Adam McGill got out to a flying start at the Parts Unlimited Mountaineer Run GNCC and kept it up until the checkers, earning his first win of the season. McGill bested current points leader Chris Borich in an exciting battle in Masontown, WV for round 8 of the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series.

McGill began his day on the right foot, taking the $250 Team Woodhead/DeRisi Racing XC1 Holeshot Award in front of his hometown crowd of friends and family. Four-time GNCC Champion Borich jumped into the second place position right away, while JB Racing/Can-Am’s Jarrod McClure began the afternoon in third. Reliable Tool Supply/Maxxis’ Chris Bithell and AmPro Yamaha’s Walker Fowler also put themselves into the top five battle right way and the lead pack rode wheel-to-wheel on the opening lap.

Mother Nature was less than cooperative as the 2013 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship, sanctioned by AMA, made its way to Danville, Va. for the Birch Creek National. Despite the foul weather, defending champion Chad Wienen found himself on the top step of the podium for the fourth straight time, securing his fifth overall victory of the year.

“I wish the weather was something we could control but I’m just really glad we have our mud set up dialed in and we have our machines working really well,” says Wienen.” You never know what is going to happen in the mud but I’m always thrilled to come out of a weekend that can go any which way on the box and still holding onto the red plate.”

Two weeks ago Chris Borich looked human for the first time all year, finishing third at the Limestone 100 GNCC after winning the first five rounds of the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series. Anybody celebrating his demise was reminded this past weekend at the Wiseco John Penton GNCC that the four-time series champion is still at the top of his game. Borich made one of his patented last-lap passes on Adam McGill to secure his sixth win of the season.

Eric Hoyland began his day by grabbing the $250 Team Woodhead/DeRisi Racing XC1 Holeshot Award ahead of a stacked field of riders. It didn’t take long for the veteran front-runners to take the lead, beginning with Lonestar Racing/Precision/ITP’s Adam McGill, who crossed the line in first on the opening lap. Borich put his Maxxis-backed machine right behind McGill, while Reliable Tool Supply/Maxxis’ Chris Bithell, BNR’s Kevin Yoho and JB Racing/ Can-Am‘s Jarrod McClure followed close behind.

Half way through the 2013 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA, and defending champion Chad Wienen (Wienen Motorsports SSi Walsh Yamaha presented by Maxxis Tires & Team Vollmer) looks poised for a repeat. Wienen earned his third straight overall victory and fourth out of a possible five as the series turned to Sunset Ridge MX for round 5.

“I always look forward to the Sunset Ridge MX race, I have a ton of family and friends that come down to support me and it makes the weekend that much better,” says Wienen.

It took six rounds of the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series, but Walker Fowler proved that Chris Borich is human by taking the checkers for the first time this season at the Dunlop Limestone 100.

It was an exciting battle from start to finish in the two-hour Limestone GNCC as AmPro Yamaha’s Fowler, Reliable Tool Supply/Maxxis’ Chris Bithell, Maxxis-backed Borich and Lonestar Racing/Precision/ITP’s Adam McGill challenged the race-win all afternoon. But it was Waynesburg Yamaha/GT Thunder’s Jeff Pickens who took the early lead, grabbing his second straight $250 Team Woodhead/DeRisi Racing XC1 Holeshot Award. It wasn’t long before Fowler jumped out front, with the trio of front-runners close behind.

Chad Wienen used 3-1 moto finishes at Wildcat Creek MX in Rossville, Ind. to secure his second straight victory at Round 4 of the 2013 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship.

Josh Upperman, aboard his Baldwin Motorsports PEP Upperman Racing machine, grabbed his first SSi Decals holeshot award of the 2013 season in moto 1. But it wasn’t long before Joel Hetrick, who came out of the first turn in second place, found his way around Upperman to take over the lead. From there, Hetrick found a comfortable pace in front of the rest of the field and was able to maintain the lead in order to take the moto 1 win.

Even Mother Nature can’t stop Chris Borich this year. The four-time defending Grand National Cross Couuntry Series champion fought off the mud, rain and his competitors at the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Mammoth GNCC in Park City, Ky. for his fifth straight win to start the season.

Taylor Kiser made a valiant return to GNCC, taking home second overall, while Jeff Pickens secured his first-ever XC1 class podium.

Waynesburg Yamaha/GT Thunder’s Pickens got off to a stellar start, grabbing the $250 Team Woodhead/DeRisi Racing XC1 Holeshot Award. However, HMF/GBC/Yamaha’s Johnny Gallagher claimed the early lead as the deep field of XC1 riders headed into the muddy woods of Park Mammoth Resort. Maxxis-backed Chris Borich had trouble firing up his machine, taking off dead last from the start, but it didn’t take long for him to catch the leaders on the opening lap.

Defending champion Chad Wienen took home a victory and extended his series points lead as the 2013 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship, sanctioned by AMA, visited Balance Moto X in Kentucky for the Maxxis Bluegrass National.

