CAN-AM DS 450 RACERS KICK OFF AMA ATV MOTOCROSS SERIES WITH SEVERAL CLASS PODIUMS

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Team Motoworks / Can-Am® DS 450™ racer John Natalie finished second in both Pro class motos to finish second on the podium at the AMA ATV Motocross Championship opener in Washington, Ga. Teammate Joel Hetrick won the fastest qualifier award at Aonia Pass MX aboard the DS 450 and finished eighth overall. Can-Am racers also wrapped up several amateur class wins during the opening weekend of the 10-round AMA ATV MX series.

“John battled hard in both Pro class motos and just narrowly missed taking the overall win in the final lap of moto two. He remains steadfast and determined in his title defense,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Joel Hetrick was very impressive, earning the fastest qualifying time in both Pro practices. Unfortunately, his hopes for a weekend podium were dashed after a first-moto crash occurred while he was making a pass for the lead. Both our racers were very strong and are determined to be significant contenders for the Pro class podium at every round this season.”

Natalie, who was the second fastest qualifier of the day on his DS 450, was second off the start. After falling back to fourth at one point, Natalie buckled down and passed his way back into the top three. He earned the second position when his teammate, Hetrick, went off the track while challenging for the lead. Natalie drew close to the leader, but ran out of time and had to settle for second in moto one. Hetrick, who was unable to finish the first moto, was credited with 14th.

Moto two again saw Natalie pull out of the gate in second. He quickly took over the lead and was followed by the moto one winner. Natalie held the lead and fended off several pass attempts for almost the entire moto. The race overall came down to the final corner. Natalie lost the lead and the race overall, but still ended up second overall with his 2-2 finishes.

“It was really close at the end. I wanted to start the season on the podium and I’m happy about that,” said Natalie. “I have to thank Can-Am, Motoworks and everyone who helped me get to the podium today.”

Hetrick rebounded from his disappointing first moto to earn fourth in moto two. His 14-4 combined finishes were good for eighth overall in his Pro debut aboard the Can-Am DS 450.

“I really like the Can-Am. I felt good on it today,” said Hetrick. “I was having a really good first moto and took the lead, but we got together right after that and I went off the track. I was hoping to be on the podium, but I rode really well and I’m happy I was able to lead for a little while.”

Other Can-Am DS 450 racers to post class victories were, Chase Henry (Production A), Travis Spader (Veteran 30+ and 450 A), Merrill Crose (25+A) and C.J. Dollarhide (4-Stroke B).

For more details about Can-Am racing, the ’12 contingency program and the Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.

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Lonestar Racing/ Morehead Motorsports/ Media Allstars 2012 Round 1 Race Report

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Team Media Allstars kicked off the 2012 ATVA MX National season over the weekend at Aonia Pass MX in Washington, GA.  After the normal scramble for parts and many late nights the week of the race building bikes and pit set ups the gates finally dropped Saturday morning.  Defending the Team of the Year trophy will be no small feat but one glance at the team’s presence both on the track and in the pits and it’s easy to see its priority number one for Team Media Allstars this season.

 

Last season’s success led to an onslaught of resumes during the off season.  Sometimes it’s really hard to sort through and pick out riders that can perform on the track but also have the type of personality to be part of a team atmosphere.  After his performance at Aonia we feel it’s pretty safe to say we picked the right guy!  It was nothing but sweet Musick (Brett Musick) on the podium all weekend long.  Brett dominated his first national on a 450 after moving up from the 90 mod class a year ago.  The #209 LSR Honda rocketed out of the gate pulling holeshots in all 4 of his motos and took home wins in all 4 motos, not bad for a rookie.

Another rider that turned heads was the #03 of Brandon Benlien.  Brandon earned 2nd place finishes right behind his teammate (Brett Musick) in both 450B and Production B.  Brandon came on strong at the end of 2011 winning Production B at the Loretta Lynn event and it looks like that momentum has carried over to 2012.  Making the move up to the Pro-Am ranks can sometimes be a daunting task, but Jake McGraw #83 showed everyone that he’s got the speed to run with the big boys.  Jake fought hard for 6 laps in moto 1 of Pro-Am Unlimited to earn a 4th place.  Carburetor issues would hinder his performance in the second moto as he finished in 11th which was still good enough for a 10th place.  Jake also had similar issues in his Production A moto 1 on Saturday forcing him to finish 18th.  Sunday’s main event saw McGraw’s MotoXperts Suzuki rocket out off the gate into 3rd place where he would remain for the entire moto giving him a combined score of 18-3 and 8th overall.

