Team ITP racers won six classes and earned 15 podium finishes at round six of the 2013 AMA Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship series held in Virginia.

Saturday, June 8, ITP Pro class racers Josh Creamer and Jeffrey Rastrelli finished sixth and seventh, respectively, on a rough, wet Birch Creek Motocross track. ITP racer William Lloyd earned third place in the Pro-Am class podium Sunday.

“Despite the less-than-ideal racing conditions, our team of ITP racers did well at round six of the AMA motocross series by winning six classes, earning a Pro-Am class podium and having 15 total class podium finishes,” said Pat McGuire, Public Relations / Race Support. “We won four classes in the youth ranks, led by Noah Mickelson’s two wins, and also had victories from age-class racers William Lloyd and Dalton Hicks.”

Round six of the 2013 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship series, which also served as the Bob “Smitty” Smith Memorial Race, was soaked by rain prior to the event. The rain and overcast skies didn’t let up until just before the Pro class racing on Saturday afternoon.

In Pro-Am class action, Lloyd (JB Racing / ITP) led the way with is third-place finish. The podium finish pushed him to third in the class standings. He also won the Junior 25 Plus class using his ITP tires to extend his class points lead.

Dalton “Bubba” Hicks of Root River Racing / ITP won the 450 A class and took sixth in the Production A ranks and is the points leader in both classes. Noah Mickelson won both the 90 Open class and the Super-Mini (13-15) class in Virginia. The young Root River Racing / ITP-supported racer now leads the 90 Open class in points and in third in the other class.

Maddison Guyer competed in three classes at round six using ITP tires. With a 1-1 moto sweep, she won the Girls (12-15) class for the fourth time and is the current points leader. The final ITP racer to notch a class overall win was Brogan Guyer, who won the 90 CVT (8-15) class. He’s currently three points behind the points leader in third place in the point standings, but has the most victories – three – of any racer in the 90 CVT (8-15) class.

ITP youth racer Haedyn Mickelson earned second place in two classes at round six. Haedyn Mickelson is the points leader in both the Schoolboy Sr. 14-17 and Schoolboy Jr. 13-15 classes. Other ITP team racers to earn podiums in Virginia, were Brent Sellers (2nd, Production A), Dylan Tremellen (3rd in both 4-Stroke A, Production A), Mike Barnhardt (2nd, Vet 30+), Megan Manshack (3rd, Women’s) and Blake Sarver (2nd, Schoolboy Jr. 13-15).

ITP Pro class racers Josh Creamer (BCS Performance) and Jeffrey Rastrelli (JB Racing) each earned a top 10 finish at round seven. Creamer posted a sixth-place finish in moto one and fifth in the second moto to earn sixth overall. Creamer said he selected the wrong tire size for the conditions in moto one and a very narrow track hurt his chances to compete for a podium at round seven.

“There weren’t a lot of places to make a pass in moto two, but I knew I had the speed to get into the top five and really had to work hard to get up there,” said Creamer. “I was really hoping to find the box this round, but I’m going to come out swinging next round and make my way to the top of the box,”

While Creamer was disappointed, Rastrelli had a more positive view of his career-best seventh place finish. The young ITP Pro racer tallied seventh place in moto one and eighth place in the second moto, which put him seventh overall and right behind Creamer. More importantly, Rastrelli, who has earned 27 points the last two rounds, overcame a slow second moto to earn his best finish ever. In moto two, Rastrelli and another rider bumped at the start and soon after that he crashed. However, the ITP Pro recovered to climb into the top 10 and eventually finish eighth showing the poise of a true professional. Fellow ITP Pro, Root River Racing’s Sean Taylor was 15th and fifth in the Pro-Am class, in which he’s currently third in the standings.

Round seven of the 2013 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship series heads to Steele City Raceway on July 6-7, in Delmont, Pa.

