The Buzz – Happenings Around the Industry Week of August 26th
by Jason Giacchino
The third week of August is filled with news of odd weather phenomena and tough economic times, but the ATV industry is cranking right along with some charitable action, some unique promotions and an abundance of race results.
Tread Lightly Charity eBay Auction
In an effort to raise money for solutions to urgent outdoor recreation issues, more than 50 companies have donated at least 150 products to the nonprofit organization Tread Lightly! for its Fourth Annual Charity Auction on eBay, November 1-11.
The big-ticket items this year are a Grizzly 550 ATV from Yamaha and a Gator XUV 625i utility vehicle from John Deere.
One hundred percent of the money raised will go to help keep off-road trails and recreation sites healthy and open to the public. The auction also includes plenty of 4×4 accessories, powersports equipment and outdoor gear. Bids will start at 40 to 60 percent off of retail prices.
“We’ve just developed some remarkable new campaigns, tools and programs to help protect outdoor recreation access, and we hope to implement these initiatives fully in 2012,” said Tread Lightly!’s executive director Lori McCullough. “Money raised from this auction is key to helping us save access and curtail closures.”
More information about the auction can be found at www.treadlightly.org
Kymco and Ford Enter Joint Promotion
KYMCO USA has entered a partnership that will have the powersports vehicle specialist produce an ATV to complement the rugged F-150 SVT Raptor off-road performance truck offered by Ford Motor Company.
The KYMCO Built Ford Tough F-150 SVT Raptor Limited Edition MXU 500i is the result of an agreement between KYMCO USA and BDA, inc., the official licensing agent for Ford.
The limited edition ATVs are to be placed on display at participating Ford Truck dealerships during the promotional period. However, they will be offered for sale exclusively through the Ford Collection website www.fordcollection.com and participating KYMCO brand retailers will handle delivery of the ATVs purchased.
ATVMX Community Raises Nearly ,000
The ATVPG is pleased to announce the success of this year’s 88 Live to Ride Benefit Auction, held at the final round of racing at Loretta Lynn’s in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. The 88 Live to Ride Foundation, in conjunction with ATVMX and the ATV racing community, raised nearly ,000 to go towards medical supplies and other equipment for riders who have been injured at the races.
Some of the evening’s largest purchases included a Can-Am DS450 ATV – donated by the Motoworks/Can-Am team as well as the 2011 AMA ATV Motocross Championship podium backdrop, going for a combined ,000. John Natalie’s second moto jersey brought in ,000 and the Media AllStars RC Truck topped out at 0.
The 2011 AMA ATVMX Championship Series wrapped up at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch, crowning thirty-five champions in both amateur and pro racing. The top ten amateur racers in each class will be recognized at this year’s end-of-the-season celebration October 29, 2011. For more information, visit www.atvmotocross.com
Yamaha Accepting Scholarship Applications
Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., is now accepting applications for the 2011- 2012 scholarship program that provides financial assistance to members of the National Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT). ACT is a national college student association with more than 350 members located on 17 college and university campuses across the country. ACT’s mission of fostering professional development is at the core of the Yamaha-ACT Scholarship Program, now in its fourth year.
The Yamaha-ACT Scholarship Program is broken out into two individual student scholarships and one chapter scholarship. All three awards are aimed at helping students attend the annual Agricultural Media Summit (AMS), which is the largest gathering of ag media professionals in the country and is the ACT students’ primary career development networking opportunity each year. The conference is hosted by the American Agricultural Editors’ Association (AAEA), the Livestock Publications Council (LPC) and the American Business Media Agri-Council – potentially future employers and colleagues of the students.
Applications are judged based on merit, need and quality of submission materials by a review committee consisting of Yamaha representatives and members of the AAEA and the LPC. The 2011-2012 application process will run through the end of March and winners will be announced in late April 2012. More information and guidelines, along with the application form, can be found online at www.nactnow.org
Racing News
Polaris RZRs Clean Up
Polaris RANGER RZRs continued their domination of the racetrack at the four-hour Heartland Challenge UTV race, in Carlisle, Iowa by taking the top spot in all three classes offered and going one-two in the overall.
Team Elia racing in the “850 Modified” class edged out “Open Modified” Class Winner, Team Coastal/Yokley Racing by six seconds for the Overall.
Holz Racing Riders on Podiums
Holz Racing competed in four classes at two events over the weekend and enjoyed one first place finish, two second place finishes and one third.
On Friday, pilot Matt Parks and copilot Mark Holz were first off the starting line in UTV Pro Class at this year’s Vegas to Reno race and took second overall.
Mark Holz was next up in Washougal, Washington to compete in the 6th round of the World Off-Road Racing Championship Series. Mark and his Can-Am Commander took second place in Side-by-Side Class 1, but still finished more that 3 minutes ahead of the third place UTV. He is in second place in Series Points Standings.
Finally in Pro ATV and Pro-Am ATV Classes Holz Racing/Motoworks/Can-Am Rider Josh Frederick took over the first place start and remained there through the finish.
Can-Am Team Members Get It Done
The Can-AmTalk.com / UXC Racing / Can-Am team of Michael Swift, Clifton Beasley and Adam McGill won the Pro Utility class riding a Can-Am Outlander 800R X xc at the 2011 Heartland Challenge off-road endurance race in Carlisle, Iowa. The trio of Can-Am racers, who normally compete on the Can-Am GNCC Racing circuit, made the grueling 10-hour endurance race seem easy as they finished more than one half hour ahead of their class competitors.
Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 ATV racers Josh Creamer and Josh Frederick each won the Pro class in their respective series to inch closer to the overall points lead. Creamer, who competes in the New England ATV Motocross Series (NEATV-MX), went 1-2 in the Pro class at Englishtown, N.J. to stay within four points of the Pro class points leader.
In Washougal, Wash., Frederick won his second race of the season in the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) to climb within five points of class leader, teammate Jeremie Warnia.