightweight chromoly-plated boxed A-arms, 300M axles, and Fox and Elka coil over shocks. Suspension travel is more than 13 inches per kit.

“This is a direct replacement kit, often utilizing remote rear and front shock towers to provide the proper shock ratios and structural support necessary for the increased travel,” DragonFire Racing says in a release.

Black Magic suspension systems are available for the Yamaha Rhino, Polaris RZR, Kawasaki Teryx, and Arctic Cat Prowler side-by-sides. Price varies by application.

Taylor Kiser started the 2009 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series in style by earning his first career victory at the season-opening River Ranch GNCC in Lake Wales, Fla. on March 1.

Kiser, who is racing on a Yamaha YFZ450, finished the 2008 season ranked sixth in the final standings while with KTM but had never before finished on top of the podium. Yoshimura Suzuki’s Chris Borich and FRE KTM’s Adam McGill finished second and third.

“This is like a dream to win it in front of all of these people,” said Kiser in front of his home state. “I saw Chris and Adam setting a good pace out front, and I wasn’t sure if I should go with them, because this course gets so rough and I knew it would be a long day. So I just played it smart and it paid off.”

Polaris Industries Inc and Bobcat Company have announced a long-term strategic alliance. According to Polaris, this alliance is designed to help both companies penetrate work-related market segments globally.

“We are excited to enter this alliance with Bobcat, a respected leader in the work vehicle industry,” says Scott Wine, CEO of Polaris Industries. “This alliance is consistent with our stated strategy of diversifying Polaris beyond our core powersports segments and will enhance our efforts to accelerate the growth of our military and international businesses.

Wine says that Polaris will produce and sell ‘highly differentiated’ work vehicles to Bobcat, who will sell those vehicles through its dealer network. The two companies will further cooperate by developing vehicles together and sharing technology in the future.

According to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) the new lead rules affecting many youth motorcycles and ATVs could lead to $1 billion in lost economic value annual for the industry.

The projected loss is based on 2008-estimated value of the retail marketplace for ATVs and off-highway motorcycles and factors out vehicles and related economic value not included as part of the ban.

Included in the retail marketplace are retail sales of new and used vehicles, parts and accessories, dealer servicing, product advertising, vehicle financing charges, insurance premiums, dealer personnel salaries, taxes, and vehicle registration fees.

If you’re looking for a way to make your side-by-side more comfortable and better looking, Beard Seats offers its new Super-TSX suspension seat.

“Our new Super-TSX is a great fit for your UTV. The combination of true suspension seating, good containment & great style has brought UTV seating to a new level,” says Tim Sousamian of Beard Seats. “The Super-TSX is available in three different configurations; high back with either a fixed or adjustable headrest or low back, making it one of the most versatile UTV seats on the market today. The high back configurations are designed for use with UTVs with custom roll gages, while the low back is utilized for OEM roll cages.”

According to Beard Seats, the Suepr-TSX seats are used by many top UTV racers. Desert racer Mike Lasher and short course racer Chad George both use the Super-TSX in their Kawasaki Teryxs.

Speed Industries has recently released its new Baja Cage Extension for the Kawasaki Teryx and Polaris Ranger RZR side-by-sides.

According to Speed Industries, this cage extension will help protect your vehicle from the hazards of the trail and comes with an integrated rear bumper that bolts directly to the chassis.

“We designed our new Baja Cage Extension to follow the lines of the Teryx and RZR OEM cages while providing an increased level of performance and durability for the hardcore enthusiast,” says Tim Sousamian of Speed Industries. “When we decided to build an upgraded cage extension we took a lot of time; making sure the installation process will be a positive experience for our dealers and consumers; this cage bolts directly to the OEM cage.”

Teryx owners also have the option of adding an articulating spare tire holder. Developed to maximize bed space and flexibility, the tire holder can be rotated 360 degrees and set in eight different positions. A fixed spare tire holder is available for the RZR.

Pro Armor has beefed up its ProAm Series of products with new full chassis, swing arm and A-arm armor.

“ProAm Series armor is made out of high quality, lightweight, durable aluminum using the same production techniques and processes that has made Pro Armor the leader in aftermarket accessories for your ATV and SxS,” Pro Armor says in a release. “Pro Armor is best known for quality, protection and durability. With the all new ProAm Series we will also be known for our price point.