Wienen (Wienen Motorsports SSi Walsh Yamaha presented by Maxxis Tires & Team Vollmer ) earned his first SSi Decals Holeshot Award of the 2013 season in Moto 1. With a clear track out front, he charged ahead and found a pace that created a three-second gap on the number two position by the end of lap one. Wienen never looked back and had a 25-second gap on the rest of the field when he took the checkers and the Moto 1 win.

Four-time defending Grand National Cross Country Series champion Chris Borich picked up his fourth straight win to start the 2013 season at the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC. Borich used his signature last-lap pass on teammate Chris Bithell to secure the victory.

Borich got things started perfectly, claiming the $250 Team Woodhead/DeRisi Racing Holeshot Award. However, Borich has made it apparent that he doesn’t like to lead the race early on and that’s when the he went into reserve mode.

AmPro Yamaha‘s Fowler took the reins from there and led the entire opening lap, but it didn’t take long for Lonestar Racing/Precision/ITP’s Adam McGill to try his hand at the lead on Lap 2. McGill led Fowler, Borich and Bithell into the VP Racing Fuels Pro Row where all the top riders received their first fuel stop. Borich interjected himself into the lead several times throughout the first half of the race, but it was Reliable Tool Supply/Maxxis-backed Bithell who maintained the position out front.

We may be just two rounds into the 2013 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship, sanctioned by AMA, but it’s already looking like we’re in store for a memorable season.

As the series headed to Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Tenn. for the AMSOIL Spring National, Joel Hetrick swept both motos, closing the gap to only one point behind series points leader Chad Wienen.

“I rode really smooth and was able to put a good distance between myself and the rest of the field early on,” says Hetrick. “It took a lot of dedication to keep pushing each moto without pressure right behind me but I’m pumped for my first overall this season.”

Four-time Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) champion Chris Borich is looking awfully tough to beat this year. Borich picked up his third straight win to start the season at the FMF Steele Creek GNCC, besting teammate Chris Bithell in the final moments of the two-hour race.

Thousands of spectators were in attendance for Round 3 of the 13-race series and there wasn’t a shortage of racing action at the picturesque Steele Creek Campground in Morganton, NC.

Borich came out swinging as the green flag dropped, grabbing his first Team Woodhead/DeRisi Racing Holeshot Award of 2013. However, it was Borich’s Maxxis-backed teammate Chris Bithell who took over the lead on the opening lap. Borich stayed close in tow, while BNR Motorsports rider Kevin Yoho latched onto the leaders to run in the third place position early on.

Once upon a time, Yamaha was at the forefront of the side-by-side (SxS) world. The Yamaha Rhino was the vehicle to own if you wanted to have fun with a passenger. An entire industry was born out of the desire of Rhino owners to go faster, carry more passengers and otherwise suit any number of specific needs.

Other manufactures, mainly Polaris, saw the potential to expand the SxS class and in a few short years changed the off-road landscape completely. Yamaha, however, was dealing (successfully) with some legal issues surrounding the safety of the Rhino (click here and here for some examples) and the progression of the much-loved machine stalled. Sure, Yamaha has made some minor tweaks and offered some nice Limited Edition models, but Rhino fans have been eagerly awaiting a revamped Yamaha SxS that’s more 2014 than 2004.

Riders hoping to start off the 2013 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship, sanctioned by AMA, with perfect conditions may have been a little disappointed this weekend as the Aonia Pass MX track in Washington, Ga. was wet and muddy.

Defending champion Chad Wienen scored a 3-2 finish to secure the overall win aboard his Wienen Motorsports SSi Walsh Yamaha presented by Maxxis Tires & Team Vollmer machine. Wienen was able to secure top five starts, allowing him to move into a favorable position to take the overall win.

“I’m happy with the outcome. Anything is possible with a mud race but I’m really excited to be leaving still carrying the red number plate,” says Wienen.

Chris Borich doesn’t just win with great regularity in the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Series – he seems to do it with a very distinct style. The four-time GNCC champion picked up his second straight win to start the 2013 season this past weekend at the Maxxis General GNCC the same way he usually does – by making a last lap pass for the lead and never looking back. Perhaps we should just call the move “The Borich.”

AmPro Yamaha‘s Walker Fowler and Borich were comfortably in front of the pack on the last lap when Borich made his move. By the time Borich took the checkers with Fowler in tow, the pair had built a five-minute lead o the rest of the field. Johnny Gallagher, who hadn’t made a podium appearance in a decade, finished third.

Brand new season, same old results for Chris Borich. The four-time GNCC champion opened the 2013 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series with a victory at the Moose Racing Westgate River Ranch GNCC in River Ranch, Fla. In a hard fought two-hour battle to the finish, Adam McGill and Walker Fowler rounded out Sunday’s podium behind Borich.

