Can-Am ATV and side-by-side vehicle racers earned four podiums, including Jack’s Excavating / Can-Am winning the UTV 1000 (Pro) class and overall, at the 2015 Heartland Challenge endurance race in Iowa. In Ohio, Can-Am Maverick 1000R racer Kyle Chaney won the Woods Extreme X-C Racing UTV Open class.

“Our Can-Am ATV and side-by-side vehicle racers had a good weekend in both Iowa and Ohio, outlasting two challenging courses,” said Jeff Leclerc, Racing Project Leader, Can-Am. “The Pratt brothers and Kyle Chaney, both proved the Maverick 1000R side-by-side is the vehicle of choice for conquering very rugged terrain in a cross-country race.”

GBC Heartland Challenge

ATVs and side-by-side vehicles traveled to Blue Ridge Run outside of Carlisle, Iowa, for the eighth annual GBC Heartland Challenge endurance race. Side-by-side vehicles competed overnight on Friday, Aug. 21, while ATVs began late Saturday, Aug. 22, and raced into the night. Can-Am off-road racing had several teams competing in both sessions. The endurance course featured both man-made obstacles, mud, natural-terrain trails and also required teams to run at night.

With 62 entries in three different classes, the side-by-side vehicle race consisted of one 4-hour session. The tandem of Marcus and Mouse Pratt earned top honors for Can-Am in the 1000 UTV class, by piloting their Jack’s Excavating / Can-Am / Racer Tech / ITP-backed Maverick 1000R to victory. Marcus drove the first two hours and then his brother took the wheel and drove the Maverick to the finish line. They ended up completing 20 laps in 4:00:28 to win the class and UTV overall.

“The course conditions were great. We didn’t have one fault with the Maverick,” said Marcus Pratt. “It’s definitely challenging and four times longer than a GNCC with rocks and telephone poles to negotiate, but we really got a feel for the vehicle and what it can actually do. We have to thank our mechanic and fabricator Tim Mullenburg for his efforts, too.”

Miller Brothers Racing / Can-Am Maverick driver Cody Miller took third place in the class, completing 20 laps in 4:16:44.

The ATVs were slated to run 10 hours, but the session was shortened to roughly seven hours due to severe weather and deteriorating course conditions. In Pro 4×4 ATV action, the team of Zac Zakowski, Bryan Buckhannon and Eric Von Spreckon (Team ZMS / Midwest Performance / Can-Am) competed on Can-Am Renegade 800R and finished second. Cody Miller, Chris Robinson and Cody Taylor teamed up and competed on two Can-Am Renegade ATVs and an Outlander 1000 XT to finish third in the Pro 4×4 class.

WEXCR – Fallon Farms

Can-Am / TurnKey UTV / Chaney Racing team owner Kyle Chaney recorded his third win of the year in WEXCR side-by-side racing action at round four of the UTV portion of the WEXCR series held at Fallon Farms in Rio Grande, Ohio. Chaney, who led every lap of the four-lap event in his Maverick X xc 1000R, won by more than a minute in a time of 1:04:30. Chaney has climbed to within one point of the class leader with one final round remaining.

“We got the early lead and used the dusty conditions to our advantage. We led the race from start to finish. With another WEXCR victory, we are one race closer to another championship,” said Chaney.

BRP (TSX:DOO) is a global leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of powersports vehicles and propulsion systems. Its portfolio includes Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, Can-Am all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles, Can-Am Spyder roadsters, Evinrude and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts, motorcycles and recreational aircraft. BRP supports its line of products with a dedicated parts, accessories and clothing business. With annual sales of over CA$3.5 billion from 107 countries, the Company employs approximately 7,600 people worldwide.

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Best in the Desert’s (BITD) Vegas to Reno is the longest off-road race in the U.S. and more than 50 UTVs would line up to represent the three UTV classes.

Polaris Factory Racer Justin Lambert and co-driver Justin Sheakley in the No. 1918 Cognito Motorsports RZR 4 1000 would tackle the dusty 545-mile race in just over 13 hours.

It wouldn’t be completely smooth sailing for the team as they would have some downtime due to a collision with another car. They were able to make up the deficit and finish first in the Pro class on corrected time.

Polaris Factory Racer Brandon Schueler in the Jagged X No. 1919 would also represent Polaris on the podium in third place. The top five Pro finishers would include four RZRs including the new RZR XP Turbo EPS driven by Polaris Factory Racer and UTV Inc.’s Johnny Angal who built the car in 12 days and finished fifth.

The lone finisher in the Pro Unlimited Class was the No. 2909 RZR of Lacretia Buerrier who continues to lead the class.

Justin Lambert is sponsored by Polaris, Cognito Motorsports, Sparks Performance Products, Mystik Lubricants, Fox Shocks, ITP Tires, Method Race Wheels, Rugged Radios and Rigid Industries.

