Five Can-Am 4×4 ATV racers won their class at the opening round of the 2013 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series in River Ranch, Fla.

Robert Smith, who won the U2 class aboard his Can-Am Renegade 4×4, was the top finishing Can-Am racer and also took second overall on the morning podium. Reigning 4×4 Open class champion Bryan Buckhannon notched a victory on his Outlander 800R.

XC1 ATV Pro class racer Jarrod McClure earned fifth in his first GNCC race competing on his Can-Am DS 450™ ATV.

“We had a good opening round of GNCC racing, earning five class victories, a top five in the Pro class and having Can-Am racers Robert Smith and Bryan Buckhannon reach the overall morning podium,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “We’re excited to be back racing in the GNCC series and are already looking ahead to this weekend in Georgia. Not only will be looking to notch more victories with Can-am ATVs, but we will debut the exceptional Can-Am Maverick 1000R in GNCC side-by-side action.”

The Florida course lived up to its reputation as being one of the most difficult races of the season, as the extremely dusty 10.5-mile track was very rough, sandy and full of palmetto tree roots and stumps. In morning action, Smith not only won the competitive U2 class aboard his Can-AM Renegade, but also surprised himself in the process.

Smith, who overcame a somewhat serious arm injury suffered a month prior to the race, outran every 4×4 in the field to earn second overall in the morning session. Renegade ATV racers Jordan Phillips and Corry Savage rounded out the U2 class podium.

“It’s big to win the opening round. I never thought it would happen because I’ve been off the quad for a month. To go out there and get a win was unbelievable,” said Smith. “The track was rough with lots of roots and rough edges. It was a lot of fun to be on a four-wheel drive Renegade and stay on top of everything.”

ATV Parts Plus / Can-Am X-Team racer Buckhannon won the 4×4 Open class by more than two minutes and stood on the overall morning podium (third) and the 4×4 podium (second). It was his second straight year winning the 4×4 Open class at the Florida opener. Earning his first GNCC podium finish, Bo Jones rode his Can-Am Outlander to second place in the 4×4 Open class, followed closely by JB Racing / Can-Am pilot Sam Williams.

“It got a little bit tough at the end of the day, but I was able to pull off the class win,” said Buckhannon. “All I want to do it have fun and try to win my class this year.”

In the 4×4 Lites class, Michael Edwards raced his Can-Am Outlander 500 to his first GNCC class victory. Defending class champion Kevin Trantham took second aboard his Outlander 500.

Other Can-Am 4×4 racers who earned wins in Florida were defending 4×4 Senior (40+) class champion Forrest Whorton and Jeff Marinko, who rode his Can-Am ATV to an impressive class victory In the 4×4 Novice class.

McClure (JB Racing / Can-Am) earned a top five finish in the afternoon XC1 Pro ATV race. He came out of the first turn in seventh, but was already up to fourth by the end of the first lap. He later lost a position when he had to stop to fix a damaged oil line and change his gloves due to blisters on his hands. Once the repairs were made, McClure rejoined the race without losing a spot. He ended his inaugural Can-Am DS 450 GNCC race with a top five finish, more than 3 minutes ahead of sixth.

“I am happy to get Florida behind me and come out with a top five finish,” said McClure. “I am really looking forward to Georgia. My pit crew was great. The DS has a lot more power than I am used to, so it was awesome in the sand. I think we’ll have a good year.”

For more information on Can-Am racing, the Maverick 1000R side-by-side vehicle, the entire 2013 schedule, the ’13 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.

For the last decade it’s been the most important ATV motocross series in the southwest U.S. It started out under the Quadcross moniker in 2003 but now goes by the name of Yamaha Quad-X Racing Series Presented By STI.

It goes off for the 2013 season this coming weekend, March 17, at Glen Helen Raceway near San Bernardino, California. The Quad-X Series will continue for seven more events throughout the SoCal/Arizona region during the year and reach its conclusion back at Glen Helen for Round 8 on a Saturday in early November. As always, an extravagant (and free) awards banquet will take place immediately following that last day’s action.

As always, STI will be a prominent part of the Quad-X scene. Competitors have learned they can rely on STI’s trackside support program, expertly manned by our pals at Big Kid Racing.

Big news this season is the addition of an STI Tire & Wheel race contingency program. Mount STI Tech 4 MX tires front and rear, then get signed up and checked off through Big Kid Racing. Be prepared to enjoy not only winning performance but also a strong possibility of earning credits toward more fresh rubber at future events.

We hope to see you there. There’s a class for every type of quad racer, from Pee Wee/Youth and Amateur to 450 Production Pro-Am and Pro. The whole family is being welcomed at several top-notch facilities.

The variety of classes, special promotions and free overnight camping at each event, as well as the special end-of-season shindig, will make the 2013 Quad-X series a must-do for west coast ATV racers. Join us!

For more information, including race information and a full list of classes, head over to www.quadxseries.com. While you’re there, be sure to check out the collection of action packed videos from past events. More will be posted as the racing heats up this season as well.

Thirteen side-by-sides, including Jagged X’s Matt Parks and Jason Spiess in their 1932 Jagged X/Polaris RZR XP 4 900, lined up for the first SCORE race of the season, the San Felipe 250.

The race was the inaugural race for the “Pro UTV” class in the series and when the dust settled, Parks and Spiess would take the checkered flag and be one of only two side-by-sides to finish from the class.