XC1 Pro class rookie Braden Henthorn grabbed the first holeshot of the 2013 season aboard his Team Woodhead/DeRisi Racing Honda machine, battling with teammate Eric Hoyland early on. However, it wasn’t long before the GNCC veterans of Lonestar Racing/Precision/ITP’s Adam McGill and reigning champion Chris Borich took over the lead battle, followed closely by fellow Maxxis-backed rider Chris Bithell. The trio flip-flopped for the lead throughout a majority of the two-hour race before Borich eventually set a pace that was hard to match up front.

If looking at the newest tools, tires, racks or lights makes you dream of a fat tax return check, the 2013 Indianapolis Dealer Expo is the place you want to be. Of course, not everybody was able to make it to Indianapolis this past weekend, so we combed every inch of the showroom floor to bring the show to you.

The 2013 Indianapolis Dealer Expo certainly felt a little smaller this year, but we still were able to find plenty of interesting new products that should keep the off-road world happy over the coming months. Here’s a few things we’d like to put on our wish list for 2013:

New Tires From Maxxis and CST

Mitch Guthrie earned his fourth win at the 2013 HCR King of the Hammers UTV race in Johnson Valley, California, but it was by the slimmest of margins. He earned the win over Jon Crowley by a mere 16 seconds – impressively close considering the racers were on the course nearly eight hours.

“It feel great,” Guthrie said at the finish line. I definitely couldn’t have done it without my son. He worked his butt off. We had to winch a lot. It was tough.”

Like most teams, they weren’t without trouble during the race.

After building it up with thousands of dollars in parts and accessories from GYTR and others and taking it out for a final test ride, it was finally time to pick a winner of ATV.com’s Yamaha Raptor 700 Project ATV. We reached our hand into a very large figurative hat and the lucky winner was chosen – Dewayne Hughes of Ware Shoals, South Carolina.

We called up a very surprised Dewayne and told him he won the contest. Though we weren’t entirely sure he believed us, we finally convinced him when we pulled up in our truck loaded with his awesome new ride.

As a way to thank our loyal readers, ATV.com is building up and giving away a 2013 Yamaha Raptor 700. We’ve teamed up with Yamaha and some of the biggest names in the industry for this project and one of our lucky readers will take home the finished product.

When we set out to give one lucky reader a 2013 Yamaha Raptor 700, we didn’t realize just how lucky the winner would really be. Not only are we giving away a great ride, but the winner will also be treated to some really trick GYTR components, as well as great OMF Performance wheels, Maxxis Tires, and Pro Taper bars and grips. To top it all off, we are also including a complete set of Fly Racing Kinetic Inversion riding gear!

So you’ve seen pictures of the top racers in magazines and read all about ATV motocross over the Internet, but to this point, you’ve restricted your ATV riding to the pasture, the trails, or maybe the occasional trip to the dunes. Yes, racing, jumping, and roosting around a motocross track looks like a good time, but it takes a whole different kind of person to actually get out there and do it, right?

While your apprehension has merit, it might not be as difficult as you’d think to translate your riding from the trails to the track. I’m not talking about racing, but merely getting out on a motocross track to burn some laps and try out this alternative, and incredibly fun, format of ATV riding.

As a way to thank our loyal readers, ATV.com is building up and giving away a 2013 Yamaha Raptor 700. We’ve teamed up with Yamaha and some of the biggest names in the industry for this project and one of our lucky readers will take home the finished product.

The last time we had a great deal of action on what we would have considered as a powerful sport quad was almost two years ago. The market has become quiet and getting to push the thumb throttle on a Yamaha Raptor 700 brings back memories of our racing days. The 2013 Raptor 700 has a belly full of rage and getting the power out of the motor is really easy. The only problem we found with that much power is making it contact the earth beneath it and motivating the entire ATV forward without exploding the tires.

As a way to thank our loyal readers, ATV.com is building up and giving away a 2013 Yamaha Raptor 700. We’ve teamed up with Yamaha and some of the biggest names in the industry for this project and one of our lucky readers will take home the finished product.

While the 2013 Yamaha Raptor 700 is piles of fun right out of the box – you can read our review of the stock machine here – you can always make something better. In our experience, the most logical place to look for ways to improve or enhance Yamaha ATVs is through GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing).

Maxxis/Yoshimura’s Chris Borich used one of his patented last-lap passes to secure the victory at Sunday’s Parts Unlimited Loretta Lynn’s GNCC finale. Borich fought his way by Ballance Racing Yamaha‘s Taylor Kiser to take over the lead and lock in his tenth win of the 2012 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country season in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

It was Bowers/Coastal National Guard/Yokley Racing’s Jarrod McClure who secured the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award and jumped out to the early lead on the historic Loretta Lynn’s motocross track. McClure was followed by a whole slew of top runners, including JG Offroad/FRE/American Honda‘s Brian Wolf who led the pack on Lap 1. However, it didn’t take for the lead position to change once again as Walker Fowler put his Ballance Racing Yamaha machine out front next.

