The Buzz – Happenings Around the Industry Week of October 14th
by Jason Giacchino
As the second week of October comes to a close, we’ve got loads of event info and racing action to report as well as some lucrative opportunities to land sponsorships. Without further ado:
STI Releases New Vortex Sand UTV Tire
STI Tire & Wheel is transforming sand tire technology with the introduction of the all-new Vortex V-Roll line of tires. The Vortex V-Roll is a game changer for owners of large displacement UTVs. Designed specifically for big-bore side-by-sides, this tire delivers the high performance needed for heavier, high-horsepower applications.
Key to the effectiveness of the V-Roll is its sizing. This lightweight, 4-ply tire is being introduced in a 27×11-14 front and a 27×14-14 rear. By mounting on a 14-inch wheel, the result is a super-wide, high-flotation footprint that keeps the machine on top of the sand instead of sinking in. This also achieves a very low-profile sidewall, which enhances handling by minimizing tire flex and lateral roll. The sizing ensures proper front and rear brake clearance for all popular UTV applications. And there’s no denying the “cool” factor of the many popular and stylish 14-inch wheels on the market today (including STI’s own HD Alloy Series).
The 11-inch-wide front V-Roll features a rib to provide excellent steering response and minimal rolling resistance. The 14-inch-wide rear V-Roll uses eight paddles for an ideal balance of traction and handling. The paddles are molded in, which greatly increases durability.
The Vortex V-Roll is very competitive in terms of both performance and pricing. It even comes standard with a one-year manufacturer’s limited warranty.
STI Vortex V-Roll tires are available at finer ATV/UTV dealers everywhere, through MTA Distributing. For more information, to place an order or to locate an STI dealer, visit www.stitireandwheel.com or call: East (318) 255-0049; West (951) 272-0971.
Awesomeness Competition Announced
Seat Time, in conjunction with Racer Productions, will be holding its second Awesomeness Competition at the final round of the 2011 Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, November 4-6. With a three-day race format, GNCC Racing wanted some extra entertainment for the racers and families, and that’s where the Seat Time Awesomeness Competition comes into play. With a Concept2 Rower and rear tire in hand, the Seat Time crew will create a fun and competitive atmosphere for all to enjoy.
For those who have not attended an Awesomeness Competition before, the format may always be different, but the end result the same – to find the most awesome person. For the Loretta Lynn’s event, Seat Time has chosen to hold a Tire Changing Competition and a Concept2 Rowing Competition.
The Tire Changing station will be more of a tube changing setup. The competitor will need to remove one side of the tire, replace the tube, place the tire back on the rim and then fill the tire to over 20psi. For the Concept2 Rowing Competition, a competitor will knock out their fastest 250m sprint on a Concept2 Rower. For both stations, fastest time wins.
New for Loretta Lynn’s, there will be an Exhibition Class – where Pro racers and their mechanics can show off their skills in the Tire Changing Competition and the Concept2 Rowing Competition against their on-track racing competitors.
The Awesomeness Competition will be a ton of fun and will feature some great prizes and swag thanks to many of the GNCC Series Sponsors and more. The crew at Seat Time is always looking to have fun and enjoy the great sport of riding motorcycles while helping to promote our sport and make the time between the races a bit more interesting. Everyone is invited to come take a chance at some great prizes, and of course the title of the most Awesome!
Seat Time can be found by visiting seattime.com. All recent episodes can be found on the site and the crew looks forward to many more great years of finding a way to bring you your Off-Road News in a fun and laid back fashion! Always Enjoy A Pint Full of Awesome.