“By reducing the material thickness to match our competition and some other minor changes we can now offer you a new product line that will help keep you protected for a fraction of the price.”

ProAm full chassis armor retails for $89.95, while the swing arm armor costs $99.95 and the A-arm armor costs $79.95.

Yamaha’s ATV race team is finishing up its preparations for the 2009 season and will enter teams in many of the top racing series. Yamaha will race in the GNCC, QuadCross, WORCS and AMA MX over the next two weekends. This is the first season that each Yamaha race team member will be riding the new YFZ450R.

Yamaha’s race team is led by nine-time GNCC XC1 Pro series champion Bill Ballance. Ballance suffered a rib injury last year and had to undergo surgery in the off-season. Though the injury and resulting surgery interrupted his pre-season training, Ballance will be back to chase his 10th consecutive title at the GNCC opener in Florida this weekend.

Seven-time GNCC women’s title holder Traci Cecco will be back with Yamaha again, as will Brandon Sommers, the 2007 GNCC XC2 class champion. Sommers finished fifth last year in his first season in the XC1 class.

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP) has announced that its 2009 Can-Am ATV race contingency program will be the biggest ever.

Pro and amateur Can-Am racers will be vying for fore than $1.3 million in 2009, making it the largest ATV-only contingency program in the history of ATV racing. The latest race series to be added is the American Woods Racing Championship Series (AWRCS) with a total contingency amount of $58,000 across seven classes in all 10 rounds.

With contingency dollars already available in the GNCC, AMA ATV Motocross, CMRC, ITP Quadcross, WORCS, SCORE, Best in the Desert, NEATV-MX, PAMX and OMA, Can-Am covers every major national and regional ATV championship in North America.

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., is bringing back its popular Rhino Rally to the Imperial San Dunes.

The Rhino Rally will be part of The Dune Tour, which takes place March 20-21. The official name of the event this year is ‘The ’09 Yamaha Rhino Rally at the Dune Tour, presented by Yamaha,’ and people interested in attending can learn more and register at http://www.thedunetour.com/.

“The Rhino Rally is a great way for Yamaha to get together with our Side-by-Side customers and have some fun at Glamis,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha marketing manager. “The inaugural Rhino Rally drew hundreds of Rhino side-by-side vehicles and their owners, friends and families out for a fun weekend. This year we’ve teamed up with the Dune Tour for what should be the biggest Rhino Rally ever. We invite everyone who can make it to come and check out the event.”

We are pretty sure that back in the early part of this decade, when the engineers at Yamaha were putting their heads together to design and plan the first production Yamaha Rhino 660, they couldn’t have imagined what would become of their humble (yet fully functional) hunting/utility vehicle.

People stared in awe at the first ‘duner’ Rhinos appearing in 2004 at sand dunes around the country, amazed at the creativity and deep pockets that helped create some of those first tricked out, four seat conversions that continue to dominate holiday weekends at dune areas everywhere. However, those Rhinos pale in comparison to some of the first full race Rhinos that appeared soon after, as an entirely new breed of racing was born.

Gone were the four seat cages, and in their place were low profile, extra wide and fully gusseted custom frames which were welded with great care to the original Rhino chassis. Custom designs, excellent aluminum work and trick looking custom suspension packages turned these purely functional UTVs into some lean, mean, racing machines – and began one of the most entertaining forms of racing today.

GBC Tires has announced it will offer $136,500 in Contingency for ATV competitors in the 2009 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series.

“These are the people that buy tires, the people who race in the woods and ride in the woods so there is not a better fit for an ATV rider than GNCC,” says Kevin Johnston, national accounts manager for GBC Motor Sports. “GNCC is a series that has always been there and supported the sport, so why not give back to the series that does that?”

The GBC program is aimed toward the amateur racer who needs the extra support. The XC2 class race winner will receive $300 followed by $250 for second, and $200 for third. The GBC program also offers contingency for youth and utility classes, as well as a variety of amateur classes.

For more information on the GNCC payout, visit www.gnccracing.com/pages/2009-gncc-contingency-programs.

The 2009 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series begins with The Parts Unlimited River Ranch in River Ranch, Fla. on February 28- March 3.

Long-time Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series supporter KTM has announced its 2009 GNCC contingency program. The ATV program pays out for all 13 rounds, while the bike program provides year-end awards for KTM riders who do well in their final class point standings.