With nearly 10,000 spectators cheering on the four-wheeled racers at the Amsoil Ironman GNCC (Round 12 of the 2012 Can-Am Grand National Championship Series), it was Ballance Racing Yamaha’s Walker Fowler who took home his first XC1 Pro class win in Crawfordsville, Iind. Heavy rains leading up to the event made for an unpredictable 11-mile course, filled with plenty of deep mud pits and rocky hill climbs, ultimately leading up to a five-way battle for the lead in the final moments of the intense two-hour race.

Indiana’s very own Craig Bowman grabbed his first $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award of the season, leading a stacked field of competitors on the opening lap. Bowers/Coastal National Guard/Yokley Racing’s Jarrod McClure was the first to take over the lead on Lap 1, beginning a constant trade-off that would highlight at least four different leaders throughout the afternoon.

Some people get their adrenaline fix on a motocross track, banging bars with a dozen other racers. Others find it dodging trees through the forest on their favorite trail system. For drag racers, adrenaline comes in short, powerful bursts 300 feet at a time.

On our recent outing to the Oregon Dunefest we spent a good bit of time watching ATVs, side-by-sides and just about any other high horsepower contraption you can imagine making tracks down the drag strip. Drag racing is a huge part of the weeklong festivities held every year and people come from across the country to test man and machine for the title of king of the dunes.

It probably took a little longer than he expected, but Adam McGill finally earned his first victory of the season at the ITP Powerline Park GNCC in eastern Ohio, Round 11 of the 2012 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series. Walker Fowler was nipping at McGill’s heels and fighting until the end, finishing just one second behind at the checkers.

Ballance Racing Yamaha‘s Fowler kicked off Saturday’s afternoon race with high intensity, battling Waynesburg Yamaha’s Jeff Pickens for the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award but it was Pickens who came out on top with his first holeshot of the season. However, Fowler was able to put himself out front on the opening lap and JG Offroad/FRE/American Honda‘s Brian Wolf tucked in behind as the two began to gap the field early on. Wolf slowly faded back as riders like four-time GNCC champ Chris Borich continued to move towards the front.

Despite the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series’ two-month summer break, Chris Borich didn’t show many signs of rust at the Unadilla GNCC in New Berlin, NY. The Suzuki pilot earned his ninth win of the season in 10 races and clinched his fourth consecutive XC1 Pro Class championship. Tireballs-backed rider Pat McGuire extended his points lead in the XC2 division after taking a big win over DeRisi Racing’s Braden Henthorn.

The Can-Am Unadilla GNCC is one of the most noted stops on the GNCC tour as it incorporates the historic “U1” and “U2” motocross tracks into the loamy dark soils of the New York woods. The race action lived up to the hype as the top XC1 contenders went neck-and-neck for one of the most pivotal races of the year. JG Offroad/FRE/American Honda‘s Brian Wolf kicked off the afternoon by taking the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award and led the pack in the early stages. Right behind Wolf was Precision Motorsports/Lonestar Racing/Moto X Perts’ Adam McGill and soon Bowers/Coastal National Guard/Yokley Racing’s Jarrod McClure set in behind the leaders. The trio pushed their way out front on the opening lap, where McGill eventually got around Wolf for the lead. However, it didn’t take long for Borich to catch up and begin applying pressure for the lead position.

I was once told that riding freestyle motocross takes skill, guts and a bit of a loose screw. Sure there’s a certain adrenaline rush that comes with catching big air, but is it really safe (or sane) to hang off the side or completely let go of an ATV in mid air?

Most people try to keep their ATV right-side-up, not intentionally flip upside down 30 feet off the ground, but brothers Caleb and Colten Moore have made quite a name for themselves doing just that.

On a recent outing to the Oregon Dunefest, I had an opportunity to catch up with the X Games standouts as they were back at Dunefest performing for the first time since 2007. The Moore brothers have been performing freestyle motocross shows around the globe for several years and are directly responsible for much of the growth of the sport. They are two of the best and have inspired countless other thrill seeking ATV riders to get involved in freestyle, myself included.

The season finale of the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series at the Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. is one Chad Wienen won’t soon forget. A year ago he was recovering from a broken back, but now he’s capped off an amazing recovery and comeback with his first ever national championship. If there’s been a better ATV story in recent years, we sure haven’t heard it.

Wienen opened the 2012 season with a big win for his all-new Wienen Motorsports/SSi Decals/Walsh Race Craft/ Yamaha team, ultimately winning six of ten rounds in the series. He also gave Factory Yamaha its first ever AMA ATV Pro Motocross national championship.

Riding our many ORV trail systems can be both fun and a great way to get the family out for a day full of Mother Nature’s finest. The trails are always waiting for almost any team of riders and with a small fee paid to park and use the trail you unload and head out. But maybe the trail system you frequent hasn’t been kept up exactly like you would think it should be. Perhaps you see too much trash on the trail or the load/unload area is getting really rough. In some cases, water runoff can get a trail closed completely to prevent erosion. So what can you do to help save the trails you and the family love to ride on? Here are some suggestions for those who are willing to take action.