Also moving up a class this season was 2011 4-stroke B Champ Dylan Tremellen #940.  Dylan showed he’s more than ready as he went 2-2 in the 4-stroke A class for 2nd overall.  Calen McGinty #33 earned a confidence booster as he placed 3rd overall in the Open A class after being the runner up in the Production B class just a year ago.  Josh Holley #7 dominated the 70 CVT class from the mid point of the 2011 season on last year, but this season decided it was time to start shifting a little.  Josh did really well in the 90 modified (8-11) class going 7-7 for 8th place.  It’s not going to be long before he finds his way onto the podium again.  Ryan Wheeler #52 earned a nice 5th place finish in the 450B class as he rode smart and smooth all weekend long.  Also putting in consistent performances over the weekend were Dale #671 and Mark Batson #636.  Dale went 9-8 for 8th in the 30+ A and Mark scored 10-11 for 10th in the same class.

Some team riders didn’t exactly have the opening round they had hoped for as Dan Hoisington, Chase Cunningham, Josh Rager, Nick Lepkoske and Matthew Holley all experienced either mechanical issues or took soil samples of the Red Georgia Clay.  All are talented riders and will no doubt bounce back in a few weeks as the series heads to the hills of east Tennessee and Muddy Creek Raceway.

 

Team Media Allstars weekend stats:
Overalls: 2
Moto Wins: 5
Moto Podiums: 17
Overall Podiums: 6
Top 5s: 7
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Schedule Change Announced for 2012 ATVMX National Championship Series

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Schedule Change Announced for 2012 ATVMX National Championship Series
Opening round to take place at Aonia Pass MX

Morgantown, W.Va. (January 18, 2012) – The ATV Promoters Group (ATVPG) announces today a change in the location of the opening round of the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series. Round one, originally scheduled for March 24-25 at Millcreek in Pell City, Ala., will now take place the same weekend at Aonia Pass Motocross in Washington, Ga.

“Aonia Pass proved last year that their facility is worthy of holding the opening round of ATVMX and it just makes sense to make the change to this location for 2012,” said Sam Gammon, Director of the ATVPG. ”

Aonia Pass MX will remain the host for round two of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series March 17 and 18, while the ATVMX will take place the following weekend, March 24 and 25.

“On behalf of the ATVPG, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. However, we hope series sponsors will find this move as the most convenient choice. Please find the revised 2012 schedule below,” Gammon added.

2012 ATVMX Schedule *REVISED
March 24-25 • Aonia Pass MX • Washington, GA

April 21-22 • Muddy Creek Raceway • Blountville, TN

May 5-6 • Budds Creek • Budds Creek, MD

May 19-20 • Sunset Ridge • Walnut, IL

June 2-3 • Ballance MX • Oakland, KY

June 16-17 • High Point Raceway • Mount Morris, PA

July 30-1 • Sunday Creek • Millfield, OH

July 14-15 • Unadilla • New Berlin, NY

July 28-29 • RedBud • Buchanan, MI

August 11-12 • Loretta Lynn’s • Hurricane Mills, TN

For questions regarding the schedule change, contact Victory Sports at (423) 323-5479 or contact@victory-sports.com. For more information on the series, visit www.atvmotocross.com.

About the AMA ATV Motocross Championship
The AMA ATV Motocross Championship is the nation’s premier amateur and professional ATV motocross series, hosted at top motocross facilities nationwide. The 10-round series features the Nation’s best racers, teams and sponsors, and is America’s largest and longest-running ATV national motocross program. Since 1985, the series continues to expand and produce top talent from the amateur ranks, while premiering the professional class. For more information, please visit http://www.atvmotocross.com.

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Wienen to Factory Yamaha: Yamaha Announces 2012 ATV Race Teams

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Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., has confirmed its 2012 ATV race team with top-level Yamaha supported racers scheduled to compete in the country’s best motocross and cross country series.  Yamaha is also expanding its national trackside assistance program with support at all AMA ATV MX National Championship series events.

“No one can match Yamaha’s support of the sport combining a top racing program, event and track-side support programs and the most comprehensive line of sport ATVs,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV/SxS group marketing manager.  “This is an exciting time for Yamaha racing as we look forward to the 2012 season with a stellar team and the most high-performance and consistent race quad in the YFZ450R.”

Yamaha’s Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) team will again be led by ATV racing legend Bill Ballance as team owner and manager of Ballance Racing.  Taylor Kiser, who took third overall in the 2011 XC-1 Pro class, is back on blue again for 2012 and looking to build momentum.  Walker Fowler, the 2011 AMA ATV Racer of the Year and XC-2 Pro Am champ, will move up to join Kiser in the XC-1 Pro class for 2012.

Eight-time Women’s champ Traci Cecco, who recaptured the #1 plate in 2011, will also return to GNCC competition and continue her run as the most successful women in all of ATV racing while battling for a record ninth overall championship.

Returning to the Yamaha QuadX Series is five-time and reigning Pro champion Dustin Nelson.  Nelson had a perfect season in 2011 winning every stop in the Western motocross series.  He will also compete in the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) again, hoping to build on his fourth place overall finish from 2011.