Mud Creek Off-Road Park Texas to Host Fisher’s ATV World
If you love the mud, this is the place to be! Mud Creek Off-Road Park is hosting Brian Fisher and his crew with the Keepin’ It Real Tour Bus this weekend to show off some of their trails and mud riding techniques. With over 4,000 acres to ride, this ATV Park will show us how they do it, Texas style! Mud Creek Off-Road Park, which is located in the Piney Woods Region of East Texas, is made up of rolling green hills, wooded patches, and small bridges that were built to allow access to all areas of the park. Whether you like to stay on dry land or play in the MUD, Mud Creek Off-Road Park has it all! For more information on the Mud Creek Off Road Park, visit: http://mudcreekoffroadpark.com
The Fisher’s ATV World 2011 “Keepin’ It Real” Tour is a great opportunity for off-road riders and their families to meet Brian Fisher, get an autograph and share stories of their trail adventures. There will be lots of giveaways from various tour partners, which include Lucas Oil, Discount Tire Direct, ITP Tires and Wheels, Hatfield & McCoy Trail, Rick’s Motorsport Electrics, Warn Industries, Quadboss, Brimstone Recreation and Genuine Innovations. Fisher’s ATV World “Fish Gear” will also be available at each tour location.
For more information and the complete schedule of “Keepin’ It Real” Tour dates and locations, visit the tour web site: http://keepinitreal.fishersatvworld.com/
Friday Night Lights Fall MX Returns
DWT and Motoworks Exhaust will once again support the Friday Night Lights Fall MX series held at Milestone MX Park. The FNL series saw a great turnout from the ATV community by including quads in their lineup for the summer series and DWT and Motoworks are excited to partner with the series again.
The series kicked off on Saturday October 8th with events following on Nov 19th, Dec 3rd and Dec 17th.
This is a great opportunity for riders of any skill level to come out and ride a topnotch facility, hang with some great people and take home some great prizes from DWT, Motoworks and a host of other companies.
For more info visit:
www.FNLmx.com
www.DWTracing.com
www.Motoworks.com
Montreal Supermotocross
Mark Holz traveled to Montreal with his Holz Racing/Motoworks/Can-Am Commander to compete in one of Canada’s most heralded events, the Montreal Supermotocross. 2011 marks the first year for side-by-side competition here and it drew 22 UTV racers and 45,000 fans to Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec.
Mark raced one of only two Commanders entered in the field and spent time setting up the car for the extremely short course. “Lap times are only 30 seconds in this building,” Mark commented. “That’s a big difference from a typical WORCS desert course. It’s tough to pass on a track this short with turns this tight.” Mark’s solution was a simple one: grab the holeshot and stay ahead of the pack, which he did crossing the finish line more than 19 seconds ahead of the second place finisher. Holz also clocked the race’s fastest lap time of 29.565 seconds. In ATV Class, Holz Racing/Motoworks/Can-Am teammate John Natalie took the third place podium position.
Mark Holz will compete in Side-by-Side Class 1 at Round 8 of the World Off Road Championship Series at Adelonto, California on October 22.
In front of 45,000 fans, Can-Am X-Team Pro ATV racer Richard Pelchat topped an all-Can-Am DS 450 podium in winning the ATV portion of the Montreal Supermotocross event held at Olympic Stadium in Quebec, Canada. Fellow Can-Am racer Mark Holz also recorded a class victory, piloting the No. 673 Holz Racing / Motoworks / Can-Am Commander 1000 X to an historic win in the inaugural Side-By-Side class event. Can-Am ATV racers Cody Miller, reigning 2010 NEATV-MX Champion, and John Natalie, 2011 AMA ATV MX Champion, joined Pelchat on the podium.
GNCC News
Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Chris Borich celebrated his seventh victory of the season at the Powerline GNCC in St. Clairsville, OH, on Saturday. Reigning Champion Borich came from behind to take the victory on his Yoshimura-equipped Suzuki QuadRacer R450 at round 11 of the 2011 Grand National Cross Country series. This result also saw Borich extend his lead in the overall points standings.
In the race, Borich overcame a mid-pack start, thanks to the power of his Suzuki QuadRacer R450. Then, the Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider put his head down and worked his way through the field into second place. Settling into a groove, Borich began reeling in the leader and, with less than two miles to go, he made a thrilling, last-lap pass to take the win.