Chad Wienen and John Natalie have been battling hard all year for the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross Series championship. The pair continued that trend this past weekend at RedBud MX in Buchanan, Mich., where they split moto wins. Wienen, however, did enough to secure the overall victory and take a commanding lead heading into the series’ final round.

When the gate dropped for Moto 1, it was Motoworks/ Can-Am‘s Natalie who took the SSiDecals Holeshot Award, with TBROWN Yamaha/Moto-X-Perts’ Thomas Brown close in tow. Brown made the move past Natalie to take over the early lead, but Natalie quickly stole it back for what turned into a dominant Moto 1 for the defending champ.

The ATV industry voluntarily ended the manufacturing and selling of three-wheeled ATVs back in 1988. Nearly a quarter century later, merely the sight of a three-wheeler can create more profound thought then any other type of ATV. The three-wheeler reminds some of a time when things were more simple, and people got along better. For others, the three-wheeler is a reminder of an overly intrusive government. To those who actually ride one, the a three-wheeler means big thrills, possible spills, but most importantly, good times and good people.

Each year, the week following Father’s Day, Haspin Acres Off-Road Park in Laurel, Ind. hosts Trike Fest, the largest annual gathering of three-wheeled ATV enthusiasts in the country, if not the world. The event lasts between three and five days, with most of the participants arriving on Thursday and departing Saturday evening or Sunday morning. This year’s event drew several hundred riders and machines from as far away as Germany.

Chad Wienen earned his fifth win this season as the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series visited Unadilla Valley Sports Center in New Berlin, NY for Round 8 of the 10-race series. However, Wienen was pushed to the edge by Josh Creamer, the 2010 champion who made his return to the series.

When the gate dropped for Moto 1, it was creamer on his BCS Performance/ Can-Am who took the SSiDecals Holeshot Award as he put himself into the front of the pack right away. Wienen put his Wienen Motorsports/SSi Decals/Walsh Race Craft/ Yamaha right behind Creamer and the duo put on an exciting race for the lead.

Not even the weather can stop Chris Borich. The three-time defending Grand National Cross Country Series champion picked up his sixth straight XC1 Pro ATV win in the sweltering heat of the Wieseco John Penton GNCC at Sunday Creek Raceway. Adam McGill and Walker Fowler battled to the final moments in order to secure podium finishes.

The John Penton historically serves as the final stop before the series takes a break over the summer months, and for good reason as the blistering heat of early July intensified the already grueling two-hour competition. Precision Motorsports/Lonestar Racing/Moto X Perts’ Adam McGill was rearing to go in his first full race back from injury, taking the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award and putting himself into the lead-pack right away. Ballance Racing Yamaha‘s Taylor Kiser took control of the opening lap as he led McGill and Borich through Lap 1-where Kiser and Borich set in for their first pit-while McGill chose to keep his momentum rolling into the second place position.

Chad Wienen beat the heat and outdueled Joel Hetrick in the most recent round of the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series at Sunday Creek Raceway in southern Ohio. Wienen and Hetrick split moto wins, but Wienen did just enough to earn the overall victory.

When the gate dropped for Moto 1, it was Wienen Motorsports/SSi Decals/Walsh Race Craft/ Yamaha’s Chad Wienen who grabbed his first SSi Decals Holeshot Award of 2012, with Motoworks/ Can-Am’s Hetrick, Baldwin Motorports/PEP’s Josh Upperman and John Natalie in tow. Hetrick began applying pressure to Wienen early, before finally securing the pass for the lead on lap three. Wienen began closing the gap on Hetrick by mid-race, but the young gun put in several quick and consistent laps, building a comfortable cushion all the way to the checkers.

Brian Wolf looked like the man to beat at the 2012 Motosport.com Snowshoe GNCC in West Virginia’s Snowshoe Mountain, but a mechanical issue on the final lap allowed Chris Borich to secure the victory – his fifth in a row and seven in eight races this season in the XC1 Pro ATV class.

Wolf (JG Offroad/FRE/American Honda’s) put himself into the lead at the beginning of the two-hour race and by the end of Lap 1 had stretched the lead to nearly one-minute over Ballance Racing Yamaha’s Walker Fowler and Maxxis/Yoshimura’s Chris Borich. Fowler ran into some issues midway through the race, pushing the young gun outside the top five for quite some time.

“At one point I think I was all the way back to sixth and I guess I figured that was as good as I could do today, but before I knew it I had caught up with [Chris] Bithell and Borich,” says Fowler. “The mud holes were getting wider and deeper so it was getting a little more difficult to maneuver around, but the fans were awesome today in helping all of us get through!”

As Fowler dropped back, his Ballance Racing Yamaha teammate Taylor Kiser pushed his way into the lead-battle with Borich and Wolf. But it didn’t take long for Bithell (Motoworks/ Can-Am) to make his way around Kiser for the third spot, despite some mechanical issues he was experiencing along the way.

