AMSOIL Quickshot SE Fuel Additive earned the Best New Powersports Product award for 2011 at the SEMA Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This year, over 2,000 new products were submitted for consideration of this honor in various categories. In determining the winners, judges looked for superiority of innovation, technical achievement, quality, consumer appeal and marketability.

AMSOIL Quickshot SE is a premium fuel additive designed to clean and restore optimal performance in small engine and powersports equipment fuel systems. It acts as a fuel stabilizer between uses and short-term storage and helps prevent damaging corrosion. It focuses on three major fuel-related issues common in small engine equipment: ethanol, water and dirty gasoline.

Kenneth Ahrnold, of Pittsfield, Mass., won a brand new 2010 Can-Am Outlander 800R XT in the Can-Am GNCC sweepstakes. Thousands of GNCC fans entered the season-long sweepstakes at the track or online via the GNCC Fan Demographics Survey.

“I’m so excited,” says Arnhold, a firefighter who also served in the U.S. Armed Forces. “I’m pretty stoked, because I have a sport quad right now, and it beats me up on the terrain we have around here. I do a lot of riding in the Berkshires, lots of mountains and stuff. It’s really rough terrain and this Can-Am is going to be great for that. What an awesome machine!”

“On behalf of BRP, I would like to congratulate Kenneth on his win of a 2010 Can-Am Outlander 800R XT,” says Chaz Rice, manager, media and public relations, Can-Am. “We at BRP hope he enjoys riding the same machine that won both the 4×4 Open and 4×4 Limited GNCC championships this season. It was exciting to see the amount of entries and excitement GNCC fans had for the giveaway this season.”

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. rolled out a big blue tractor trailer full of ATVs, motorcycles and giveaways in a “red carpet” display of support for racers and fans at the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series finale in Crawfordsville, Ind. last weekend.

“Yamaha congratulates all of the competitors and top finishers in this year’s GNCC series, and we want to especially recognize Taylor Kiser, Walker Fowler, Kristen Atwell, Traci Cecco and all of the Yamaha-mounted riders for their great seasons,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV/SxS group marketing manager who was onsite at the Ironman event.

Prior to the weekend’s festivities, Yamaha distributed free admission tickets to fans through 12 area Yamaha dealerships. Throughout the ATV and motorcycle racing events on Saturday and Sunday, fans and racers alike were given VIP treatment in a show of support for the entire sport. Onsite, Yamaha rolled out a demo truck, offered free rides on new 2011 motorsports products and displayed a full lineup including YZ motorcycles, YFZ450X, YFZ450R and Raptor 125 sport ATVs, and the new Grizzly 450 EPS 4×4 ATV.

In addition to showing new product, Yamaha gave away more than 750 free “2010 Amsoil Ironman GNCC” embroidered beanies to spectators in attendance. Yamaha also put together a special Yamaha Care Package and gave one to the top Yamaha racer in each class for the 2010 series. This surprise bonus package included an embroidered beanie; GYTR hat; GYTR, Yamalube and Yamaha stickers; various Yamalube chemical products and cleaners; and a voucher for a custom embroidered Yamaha jacket.

“We appreciate all of the Yamaha riders who battled this year and understand that racing in the GNCC series is a major commitment,” says Nessl. “Boasting the strongest line of sport ATVs, Yamaha is equally committed to the sport. Thanks to everyone who races Yamaha.”

Chris Blais finished the final round of the WORCS Series in Mesquite, Nev. in his UTV race with a broken axle to take the UTV Class 1 Championship and fifth overall for the series.

“I went into this last round at Mesquite wanting to win and needing to finish to take the points championship for UTV 1,” says Blais. “After taking the lead on the first lap, my co-driver Preston and I started to pull away and were having a great race. We were charging pretty hard to get a gap on the rest of the drivers and we ended up breaking an axle at the end of the second lap. I slowed down on the third lap to try and adjust to my ill-handling Polaris RZR, but then we started to get back up to speed. We finished in about 8th Place Overall, 3rd Place in Class 1 and still finished on the lead lap.

“It was a great course set-up and I can’t wait to get back out racing again next year in the WORCS Series. My Polaris RZR will get a complete overhaul this winter and will be ready for the 2011 season. Thank you to all of my awesome sponsors that help me out.”

The ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited has formally announced its 2011 ATV Motocross Championship schedule. The 2011 series will kick off Feb. 26-27 at Aonia Pass in Washington, Ga. and will again conclude at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., Aug. 13-14.

New to the series is Aonia Pass and Sunday Creek Raceway in Millfield, Ohio. Aonia Pass may be new to the series, but is by no means new to racing. Aonia is home of a Lorretta Lynn’s Regional Championship, as well as a round of GNCC Racing. Sunday Creek plays regular host to Lorretta Lynn’s Mid East Area Qualifiers and Regionals and also hosts a GNCC event. Jeff Cernic and his crew will be on hand to oversee production of Round 8 at Sunday Creek on July 2-3.

The series will also be revisiting Budds Creek in Mechanicsville, Md. in the 2011 season. Carl Reynolds and his Birch Creek crew will pack up their southern hospitality and head north to Budds Creek the weekend of April 16-17 to work with the legendary east coast track.

Arctic Cat boss Christopher Twomey plans to retire as chief executive officer at the end of December 2010. The company has named Claude Jordan to succeed Twomey as president and chief executive officer on January 1, 2011.

Twomey has served as Arctic Cat’s CEO since 1986. During his tenure, Twomey led Arctic Cat through an initial public offering in 1990, increased the number of employees from 99 to more than 1,300 people, and grew revenues from $7.5 million to more than $450 million in fiscal 2010. Under Twomey’s leadership, Arctic Cat also entered the all-terrain vehicle business, which now accounts for the largest percent of the company’s revenues. Twomey was named to the Snowmobile Hall of Fame in 2008.

“First, the board wants to thank Chris for his leadership of the company for more than two decades. He built Arctic Cat into a market leader in the power sports industry, and is leaving the company in strong financial shape with an outstanding team. We look forward to continuing to work with Chris as board chair,” says Kenneth Roering, lead director of Arctic Cat’s board. “The board also congratulates Claude on his new role. He has a proven record of success at Arctic Cat and a deep understanding of the company’s business. We are confident in his ability to continue to profitably grow the company and enhance shareholder value.”

National Guard Polaris Yokley Racing ATV Team rider Jarrod McClure finished eighth overall and seventh in the XC1 Pro ATV class today in Round 13 of the 2010 GNCC Series. There were 198 total entries with 21 XC1 Pro Riders. National Guard Polaris DragonFire Yokley Racing Team driver William Yokley finished 11th overall and ninth in the Open Modified UTV class. There were 68 total entries with 31 Open Modified teams. Yokley’s guest passenger today was Polaris Program Leader Kevin McNutt.

Summary

The Ironman is the most popular race on the GNCC schedule, and this year was no different with one of the largest crowds in recent history. Great weather greeted the more than 10,000 spectators to this season ending event. The extremely dry summer made the course very dusty except for the creek crossings. Diehard fans lined the steep hillclimbs and water crossings.

Jarrod McClure did not get a great start and entered the woods in 14th position. Because of the powdery, thick dust, it was basically follow the leader and trying to keep in contact with the rider ahead, and hope that they didn’t ride off the course somehow. Jarrod completed lap 1 in 12th, and steadily moved up to seventh by lap 4. The final lap was worrisome, as the air filter was beginning to get clogged by the clouds of dust. Even though the bike was not getting enough air and was down on power, he managed to finish seventh. This was good run for Jarrod after having a big time crash at the last event, and not feeling 100%.

William Yokley had an interesting UTV race to say the least. William was leading the season points and only needed to finish in the top 10 to clinch the championship. His passenger was Kevin McNutt, a Program Leader with Polaris. Kevin has been a huge asset to the Yokley Racing Team with all his assistance and knowledge, and besides that, he’s one of the nicest guys you will meet!

The National Guard Dragonfire Polaris RZR got a good start, going into the woods in third place. Yokley and McNutt were having a great time battling with the other two, and swapped the lead back and forth. On the third lap, the steering wheel began coming loose with the hold down bolts backing out. This was getting progressively worse until the wheel almost came off. They stopped at their pit area, and got a ratchet and socket to tighten it down. The bolts had worn the loose steering wheel to the point that they would not stay tight. As the team raced through the corn fields, Kevin would hand William the ratchet to retighten the bolts. With the time lost in the pits and slowing of the pace, the team finished in ninth place in the Open Modified class.

