Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., the leading maker of ATV and Side-by-Side (SxS) vehicles for outdoor enthusiasts, has donated a 2011 Grizzly 450 in honor of National Hunting and Fishing (NHF) Day’s celebration of outdoor recreation and conservation.

This year’s NHF Day celebration was held on Saturday, September 24, 2011, and proved to be a great success – with more than 100 registered events held in 40 states.

The Yamaha ATV sweepstakes, which remains open through November 30, 2011, was promoted online and at NHF Day events nationwide.

“Yamaha supports preservation efforts across numerous recreational activities and National Hunting and Fishing Day aligns with many of our core values,” said Steve Nessl marketing manager for Yamaha’s ATV and SxS group. “In honor of National Hunting and Fishing Day, Yamaha will make one lucky outdoor enthusiast the owner of a 2011 Grizzly 450, which was designed specifically with hunters and fishermen in mind.”

“We were excited to have Yamaha support the 2011 National Hunting and Fishing Day, marking the company’s third consecutive year as a sponsor,” said Misty Mitchell, Director of Conservation Programs, National Hunting and Fishing Day, Wonders of Wildlife. “The ATV giveaway is a great way to thank hunters and anglers for their contribution to conservation, so don’t miss your chance to register.”

The sweepstakes is open to all outdoor recreational sports enthusiasts. One lucky winner, 18 years-of-age or older, will receive a 2011 Grizzly 450.

Approximate retail value is $6,899. No purchase necessary. The sweepstakes continues to be open until 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time on November 30, 2011. The winner will be determined by random drawing.

Yamaha wants to remind outdoor enthusiasts that they still have time to register to win this ATV at www.yamahaoutdoors.com/nhfday

Yamaha Hosts Championship and Racer Appreciation Celebration at Glen Helen

Yamaha Racing’s Dustin Nelson capped his record fifth QuadX Series Championship at Glen Helen Raceway in Southern California last Saturday, dominating the track and winning both of the final two Pro 450 Production motos.

Nelson pulled holeshots and never looked back in the two Pro motos symbolizing his historic season in which he won all eight QuadX Series stops throughout Southern California and Arizona including 11 of 12 total motos.

“To have a season like we did, the equipment had to be flawless – and everything worked great round after round,” Nelson said. “We had strong engines to get us out front with no failures during the year. In fact, we used the same chassis and the same engine, with normal rebuilds only, all year.”

“Dustin dominated the series on his YFZ450R and stayed on top of the podium at every stop,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s marketing manager who was in attendance at the QuadX Series Finale. “He’s a true champion to keep pushing to take the top spot on the podium even after clinching the championship back at the last stop in Arizona. It was great to see him stay true to form and win both motos at Glen Helen to give himself, Yamaha and the YFZ450R a perfect season.”

Team Yamaha celebrated Nelson’s championship and the entire 2011 QuadX Series by hosting a number of racer appreciation activities under the awning of the Yamaha demo truck.

Yamaha passed out customized “2011 QuadX Series” water bottles and teamed with other series sponsors to host a free BBQ and raffle giving away countless Yamalube items, along with a Glen Helen season pass, riding gear, hats, beanies, T-shirts and a Yamaha generator as grand prize.

Series champions from each class were honored atop the podium, awarded a custom pit board trophy and thanked for their participation throughout the year.

“Yamaha is proud to be a part of the QuadX Series, and we appreciate all of the racers who participated this season,” Nessl said. “Congratulations to all of the class champions and especially to Dustin for his record season.”

Complete race and series results and the 2012 QuadX Series schedule will be available at:quadxseries.com

Chilean Racers Francisco Lopez and Claudio Troncoso Make History as First SxS to Finish African Rally

BRP’s Can-Am Commander SxS, driven by Francisco Lopez and co-pilot Claudio Troncoso, won the Morocco Rally in the UTV category after covering 2,000 kilometres of challenging African terrains.

The duo made international headlines last week due to their impressive finish in the Morocco Rally, becoming the only SxS competitor to complete the six gruelling stages of the 2011 edition, in addition to placing 21st within the car category.

Lopez and his Can-Am Nextel Team attributed their victory to the pilots’ experience, the Can-Am Commander SxS’s outstanding performance, and the unwavering support of Jaton Racing, a Spanish company that prepared the side-by-side vehicle for the race, and provided mechanical assistance through its duration.

“Our starting objective for the race was clear: test the Can-Am Commander SxS’s capacity in difficult terrains to ensure a solid performance in the 2012 Dakar. We weren’t aspiring to win,” Lopez commented after the race. “By the last day, we had a new objective: become the first SxS vehicle in the history of the UTV class to finish the Morocco Rally.”

The Can-Am Nextel Team, who drew substantial media attention during its first appearance in the 2011 Dakar, set their sights on the Moroccan desert in early 2011.