Riding in his home state, John Natalie picked up his second straight win in Round 6 of the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series at High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, Pa. Points leader Chad Wienen split moto wins with Natalie, while Thomas Brown secured his first podium finish of 2012.

Natalie (Motoworks/ Can-Am) kicked off Moto 1 with the SSi Decals Holeshot Award and held the early lead over teammate Joel Hetrick, Brown and Nick DeNoble. Wienen (Wienen Motorsports/SSi Decals/Walsh Race Craft/ Yamaha) got into a collision with Josh Upperman off the start, causing both riders to fall behind the pack. It wasn’t long before Hetrick put the moves on Natalie, taking control of the Moto 1 lead; but only for a couple laps as he experienced mechanical issues that forced him to pull into the mechanic’s area to readjust.

Keeping your ATV or UTV safe while towing it to the local ride area is something many people do not take enough time to prepare for. During recent trips along our highways we have seen more than our share of very unsafe towing habits as well as not so legal trailers. Most had their very expensive ATVs and UTVs barely hanging on to the trailer and some were not even tied down.

Just a quick note to get your attention; the weight of the machine will not keep it on the trailer should you have to switch lanes quickly or stop really fast. In this article we will discuss some options for securing your expensive ride to the trailer as well as some items the department of transportation might want you to have before hauling thousands of pounds in machines down the highway.

Round 5 of the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series made its way to Oakland, Ky., where defending champion John Natalie made history by sweeping the first-ever ATVMX night race at Ballance Moto X. The specially-designed night track was made up of technical whoop-sections and quick lap times, and the unique atmosphere made for a spectator-friendly weekend of racing.

Central Kentucky hosted a regular day of amateur racing at the home track of nine-time GNCC ATV champion Bill Ballance, but the evening show brought an all-new element to the race program. The AMA Pro ATV class featured two motos under the lights, while the Pro-Am Production class highlighted the amateur portion of night racing, and the Women and 50cc Sr. (6-8) classes wrapped up their second motos under the lights.

Do you call yourself an automotive DIYer, grease-monkey or gearhead? Do you want to win a car for it?

As luck would have it, the new SCOTT® Pro Shop Towels, manufactured by Kimberly-Clark Professional, is giving away a 2012 Dodge Challenger SRT in the SCOTT® Pro Shop Towels “Take the Challenge” Sweepstakes. This beautiful piece of American muscle could be all yours if you go to scottproshoptowels.com and fill in the pertinent details. It literally takes just seconds to do (a minute if you’re feeling a little sluggish).

Anticipation was high coming into this weekend’s Inaugural running of the Can-Am Mountaineer Run GNCC in West Virginia, Round 7 of the 2012 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series. Racing action was intense as six men battled to the finish for the XC1 class win, but once again Maxxis/Yoshimura’s Chris Borich bested the field and picked up his sixth win in seven races this season. The Ballance Racing Yamaha duo of Taylor Kiser and Walker Fowler joined Borich on the podium.

Precision Motorsports/Lonestar Racing/Moto X Perts’ Adam Mcgill grabbed the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award and set sail with the early lead. The first lap was a virtual free-for-all with the top ten riders swapping spots every few corners on the rocky, technical circuit. McGill experienced mechanical issues early in lap two, which would ultimately end his day and leave six riders to fight to get to the front.

Chad Wienen came into round four of the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship with heavy momentum as the series returned to his hometown track at Sunset Ridge MX in Walnut, Ill. Wienen once again swept both motos of the day, marking seven of the eight moto wins this season and further extended his lead in the championship point standings.

Motoworks/ Can-Am’s Joel Hetrick proved that he could lay down the fastest lap time as was the top qualifier. However, it was Lonestar/SSi Decals/Get Dirty MX’s Nick DeNoble who captured both SSi Decals Holeshot Awards but the Wisconsin native ran into issues all day, keeping him from finishing both motos.

Defending champion Chris Borich has looked all but unbeatable so far in the 2012 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series. His success continued this past weekend as he used another late pass to win the Limestone 100, securing his fifth win in six races to take a commanding lead in the race for the XC1 championship.

Bowers/Coastal National Guard/Yokley Racing’s Jarrod McClure grabbed his second $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award of the season through the windy turns of the Lawrence County Recreational Park, but some early carnage with AMA ATV Motocross Pro Derek Swartfager caused McClure to drop back a few positions. Swartfager got sideways heading into the woods and tagged a tree, stopping up a majority of the XC1 field behind. That’s when GBC/Cernics/HMF/ Yamaha’s Johnny Gallagher, JG Offroad/FRE/American Honda’s Brian Wolf and BNR’s Kevin Yoho made their escape from the pack and began pulling a gap early on.

Joel Hetrick may not have taken the checkers in a moto during the third round of the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series, but the Motoworks/ Can-Am rider’s two second-place finished were enough to secure the overall victory at Budds Creek MX.