Overall, it was a very good weekend at the final GNCC race of the season. Jarrod McClure had a good race, and finished the season in 10th place in the XC1 Pro ATV division. William Yokley was able to hang on to a top 10 finish, and secured his second National Championship for Polaris in the Open Modified UTV division. The Yokley Racing Team will take a short break and then start preparing for the 2011 season. The team would like to thank all their loyal sponsors for the generous support this year. Also, a big thanks goes out to all the great fans and the fantastic job the Racer Production crew does with the GNCC Series. We hope to see you all in 2011!

Yokley Racing Team Sponsors: The Army National Guard, Polaris Industries, DragonFire Racing, Kenda Tires, Monavie, EXIT Suspension, Roll Design, XC Bob’s, Douglas Wheel Technology, Motoworks Exhaust Systems, Moto Pro Training, SHIFT Riding Gear, Tsubaki Chains, IMS/Roll, CV4 Hoses, ATVRiders.com, Tireballs, Precision Racing Products, G-4 Graphics, Andrews Cycle, Powermadd, SCOTT USA Goggles, PURE Polaris Lubricants & Fuels, Intense Fabrication & Design, IMS, Hygh Octane Designs, Bowers Motorsports, TanTerra Wines and Tusk Off-Road.

The dry, dusty conditions were no match for the FRE/KTM ride of Angel Atwell as she took the holeshot and led from start to finish in the Women’s Pro class aboard her KTM ATV.

Atwell’s holeshot gave her the early lead which allowed her to pull from the pack as the battle ensued behind her. At the end of the four lap race, Atwell crossed the checkers over a minute ahead of her competition. Not only did she win the Women’s class but she also won the morning overall. Kristen Atwell finished second overall while Lexie Coulter rounded out the top three.

In the XC1 class, FRE/KTM rider Bryan Cook got tangled up in the first corner with Chris Bithell, Bill Ballance, Taylor Kiser and Adam McGill. All five riders began to charge forward as a pack toward the lead group. Cook moved up to 8th by the end of lap two, sixth at the end of lap three and into the top five on lap four. Unfortunately, a mechanical problem caused him to withdrawal from the race on the fourth lap ending his day.

Chris Borich claimed his 11th win of the season, leading from start to finish at the Amsoil Ironman GNCC – the 13th and final round of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series in Crawfordsville, Ind.

In one of his most dominating performances of the year, the Yoshimura Suzuki rider grabbed holeshot to start the race and then quickly pulled away as the rest of the field jockeyed for position. After two hours of racing Borich crossed the finish line with over a minute to spare ahead of second place.

“I got a good start and I knew I had the championship all wrapped up so I decided to go out put the hammer down to see what I could pull,” says Borich. “It was just an awesome day out there and I was having a ball all by myself.”

A Ranger RZR 4, piloted by Polaris Regional Sales Manager Matt Parks, took first place both days and first overall in the Pro UTV Class at the Best In The Desert Blue Water Desert Challenge this past weekend in Parker, Ariz.

The Holz-built Ranger RZR 4, nicknamed the “Baja Bobsled,” was victorious over 18 other UTVs, one of the largest UTV entries in premier desert racing in some time. Parks and his co-pilot, Polaris District Sales Manager Bryce Wernsman, endured limited visibility from dust and unbelievably deep silt areas on the track that the Ranger RZR 4 had to hammer through.

“This was our first race for the newly-built race Ranger RZR 4,” says Parks. “The car ran great both days and it was really fast, particularly in the rough. It was a great weekend and a fantastic outcome.”

Polaris Industries Inc. has reported an impressive increase in sales in its third quarter (ended September 30, 2010), fueled largely by the sales of its off-road vehicles.

Sales for the third quarter totaled $580.1 million, an increase of 33 percent when compared to $436.2 million recorded in the same period last year. The bulk of those sales came courtesy of Polaris’ off-road division, which includes ATVs and Ranger side-by-sides. Off-road sales for the quarter totaled $389.3 million, a 49 percent improvement compared to the same period last year ($261.1 million).

According to Polaris, this increase reflects significant market share gains for both ATVs and side-by-side vehicles, as well as the success of the MVP retail go-to-market process. The MVP program was expanded and made available to all North American ORV dealers beginning in the 2010 third quarter.

During the third quarter, Polaris began shipping several new model year 2011 units including the Ranger 500 EFI, Ranger Crew 500, and the Ranger Diesel. In addition, shipments to Bobcat of the differentiated utility vehicle, which began shipping in the second quarter, accelerated in the 2010 third quarter.

Polaris Defense has been selected for a contract award to provide Ultra-Light Utility Vehicles to the Army National Guard.

“We are excited to have our Polaris Ranger utility vehicles selected by the National Guard to help with their homeland security and disaster relief missions” says Polaris Chief Executive Officer, Scott Wine. “We are proud that Polaris can provide a cost-effective and highly capable, all-terrain vehicle that can handle the critical missions faced by the National Guard.”

The five-year contract includes the Polaris Ranger Crew 800 and Polaris Ranger 6×6 800 side-by-side vehicles, as well as accessories and training. The competitively awarded contract has a ceiling value of $67 million dollars over the contract period. Polaris intends to build the Ultra-Light Utility Vehicles for this contract, at its Spirit Lake, Iowa facility, which has recently added over 270 full-time and seasonal jobs to meet the increase in consumer demand.

National Guard Polaris Yokley Racing ATV Team rider Jarrod McClure finished 137th overall and 14th in the XC1 Pro ATV class today after crashing out in Round 12 of the 2010 GNCC Series. There were 156 total entries with 14 XC1 Pro Riders. National Guard Polaris DragonFire Yokley Racing Team driver William Yokley finished second overall and second in the UTV class. There were 52 total entries with 25 Open Modified teams.

Summary

The National Guard ATV and UTV Team riders participated in this second to last GNCC event of the year. ATV rider Jarrod McClure had a difficult day after having a spectacular crash at the mud hole section of the course. Jarrod had a good start finishing lap one in eighth place. On lap two, Jarrod worked up to sixth place, and was closing in on fifth. He carried too much speed into the mud hole section, and cartwheeled end over end. He was unable to continue because of damage to his machine, and some injuries. Fortunately, Jarrod should be good to go for the season finale in two weeks.

National Guard Polaris Dragonfire UTV racer William Yokley had a better day in the UTV race. Yokley got a good start and was third on lap 1. He worked into second place on lap 2, and remained there until the finish. Congratulations to Scott Kiger for the win. William’s guest passenger was his wife Tina. William is leading in season points going into the last race of the year in Crawfordsville Indiana in 2 weeks.

The Ironman in Crawfordsville always draws a huge crowd of participants and spectators, so it should be a lot of fun. See you there!

Yokley Racing Team Sponsors: The Army National Guard, Polaris Industries, DragonFire Racing, Kenda Tires, Monavie, EXIT Suspension, Roll Design, XC Bob’s, Douglas Wheel Technology, Motoworks Exhaust Systems, Moto Pro Training, SHIFT Riding Gear, Tsubaki Chains, IMS/Roll, CV4 Hoses, ATVRiders.com, Tireballs, Precision Racing Products, G-4 Graphics, Andrews Cycle, Powermadd, SCOTT USA Goggles, PURE Polaris Lubricants & Fuels, Intense Fabrication & Design, IMS, Hygh Octane Designs, Bowers Motorsports, TanTerra Wines and Tusk Off-Road.

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FRE/KTM riders Angel Atwell and Bryan Cook had a decent weekend at the 12th round of the GNCC Series. Atwell just missed out on a win taking second overall while Cook took home a holeshot and finished a respectable fourth overall.

Atwell was up first in the Women’s morning class. Atwell got the holeshot and the early lead followed closely by Kristen Atwell. Angel led the first half of lap one before Kristen made a pass for the lead. Angel was able to gain the lead back on the second lap after Kristen stopped for gas. On the next lap, Angel lost the lead once more to Kristen when she pulled into the pits. She reentered the course right on the tail of Kristen and the two women raced neck-and-neck heading into the final lap.

With one lap to go, Angel was able to make another pass to take over the lead. Kristen remained close and as the riders neared the end of the race they got caught in some lapped riders. Unfortunately Angel got stuck behind a few of the lappers and Kristen was able to take the lead. As they crossed the checkered flag Angel was less than one second behind Kristen.