About ITP
In business for more than 30 years, ITP has become the world’s #1 ATV/UTV aftermarket tire and wheel source. ITP utilizes its experienced staff of engineers, designers and technicians at its two American tire facilities in Clinton, Tenn., and Jackson, Tenn., to develop award-winning tire-and-wheel designs for virtually all ATVs and side-by-side vehicles. Numerous outlets distribute ITP tires across the United States and in more than 25 countries worldwide. For a full-color ITP catalog, call toll-free: 1-800-859-4740.

www.itptires.com

Can-Am DS 450 ATV racers fought through muddy conditions and a tight course to earn three class podium finishes at round six of the 2013 AMA Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship series in Virginia.

In the ATV Pro class, BCS Performance / Can-Am racer Josh Creamer and Jeff Rastrelli finished sixth and seventh overall, respectively.

“Round six of the AMA ATV motocross series in Virginia, was another rain-soaked event with a very tight track. The key was grabbing the holeshot and, unfortunately our racers didn’t get the best of starts at this round. Can-Am DS 450 Pro Josh Creamer and his team unfortunately missed the set-up in moto one, but overcame two mid-pack starts to capture sixth place overall,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Fellow Can-Am Pro racer Jeffrey Rastrelli had his best Pro career finish, posting 7-8 moto finishes for seventh overall.”

Creamer, who opted for a larger rear tire setup due to the muddy conditions, battled setup issues in moto one. After coming out of the gate in fourth, the former ATV Motocross national champion started to fall back as the track and traction improved and the taller tires slowed him down. The veteran racer, after falling back to seventh, gave it one final push on the final few laps to finish sixth.

Creamer (BCS Performance / ITP) switched back to his normal setup and a smaller rear motocross tire for the second moto, but this time was hampered by a mid-pack start. Laps one through seven, Creamer trudged his way in sixth place. He moved into fifth place a lap later and then rode out the remainder of the race in that position. His 6-5 moto score was good for sixth overall.

“It has rained here for days and Birch Creek was a complete mess. The crew and promoter have done a great job making everything the best it could be with the conditions, but the track was really narrow and hard to pass,” said Creamer, who currently holds third place in the Pro class points race. “I made a mistake using my larger tires in moto one and then switched it up for the moto two. I struggled all of moto one. In moto two, I charged hard and just wasn’t able to make anything of it. The track was hard to race on.”

JB Racing / Can-Am DS 450 rider Rastrelli was pleased with career-best seventh place finish in the Pro class. Rastrelli came out of the gate in the middle of the pack and was a possible contender for a top-five finish early on in the moto. However, Rastrelli dropped off the pace and briefly fell to eighth place.

The young racer rallied to pass one racer and scored a seventh place finish. In moto two, Rastrelli and another rider connected to slow his run out of the gate. As he tried to recover, Rastrelli crashed and was left to play catch up. He was 16th after the first lap.

By the time the white flag flew, he had passed eight other racers to move into eighth place. Despite the poor luck in moto two, Rastrelli displayed plenty of confidence after his 7-8 moto results earned him his best finish ever.

“My Can-Am was working great. It really gets better every race. The handling was flawless,” said Rastrelli. “The track was actually really good for the soggy conditions, but I would like to see a dry race soon.”

Pro-Am class racer Nick Gennusa (BCS Performance / Can-Am) recorded sixth place in the Pro-Am class at round six. He also took second place in the Open A class to continue his stronghold of the class points lead. Fellow Can-Am Pro-Am racer Ronnie Higgerson finished eighth place on his DS 450.

The two other Can-Am racers to earn podiums at Birch Creek MX were Nicole Gates (2nd, Women’s) and Clayton Coad (3rd, 450 B).

For more information on Can-Am racing, the entire 2013 schedule, the ’13 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.

The 2013 General Tire Mint 400, presented by Polaris – will premiere on SPEED Channel, Saturday June, 8 at 9pm EST / 6pm PST.

This special two-hour primetime television show captures the most dynamic and thrilling off-road racing on the planet – at the most prestigious and challenging off-road race in America.

This year, over 250 race teams battled the brutal four-hundred mile Mint 400 desert racecourse. The competition was fierce and full of drama, suspense, and back and forth clashes in all twenty classes of vehicles – from the fast growing Pro UTV Class, all the way up to the million dollar Unlimited Trophy Trucks.

The overall lead changed seven times, and less than half of the competitors finished the destructive and punishing race.