For ATV, KTM awards the XC1 class race winner $1,500, followed by $1,000 for second, and $500 for third. The XC2 race winner earns $750, second takes home $500 and third $250. KTM also pays contingency in a variety of amateur classes.

The bike program awards the GNCC Series Overall Champion $3,000 followed by $2,000 for second and $1,000 for third. The XC2 Pro Lites Champion receives $1,000. KTM also pays contingency in a variety of bike amateur classes.

PowerSports dealers, aftermarket companies, builders, and the media converged in Indianapolis, Ind. once again for the 2009 Dealer Expo, Feb. 13-16.

This year’s show had a few changes, including the addition of the new Lucas Oil Stadium as a major showroom. It’s just across the road from the RCA Dome which was torn down in December.

Nobody is immune to the current economic climate and this year’s Dealer Expo certainly had fewer vendors than past years, but this is still an enormous show filled with just about anything you could hope to find for your ATV or side-by-side. In addition to all the new products, dozens of modified four-wheelers and we had our camera at the ready.

While we didn’t really find any mind blowing new products or technologies for ATVs at this show, the burgeoning side-by-side industry continues its rapid expansion. Also, we found a couple of products for under $20 that you might find interesting and useful.

Products

When it comes to ATV racing, there might not be any one product found on more quads than Precision Stabilizers. The Lodi, Calif. company doesn’t appear to be resting on its laurels as it released a new Pro model stabilizer at the show. This new stabilizer features an internal reservoir that allows for thermal expansion with oil filtration and high speed valve. According to Precision Racing Products, this feature can increase damping by over 100% when temperatures exceed 90 degrees.

A new stem clamp offers less weight and makes it easier to install, while a stronger linkage has improved seals. Gaskets have been added around the adjuster for added protection and a new lever arm has higher grip forces.

With much of the ATV industry reeling from the recent lead-content law that bans the sale of Youth ATVs containing lead, one manufacturer says its ATVs already comply with the new law.

DRR ATVs of Brunswick, Ohio says it was aware of the impending law for months and made the appropriate changes to its ATVs. DRR attempted to clarify the situation in a letter it sent to the ATV media and DDR dealers.

Dear DRR ATV Dealers,

Known for producing some of the most progressive riding gear in the industry, Shift has just launched a brand new website to showcase its latest Motocross and Street gear.

The new site is chock full of exclusive wallpapers featuring Shift Syndicate riders and some of the best photography in the sport is available after each race.

Of course, you can also check out the latest Shift gear in the online shop where all the latest styles are available direct from the factory store.

Polaris will hit the racing circuit full bore this year competing in the Grand National Cross Country series (GNCC), World Off Road Championship series (WORCS), AMA ATV Motocross (AMA), ITP QuadCross, Best in the Desert (BITD), SCORE International and Mud racing. Polaris also will continue to offer their race contingency program.

“We are committed to ATV and Side-by-Side racing,” says Eric Nault, product/race manager for Polaris’s ORV division. “With the introduction of the Sportsman XP, Ranger RZR S, and Outlaw 450 MXR for 2009, we feel we have a fierce line up of vehicles to capture titles in the various circuits.”

GNCC/AMA ATV Motocross Championship

Long-time GNCC supporter Kawasaki Team Green has almost doubled its racing contingency payout for the 2009 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series compared to last season. Their 2009 GNCC contingency payout for bikes totals a whopping $595,950, with an additional $187,200 available in ATV contingency.

“We wanted to show our commitment to off-road racing and the consumers that race our product week in and week out in the GNCC series,” says Kawasaki off-road supervisor Jason Smigel. “The pay out for the premier classes is the best available and with the new product to back it up, it’s a perfect time to be on a Kawasaki.”

Kawasaki awards the XC1 class race winner an incredible $10,000, followed by $5,000 for second, and $2,500 for third. The XC2 winner earns $2,500, second takes home $1,500, and $750 for third. Not only are the payouts higher, they are deeper with the top-10 in both classes taking home a portion of the reward.

Rath Racing has introduced a new line of aluminum Nerf Bars – the Advantage Series.