In the XC1 class, Cook pulled the holeshot for the second race in a row and took the early lead. He lost the lead on the first lap to Adam McGill but remained close and crossed the one lap mark in second position. On the next lap, Cook allowed Taylor Kiser, Chris Borich and Chris Bithell to get around him placing him in fifth position at the end of lap 2. On the third lap McGill encountered a mechanical problem which sent him back to the pits and allowed Cook to climb into fourth place. Cook charged forward at a consistent pace and was able to finish fourth overall just 15 seconds behind the third place finisher.

Chris Borich wrapped up his second-straight Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series title with an exciting win at the ITP Power Line Park GNCC in St. Clairsville, Ohio.

As usual, the Yoshimura Suzuki-backed Borich played it smart during the first part of the race, biding his time and checking out lines before making his move at the halfway point of the two-hour event. When the time was right, Borich knifed his way through the pack in a spectacular run to the front, passing Ballance Racing Yamaha‘s Taylor Kiser, FRE KTM’s Bryan Cook, and Warnert Racing Can-Am teammates Chris Bithell and Adam McGill to claim his 10th win of the season and wrap up the XC1 championship with one round remaining on the schedule.

“It feels good and I’m especially glad to wrap it up with a win here in Ohio,” says Borich. “It’s been a heck of a season and I can’t thank Suzuki and Yoshimura enough – without them I wouldn’t be here. This took a team effort and I’m happy to be working with these guys.”

John Natalie rode his Team Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 ATV to a big win in front of nearly 50,000 race fans at the Montréal SuperMotocross race held at Olympic Stadium. He led a Can-Am DS 450 sweep of the podium with Can-Am X-Team racer Richard Pelchat coming in second and BCS Performance’s Cody Miller third.

“Everyone at BRP looks forward to this event each year and we were all proud to see John Natalie lead the sweep of the podium at the race,” says Jimmie O’Dell, racing manager for Can-Am ATVs at BRP. “It was a historic moment for BRP when John, Richard Pelchat and Cody Miller took the podium in front of thousands of race fans!”

The track was one of the most technical ATV courses the professional racers had ever seen at the Montréal SuperMotocross. While the course proved challenging for the field, Natalie was able to pull the holeshot and walk away from the other racers, winning by a margin of more than seven seconds.

Walking down the street in Lincoln, Nebr. you would never think that a major manufacturer has set a production milestone in this small town. Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp. did just that a couple of miles outside the city on a spread of 332 acres that has produced millions of products for today’s consumers.

On Sept. 15 Kawasaki sent its three millionth vehicle down the production line and into the record books. A Kawasaki Teryx dressed in bright lime green made its way past the final inspection check point and was dressed for the occasion with ribbons and bows. The facility steadily poured full as over 1,200 employees walked into the warehouse to see the Teryx make its way down the line.

The Lincoln facility originally opened for business in April of 1974. Here are a few statistics that will give you an idea of the impact this plant has had in those 36 years:

Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Josh Creamer was honored at the National Suzuki Dealer Meeting held in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sunday, Oct. 3.

Creamer won his first AMA ATV MX Championship in 2010 aboard his Rockstar Makita Suzuki QuadRacer R450, powered by Yoshimura. The teamwork of Yoshimura and Suzuki helped Josh win the first title of his professional racing career and make the 2010 season one for the history books.

Yoshimura handmade a special trophy to commemorate Josh’s phenomenal racing season, his first aboard the championship-winning QuadRacer R450. The trophy features a crankshaft and a piston, and was custom made just for Josh and presented to him on stage in front of a room full of Suzuki dealers.

Back and bigger than ever the 23rd Annual Toronto International Snowmobile, ATV & Powersports Show (TISAPS) aims to thrill powersports enthusiasts with another amazing show.

In conjunction with the incredible series of events scheduled to take place at over the weekend of October 15-17, 2010, BRP, Ski-Doo/ Can-Am has reserved 4,000 square feet for its corporate display in Hall 1. The display will be loaded with all the new 2011 snowmobiles and ATVs for a weekend of pure powersports fun. But the fun doesn’t stop there; BRP, Can-Am has made arrangements to offer show attendees a huge Can-Am demo track.

Just outside the Outdoor Events Area with features snowmobile freestyle, ATV and Snowmobile racing, and kids tracks, show attendees will be able to test ride Can-Am ATVs at the Can-Am Demo Track. The Can-Am staff will take show attendees on an ATV ride over obstacles on a full track. Look for the Can-Am Demo Transport Truck in the Outdoor Event Area.

Renthal has officially opened up its Amateur Rider Support program for 2011. 2011 will see Renthal’s 23rd year of their amateur support program in the USA, which has seen many of the sport’s elite stars come up through the ranks.

“Renthal has been involved with supporting riders at the amateur level longer than any of our competitors and our handlebars and chainwheels have won more national championships than all of them combined,” Renthal says in a release. “We understand the importance of offering support at the grassroots level and that having a direct connection between the racers who use our products and us is imperative.”

To apply for sponsorship with Renthal, visit the dedicated sponsorship website at RenthalSupport.com. This site allows users to upload all of their information directly to the support site, including a resume in Word or PDS format. Riders who are a member of the Hookit website can visit the Renthal homepage at http://www.hookit.com/members/renthal/home/ for up to date information and news.

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Teixeira Tech has introduced its newly developed stock replacement upper A-arms with CXC adjustment system for the Honda TRX700XX.

According to Teixeira Tech, the CXC Adjustment System is the quickest and simplest camber and caster adjustment system on the market. Using the CXC system, racers and riders can adjust some of the caster out of the front end geometry, one of the biggest causes of front end push on the 700XX.

This is the first of many products that Teixeira Tech is scheduled to release for the Honda TRX 700XX in an effort to stay at the forefront of suspension development for ATVs. These A-arms will retail for an introductory price starting at $285.Teixeira Tech also offers a needle bearing upgrade for the frame pivots for an additional $50. the needle bearing upgrade utilizes the bearings and offers less stiction in the suspension, providing higher-quality travel as the shocks respond quicker without the drag created by bushings alone.

Pro Armor has unveiled a new product designed to make it easy to carry a spare tire, jack and other essential equipment on your UTV or trailer – the QuickShot Universal Spare Tire and Accessory Mount.

QuickShot’s mounting plate allows you to mount hundreds of essential products in various ways. With the option of mounting your QuickShot both horizontally and vertically, finding a place for your QuickShot to mount to is simple.

QuickShot is not only for your vehicles. Mount your QuickShot to your trailer or garage to hold tools and other essentials. With QuickShot the possibilities are endless.

The QuickShot retails for only $179.95 for the horizontal mount or just $199.95 for the vertical mount. Visit ProArmor.com for more information.

Raceline Wheel has rolled out a new line of ATV and UTV wheels and tires.

“We are really excited to introduce the Monster and Spyder wheels alongside the Raceline MT tire,” says Jason Divis, UTV/ATV category manager for Raceline Motorsports.

The most recent addition to the Raceline lineup is the sleek, all black, Spyder wheel. Raceline designed the Spyder to look more like a truck wheel than one you would normally find on an ATV or UTV. According to Raceline, the strength and durability behind all its wheels is matched to the same quality that a one-ton truck would utilize.

Raceline has also released its new all terrain MT tire. The MT tire is available in multiple sizes, including a 30-inch monster that is not considered a mud tire, but a true all-purpose tire.

National Guard Polaris Yokley Racing ATV Team rider Jarrod McClure finished 85th overall and 13th in the XC1 Pro ATV class after having mechanical difficulties in Round 11 of the 2010 GNCC Series. There were 165 total entries with 15 XC1 Pro Riders.

Summary

The team was looking forward to a good race in Lafayette as the season is starting to wind down. This Tennessee facility is challenging and a great place to have a race. The race began and Jarrod was 10th on lap 1, 9th on lap 2 and 7th on lap 3. Everything was going well and he was putting in a good ride. On the last lap, the frame broke on his bike causing him to not finish the event. This was very disappointing, and put an end to his day.

The team will prepare for the next event in St. Clairsville, Ohio in two weeks. Jarrod will compete on the 450 ATV, and William Yokley will be racing the Polaris RZR in the UTV event. See you there!

John Deere has produced its 500,000th Gator utility vehicle, marking the milestone by building one of John Deere’s latest models, the XUV825i – the fastest and most powerful Gator ever manufactured in a long line of work and recreational machines.