The purpose was to learn from BRP’s Can-Am Commander SxS’s performance in a rally that would allow them to adapt the unit and ensure a victorious 2012 Dakar appearance in the UTV category.

“BRP’s Can-Am Commander SxS reflects our DNA in its purest tradition,” said Chris Dawson, vice-president and general manager, International division. “This very unique side-by-side has been designed to bring a new level of power, cutting-edge design and meaningful innovations. To finish first in its category in its first test – the only SxS to complete the race – certainly delivers on our promise.”

The Can-Am Nextel Team will take the wheel of a 2011 Can-Am Commander SxS in a quest to secure its second international rally victory in the UTV segment at the 34th edition of the Dakar Rally.

Powersports Leader Acquires an Interest in Electric Motorcycle Leader

Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) today announced a minority investment in Brammo, an Ashland, Ore.-based maker of electric vehicle technology and two-wheel electric vehicles.

By investing in Brammo, Polaris obtains access to their proprietary electric vehicle powertrain technology, as well as exposure to the rapidly growing electric motorcycle market.

“We are excited to advance our electric vehicle capability by establishing Polaris as a business partner and part owner of Brammo, one of the most innovative and aggressive companies we have found in the electric motorcycle space,” said Scott Wine, Polaris CEO. “Our companies share a passion for performance, and we look forward to exploiting the numerous opportunities created by pairing Brammo’s industry-leading electric powertrain technology with Polaris’ vast array of market-leading powersports products. This is a small, but important, investment for Polaris in an electric vehicle market that we feel is poised for significant growth.”

Founded in 2002, Brammo has made its mark by developing electric vehicle technology tailored specifically for the motorcycle segment.

Brammo currently offers the Enertia line of motorcycles, capable of speeds in excess of 60 mph and ranges up to 80 miles on a single charge.

Brammo plans to expand their product line to include high-performance sport motorcycles capable of more than 100 miles on a single charge, as well as a full line of entry- to high-performance dirt and dual-sport motorcycles.

“We have always been impressed with Polaris’ leadership within the powersports industry. Polaris is a company founded on innovation and quality and, as such, their decision to partner with Brammo is a resounding endorsement of our technology,” said Brammo CEO and founder Craig Bramscher. “This is a terrific scenario for Brammo’s customers, as we bring Polaris’ legendary engineering, manufacturing, and customer service expertise to bear on our products.”

In addition to potentially utilizing Brammo technology in its own products, Polaris will collaborate with Brammo to grow their core business.

Polaris and Brammo each bring distinct competencies and assets to this relationship, and share cultures centered on a passion for excellence and innovation.

This combination of capabilities and culture will allow Polaris and Brammo to create and seize opportunities that neither could capture independently.

Warnert Racing / Can-Am DS 450 Pro racer Adam McGill stood tall on the all-pink GNCC cancer awareness podium after finishing third in the Pro XC1 class despite gruelling conditions at the Ironman GNCC course in Crawfordsville, Ind.

Can-Am X-Team members Clifton Beasley, Forrest Whorton and Zac Zakowski each won their respective class in morning action.

“McGill and Bithell really battled out there today and I was proud of the effort they put forth on their Can-Am DS 450 ATVs. Adam notched his fourth consecutive XC1 podium and led three laps of the race. Chris put in an inspiring ride, coming from dead last at the start of the race to finish fourth,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Can-Am X-Team racers Cliff Beasley and Zac Zakowski each made a powerful statement with their class victories in Indiana.”

Coming into the Ironman GNCC, McGill held second place in the XC1 point standings and needed to win at the final two rounds of the series for a shot at the championship.

After leading the first three laps, it looked as if McGill would keep the hopes for a 2011 title alive, but lapped traffic slowed his pace on lap four and he dropped to fourth place. He then picked up the pace to reclaim the third-place position.

He moved to within striking distance of first and second place at the end of the race, but had to settle for third.

“I got a good start and was leading for the first couple of laps,” said McGill. “I fell back, but was able to retake the lead. Then I fell back again and finished in third. I had a good time out there anyway and it was a good race, so I’m pretty happy with the podium finish.”

Warnet Racing / Can-Am teammate Chris Bithell got off to slow start in Indiana when his machine failed to start. After restarting the ATV, Bithell quickly went to work and moved from last place to 10th after one lap. By the second lap, Bithell had moved into fourth place and was challenging for third place.

During the final laps, Bithell and his teammate McGill actually swapped positions before McGill surged ahead for the final podium position. Bithell notched his ninth top four finish of the season and is currently fourth in the XC1 point standings. He is three points behind third place with only one race remaining.

In the morning U2 class, Can-Am X-Team racer Cliff Beasley was back in the winner’s circle after winning by more than six minutes on his Can-Am Renegade 800R X xc. He finished fifth overall and second on the morning 4×4 podium.