“Our commitment has and always will be to the consumer, maintaining the integrity of a product we are proud to put our own name on.” says Jennifer Rath. “After working with some of the best riders in the industry and listening to the consumer feedback we have decided to expand our line of Nerf bars to include a Nerf bar that bolts to the original stock peg.”

“It was important to us not to sacrifice any of the key features that set our product apart from the competitors as we designed these, such as the quality of material and workmanship.” says Daryl Rath. “The Advantage Series are the economical and affordable option for the ATV riders who are looking for the added protection a Nerf bar supplies. The material, fabrication and production follow the same stringent guidelines of our Competition Series Pro Peg – a product endorsed by many of the Pro Riders on today’s circuit. All components are CNC machined or precision laser cut, and then tig welded, as well as being precision jigged for the best possible fit and finish.”

Long-time GNCC supporter Honda has announced its contingency programs for the 2009 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country series. Contingency payout for bikes and ATVs totals $159,575.

While the Honda Red Riders Rewards program focuses primarily on amateur classes, Honda will also pay the XC1 and XC2 pro classes on both bikes and ATVs. For ATV riders, Honda offers $300 to the XC1 Pro and XC2 Pro Am Class winner, $200 for second place and $150 for third.

“We kind of spread the love around this year,” says Keith Dowdle, assistant manager of Motorcycle Shows and HRCA. “We tried to pay a few more classes this year. We expanded the program to include more classes, especially as they relate to the vet classes, +30 and +40 classes. We try to make it a number where it will affect the largest number of customers.”

The U.S. House of Representatives could soon vote on a bill that could keep ATVs off of more than 2 million acres of public land.

Senate Bill 22, which is also known as the Omnibus Public Lands Bill, is a bundle of more than 160 bills that form a single bill more than 1,300 pages long.

“This bill was on the fast-track in the U.S. Senate and passed swiftly earlier this year without public scrutiny or debate,” says Ed Moreland, AMA vice president for government relations. “The measure is now being steamrolled through the U.S. House without giving the public an opportunity to fully digest its impact and debate the many provisions in the bill.”

Grand National Cross County Series title sponsor Can-Am is returning with a new, larger contingency program, as their 2009 GNCC payout for ATVs totals $355,800. The Can-Am program features the largest ATV payout in the GNCC Series.

The Can-Am program offers contingency from GNCC Youth and Utility classes all the way up to the pro ranks. Can-Am awards the XC1 Pro class race winner a prize of $2,500, followed by $1,000 for second, and $750 for third.

“We stepped up our contingency program in 2009 to help support the ATV racers out there dedicated to Can-Am ATVs,” says Del Bohlman, racing manager for Can-Am ATVs at BRP. “We want to see as many yellow Can-Am ATVs out on the GNCC course as possible and will continue to support the GNCC series and ATV racing as a whole. We can’t wait for the season to begin.”

A new law regulating lead content in certain products will go into effect on Feb. 10, 2009. This could affect companies that manufacture or distribute youth model ATVs, off-highway motorcycles, and parts and accessories for those vehicles.

The Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) and the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) have urgently requested the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and federal legislators to take a common sense approach to implementation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act’s lead provisions.

“SVIA and MIC applaud Congress for taking an important step in protecting children from those products that truly present a lead risk,” says Paul Vitrano, executive vice president and general counsel, SVIA. “However, there should be common-sense procedures for exclusions of parts, such as brakes, engines and suspensions that do not present risk to children in the real world.

The government of Canada is injecting $25 million into the construction of trail infrastructure across the country.

According to the Canadian Off-Highway Vehicle Distributors Council (COHV), new trail infrastructure provides a safe venue for a variety of trail users and creates a local economic development opportunity, particularly in rural and northern Canada.

“The National Trails Coalition was founded in 2007 in the belief that trail users and volunteer trail builders/managers can achieve much more by working collaboratively and supporting each other’s goals,” says Bob Ramsay, president of the COHV. “That is the spirit in which we developed and submitted United for a Stronger Trails System to the Government of Canada and the announced $25 million in federal funding will significantly increase the level of trail building in the coming year and it will create a heightened level of cooperation among trail user groups as they rally behind a common purpose.”

Yoshimura R&D of America has released a number of new products for 2009 Suzuki ATVs.

The RS-5 muffler for the Suzuki QuadRacer R-450 has proven race performance – just ask Dustin Wimmer. According to Yoshimura, its attractive shape accentuates the sleek lines of this powerful LTR while inside a straight-through baffle system ensures maximum performance.