“Reaching this milestone of building 500,000 Gators is a significant accomplishment for our company, our employees and our customers,” says Dan Hoffman, factory manager, John Deere Horicon Works. “Our full line of Gator utility vehicles serves a wide range of customers who depend on their reliability and usefulness. That’s an obligation we take quite seriously.”

The heritage of the Gator product began in 1987 when John Deere first built utility machines that preceded the Gator’s design and creation. Then in 1993, John Deere launched its highly successful Gator utility vehicle, which now has 17 different models and is sold to customers in agriculture, construction, turf care, recreation, and the military.

The FRE/KTM ATV GNCC Team had a great weekend at the 11th round of the ATV GNCC Series with Women’s rider Angel Atwell earning third overall and XC1 rider Bryan Cook taking home fourth place.

The morning Women’s race started off great with Atwell taking the holeshot and the early lead. Atwell lead the entire first lap, pitting for gas at the end of the lap. When she reentered the course she was sitting in fourth position. On the third lap she passed Traci Cecco for 3rd place and began to close in on the leaders. Unfortunately time ran out before she could make up enough time to pass the other riders and she finished third behind winner Kristen Atwell and second place Lexi Coulter.

In the XC1 class, Cook earned a second place start behind Chris Borich. It was determined later that Borich fired his engine early and would receive a 30 second penalty at the end of the first lap. That penalty also handed Cook the holeshot award.

Chris Borich claimed an exciting win at one of the closest races of the year during the Titan GNCC in Lafayette, Tenn. After two hours of racing, the Yoshimura Suzuki-backed rider topped Ballance Racing Yamaha’s Taylor Kiser by less then two seconds to nab his ninth victory of the season and further extend his lead in the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series championship standings.

With the win Borich inched ever closer to a second-straight XC1 GNCC title, and now holds a 50-point lead over Kiser with just two races to go.

“I’ve just been training hard and the bike has been working awesome and things are working out for me – so this was a good win,” says Borich. “We’re getting close to that second championship and I think we can win a few more races before the year is over as well.”

Warnet Racing / Can-Am GNCC racer Michael Swift clinched the 4×4 Limited championship at the Unadilla GNCC in upstate New York. His Can-Am Outlander 800R XT brought him his fifth consecutive class championship.

“What can you say about Michael Swift?” says Jimmie O’Dell, racing manager for Can-Am ATVs at BRP. “He is one of the smartest, most consistent racers I’ve ever seen. When he pulls up to the line the rest of the field knows it is truly a race for second place. We at BRP are excited to see Swift get his fifth GNCC championship on the Warnert Racing / Can-Am Outlander 800R XT.”

Since making the switch to Can-Am at the beginning of the 2006 GNCC season, Swift won 48 of the 62 races he’s entered – good for a winning percentage of 77 percent.

Arctic Cat has released four new ATV and UTV accessories – a Prowler cab system, skid plate kit and A-arm guards, LED light kit, and dual mirror kit. All of the new accessories are available now at most Arctic Cat dealerships.

Prowler LXC Cab Kit

Consisting of a roof, two doors, windshield and rear panel, the new LXC Cab Kit from Arctic Cat delivers wrap-around protection against the elements. The roof and doors are made from thermo-formed HDPE for lightweight performance and excellent durability. The three-position laminate glass windshield is easily opened with gas spring assist, while the smoked polycarbonate rear panel is molded for strength and optimal visibility, with a tip-out window for added ventilation. Scratch-resistant polycarbonate door windows complement the tinted sunroof for all-around visibility and venting versatility, while the lockable door system includes integrated armrests. Spacious and easy to install on all 2011 Prowlers (except the HDX), the LXC Cab Kit has an MSRP of $3,899.95 U.S./$4,649.95 Canada.

Yoshimura racer Cody Grant has taken home the 2010 AMA ATV Motocross Rookie of the Year award.

Grant was given the award at the annual awards banquet at the Pala Casino in Pala, Calif. in celebration of his performance during his first season of racing in the Pro class.

“The first season is always a tough one, but Yoshimura helped me out a lot this year,” says Grant. “Their engines are the best, and their trackside support was great. Any problem I had, they were right there to help.”

Yoshimura’s Kory Ellis extended his congratulations to Cody on behalf of the company.

The FRE/KTM ATV GNCC Team had a spell of bad luck at the 10th round of the ATV GNCC Series held at Unadilla Raceway.

Women’s rider, Angel Atwell, was up first in the morning Women’s ATV race. She got a great start and was sitting in second position around the first turn. She remained in second place close to the leader for the first lap. On the second lap, Atwell lost control on a section and ran off course into a tree. The crash set her back a few positions and by the time she recovered she was sitting in fifth place. She rode hard to try and catch the pack but it was too late and she was forced to settle for a fifth place finish.

In the XC1 class, FRE/KTM rider Bryan Cook was hoping to land on the podium. Unfortunately, he encountered a fluke mechanical problem on the first lap that he rode with through the entirety of the race. He eventually finished in 13th position.

National Guard Polaris Yokley Racing ATV Team rider Jarrod McClure finished 53rd overall and 14th in the XC1 Pro ATV class after having mechanical difficulties in Round 10 of the 2010 GNCC Series. There were 219 total entries with 14 XC1 Pro Riders.

Summary

Unadilla is a long haul for most of the GNCC competitors, but the historic setting and great race course make it worthwhile. The hot, dry summer made the track quite dusty and rough in some sections, but all in all, it is a fun track to compete on. Race day was sunny and on the hot side.

Jarrod got a middle of the pack start, and as things sorted out, he was able to get into a good rhythm. The long, pro style motocross section was particularly fun. He went from 10th to fifth in three laps, and was running a fast but comfortable pace. On lap four, Jarrod noticed some coolant spewing out the radiator vent hose. On lap five, it was getting progressively worse. He tried to nurse it to the finish since he had a substantial margin over sixth place. But it was not to be and the engine quit near the end of the last lap.

Jarrod was very happy with the way the bike was performing, and had a sure top five finish before the problem set in. The team will get the machine back in good working condition for the next race in Lafayette, Tenn. in two weeks. Jarrod plans on doing some testing at William Yokley’s farm in Kentycky to prepare for the race. We’ll see you there!

Yokley Racing Team Sponsors: The Army National Guard, Polaris Industries, DragonFire Racing, Kenda Tires, Monavie, EXIT Suspension, Roll Design, XC Bob’s, Douglas Wheel Technology, Motoworks Exhaust Systems, Moto Pro Training, SHIFT Riding Gear, Tsubaki Chains, IMS/Roll, CV4 Hoses, ATVRiders.com, Tireballs, Precision Racing Products, G-4 Graphics, Andrews Cycle, Powermadd, SCOTT USA Goggles, PURE Polaris Lubricants & Fuels, Intense Fabrication & Design, IMS, Hygh Octane Designs, Bowers Motorsports, TanTerra Wines and Tusk Off-Road.

Chris Borich kicked off the second half of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series by taking his eighth win of the season, using his patented last-lap charge to win the Can-Am Unadilla GNCC in New Berlin, NY.

Borich mixed it up with Balance Racing Yamaha‘s Taylor Kiser and Warnert Racing Can-Am’s Adam McGill during the first four laps of the two-hour race, but like he as done several times this year the Pennsylvania rider picked up the pace on the final lap, putting his Yoshimura Suzuki into the lead to edge Kiser for the win.

“I was trying everywhere to get around Taylor and he finally left the door open and I was able to get him. After that I just put the hammer down to get a bit of breathing room,” says Borich. “He pitted a lap before us and that gave him the lead, so I just tried my best to catch up with him and once I did I just dogged him until he made a mistake.”

Riders who have traveled across the country to compete against the best ATV Motocross racers in the world will be honored at the 2010 ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Awards Banquet. The top ten winners in each amateur class as well as the top three winners in the North and South Challenges will receive awards for their achievements on November 6 at the Grand Resort Hotel in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.

Racers from around the world traveled to eleven events this season, and battled against the top racers at tracks across the country for their overall positions. The top ten racers will join a prestigious group of winners that have been crowned throughout the past 20 years of ATV Motocross competition.

The top three winners in both the North and South Challenges will also be honored during the AMA ATV Motocross awards banquet. The North/South Challenge was created this season to accommodate those unable to travel to the entire 2010 ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship. To be eligible for the awards, the riders had to attend all six rounds of either Challenge. The top three in each class will be forever recognized as the first ever winners of the North/South Challenge.

ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship Winners

AMA Pro ATV
1. Josh Creamer
2. Dustin Wimmer
3. Chad M. Wienen
4. Josh G. Upperman
5. John Natalie Jr
6. Thomas Brown
7. Jeremy Lawson
8. Jeremie Warnia
9. Patrick A. Brown
10. Nick A. Denoble

Pro Am Production
1. Chase Snapp
2. Joel Hetrick
3. Jeffrey Rastrelli
4. Travis E. Moore
5. Casey Martin
6. Aaron B. Meyer
7. William D. Cottage
8. Andy Travis
9. Derek Swartfager
10. Marc Winchester

Pro Am Unlimited
1. Joel Hetrick
2. Chase Snapp
3. Jeremy R. Tulenchik
4. Jeffrey Rastrelli
5. William D. Cottage
6. Cole Henry
7. Sean Taylor
8. Casey Martin
9. Mark Madl
10. Andy Travis

450 A
1. Tim D. Dettling
2. Stephen Schenk
3. Dalton Millican
4. Cody Suggs
5. Kody Kropp
6. Wesley Holifield
7. James Murrah
8. Ryan Young
9. Eric Lapato
10. Blake A. Linder

450 B
1. Brett Cusumano
2. Chase M. Henry
3. Tyler Hamrick
4. Randy Hurst Jr
5. Houston L. Hinton
6. Josh West
7. Zach Gill
8. Luke Nixon
9. Cody Stang
10. Tanner Timblin

450 C
1. Bren Marra
2. Ryan Wheeler
3. Andy A. Donegan
4. Cody D. Miller
5. Christopher Fellers
6. Wyatt Hisam
7. Ryan Wilson
8. Taylor Reynolds
9. Jake Rutherford
10. Jeff Overstreet

Open A
1. Preston Young
2. Cory Acker
3. Tyler Dommel
4. Tc Nales
5. Merrill Crose
6. Dalton Hicks
7. Chase Cunningham
8. Rocky Heupel
9. Anthony M. Morgan
10. Daniel Jeurink

Open B
1. William P. Lloyd
2. Tj Timblin
3. Josh D. Williams
4. Ross Medlin
5. Kenny B. King
6. Jacob Gross
7. Aaron Beer
8. Tyler Mcmillion
9. Trey Sudbrock
10. William Bishop

Open C
1. Devin Stenftenagel
2. David Henderlite
3. Austin J. Clemens
4. Alex Kersey
5. Johnney G. Adams
6. Brandon Huffman
7. Leland C. Rentz
8. Cory M. Spence
9. Brandon Thacker
10. Brekken Kleinschmidt

4-stroke A
1. Cody Suggs
2. Preston Young
3. Michael Lehotay
4. Josh R. Strominski
5. Ryan Young
6. Quinton S. Barto
7. Dalton Hicks
8. Shane J. Bolen
9. Tyler Dommel
10. Chase Cunningham

4-stroke B
1. Chase M. Henry
2. Tyler Hamrick
3. Jacob Mcgraw
4. Josh D. Williams
5. Ross Medlin
6. Kenny B. King
7. Tanner Timblin
8. Peter Wolkenhauer
9. Trey Sudbrock
10. Thomas W. Mcarn

4-stroke C
1. Dylan Tremellen
2. Ryan Wheeler
3. Johnney G. Adams
4. Brandon Huffman
5. Brock Landis
6. Gaige Patterson
7. Travis Blair
8. Brekken Kleinschmidt
9. Rudy J. Zaragoza
10. Joe Haycraft

Production A
1. Cole Henry
2. Cory Acker
3. Corey Snapp
4. Dalton Millican
5. Zack Sondgeroth
6. Stephen Schenk
7. Tc Nales
8. Brian Johnson
9. Kody Kropp
10. Quinton S. Barto

Production B
1. Randy Hurst Jr
2. Brett Cusumano
3. Tyler Hamrick
4. Jacob Mcgraw
5. Josh West
6. Houston L. Hinton
7. Tj Timblin
8. William P. Lloyd
9. Luke Nixon
10. Zach Gill

Production C
1. Dylan Tremellen
2. Bren Marra
3. Devin Stenftenagel
4. Austin J. Clemens
5. Alex Kersey
6. Andy A. Donegan
7. Leland C. Rentz
8. Christopher Fellers
9. Kelsey L. Dyer
10. Sam Moan

College 16-24
1. Brian Johnson
2. Ryan Young
3. Michael Lehotay
4. James Murrah
5. Kyle Fix
6. Brandon Ward
7. Travis Brown
8. Joey Wyngaert
9. Zack Salter
10. Josh J. Deemer

Junior 25 Plus
1. Josh R. Strominski
2. Chase Cunningham
3. Joe Scarrow
4. Merrill Crose
5. Kyle Grissom
6. Adam Warren
7. David Trimble
8. Kristopher Boothby
9. Jonathan R. Hamson
10. Jason E. Jackson

Veteran 30+ A/b
1. Josh R. Strominski
2. Merrill Crose
3. Joe Scarrow
4. Randy L. Hurst
5. Lane Coile
6. Mark Batson
7. Brian Jenkins
8. David Trimble
9. Terry Monroe
10. Jason E. Jackson

Veteran 30+ C
1. David Henderlite
2. Robert Bess
3. Bryan Williams
4. Tom Reed
5. James E. Voyles
6. Travis Blair
7. Ray H. Richards
8. Stan Martell
9. John Hill
10. Bryan K. Ramsdell

Senior 40+
1. Randy L. Hurst
2. C Musick
3. Lane Coile
4. Terry Monroe
5. James A. Perry
6. Neil Hambly
7. James E. Voyles
8. Daniel A. Decoteau
9. Hank E. Dehart
10. Jeffrey B. Gibbs

Women
1. Heather Byrd
2. Michelle Natalie
3. Adrienne Cooper
4. Kayle Dyer
5. Michelle Suciu
6. Jamie Jones
7. Megan Manshack
8. Brandi Krajewski

Women C
1. Kelsey L. Dyer
2. Rachel Dickson
3. Nicole Gates
4. Ariel Monroe
5. Holly Trimble
6. Sherry Ramsdell
7. Kayla Davis
8. Melissa Kufel
9. Tobey Ramsdell
10. Taylor L. Braswell

Schoolboy Sr. (14-17)
1. Cole Medlin
2. Cody Brooks
3. Ries Parvin
4. Brian Kinczfogel
5. Dylan Shafer
6. Hunter Harper
7. David Beer
8. Steve Johnston
9. Brady Seward

Schoolboy Jr. (13-15)
1. Brent Sellers
2. Cole Medlin
3. Brian Kinczfogel
4. Cody Brooks
5. Nicholas Gennusa
6. Casey Glaser
7. Andrew Hixson
8. Ries Parvin
9. Zack Thompson
10. Andy Magyan

Super-mini (13-15)
1. Nicholas Gennusa
2. Samuel Rowe
3. Brett J. Musick
4. Brandy Cottage
5. Zack Thompson
6. Hunter Harper
7. Jacob French
8. Ryan Korody
9. Benjamin D. Brocato
10. Chloe Buerster

90 Modified (8-15)
1. Samuel Rowe
2. Brett J. Musick
3. Haedyn Mickelson
4. Ryan Korody
5. Chloe Buerster
6. Jacob French
7. Jeremy J. Ledonne
8. Benjamin D. Brocato
9. Brian Kinczfogel
10. Hunter N. Titus

90 Production (8-15)
1. Chase Horton
2. Benjamin D. Brocato
3. Clay M. Pearson
4. Blake Sarver
5. Tyler J. Peters
6. Grayson Eller
7. Brogan Guyer
8. Philip L. Ciarlo
9. Kade R. Wagner
10. John Dye

90 Automatic Sr. (12-15)
1. Chase Horton
2. Maci Devenport
3. Corey L. Powers
4. Tanner Stockton
5. Samantha Bronson
6. Collin G. Traylor
7. Logan Salzman
8. Alex Walters
9. Drake Delehant
10. Erik Havert

90 Automatic Jr. (8-11)
1. Corey J. Heath
2. Jordan Digby
3. Logan Dusenberry
4. Grayson Eller
5. Westley Wolfe
6. Kodi Ward
7. Abby Bowyer
8. Brendon K. Roberts
9. Philip L. Ciarlo
10. Brayden Bush

90 Cvt (8-15)
1. Tyler Mack
2. Travis Wotring
3. Jesse Voiles
4. Corey L. Powers
5. Grayson Eller
6. Taj Garvie
7. Logan Dusenberry
8. Tanner Stockton
9. Justin Palmer
10. Westley Wolfe