Next, the series moves to Crawfordsville, IN, on Saturday, October 22nd, for the Ironman GNCC. For more information, visit www.suzukicycles.com. Follow team updates on SuzukiScoopFans on facebook and SuzukiScoop on twitter.
Powerline GNCC ATV XC1 Class Results:
1. Chris Borich
2. Brian Wolf
3. Adam McGill
4. Taylor Kiser
5. Jarrod McClure
6. Donald Ockerman
7. Jeffrey Pickens
8. Kevin Yoho |
9. Chris Bithell
10. Dustin Canipe
2011 GNCC ATV XC1 Class Standings:
1. Chris Borich – 276
2. Adam McGill – 240
3. Chris Bithell – 217
4. Taylor Kiser – 213
5. Brian Wolf – 194
6. Bryan Cook – 157
7. Jarrod McClure – 154
8. Donald Ockerman – 151
9. Kevin Yoho – 139
10. Jeffrey Pickens – 122
Sponsorship Opportunities:
Houser Racing
Houser Racing is geared up and ready to start reviewing 2012 Rider Resumes. Get them in early to prevent any delays in the review process. We have been stocking products over the summer to prepare for the 2012 season. Now stocking products: Nerf Bars, Long Travel and Regular Travel A-Arms, Steering Stems, Grab Bars, Swing Arms and most smaller parts. Get your order in early to avoid a wait later.
To apply send the following to: Jennifer Haley at jen@houser-racing.com or mail to Houser Racing, Attn: Jennifer Haley Sponsorship 173 Oak Street, Marion, OH 43302.
• Rider Resume
• Important information regarding sponsorship
• Pictures of you and your atv
• Race Results (Include Series, How Many Races you Entered, and How you Finished)
• Products needed/desired
• ATV you are currently racing, and what ATV you plan to race in 2012
Houser Racing offers many sponsorships each year. They range from amateur/entry level all the way to full support.
Minimum requirements to qualify for sponsorship are:
• Rider is at least 16 years of Age (unless on the Cobra)
• Rider must race an ATV Houser Racing manufactures products
• Rider must have raced at least 70% of a National/Regional/Local Race Series
• Rider Resume must be complete with all necessary information for review
• Improvement from year to year
• Application submitted before December 31, 2011
• Rider has completed at least 1 full season of racing in the past (within the last 2 years)
All resumes will be reviewed within 4 weeks of receiving them. Resumes must be turned in on or before December 31, 2011 to qualify for 2012 Sponsorship. I try to review resumes weekly, in the order in which they are received. Sponsorships are awarded to those who qualify on a first-come, first-serve basis. If offered a sponsorship, an acceptance letter will be mailed out to the rider immediately. The rider is responsible to sign and return their acceptance. No discounts will be awarded without the signed acceptance on file.
Houser Racing
740-382-8100 ext 102
www.houser-racing.com
173 Oak StreetMarion, OH 43302
DeRisi Racing
DeRisi Racing Inc. sponsorship application period begins September 1, and is open through November 30. Resumes received after November 30 cannot be accepted. DeRisi Racing Inc. welcomes resumes from participants of all ages, and levels, from Amateur to Pro.
They are not just focused on national events for 2011/2012, we want a full arsenal of riders competing in all the different series to go out and represent! Some of the series that we are looking for riders in are: WORCS, AWORCS, IXCR, Mid East, OMA, Mid South, GNCC, GNC, NEATV, VXCS, and any other district series.
To apply, simply mail your resume with an action photo and a headshot to our address listed below or you can email your resume to santo@derisiracing.com/. All applicants will be notified of sponsorship status via email no later than January 1st.
DeRisi Racing Inc.
Attn: Rider Support
418 Moriah Church Road
Casar, NC 28020