For the newly re-designed LT-Z400, Yoshimura has an RS-2 that captures the exciting power of the QuadRacer’s fuel-injected little brother. The RS-2 is a versatile and very potent pipe that increases power delivery.

In response to the current economic conditions, Arctic Cat plans to slow ATV production.

“Unfortunately, overall demand for recreational products remains weak, due to the year-long deterioration in global economic conditions, higher unemployment, historically low consumer confidence and the continued credit crisis,” says Arctic Cat CEO Christopher A. Twomey. “As a result, industry-wide ATV retail sales declined further in the December quarter and we do not see a quick recovery. Retail sales of Arctic Cat’s ATVs fared somewhat better than the industry as a whole for the quarter and year to date. However, because of the weak retail environment, we are now planning significantly lower ATV sales to our dealers in the fourth quarter versus the prior-year period, in order to better align dealer inventories with consumer demand.

“This action will negatively impact our revenue and profitability this fiscal year, but it is necessary given prevailing market conditions. Given this situation, we are implementing several profitability initiatives aimed at improving our margins, reducing operating expenses and achieving profitability in our next fiscal year 2010.”

Don Higbee, owner of Karst Motorsports, a Polaris dealership in Casper, Wyo., hit the podium at the first WORCS race of the year in Phoenix, Ariz., on Jan. 25.

Higbee was aboard a brand-new, off-the-showroom floor Sportsman 850 XP EPS in the Utility Class. He led the first 2.75 laps of the four-lap race and then encountered minor technical difficulties with his kill switch. Higbee finished three seconds behind race winner and Karst Motorsports teammate Jason Miller.

“This was my first race aboard a Sportsman 850 XP. The power steering was amazing and the fact that we took a stock model to a podium finish the first time out is a testament to the quality and performance of the Polaris Sportsman,” says Higbee. “This was our first WORCS race and we were really impressed by the WORCS staff, the track and everyone associated with the event, it was a great time. We look forward to running more WORCS races and a few GNCCs this year.”

MotoSport Alloys of Grand Junction, Colo. has unveiled three new wheels for utility ATVs – The Reaper, Patriot, and Platoon.

All of these MotoSport Alloys wheels come with a full lifetime structural warranty and are available in a wide variety of fitments for all ATV manufacturers.

The Reaper, Patriot and Platoon are available in the following sizes:
• 12×7” with a +10mm or –47 offset.
• 14×7” with a +10mm or –47 offset.

The Reaper M10 features a one of a kind new four-spoke design, adding style, function and color to your ATV. It comes with a flat black finish and a red stripe around the rim.

Motorsport race teams around the world have discovered the secret of the ISF (Isotropic Superfinish) Process to keep their transmission and gearboxes cool and less likely to fail.

This chemically accelerated deburring/polishing process uses high-density, non-abrasive ceramic pellets to remove microscopic surface peaks and valleys left from machining. The result is a highly uniform mirror-like surface that reduces friction and allows for increased lubrication. The result is an improved component that will operate at lower temperatures, provide increased durability, quieter operation, and increased time between maintenance.

Yoshimura offers this in-house service to the performance ATV and motorcycle enthusiast or racer who wants to improve gear life and power output as well as reduce costs and those pesky DNFs.

For 2009 Polaris is offering what it calls an industry leading contingency program for all adult and youth ATV classes.

According to Polaris, this program offers contingency dollars for racers who compete in the top of their classes and meet Polaris ATV Contingency Program eligibility requirements.

The following race series will be eligible for the 2009 Polaris Contingency Program:

• GNCC – Grand National Cross Country Series
• WORCS – World Off Road Championship Series
• ITP – Quad Cross Series
• SCORE – Desert Race Series
• BITD – Best In The Desert Series
• CMRC – Canadian Motorsport Racing Club Series
• AMA – Pro ATV Tour

Pro and Pro Am Contingency:

Adult Amateur Contingency:

ATV Youth Contingency:

For more information, visit http://www.polarisfactoryracing.com/.

The 2009 ATV racing season is already underway and BRP is setting lofty goals for its Can-Am ATV racers and teams for this season.