70 Modified (6-11)
1. Cole Sepesi
2. Ryan Harness
3. Tyler J. Peters
4. Kade R. Wagner
5. David Collard
6. Will Harness
7. Dylan Mcclellan
8. Joshua French
9. Ethan Putty
10. Elizabeth Vogt

70 Cvt (6-11)
1. Travis Wotring
2. Dj Bassani
3. Jesse Voiles
4. Logan Dusenberry
5. Joshua Holley
6. Spencer Meyer
7. Hunter Skladzien
8. Will Harness
9. Blake Bronson
10. Dylan Mcclellan

70 Ss (6-11)
1. Jordan Digby
2. Corey J. Heath
3. Nolan Cochran
4. Blake Bronson
5. David Collard
6. Elizabeth Vogt
7. Emily Bowyer
8. Eli W. Lingle
9. Kade R. Wagner
10. Ethan C. Lehmer
11. Troy Hill
12. Kelin Clemens
13. Lindsay Hutchinson
14. Justin Losey

50 Sr. (6-8)
1. Eli R. Hopkins
2. Lane Baird
3. Tristen Liebe
4. Ethan Putty
5. Emily Bowyer
6. Logan P. Sepesi
7. Taron Liebe
8. Koy Wagner
9. Jenna Heath
10. Andrew Bridges

50 Cvt (6-8)
1. Dj Bassani
2. Dale Raven
3. Ben Kirkland
4. Jake Szigeti
5. Taron Liebe
6. Gaige Keane
7. Elishea Reed
8. Payton Hawk
9. Ethan Ahlm
10. Elijah Reed

50 Limited Jr. (4-6)
1. Ethan Ahlm
2. Ashton G. Ward
3. Jake Szigeti
4. Nicholas V. Woodbury
5. Matthew Holley
6. Elijah Reed
7. Traxton Liebe
8. Brandon M. Bassani
9. Ben Cushman
10. Cale Deal

Six amateur racers using Motowoz Performance Systems Products shocks have won national titles in seven classes in the 2010 ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship Series.

Five of the six riders competed in the youth ranks and the other raced in the Women’s C class. Nineteen riders earned at least a top-five positions in their class and recorded an impressive 64 overall wins this year on their Motowoz-equipped ATVs. The 11-round amateur AMA ATV motocross series concluded August 15 at Loretta’s Lynn’s Dude Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

“I’m extremely thrilled with our season results and tallying 64 overall class wins this year,” says Motowoz CEO Jim Jaworski. “Competition is all about winning and earning championships and our racers did an outstanding job in 2010. To have 19 riders finish in the top five of their class and get seven championships is wonderful. I congratulate all the racers and thank them for choosing Motowoz suspension.”

Polaris’ all-electric Ranger EV has been awarded “Best of the Best” by Field & Stream Magazine. Polaris also won the “Best of the Best” last year with the Ranger HD 800 featuring the Pure Polaris Lift & Carry system.

“Polaris would like to thank Field & Stream for continuing to notice Polaris’ contribution to the hunting industry,’” says Jan Rintamaki, marketing director of the Off-Road Division for Polaris. “It’s an honor to be recognized by the world’s leading outdoor magazine two years in a row.”

The Ranger EV electric Side-by-Side was a first for Polaris. The unit features the largest battery pack in the industry (11.5 kilowatts) and has the longest range of any electric Midsize. Built for clean and quiet operation, the Ranger EV is aimed at hunters and homeowners with acreage. With its 30 horsepower electric motor, 50 mile range and 25 mph top speed, the Ranger EV is designed transport hunters and their gear to and from their hunting site with fewer disturbances to game.

The Jagged X / Polaris racing 1919 Ranger RZR kicked off the second half of the Best in the Desert series with a convincing win at the Vegas to Reno race this past weekend. The No. 1919, piloted by Brandon Schueler, finished more than three hours in front of second place and was one of only five of the ten starters to finish the 534-mile race.

The Jagged X Ranger RZR left the line at 6:36 a.m. in eighth position out of the ten starters present. All of the competition looked strong through the first couple of pits but Schueler began moving up in the pack and was running in first position by the time they rolled through pit five. Jagged X’s prep work paid off with only one little tire leak through the entire race.

This marks the fourth consecutive finish and win of the Vegas to Reno race for Polaris, Brandon Schueler and the No. 1919 Jagged X Ranger RZR. Up next is the Bluewater Desert Challenge, in Parker, Ariz., Oct. 15-17.

Hundreds of ATV enthusiasts were in attendance to catch the racing action at Lower Place Motorsports in Martin’s Mill, Tex. for the High Lifter Pro Series Racing tour.

Team High Lifter – Polaris captured seven podium finishes, including two wins this past weekend. Brian Robertson took first place in the “RUV Class” on his Polaris Ranger XP. His wife and teammate Maggie Robertson placed second in the “Women’s Class” riding a Polaris Sportsman 850, while team racer JW Otwell pulled out a third place win in the “Pro A Class” on a Polaris Sportsman 850.

The big winner of the day was the newest member of Team High Lifter – Polaris Racing, Brian Haughton. Haughton won the “Bogger Class” on his Polaris Sportsman 550, finished third in the “Open Class” on his Polaris Sportsman 850, and third again in the “RUV Class” with a Polaris Ranger RZR-S.

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., awarded more than $50,000 in GRANTs (Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails) to ATV riding clubs and public land management agencies across the country in the OHV Access Initiative’s mid-year funding cycle for 2010.

“Two years into the program, we continue to see the OHV community respond and apply for resources with well-designed projects that support the safety and sustainability of motorized recreation nationwide,” says Mike Martinez, general manager of Yamaha’s ATV and Side-by-Side Operations.

Since the introduction of the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative in 2008, 129 organizations have received GRANT funding for projects that directly support responsible OHV riding and open access for motorized recreation.

“As we evaluate the effectiveness of the OHV Access Initiative, it is clear that a significant portion of our GRANTs benefit areas that might otherwise be lost to OHV riding,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV/SxS marketing manager. “Our GRANTs are supporting local, state and federal public lands in 30 states, and we know there are still many critical areas that need funding. If your riding area needs help, we strongly encourage you to consider submitting an application.”

Yamaha GRANTs were awarded to five qualified recipients from applications received during the program’s second quarter funding cycle.

Awardees include:
* Arkansas Trail Blazers ATV Club
* U.S. Bureau of Land Management – Pocatello, Idaho
* Mountain Trail Riders Association – Jonesborough, Tenn.
* Red Rock Rider’s ATV Club – Pengilly, Minn.
* Washington State Department of Natural Resources – Capitol State Forest

About the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative

Each quarter, Yamaha accepts applications from non-profit or tax-exempt organizations including OHV riding clubs, national forests and associations, and national, state and local government agencies. A committee then reviews each application and awards GRANTs to deserving projects. Applications for the third quarter of 2010 must be postmarked by September 30, 2010.

Examples of appropriate projects for GRANTs include, but are not limited to:
* Trail development, restoration and maintenance
* Trail signage and map production
* Staging area construction, renovation and maintenance
* Land stewardship, trail safety and education

Guidelines, an application form and information on the OHV Access Initiative are available at: www.yamaha-motor.com/ohvaccess. For specific questions about the OHV Access Initiative, call Yamaha’s dedicated OHV Access Initiative Hotline at 1-877-OHV-TRAIL (877-648-8724), email OHVAccess@yamahamotor.com or write to: Yamaha OHV Access Initiative Review Committee, 6555 Katella Avenue, Cypress, CA 90630-5101.

Related Reading
Yamaha issues more than $80,000 in GRANTs
Yamaha’s GRANTs program tops $1 million

One of the most important things when riding is getting good traction. Whether you’re just a trail rider or a racer you need to be able to get from point A to point B, and without traction you will be left in the dust no matter how built-up the rest of your ATV is.

As we have had our Yamaha YFZ450R MX Project for several weeks now, we thought it was time to change out the tires and try out something different. Our good buddies at Maxxis and ITP sent out a set of wheels and tires to put them to the test.

ITP sent us a set of rear T9 Pro Series Trac-Lock rear wheels. These wheels feature an outer bead lock ring and an inner reinforcing ring. The ITP T9 Trac-Lock wheels are made to be tough with .190 aluminum wall construction. The outside bead lock ring comes into play when sliding around rough corners on the track and it also adds some styling to the wheels. Often times with stock wheels, if the tire catches a rut just right the tire can come off the bead. There is nothing more embarrassing than crossing the finish line with a floppy tire, even if you are lucky enough to make it that far.