In the AMA ATV Motocross series, Thomas Brown is returning to Yamaha after finishing fifth in 2011.  For 2012, Brown will be joined in the AMA ATV series by Chad Wienen and his Wienen Motorsports YFZ450R.

“Yamaha focused its efforts in the off-season to further strengthen our team and trackside support programs,” said Donnie Luce, Yamaha ATV/Off-Road racing coordinator.  “2011 was a great year of ATV championships and record seasons, and we expect 2012 is going to be another exciting season for Yamaha’s ATV racing programs.”

Yamaha is expanding its ATV trackside support program working with Layne Barnes and Pro Motorsports (http://www.promotorsportsiowa.com/) from Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, to now include all AMA ATV national events.  Barnes is a longtime ATV enthusiast, and he and his staff will offer support for Yamaha riders by stocking replacement parts and providing technical assistance on race days.

Yamaha will also continue to support the QuadX Series with help from Roy Bloodworth and his Big Kid Racing team (http://www.bigkidracing.com/) who will continue providing parts, service, technical assistance and race information to competitors throughout the season.

“Yamaha embraces the excitement and family atmosphere of ATV racing,” Luce said.  “The sport is in the company’s heritage and fuels our passion for the races and racers.  On the track and on the trails, we expect big things from team blue next year and look forward to Yamaha riders competing for championships in the many series we support.”

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2012 ATV MX Schedule

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2012 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series Schedule
March 24-25 Millcreek Pell City, AL
April 21-22 Muddy Creek Raceway Blountville, TN
May 5-6 Budds Creek Budds Creek, MD
May 19-20 Sunset Ridge Walnut, IL
June 2-3 Ballance MX Oakland, KY
June 16-17 High Point Raceway Mount Morris, PA
July 30-1 Sunday Creek Millfield, OH
July 14-15 Unadilla New Berlin, NY
July 28-29 RedBud Buchanan, MI
August 11-12 Loretta Lynn’s Hurricane Mills, TN
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Brant Russell R.I.P.

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It saddens me, and breaks my heart to say that our good friend Brant Russell passed away of a heart condition over the weekend while sailing near Catalina. Brant has done more for ATV Racing than just about anyone, he championed our sport, and was an all around great guy. I’m devastated, and can’t put into words what this human being meant to me. Godspeed Brant, you’re one of my best friends, and I’ll miss you forever.

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Good News on The Lead Law

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U.S. Senate amendment introduced to exempt kids machines from lead law
 
PICKERINGTON, Ohio — U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) has introduced language that would exempt youth off-highway vehicles (OHVs) from the lead law that effectively bans the sale of these machines at the end of the year, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.

Senate Amendment 264, co-sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), would exempt youth OHVs from the lead-content provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008, which is commonly known as the lead law. Those provisions contain overly restrictive lead-content limits that have virtually destroyed responsible youth motorized recreation.

SA 264 would amend S. 493, which is a small business program reauthorization bill.

The CPSIA bans the making, importing, distributing or selling of any product intended for children 12 and under that contains more than a specified amount of lead in any accessible part. It also requires that all children’s products undergo periodic testing by independent laboratories approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), which is responsible for implementing the law.

The CPSC has delayed enforcing key portions of the law until after the end of the year. Unless the CPSIA is changed, the sale of youth-model motorcycles and ATVs will effectively be banned.

The Klobuchar amendment is similar to H.R. 412, the Kids Just Want to Ride Act, introduced by Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) and supported by 55 of his colleagues. The AMA has enthusiastically supported Rehberg’s legislation, and now also supports SA 264.
 
About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its support of the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations. For more information, please visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com.

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2011 ATV MX National Schedule

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2011 AMA/ATVA National Motocross Race Schedule

February 26-27 #1 Washington, GA @ Aonia Pass
March 19-20 #2 Pell City, AL @ Mill Creek
April 2-3 #3 Oakland, KY @ Ballance MotoX
April 16-17 #4 Mechanicsville, MD @ Budds Creek
May 7-8 #5 Walnut, IL @ Sunset Ridge
May 21-22 #6 Delmont, PA @ Steel City
June 4-5 #7 Millville, MN @ Spring Creek Motocross
July 2-3 #8 Millfield, OH @ Sunday Creek
July 16-17 #9 New Berlin, NY @ Unadilla
July 30-31 #10 Buchanan, MI @ Red Bud
August 13-14 #11 Hurricane Mills, TN @ Loretta Lynn’s
For more information about the series, visit www.ATVMotocross.com, or email info@atvmotocross.com.
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The New (and fairly dumbed down) Version of ATV Nationals.com

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Welcome to our new WordPress site, while it may not hold all of the bells, and whistles of the original site, it doesn’t require any help from a Web Designer, which should translate to a decent flow of information. We’re not trying to be “the” source of racing info as each series now has awesome sites of their own, but rather a source of biased information. Enjoy.

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