Wienen Motorsports/SSi Decals/Walsh Race Craft/ Yamaha’s Chad Wienen continued his five-race win streak in Moto 1 as he made his way out front immediately and went on to lead all twelve laps of the race. But it was Baldwin Motorports/PEP’s Josh Upperman ( Honda) who grabbed the SSi Decals Holeshot Award and led for a brief moment before Wienen put himself into the lead. Hetrick put in a solid second place finish, coming in less than three seconds behind Wienen. Upperman worked hard to fend off TBROWN Yamaha Racing/Moto-X-Perts rider Thomas Brown to maintain third place in Moto 1, while Brown finished a close fourth after getting off to a rough start.

Defending Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series champion Chris Borich and Balance Racing Yamaha rookie Walker Fowler went head to head at the inaugural Can-Am Mammoth GNCC in Park City, Ky. In the end, Borich used one of his patented late-race passes to secure his fourth win of the season.

Walker Fowler managed to seal the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award amongst a pretty chaotic Pro class start, and he and Ballance Racing teammate Taylor Kiser jumped out front early on, writing the beginning to a perfect story for the weekend. Bowers/Coastal National Guard/Yokley Racing’s Jarrod McClure put himself up front right away and contested the lead pack, along with Borich, who casually tucked into the top five right away. It’s always a tossup on who’s going to lead the race early on, because in GNCC Racing the strategy is all about picking it up at the end of the race, which seems to be a signature move of Borich this season, but there were several instances where he wanted to pass Fowler throughout the race, but couldn’t stick the move.



After opening the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series with a win four weeks ago, Chad Wienen (Wienen Motorsports/SSi/Walsh/ Yamaha) controlled things again in Round 2 of the Series at Muddy Creek Raceway by sweeping both motos and extending his points lead over defending champion John Natalie in the overall standings.

While Motoworks/ Can-Am’s Joel Hetrick was once again the fastest qualifier, it was ATVMX veteran Harold Goodman who shot out to the Moto 1 SSi Decals holeshot. Goodman, however, was quickly passed by Baldwin Motorports/PEP’s Josh Upperman who managed to lead the pack of pro racers before Natalie moved into the lead by lap three on his Motoworks/Can-Am. Wienen had a mid-pack holeshot but quickly put himself within striking distance of Natalie’s lead and the duo picked up the intense battle right where they left off at round one. Wienen stalked Natalie until the final lap and once again cut underneath the Ironman to steal the last minute lead and Moto 1 victory as the rain started to fall on the Muddy Creek Raceway.

Defending champion Chris Borich bounced back from his fist loss of the season to win the VP Racing Fuels Big Buck GNCC this weekend in Union, SC. Borich edged out 2011 runner-up Adam McGill by only two seconds.

Taylor Kiser, who fought off Borich in a thrilling race two weeks earlier, looked to be on form early on as he quickly grabbed the $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award, gapping Ballance Racing Yamaha teammate Walker Fowler and JG Offroad/FRE/American Honda’s Brian Wolf from the get-go. Wolf and Fowler are no strangers in battle as the two former XC2 champions went head-to-head for years in the Pro Am division, but this time the intensity took over and the two riders came together just after the finish area. Wolf took the short end at first when he went sailing to the ground, but it was Fowler who ultimately suffered when his ATV quit working shortly after he passed Wolf for second. It didn’t take long for Fowler to figure out the mechanical issue wasn’t fixable and the track crew towed him into the pits.

Taylor Kiser went toe-to-toe with defending champion Chris Borich in the final stages of the FMF Steele Creek GNCC in Morganton, NC and secured his first win of 2012.

The Ballance Racing Yamaha team dominated almost every aspect of the two-hour race, beginning with Walker Fowler’s $250 Motosport.com Holeshot Award. Kiser joined Baldwin Motorsports/FRE/JG Offroad Honda‘s Brian Wolf and Motoworks/ Can-Am‘s Chris Bithell in following his teammate during the early stages of the race, as the foursome switched off the lead during the first lap.

It’s been an awfully long nine months for Chad Wienen. He broke his back in a training accident last June and after months of rehab and training he was ready to race again in the season-opener of the 2012 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series on Sat, Mar. 26. It was a day he won’t soon forget, as he and his new team (Wienen Motorsports/SSi/Walsh/ Yamaha) earned a 1-1 moto sweep and the overall victory at Aonia Pass MX Park in Washington, Ga.

In the opening moto of the Pro ATVMX class, it was Baldwin Motorports/PEP’s Josh Upperman who grabbed the SSi Decals Holeshot Award and led the early part of the race. It wasn’t long before Wienen powered his new Yamaha ride into the lead, though, passing Upperman through the fan-filled finish line section.

With only five days to regroup after the opening round of racing, the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series returned to action for round two at The Maxxis General GNCC in Washington, Ga. It was an all-out battle for the podium positions, as the top seven ATV racers ran nose-to-tail for six laps of the grueling two-hour race.