Can-Am X-Team racer Forrest Whorton continued his 4×4 Super Senior 45+ class domination as he led from start to finish and won by more than 13 minutes. Whorton has won 11 out of 12 races this season.

Zac Zakowski (Zakowski Motorsports / Can-Am X-Team) earned his second straight 4×4 Open class win. He was in third place going into the woods on the first lap, but took the lead when the two riders in front of him had trouble on a hill climb. Zakowski ended the day nearly three minutes ahead of his competition. He also earned the top stair on the morning 4×4 podium with his second place overall finish.

“It felt really good to get back-to-back wins and I hope I can win again at Loretta’s,” said Zakowski, who is currently third in the 4×4 Open class point standings.

Can-Am X-Team racer Bryan Buckhannon overcame a hill climb crash to finish second behind Zakowski. Buckhannon now trails fellow Can-Am X-Team racer and 4×4 Open class points leader Michael Swift, who took eighth in Indiana, by just two points going into the final race.

Buckhannon also piloted his Team ATV Parts Plus Commander 1000 to its second class win of the season in the Open Limited UTV class and took fifth overall for the day. In the UTV Open Limited class championship final points, Can-Am Commander teams swept the top three positions, with Team Travalena taking the title, Team Held finishing second and Team ATV Parts Plus earning third.

In the UTV Open Modified class, Zakowski Motorsports was the top Can-Am Commander with a fourth-place finish. The Warnet Racing / Can-Am / Foremost team took a hard-earned fifth place after battling back from a crash after being hit from behind at the start of the race. The Warnert Commander, piloted by Jerime Dudding, also wrapped up fourth place overall on the season. Can-Am Commander vehicles made up five out the top 10 positions (out of 44 entries) in the class.

The Can-Am GNCC racing series held its Second Annual Pink Race to support cancer awareness with many teams and racers running pink graphics, number plates and riding gear. Some riders even went the extra mile to make special appearances at local the school. On Friday, McGill and a few other top racers visited the fifth and sixth graders at New Market Elementary School to make special “pink buttons” that gave the children free admission to the Ironman GNCC race.

“I had the opportunity to go out to one of the elementary schools in the area and talk to the kids about racing and cancer awareness. I do this kind of thing around home, but have never had the opportunity to go out of state. A lot of the kids actually showed up to the races the next day so it was really cool,” said McGill.

For more information on Can-Am racing, the entire 2011 schedule, the 2011 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com

Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 racer Josh Frederick won round eight of the 2011 World Off-Road Championship Series, held in Race Town 395 in Adelanto, Calif.

Frederick is now tied with his teammate Jeremie Warnia, who finished third, for the Pro championship points lead with only one round remaining.

“Josh showed a lot of poise and determination to come from behind and notch his third win of 2011. He has really put in a late charge, winning three of the last five rounds aboard his Can-Am DS 450, in his attempt to repeat as WORCS champion,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “I’m proud of how well both Josh and Jeremie have ridden this year and at the Adelanto event as they each held the lead prior to Josh earning the win. We, as a team, are in a great position and hope to see one of these two very talented and determined Can-Am racers holding up that championship trophy in three weeks at the WORCS finale.”

Frederick was in fifth place after the first two laps. However, by lap No. 7 he had moved into second place behind Warnia.

One lap later he passed his teammate for the lead position. A quick pit stop on lap 10 dropped Frederick to second, but the reigning WORCS ATV Pro Champion regained the lead and pressed on for the victory. It was the third victory of the season for Frederick and his eight straight Pro class podium finish.

“It felt great to take the win and my Can-Am ran great,” said Frederick. “We did a bunch of testing and dialed in our suspension really well and it was flawless. I know that all I need to do is finish ahead of Jeremie at the final to take the championship, but I still want to go out there and take the win.”

Warnia, who raced in the top three the entire race, held his only lead on lap seven. He dropped to third one lap later and stayed there for the remainder of the race. Warnia has three wins and a total of seven podiums in 2011.

The third Motoworks / Can-Am team Pro, Dillon Zimmerman, equaled his best finish of the season, capturing fifth on his DS 450. He is currently tied for sixth in points heading into the final round.

In the Side-By-Side Class 1 race, Mark Holz (Motoworks / Can-Am) had to battle from the back of the pack after being hit from behind by another machine.

After a short delay to repair the bed of his Commander 1000 X, Holz put in a spirited effort to crack into the top three. He came up one spot short, finishing fourth. Heading into the final round, Holz is second in the championship points, 18 points behind the class leader.

The WORCS finale is scheduled for Nov. 11-13 at Speed World MX park in Surprise, Ariz.

For more information on Can-Am racing, the entire 2011 schedule, the 2011 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com