Johnny Angal is sponsored by Polaris, ITP Tires, Method Race Wheels, Rigid Industries Lights, Fox IBP Shocks, Lone Star Suspension, wrap by Wolf Designs.

Jagged X is sponsored by Polaris, Muzzy Performance, Walker Evans Racing, OMF Performance, Factory UTV, Cutting Edge Manufacturing, Vision X Off Road Lighting Systems, Polaris Racing Lubricants, UTV Underground, Mountain States Contracting.

Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2013 sales of $3.8 billion. Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets innovative, high quality off-road vehicles, including all- terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER and RZR side-by-side vehicles, snowmobiles, motorcycles, and on-road electric/hybrid powered vehicles. Polaris is among the global sales leaders for both snowmobiles and off-road vehicles and has established a presence in the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market with the Victory and Indian Motorcycle brands. Additionally, Polaris continues to invest in the global on-road small electric/hybrid powered vehicle industry with Global Electric Motorcars (GEM), Goupil Industrie SA, Aixam Mega S.A.S., and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris Engineered parts, accessories and apparel, Klim branded apparel, and ORV accessories under the Kolpin and Cycle Country brands. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII,” and the Company is included in the S&P Mid-Cap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel, and vehicle accessories is available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

Can-Am ATV and side-by-side vehicle racers came away with two podiums at the 2015 Best In the Desert Vegas To Reno desert race.

The Can-Am / ITP / Murray Racing team of Derek and Jason Murray finished second in Class 1900 in their Can-Am Maverick side-by-side. Can-Am Renegade 4×4 racer Chris Robinson put in a spectacular third-place ride in the Ironman division.

“The Murray brothers continue to show great preparation, consistency and driving skills in Best In The Desert racing. It was another stellar run and we were happy to see them reach the finish line,” said Jeff Leclerc, Racing Project Leader, Can-Am. “We had three Can-Am Maverick racers in the top 10 and were competing for the overall win the entire day at what is considered by many to be America’s toughest and longest desert race. We also were very impressed with the podium earned by Renegade racer Chris Robinson, who competed solo.”

More than 50 side-by-side vehicles entered the 2015 General Tire Vegas To Reno, presented by FOX, the longest off-road racing in the United States.

Along with thick, blinding dust, side-by-side racers also had to contend with fierce competitors, taxing desert terrain and, for the first time in BITD history, had to run along side the desert buggies and trucks. Despite the challenges, the No. 1917 Can-Am / ITP / Murray Racing Maverick MAX X ds 1000R Turbo, piloted by Derek and Jason Murray, was up to the task.

The Murray Racing team came out of the line in 20th, but were slowed initially by two sidewall punctures and dropped several positions. However, near the 280-mile marker, the team had moved into seventh. From there, Jason took over driving and pushed the Maverick Turbo X ds hard all the way to the finish to grab the second in Class 1900.

The second-place finish also marked the fifth Vegas To Reno podiums in the last six events for the Murrays and their 36 consecutive BITD finish. The Can-Am / Murray Racing team is now in third place in the class standings.

“This was the most challenging Vegas To Reno we have raced, and our Can-Am Maverick MAX X ds Turbo provides the reliability, power and handling to consistently finish on the podium,” said Derek Murray. “Our 1917 Maverick ran flawlessly for 545 miles in the longest off-road race in the United States, using a fully stock drivetrain. The motor, gearbox, clutch, spindles, hubs are strong and built to last. This shows the quality that goes into every Can-Am built.”

Cory Sappington (Desert Toyz / Can-Am) earned an eighth-place finish in his No. 1904 Desert Toyz Maverick Turbo. Finishing one spot behind Sappington was Can-Am Maverick pilot Logan Gastel, giving Can-Am three finishers in the top 10. The S3 Powersports / Can-Am team of Dustin Jones and Shane Dowden, BITD Mint 400 Class 1900 overall winners, nearly grabbed another victory, having led for the vast majority of the race before having to drop out near the finish line.

On the ATV front, Can-Am Renegade 1000R X xc 4×4 racer Chris Robinson completed the race in the Ironman Expert (solo) Class and came away with a very impressive third place podium finish.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with the performance of my Can-Am Renegade 1000. With the exception of a few bolts, the machine is mostly stock and held up superbly to the harsh Nevada desert. Thanks to my pit crew and to S3 for making me a part of their family,” said Robinson.

BRP (TSX:DOO) is a global leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of powersports vehicles and propulsion systems. Its portfolio includes Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, Can-Am all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles, Can-Am Spyder roadsters, Evinrude and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts, motorcycles and recreational aircraft. BRP supports its line of products with a dedicated parts, accessories and clothing business. With annual sales of over CA$3.5 billion from 107 countries, the Company employs approximately 7,600 people worldwide.

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