The San Felipe 250 is notorious for being the roughest race in North America with endless whoops, deep silt and rocky sand washes. But after Parks did his pre-run, he knew that this would be a race of survival.

“The UTVs start dead last in SCORE races and after 240 vehicles had been through the course, it was unbelievably rough. So, we just decided to set a steady pace and take care of the car,” Parks said.

At the 100 mile mark, the Jagged X RZR XP 4 900 was in second place and was working its way through some of the trucks and buggies.

At the second fuel stop at race mile 173, Parks was leading by more than 20 minutes and they just needed to bring it home. Driving the last two hours in the dark, the team took the checkered flag and sprayed champagne on the podium at the famous San Felipe arches.

“I am super stoked that we started the year with a win,” Parks added. “Jagged X did a great job prepping the RZR and Jason Spiess did a great job calling corners and keeping me patient. I’m excited for the 500!”

The next SCORE race is the Baja 500, in Lake Ensenada, Baja Mexico May 31-June 2.

Jagged X is sponsored by Polaris, Walker Evans Racing Shocks, Kroyer Racing Engines, Pure Polaris Extreme Duty Oil, Muzzy’s, OMF, Team Industries, CR Designs, Vision X and Simpson Safety Equipment.

About Polaris – Polaris is a recognized leader in the powersports industry with annual 2012 sales of $3.2 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, and internally developed vehicles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Polaris and KLIM branded apparel and Polaris accessories and parts. 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 are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime at www.polaris.com.

FOX technicians and engineers are ready to help racers prepare for the GNCC and ATVMX season.

FOX race technicians and engineers will be on hand at Durahmtown Plantation in GA for testing and tuning, March 12,13,14.

ATV and UTV tuning, testing and upgrades will be available on site. If you can’t make it to the Durahmtowm Plantation, contact the nearest FOX service center.

Visit durhamtown.com and ridefox.com for more info

Steve Beilman and Wayne Matlock piloted their virtually stock Can-Am Maverick 1000R X rs side-by-side vehicles to a 1-2 finish in the UTV Open class at round one of the 2013 Lucas Oil Off Road Series (LOORS) at Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California.

In Texas, Louis Powersports / Can-Am DS 450 Pro Cody Miller won both the Open Expert (Pro) and Pro-Am classes at round one of the Dockside Marine Texhoma Quad Racing Association (TQRA) series.

“It’s great to have off-road racing veterans like Wayne Matlock and Steve Beilman behind the wheel of the new Maverick 1000R X rs and even better to have them put it on the LOORS podium. These guys basically had stock vehicles, sans the cage and doors, yet still dominated the UTV Open class at round one,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Their genuine excitement about the Maverick, along with their recent racing success is not only contagious, but it also reinforces that fact that our all-new high-performance side-by-side vehicle is purpose-built to win races.”

Despite limited practice time, Matlock qualified first in the UTV Open class, while Beilman secured the third spot on the line. At the start of the main event, a modified competitive vehicle edged Matlock for the holeshot, but both he and Beilman locked in behind the leader and, by lap two, were already pressuring him for the lead.

Matlock was on rear bumper waiting for a time to pass, but was hampered when the leader slowed over a jump. Beilman took advantage of the leader’s pause and pinned it over a tabletop jump and literally leapt to the front, passing both the leader and Matlock. From there, Beilman maintained a steady pace and tried to extend his lead.

Matlock, who tired of following the second-place racer, made his move and made a timely pass after the finish line jump at the start of the fourth lap. Matlock’s pass put the Maverick pilots in first and second with several laps remaining.

However, a mandatory caution allowed Matlock to reel in Beilman and during the final six laps the two racers put on a show, as they were bumper-to-bumper to the finish line. At the checkers, Beilman held off his fellow Can-Am racer by one second to take the first-ever LOORS win with the Maverick 1000R.

“With literally only minutes of seat time in the new Can-Am Maverick, we didn’t really know what to expect this weekend. We knew the Maverick 1000R was fast, but didn’t know how it would stack up under real race conditions. Obviously, my Velocity / Can-Am Maverick showed us that it could out perform the competition right out of the box and that is huge,” said Beilman.

The LOORS schedule resumes Saturday, April 13 at Lake Elsinore Motorsports Park in Southern California.

TQRA Results:

Louis Powersports / Can-Am DS 450 teammates and brothers Hunter and Cody Miller each won one Open Expert (Pro) class moto at round one of the TQRA series opener at Village Creek MX in Forth Worth, Texas. However, since Cody won the final moto, he earned the overall win over the elder Miller.

With 1-2 moto finishes, Cody also edged Hunter in the Pro-Am ATV class. Hunter Miller won the second moto, but finished third in the first moto and had to settle for second overall. With a 1-1 moto sweep, fellow Can-Am racer, Jeff Reeves, won the Over 30 A class and put his DS 450 ATV on top of the podium at Village Creek MX.

The Millers were excited to debut their Maverick 1000R X rs vehicles in the series, but due to a lack of competition, the side-by-side racing was cancelled. Round two of the TQRA series is slated for March 16-17, at Moto City in Blanchard, Okla.

For more information on Can-Am racing, the Maverick 1000R side-by-side vehicle, the entire 2013 schedule, the ’13 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.