Three time and defending ATV champion, Chris Borich, used his veteran knowledge to once again outmatch his opponents and secure the win at Aonia Pass MX Park. It wasn’t until XC1 rookie Walker Fowler ran into late-race mechanical issues that Borich was able to breathe easily, though.

Maxxis/Yoshimura-backed Chris Borich ( Suzuki) put together one of his patented last-lap charges to win the Moose Racing Westgate River Ranch GNCC, the season-opener of the Can-Am Grand National Cross-Country Series.

The defending GNCC champion powered past Adam McGill ( Honda) and Chris Bithell ( Can-Am) in the rough, whooped-out Florida sand. Borich settled into the third position immediately into the two-hour battle, but after tagging a tree with his front bumper, Borich was forced to pull into the pits for some additional tweaking.

We just got back home from our annual pilgrimage to Indianapolis, Ind., to see the latest and greatest powersports accessories. Though it seemed a little less crowded with dealers than in years past, the 2012 Indianapolis Dealer Expo featured more new ATV and UTV products than we expected. The economy may still be still struggling to right itself, but it doesn’t seem to have slowed innovation and we couldn’t be more excited about it.

This year’s Dealer Expo saw some aftermarket names introduce some exciting new products. Companies like Vance & Hines, Yoshimura, DragonFire Racing all released some accessories that will be high on many wish lists. As well, some new faces have entered the fray with bold ideas that are sure to raise an eyebrow and help take our industry to the next level.

Vance & Hines Dual Exhaust System

Having spent a great deal of time on Kawasaki’s KFX450R, we can say with a fair amount of certainty that it is one of the best 450s on the market for the woods. Its strong and nimble chassis, smooth power with excellent low end, and flexible transmission with reverse gear make the KFX a cool ride for dodging trees. Don’t get us wrong, the Green Machine is no slouch on the track, but at 46 inches wide it is most at home speeding down trails.

Of course, improvements are always possible. We decided to take what we have learned about Kawasaki’s high-performance machine and add a handful of essential hop-ups to get the most out of the KFX for woods warriors, and cross country racers getting their feet wet.

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Power Up!

The sun breaks open the sky, as a cool breeze rolls across the beach and off in the distance the faint sighting of a dolphin pod cruises through the bay. Just out the window I see the Todos Santos Island off in the distance with the Pacific Ocean as its backdrop. Ensenada is across the water just in sight yet seemingly out of reach. Baja California is a beautiful place and today the greatest drivers, riders and chasers in the industry are here for the final race of the year. This is the 44th annual SCORE International Baja 1000!

Rewind

As I thought about the possibility that I may actually get to cover the mighty Baja 1000 it didn’t take long for the excitement to build. I would be riding across the beautiful United States of America with friend and local racer Richie Brown, who was part of the Quad75 team that was trying to win the biggest test of man and machine in North America. Richie made his mark in the world of desert racing when he was the first to solo the Baja 1000 on an ATV. This young guy from Dahlonega, Ga. put down 1047 miles in just 39 hours. This was indeed an accomplishment.

The trip from Dawsonville, Ga. to Ensenada in Baja was going to be a bit longer though as we had 2275 miles to go before the first race vehicle would be even heard. We loaded up the van and left on Saturday morning after breakfast. It would take us until Sunday night and into early Monday morning to get to the home just outside Ensenada where we would be staying.

After months of prep work and thousands of entrants, Robert Gallagher of Zanesville, Ohio was announced as the lucky winner of ATV.com’s 2011 Yamaha Raptor 125 Project.

To enter the contest, Gallagher simply filled out a questionnaire and got signed up for the ATV.com newsletter. It was absolutely free to enter.

Gallagher takes home a Raptor 125 decked out with aluminum accessories from Yamaha’s GYTR line, DRD Exhaust, Tusk Handlebar Risers, Tag Handlebars, and Spider Grips.

Already an owner of a YFZ450, Gallagher was excited about adding another machine to his garage.

The action intensified at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., as Rockstar Makita Suzuki‘s Chris Borich claimed an exciting come-from-behind victory to put a wrap on a thrilling season of ATV racing in the Can-Am GNCC Series.

Foremost Insurance/Warnert Racing Can-Am‘s Chris Bithell and Ballance Racing Yamaha‘s Taylor Kiser got out front right away as the two racers battled it out for the right to wear the number three plate and their first race-win this season. Kiser led a majority of the race until Bithell wrestled the lead away, only to have Kiser retaliate and take the lead back once again.

It’s been a long and dirty year for mud racers, and that’s not a reference to the tracks or the competition. The Championship Mud Racing Series, or CMR as most know it, wrapped up its season on Oct. 29, 2011 at Frederick’s Equipment & Marine (otherwise known as the Farm) near Decatur, Ala. and we were on hand to watch some of the best ATV and UTV mud racers compete for cash and bragging rights.

This is the only points and cash payout racing series in this demographic and it attracted the core racers of the mud world to rough it through eight events to claim a fistful of money and a wall full of trophies.