2013 marks the second year that UTV’s have competed at the Mint 400, and the second year that Polaris factory back Jagged X Racing have attacked the illustrious course.

Polaris dominated the podium this year – taking home first, second and fourth place finishes in the Pro UTV Class and first in the Sportsman UTV Class. Polaris Industries became the official presenting sponsor of The 2013 Mint 400 earlier this year, allowing the group to expand the annual television coverage from one hour, to a new two-hour format.

“We are thrilled to have Polaris as a presenting sponsor,” said Mint 400 COO Joshua Martelli. “Pro UTV is one of the most important classes in the sport, and Polaris has demonstrated an unprecedented amount of support for off-road racing. Because of their backing, we are premiering a brand new two-hour primetime show that will reach 78 million homes!”

Directed by The Martelli Brothers and produced by Mad Media, The Mint 400 television show has become the premiere off-road racing television event of the year.

The legendary race is shot almost entirely in stunning 4K resolution and produced annually by Mad Media at their San Diego headquarters.

The show is broadcast on SPEED Channel to 78 million homes and re-airs an average of eight times throughout the year – making it the most watched desert off-road racing program in North America.

The Mint 400 TV show is cut into a documentary film format, and made available on iTunes later in the summer, and features additional footage and commentary.

Can-Am X-Team member and Maverick 1000R X rs driver Cory Sappington (Desert Toyz) finished second in the UTV division at the SCORE Baja 500 in Ensenada, Mexico. A total of three Can-Am Maverick race teams competed in the 40th annual running of the desert endurance race on the Baja Peninsula.

“Our Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs racing teams had a successful Baja 500, despite only one making it to the finish line. Desert Toyz’s Cory Sappington’s second place podium finish was impressive considering the gnarly race conditions,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Our other two racing teams each held the class race lead at one point during the race before falling victim to Baja’s conditions and meticulous setup requirements. We see Sappington’s podium finish as a big stepping stone for the new Maverick’s success in a very demanding race environment and we look to carry this momentum over to future desert racing events this season.”

Sappington, the sole driver of the Desert Toyz / Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs, started quickly, passing three of the five side-by-side vehicles that started in front of him. However, a flat tire around the 50-mile mark slowed his pursuit of the leaders.

During the downtime, Sappington was passed by several competitors and lost valuable time on the leaders. After resuming the race, the Desert Toyz team suffered another setback about 25 miles later as an aftermarket fuel pump failed.

With some ingenuity, Sappington fabricated his own a fuel pump cooler and exhaust heat deflector and was back on the gas. He found his groove in the rocky desert terrain and starting passing competitors and vehicles from other classes.

At mile market 358 Sappington stopped to check on another Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs race team. The Murray Racing / Del Amo Motorsports / Can-Am team, which had owned the lead and had more than a 30-minute advantage over the UTV field, suffered a high-speed crash in a tricky ravine section.

Although the occupants were uninjured, the vehicle’s extensive front-end damage ended their day. Sappington, who took over second place in the class, pushed on through the cool night air with his Maverick running perfectly.

Roughly 40 miles later, he had to stop to repair another flat tire. However, once repaired, Sappington drove the remaining 100 miles to the finish line to earn second place in the UTV class and would be one of only two UTVs to actually finish the race. It was the first Baja 500 podium finish for the Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs side-by-side.

“I am very impressed with the power and handling of the Maverick. I have raced in many other bigger engine class vehicles and the Can-Am Maverick is just as fun. The twin-cylinder Rotax engine feels like it has the power of a four cylinder,” said Sappington. “With no pre-running, no power steering, essentially all stock Can-Am components and a rookie chase team we have beaten Baja! At the finish I was numb from driving all 500 miles in 20 hours.”

Marc Burnett and his show-stopping Monster Energy Maverick 1000 X rs was the first official Can-Am driver to lead the UTV class. The team, having passed several other types of vehicles including trophy trucks, built a sizable lead in the class before dropping out due to a mechanical issue caused by the aftermarket exhaust.

For more information on Can-Am racing, the entire 2013 schedule, the ’13 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.