With the goal of raising money for wetland conservation while having a blast on and off the trails, the Western York County (South Carolina) chapter of Ducks Unlimited held its second annual ATV Poker Run and we were lucky enough to tag along.

The 2010 WYCDU event began the morning of Saturday, August 14 at the Wood Duck Club in York, SC. We arrived at a large field set up for parking. The staff on hand told us to go ahead and park, then we could ride our off-road vehicle down to the registration area. After unloading, we started down the road on our Polaris RZR and saw another large field on each side of the road that was set up for camping.

The registration booth was well equipped and fully staffed so it was easy to register for the ride or to purchase poker hands and T-shirts. We signed in and started out on the trail to have some fun and to learn all we could about this great cause as well as to get some great shots.

When Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Josh Creamer won the 2010 AMA ATV Pro Motocross Championship, it was his first. For Hinson Clutch Components, however, it was the twenty-first consecutive year that a Hinson-equipped ATV took home the number one plate.

Hinson Clutch Components was founded in 1992, but the story began in 1989 when founder Wayne Hinson became tuner for legendary ATV racer Gary Denton. Discontent with clutch basket failure, Hinson made the first aftermarket clutch basket and helped guide Denton to seven GNC championships. Since then, every premiere class ATV champion, from Tim Farr and Doug Gust to Dustin Wimmer, has run Hinson Clutch Components.

“To have won over twenty championships, from our first with Gary Denton, has exceeded our wildest dreams,” says founder Wayne Hinson. “Special thanks to all the riders, sponsors, teams and colleagues that have supported the Hinson family and Hinson Racing over all these years.”

Rockstar Makita Suzuki pilot Josh Creamer clinched the 2010 AMA ATV Motocross championship at the season finale at the Loretta Lynn Ranch. Teammate Dustin Wimmer, who came into the season with back-to-back titles of his own, finished second, giving the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team a 1-2 finish.

The season started out in Alabama in March, with Round 1 at Pell City. In his debut aboard the yellow Suzuki QuadRacer R450, Josh Creamer was determined to prove that he had the speed and the talent to put himself at the front of the pack. He did just that by taking both holeshots for the day, but it was his teammate Wimmer who came out victorious with 1-1 moto finishes. It looked like the defending champ wasn’t going to let his new teammate get to the top so easily, and Wimmer took the immediate lead in the points chase. Creamer finished third overall but was positive he could do better in the next round.

While Suzuki racers Josh Creamer and Dustin Wimmer were competing for the AMA Pro ATV championship, Suzuki amateur racers were battling in the Tennessee mud for championships of their own.

Their efforts paid off, as these dedicated individuals took home 20 podium positions for Suzuki, including seven overall wins, six second-place finishes, and seven third-place finishes. Suzuki riders also double podiumed in the Pro-Am Unlimited, 4-Stroke B, 4-Stroke C and College (16-24) classes, and completely swept the podium in the Veteran 30+ C and Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) classes.

Suzuki would like to congratulate each of the following riders on their achievements:

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A. continues its support of outdoor recreational sports and conservation efforts by sponsoring the 2010 National Hunting and Fishing (NHF) Day.

As part of the partnership, Yamaha has donated an all-new 2011 Grizzly 450 with Electric Power Steering (EPS) — a Field & Stream magazine 2010 “Best of the Best” recipient — that one lucky outdoorsman will win. The sweepstakes is being promoted at NHF Day events nationwide, and anyone can enter to win by simply registering online at www.yamahaoutdoors.com/nhfday anytime from August 18, 2010, through the end of November.

“Our involvement with National Hunting and Fishing Day over the years has proved to be an excellent opportunity for Yamaha to further promote and support one of its core values — outdoor conservation and ethical hunting and fishing,” says Steve Nessl, marketing manager for Yamaha’s ATV/SxS group. “Yamaha is more involved in the hunting and fishing communities than any other ATV manufacturer and we look forward to another great NHF Day celebration.”

Team Motoworks / Can-Am finished its AMA ATV Motocross National season strong as Chad Wienen rode his Can-Am DS 450 ATV to the win at the famed Loretta Lynn’s track near Hurricane Mills, Tenn. this past weekend. This was Wienen’s second win in two rounds and the third win for the team over the course of the final four races of the season. Wienen finished third in the overall championship points battle.

“I have to thank Can-Am, Motoworks, DWT and my mechanic and all my sponsors for everything they have done for me this season,” says Wienen. “I’m hoping to continue to be on the podium at the start of next season.”

“We at BRP are excited to see the Motoworks team finish the season on such a strong note and want to thank everyone on the team for a hard-fought season,” says Jimmie O’Dell, racing manager for Can-Am ATVs at BRP. “While we would have loved to bring home a championship, we cannot be disappointed in a season that saw BRP get its first ATV national motocross win. Going into the off-season, we will take everything we learned this season and work hard for the championship next season.”

Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., has received Field & Stream magazine’s “Best of the Best” award for the new 2011 Grizzly 450 with Electric Power Steering (EPS). The 2010 recognition gives Yamaha a clean sweep for its power steering models – the 2007 Grizzly 700 EPS, 2009 Grizzly 550 EPS and now 2011 Grizzly 450 EPS have all been named “Best of the Best” since Yamaha introduced power steering to the ATV world in 2006.

According to Field & Stream, the Best of the Best judging criteria include the significance of the innovation, the quality of the design, and the value it brings to hunters. The Grizzly 450 EPS will be featured in the September 2010 issue of Field & Stream.

“The ‘Best of the Best’ is one of the outdoor industry’s biggest awards, and Yamaha is proud to be a four-time winner including all of our top utility ATVs and the Rhino 700 Side-by-Side vehicle,” says Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s marketing manager. “Outdoorsmen use these machines for scouting, hauling, food plotting and various other challenging hunting situations. Whether we are talking about the mid-size or big bore class, the Grizzly line’s off-road capabilities and reputation for durability and reliability make these vehicles stand out for customers who collect the best gear.”

Josh Creamer sealed his first ever ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship at the final race of the 2010 season aboard his Rockstar Makita Suzuki at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.

Due to inclement weather throughout the weekend, track officials were forced to reduce the pro racing to a one moto format, which was won by Chad Wienen aboard his Motoworks Can-Am. Wienen took his second overall win in a row, while Dustin Wimmer rode through the mud to take second place.

“Here at Loretta’s, we had a really great weekend” says Wienen. “When the rain started, we didn’t look forward to it, but the track workers did a really great job getting the track back into shape.”

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has signed a law that raises the minimum age for ATV riding in the state to 14.

The law was sponsored after 8-year-old Sean Kearney died from injuries he suffered from ATV accident in 2006.

“This bill focuses on the safety of people, especially children, who use these vehicles,” says Senate President Therese Murray. “It holds negligent users or owners accountable and helps curb the dangerous practices that harm individuals and children.”

The bill also requires all ATV operators 18 years old and younger to undergo mandatory safety training. Additionally, penalties have been increased for illegal riding – the penalty for driving an ATV while intoxicated has increased from a maximum $75 fine to a maximum $5,000 fine. Finally, the bill creates a fund, which is supported by registration revenues and fines, to improve enforcement and develop and maintain trails.

Not all the competition in the AMA Pro ATV Motocross Championship takes place between the riders, as the top ATV manufacturers vie for the Manufacturer’s Cup, as well. Team Suzuki has secured the crown for the third consecutive year.

The team has many reasons to celebrate heading into the final round of racing, as it has not only earned the 2010 Manufacturer’s Cup prior to the final two motos, but its two riders, Josh Creamer and Dustin Wimmer, are the only two riders in contention for the 2010 AMA ATV Motocross Championship.

“With all the competition in ATV Racing, Suzuki is proud to win the manufacturers cup once again,” says Pat Alexander, sports promotion manager at American Suzuki Motor Corp. “We have an excellent team made up of hard working mechanics, drivers and riders who allow Suzuki to maintain this prestigious award.”

Team Motoworks / Can-Am now has two Pro-class overall wins in the past three rounds of the AMA ATV Motocross National series after Chad Wienen raced his Can-Am DS 450 ATV to a win at Red Bud near Buchanan, Mich. this past weekend. This is the first overall win of the year for Wienen and his first on the Can-Am DS 450. In all, there were four Can-Am DS 450 ATVs in the top 10 Pro-class finishing spots.