Last season, Can-Am racers took home championships in the WORCS, CMRC Canadian Nationals and the GNCC series. In all, racers claimed five championships across North America. For 2009 Can-Am will continue to support ATV racing at both the local and national level.

“Our goal when racing any product line at BRP is to win races and championships,” says Del Bohlman, racing manager for Can-Am ATVs at BRP. “Our ATV racers and partner teams gave us our most successful ATV racing season last year and we are really looking forward to this season when we will continue where we left off. Our race teams are working hard right now to build upon the successes of this past season.”

Like last season, Can-Am will field several teams out of four full-out racing semis. In all, there will be more than 30 Can-Am factory-sponsored racers in the WORCS, ITP Quadcross, CMRC, AMA ATV National Motocross Championship, Rock Maple Racing, Championship Mud Racing and GNCC series.

Team Warnert Racing / Can-Am
Warnert Racing will field riders in both the ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited and the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country series. In the AMA series, both John Natalie and Cody Miller will race DS 450 EFI ATVs against the top pros from around the world in the premier ATV Motocross championship on the planet. Last season, Natalie finished fifth overall with two moto wins during the season. His teammate, Miller, tied for tenth place in points with consistent finishes in the top 10.

Arctic Cat Inc. has announced a workforce reduction in order to align the company’s cost structure with current industry-wide market conditions.

“Aligning the size of our workforce with sales volumes is a difficult step that we must take during this economic downturn,” says Christopher A. Twomey, chairman and chief executive officer. “We are rescaling the business to lower production capacity and operating costs, bringing them in line with reduced consumer demand. We regret having to take this action and want to thank affected employees for their dedicated efforts.”

Approximately 100 positions are being eliminated, effective immediately, primarily in Thief River Falls, Minn. This represents 7% of Arctic Cat’s 1,400 employees. Eligible employees will be offered severance packages. The company does not expect any material financial impact related to this announcement.

Polaris Industries Inc. has announced a reduction in its workforce to respond to weakening retail demand in a difficult 2009 economic outlook.

The workforce reduction affects 460 positions including approximately 160 salaried and hourly full-time positions and approximately 300 contractors, part-time and temporary positions spread across all product lines and multiple facilities worldwide. The salaried and hourly full-time reduction represents approximately 5% of the current Polaris employee base. These reductions are in process and will be completed over the coming weeks.

“It is certainly not unexpected that the difficult business environment and uncertain economic situation are having an impact on our business, as well as the businesses of our dealers and suppliers,” says Scott Wine, Polaris CEO. “While this is a challenging time for our business and employees, these changes are necessary in light of the external environment and will better enable us to remain competitive in the future.”

With two seasons of racing under its belt on the Kawasaki KFX450R, the Monster Energy Kawasaki ATV Racing Team is looking to have its best season yet in 2009.

The Monster Energy Kawasaki ATV Racing team returns to the competitive AMA ATV National Motocross Series with a two-man team looking for the Kawasaki’s first-series win. Returning for his third year, Josh Creamer has been a key component to improving the Kawasaki race machine. Last year he earned four podium finishes, including one moto win aboard the KFX450R.

New to the team in 2009 is Chad Wienen, the 2008 AMA Pro ATV Open winner and an AMA ATV race winner. Wienen healed from injury during the 2008 season and came back to dominate the last several races in the series while racing for Suzuki, including the ATV Open win at Steel City Raceway. Wienen’s drive to constantly improve and see results fits perfect within the Kawasaki racing philosophy.

The 2009 Dakar saw 23 ATVs start with only 13 finishing. Of that 13, three were members of Team Polaris.

French Racer Hubert Deltrieu, winner of the Dakar Series Central Europ, Lybia Desert Challenge, Pharaons Rallye and second at the DAKAR Series Portugal, finished fourth in a very good showing. Eric Carlini took eighth and Betty Kraft took ninth and became the first woman to finish the DAKAR on an ATV. Italian Racer Pietro Fogliani had to leave the race due to a hand injury.

“We are very proud of the racers and their efforts at Dakar,” says Eric Nault, race team manager for Polaris. “Having three out of four finishers is a true testament of both the riders’ and machine’s grittiness and endurance, and we congratulate Deltrieu, Carlini and Kraft on their incredible achievements.”