The Wiseco John Penton Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) event featured both ATV and side-by-side vehicle racing and was held Saturday, June 1 in Millfield, Ohio.

Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs pilot Kyle Chaney won the UTV XC1 Modified class in the third round of the six-race SxS series. Can-Am X-Team racer Michael Swift finished third on the UTV XC2 Limited class podium with his Team UXC Racing-backed Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs.

During round seven of the ATV portion of the series, Can-Am 4×4 racers won five morning classes, led by U2 class winner Rob Smith, who also earned second overall on the morning podium with his Renegade 800R X xc.

“I was very pleased with our Can-Am racers’ results at The John Penton GNCC round in Ohio. We had the most successful weekend of racing ever from our side-by-side racers. Kyle Chaney drove an outstanding race to earn the first GNCC UTV XC1 Modified class overall victory with the Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs. We had six Can-Am side-by-side vehicles finish inside the top 10 of the XC1 class and earned at least one podium in every GNCC SxS class,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Our Can-Am Renegade and Outlander racers continue to dominate the morning racing as we won all five 4×4 classes, highlighted by Rob Smith’s second-place finish on the GNCC overall podium.”

Starting from the third row, Kyle Chaney and co-pilot Denny Napier pulled their row’s holeshot and were quickly on the heels of the second-row racers. From there, the JB Off-Road / Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs pilot set his sights on the leaders. He quickly moved into sixth after lap one on adjusted time.

With two laps remaining, Chaney caught up with the race leaders and kept his Can-Am in contention for the race overall. He became the overall XC1 class race leader on the final lap, based on adjusted time. Chaney went on to win his first GNCC UTV XC1 Modified class victory with the Can-Am Maverick 1000R side-by-side. He is tied for second in the UTV XC1 Modified class with three UTV rounds remaining.

“The Maverick 1000R worked awesome. I knew the speed and ability was there, we just needed some luck and we got it. I know that this will be the first of more wins,” said Chaney. “My setup is dialed in, so I am not changing anything heading into the Masontown GNCC.”

Can-Am drivers earned six of the top 10 UTV XC1 Modified class finishes. JB Off-Road’s Tim Farr and co-pilot Julie Farr earned sixth place in Ohio. Team Zakowski Motorsports’ Zac Zakowski edged Louis Powersports / Can-Am X-Team racer Cody Miller for seventh. Larry Hendershot (Team HP/ NC 44) was ninth ahead of Team NC Powersports’ Stuart Weeks.

In the UTV XC2 Limited class, Michael Swift (Team UXC Racing / Can-Am) drove his Can-Am Maverick to a podium finish. The third-place finish was his best of the UTV season.

In ATV action, Rob Smith (Can-Am X-Team) won the U2 class, took second on the GNCC overall morning podium and the top spot on the 4×4 podium. Round seven was his third class win with his Can-Am Renegade ATV. Can-Am Renegade racer Jordan Phillips took second. Swift, who also competed in the ATV morning race on his Team UXC Racing / Can-Am Renegade, finished third and trails Smith by four points heading into round eight.

Bryan Buckhannon led the 4×4 Open class from the first lap to the finish, winning by almost a full minute over Can-Am racers Sam Williams and Zakowski. Buchannon is now a perfect 7-for-7 in the 4×4 Open class this year on his ATV Parts Plus / Can-Am Outlander 800R.

Can-Am Outlander 500 4×4 pilot and defending 4×4 Lites class champion Kevin Trantham won his class by more than 10 minutes and also earned fifth overall in the morning race. Scott Day and Bill Nativio finished second and third on their Can-Am ATVs.

Forrest Whorton won the 4×4 Senior (40+) class for the fourth time this year. Chris Gray and David Jessee made it an all-Can-Am podium, earning second and third. Chad Moret, who won his first race of 2013, and Ryan Smith went 1-2 in the 4×4 Novice class on their Can-Am ATVs.

JB Off-Road / Can-Am DS 450 Pro Jarrod McClure finished 11th in the XC1 ATV Pro class and 25th overall. He’s currently ranked eighth in the class points race.

For more information on Can-Am racing, the entire 2013 schedule, the ’13 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.