“Chad went into the weekend with confidence in himself and his Can-Am machine, as he went out and had fun racing on one of his favorite tracks on the circuit,” says Jimmie O’Dell, racing manager for Can-Am ATVs at BRP. “The entire team worked extremely hard all weekend to put him in the position for this win. Everyone at BRP is very proud of him and it’s exciting to see Chad earn his first national win on the DS 450.”

Wienen set the pace early on when he pulled the fastest qualifying time during Saturday’s final practice session and earned the fast qualifier award on Sunday morning. In the first moto, he was fifth out of the holeshot and quickly passed his way to third, but ran out of time to advance any further. In the second moto, however, he quickly passed for the lead and pulled the fastest lap of anyone during the weekend.

Reigning XC2 ATV GNCC Champion Josh Kirkland suffered a terrible crash a week ago Friday breaking a vertebra in his neck.

Kirkland was practicing for the upcoming Pont de Vaux ATV race held in France. While practicing he suffered a horrendous crash that sent him over the bars. An ambulance was sent immediately at which point it was determined to life flight him via helicopter to the nearest trauma center.

Upon admittance to the hospital, Kirkland immediately underwent surgery through the back of his neck to help stabilize the vertebrae in his neck. It was determined that his C5 vertebra was shattered and his spinal cord received trauma but was not severed. Another surgery was performed on Wednesday to aid in the stabilization of the neck. . A small hole in his intestine was also found this past Friday which caused infection and a high fever led to a third surgery. His family and friends have been by his side since the accident.

Red Bud MX in Buchanan, Mich., was the site of the penultimate round of the 2010 AMA ATV Motocross Championship. The race saw strong performances from the Rockstar Makita Suzuki team as points leader Josh Creamer rode two smart races to finish on the podium and increase his points lead, while teammate Dustin Wimmer took another top-five finish.

In the first moto, Creamer used the Suzuki QuadRacer R450’s power to grab a top-three start. Creamer logged consistently fast laps and closed in on the lead, but ran out of time and crossed the finish line in a strong second place. Wimmer, sitting second in the points standings, had a tough, mid-pack start in the first moto. The defending champion quickly pushed forward, finishing the moto with a well-earned fifth.

Creamer grabbed the holeshot in moto two and rocketed into the lead. But as the battle intensified, Creamer opted to play it safe, taking another second-place finish and keeping his points lead strong. Wimmer got a better start than he did in the first moto and managed to improve on his moto one score, as well, crossing the line in fourth.

Chad Wienen took his first overall win of the 2010 season aboard this Motoworks Can-Am during round 10 of the AMA Pro ATV MX championship at Red Bud in Buchanan, Mich.

Baldwin Motorsports/PEPs Josh Upperman took the win over the field in Moto 1 with the current points leader, Rockstar Makita Suzuki‘s Josh Creamer in the second spot, and Wienen in the third spot. In the second moto, Wienen was able to pass through the field to take the second moto win, and the overall with 3-1 finishes. Creamer’s 2-2 scores for second overall put him 40 points ahead in the 2010 ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship standings going into the final round two weeks from now at Loretta Lynn Ranch.

“This weekend at Red Bud was very exciting,” says Wienen. “This win was a long time coming, but everyone has been working really hard. You know, that’s what it takes to be on top, a lot of hard work and you have to have a lot of fun. I definitely had a lot of fun here at Red Bud.”

Lone Star Racing’s Axcalibar Racing Axle has provided over a decade of performance and reliability to factory race teams and weekend warriors. Still, nothing is perfect so Lone Star Racing set to improve the performance and durability of the Axcalibar and released the new Axcalibar Pro Racing Axle.

The new Axcalibar Pro Racing Axle features three significant upgrades. The first upgrade is a new axle profile to maximize strength without increasing weight. The second are redesigned tapered wheel ends that have been designed to eliminate sharp points in the axle that are prone to failure. Finally the axle is finished with hard chrome plating that is proven to be more durable to the harsh elements of riding and racing.

The Axcalibar Pro Racing Axles are still 100 percent compatible with all OEM and Lone Star Racing products. Backed by a full lifetime warranty, the Axcalibar Pro Racing Axle retails for $445.

With an eye on value, Pro Armor has released its ProAm nerf bars for the Yamaha YFZ450R.

Featuring 1-1/4-inch aluminum tubing, the nerf bars are tig welded for maximum strength and work with stock foot pegs. Nets are made from heavy-duty nylon to ensure strength. Available in brushed aluminum ($139.95) or powder coated black ($149.95), ProAm products hold the same tolerances and high quality as Pro Armor.

YFZ450R owners can also pick up a Pro Armor rear grab bar. The light weight design is intended to allow you to maneuver your quad when you are loading it or stuck in harsh riding conditions, while providing a place to stand your quad upright to perform routine maintenance or work on your ATV without damaging your pipe.

The Pro Armor rear grab bar is available in brushed aluminum ($79.95) or powder coated black ($89.95).

This was my second quad race and second time racing at night. I teamed up with Patty Blais once again on her 2006 Honda TRX450 ATV as race number #92Q.

The course was laid out by the Bushwhackers MC and was about 21 miles long. The race started at 9pm. We had a full moon and it was hot out there; around 112 degrees during the day and 85 degrees at night.

Patty would once again get a great start off the line and took the holeshot. Each lap would take us approximately 45 minutes. After her first lap, Patty came into the pits running in 2nd overall. She did not have any problems out there and she was running great. Now it was my turn to hop on the quad. I headed down pit row and out onto the course and to my surprise, just after the first turn, there were about two miles of VW-sized whoops. After that, the course snaked through the tight bushes and was a lot of fun. About a mile or two into my lap, I passed the first place quad team. After this really smooth and fun winding section, guess what, more VW size whoops! These whoops were making my arms go numb. This is where my good friend Justin Shultz with PDI Racing passed me. He had come out there with us and teamed up with Jaybird from Jackrabbits Nevada MC on his bike team. The whoop section was just long enough to do a serious number on my arms, but just when I thought I couldn’t take this anymore it opened up to a long 5th gear pinned flat road. I had no dust in front of me so I was pinned the whole way.

National Guard Polaris Yokley Racing ATV Team rider Jarrod McClure finished 16th overall and 12th in the 20 rider Pro ATV class in Round 7 of the 2010 WORCS Series.

Summary

The GNCC Series has been on summer break for almost a month, and National Guard Polaris ATV Team rider Jarrod McClure decided to venture out west for some racing action in round #7 of the WORCS series held in McCleary, Wash. The Straddleline ORV race course has many similarities to a typical GNCC track and the team was looking forward to this race, which was held in a beautiful part of the country just 15 miles west of the state capitol in Olympia.

The beautiful moderate weather was a welcome relief coming from the heat and humidity back east, so the team was ready to roll. After qualifying 5th on Saturday, ATV pilot Jarrod McClure was getting anxious for the race to begin. There were some familiar faces from the GNCC series at this event with GNCC Champ Chris Borich, Adam McGill, and Johnny Gallagher to help fill up the gate in the pro class making for an exciting race.

As ATV.com’s resident sport quad aficionado, we’re always excited when a manufacturer comes out with something new. When Yamaha introduced its YFZ450R for the 2009 model year we were extra stoked as we’d been racing on the original YFZ450 for several years.

We were lucky enough to be one of the first to have tested the YFZ450R when it was first introduced. We’ve ridden it out in sand dunes in Southern California and on numerous motocross tracks, but we’d never really had a chance to enter it into real race settings. That’s all about to change.

Yamaha recently loaned us a 2010 YFZ450R for some long term testing and we’ve decided to jump on the opportunity and use the YFZ for a motocross project. This article will mark the first of a series on racing and modifying the 2010 Yamaha YFZ450R to be competitive in the local AMA district 15 MX in the A Class.

After racking up victories and podium results in World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) ATV competitions and punctuated by the first Can-Am DS 450 Pro win in AMA ATV Motocross racing, the Holz Racing Products DS 450 +2 Long Travel Front A-Arm Kit is now available for all DS450 owners.

The kit was developed in conjunction with top Motoworks riders like Josh Frederick, Chad Weinen and John Natalie, who put it to the test in some of the most demanding racing environments in North America.

High quality tig-welded chromoly steel creates the backbone of the long travel A-arms. Mated with heavy-duty tie rods and new rod ends, the kit utilizes the stock pivot bushings and ball joints and features adjustable camber.