Team Arctic racer Jim Creagan isn’t kidding when he calls the Arctic Prowler, “The toughest UTV in the desert.” At the opening round of the Best In The Desert (BITD) off-road series in Parker, Ariz., Creagan dusted off his team’s 700 XTX EFI that finished second in the Baja 1000 just two months ago, put a heavy foot on the gas and raced to a strong third place.

“This season our goal is to win the UTV class championship, which required a good finish at the Parker 250,” says Creagan. “We will campaign a Prowler 1000 XTZ in the remaining races, but it wasn’t ready for Parker. So we freshened up our Baja-worn 700, rode at the ragged edge and proved that we could once again put a stock Prowler against all the fully modified racers.”

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., has reached a significant milestone supporting hunting and wetland conservation through a long-standing relationship with Ducks Unlimited (DU). As an official licensee of DU since 2004, Yamaha Outdoors has contributed more than $1 million in support of DU’s wetland conservation efforts.

“Yamaha is more involved in the outdoors industry than any other ATV manufacturer, and that’s because of our commitment to the people who use our products,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV/Side by Side (SxS) group marketing manager. “We’re proud of our long-standing relationships with important organizations like DU and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF). This $1 million mark with DU is symbolic of Yamaha’s commitment to outdoorsmen, habitat preservation, and to keeping lands safe and open for hunting and recreation.”

Racer Productions, producer of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series, has announced the supplemental rules and classes for the 2009 GNCC tour.

The rules were discussed at the GNCC Riders Meetings in November, and Racer Productions posted a proposed version of the rulebook on the http://www.gnccracing.com/ web site in December. After a public comment period, the rules are now posted as final.

Changes highlighted for ATVs include raising the displacement limit in the 4×4 Open and 4×4 Limited Classes from 840cc to 850cc. The Supermini ATV Class now allows 12-year-old riders on ATVs up to 70-105cc 2-stroke machines and 70-125cc 4-stroke machines. And, as announced previous to the 2008 GNCC Series, for 2009, machines in the ATV XC1 and XC2 Classes will be limited to 450cc in displacement.

Jagged X picked up the 2009 Best in the Desert Series where they left off in 2008, taking first at the Epic Products Parker 250 for their sixth consecutive win.

The No. 1919 Polaris Ranger RZR started in eighth position with Brandon Schueler and new team member Chad Riccio in the navigator seat. They quickly worked to the front of the pack and diced for the lead spot for nearly 100 miles. With about 40 miles left, the Polaris team took the lead for their first 2009 win.

Jagged X’s next BITD race will be the Terrible’s 250 at Primm, Nev., on April 18 where they hope to make it seven-in-a-row.

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., via the company’s new OHV Access Initiative, injected more than $700,000 in cash and equipment in 2008 directly into projects across the country supporting safe, responsible riding and sustainable, open riding areas.

In the program’s first year, Yamaha took a leadership role in the ongoing issue of OHV access by providing GRANTs (Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails) to more than 65 local, regional and national organizations representing the greater OHV community. Awardees from the OHV Access Initiative’s fourth quarter funding cycle include:

• The California Trail Users Coalition
• Cheaha Trailriders, Alabama
• Aitkin County, Minnesota
• Arrowhead ATV Club, Minnesota
• Dixie National Forest, Cedar City Ranger District, Utah
• Florida Trail Riders
• Lewis County Department of Forestry, Parks & Recreation, New York
• Paul Bunyan Forest Riders, Minnesota
• Rose City – Lupton Area Chamber of Commerce, Michigan
• Embarrass River ATV Park and Campground, Wisconsin
• Town of Rome, Dyracuse Recreational Park, Wisconsin

The ATV Promoters Group (ATVPG), in conjunction with the American Motorcyclist Association and All-Terrain Vehicle Association, has announced the Class Structure and Supplemental Rules for the 2009 ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited.

“We are very excited about the upcoming racing season even though our nation is suffering through a tough economic time,” says ATVPG director Sam Gammon. “This year, after taking in a lot of feedback from racers, fans and stakeholders in the series, we believe our revisions to the rules and class structure will provide a fair, affordable and competitive racing series.”

“We’re proud of where ATV motocross racing has gone and where we believe it will go in the future,” says Gammon. “We think the new rules will help pave the way for the next generation of top ATV motocross talent.”

For this year’s Dakar, Polaris will be the first manufacturer to participate with an official ATV Team. Polaris France has four members competing in the famous race.

“We are excited about being the first manufacturer to have an official race team for the Dakar,” says Eric Nault, race team manager for Polaris. “Polaris France has put together a competitive team for the race and we look forward to the outcome.”

French Racer Hubert Deltrieu, winner of the Dakar Series Central Europ, Lybia Desert Challenge, Pharaons Rallye and second at the Dakar Series Portugal, will lead the Dakar team. Deltrieu will be accompanied by French Racers Eric Carlini and Betty Kraft. Kraft is one of only three women competing in this year’s Dakar and has the goal to be the first woman to cross the finish line! Italian Racer Pietro Fogliani rounds out the team. Fogliani has raced the truck class at Dakar three previous times and his experience will be invaluable to the team.

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced the 2009 schedule for the AMA Racing ATV Extreme Dirt Track National Championship Series.

Kicking off on May 30 in Ava, Mo., the series features the country’s top ATV dirt-track racers and will award national titles in a number of age, skill and machine-based classes.

“The only thing more fun than watching these guys kick their ATVs sideways inches apart at the end of a long straightaway, spraying rooster tails like you would not believe is going out there and doing it yourself,” says AMA Flat-Track director Ken Saillant. “This year’s schedule offers our valued racers a nice mix of venues that will test their skills almost as much as the competition on the track. We can’t wait to get started.”

The initial round will be at the Ozark Mountain ATV Raceway in Ava, Mo., on May 30. The series will make stops in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio and Illinois before the finale at the I-81 Speedway in Greeneville, Tenn., on Sept. 19. The complete schedule is below.

2009 AMA Racing ATV Extreme Dirt Track National Championship Series Schedule:

To kick off its fall membership drive, the All-Terrain Vehicle Association (ATVA) conducted ‘The World’s Greatest ATV Sweepstakes’ to award one lucky winner $10,000 to spend on ATVs, gear and accessories.

Thousands of people entered the sweepstakes and the winner was selected in a random drawing on Dec. 23. Eric Kaukinen of Horseheads, N.Y took home the big prize.

“I guess Christmas came a little early this year,” Kaukinen said after hearing that he had won. He said he didn’t know yet what he would buy.

“We get a lot of snow out here and I noticed there are a lot of ATVs with push blades so maybe I’ll get one of those,” says Kaukinen.

ATVA director Doug Morris told Kaukinen that whatever he wanted to buy that is ATV related is fine.

“Whether you’re looking for a utility ATV for the farm, a snowplow attachment or even a couple of smaller ATVs and gear, the choice is yours,” says Morris.

No purchase was necessary to win. The drawing was conducted by legal firm Plante & Moran.

The ATVA is dedicated to promoting and protecting the ATV lifestyle. The ATVA and its members advocate responsible ATV use on public and private lands, work with local, state and federal government officials and elected representatives to ensure that ATV rider interests are represented, and showcase the enjoyment and utility of ATVs on behalf of millions of ATV riders.

The ATVA also sanctions recreational riding events.

The ATVA offers a variety of benefits to its members ranging from discounts on ATV parts to a rider accident medical plan that easily pay for the cost of ATVA membership. For more information about the ATVA, call (866) 288-2564, or go to www.ATVAonline.com.

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. has announced the winner of the 2008 National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) sweepstakes. Christine Baldwin of Spokane, Wash., won the grand prize, an all-new 2009 Yamaha Grizzly 550 FI ATV. Baldwin’s name was selected by random drawing out of more than 13,000 entries.

“Yamaha is an outspoken and continued supporter of responsible land use and conservation, whether for hunting, fishing, or simply riding ATVs, and we’re working to make a lasting impact in preserving the heritage of these activities,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV/SxS group marketing manager. “Yamaha is proud to sponsor National Hunting & Fishing Day and we congratulate Christine Baldwin for winning the Grizzly 550 FI ATV.”

Yamaha, which also has longstanding relationships with organizations such as Ducks Unlimited, Safari Club International and Buckmasters, is the first ATV and SxS manufacturer to sponsor NHFD. Yamaha and NHFD created the ATV sweepstakes to help promote the celebration in 2008. This was the biggest year for NHFD, which enjoyed a 32% increase in the number of registered events and a 44% increase in the number of states participating.