Yamaha’s ATV Race Teams have been claiming podiums this season at the nation’s top racing series from East to West.

With returning champions and strong challengers on blue, Yamaha riders have seen success in Grand National Cross Country (GNCC), QuadX and AMA ATV Motocross Championship racing and are poised to capture titles in motocross and cross country action.

“We have a great group of racers who are doing spectacular things on the tracks and trails aboard their YFZ450Rs and YFZ450Xs,” said Donnie Luce, Yamaha ATV/Off-Road racing coordinator. “While there are fewer factory programs this year, the competition is still extremely tough – our racers are showing their talents and stamina pushing harder and faster. Yamaha is deeply ingrained in ATV racing, and we’re excited to see how the rest of the 2011 season plays out.”

Here’s a look at Yamaha’s 2011 ATV team through mid-August:

Thomas Brown battled with some of the world’s top motocross racers in the AMA ATV Motocross Championship series finishing a personal best fourth place overall for the year. After a rough start, Brown rose in the ranks capturing three second place podium finishes.

“Thomas has risen through the AMA ATV ranks, and he’s proved he is a rider to be reckoned with in this series,” Luce said.

Dustin Nelson has been punishing all challengers in the re-vamped QuadX Motocross Series. The four-time series champ has all but swept the West Coast to date capturing the top spot at every stop and finishing second in only one moto this year (he won all of the others).

“Dustin is the king of West Coast motocross suffering just a single blemish in an otherwise perfect season – second in one moto, first in all others,” Luce said. “He helped test and develop the YFZ450R and knows how to get everything out of it, which is obvious when you watch him pull a holeshot on his GYTR equipped YFZ and gap the field.”

Nelson’s first-year teammate, Josh Row, has also seen success in the QuadX Series and is currently only a single point behind the third overall spot.

The next stop is September 10 at Speedworld MX Park in Surprise, Ariz., and you can see action from each of the QuadX races on its designated You Tube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/quadXracing

In GNCC racing, Yamaha fields a championship team including Taylor Kiser (XC1 Pro) and Walker Fowler (XC2 Pro Am) led by nine-time series champion Bill Ballance.

Ballance continues his management roll this year and is also racing at select events. Kiser is chasing his first XC-1 Pro Class championship currently holding third in the overall standings with four podium finishes.

Outside of GNCC action, Kiser also recently led the Ballance Racing Team to a recent win at the Heartland Challenge endurance event. Fowler remains focused on keeping his perfect season in the Pro Am class intact through the remaining five races.

Traci Cecco, the seven-time GNCC Women’s champion, is leading her division after winning five rounds outright plus finishing on the podium at each of the remaining events.

“Our Off-Road ATV program led by the Ballance Racing Team continues to produce positive results both on and off the track,” Luce said. “We have assembled a great group of riders and everyone is committed to doing their part in adding a few more wins and ultimately a few more series Championships to the record books by the final event of the season.”

The GNCC series has five more stops starting next at Unadilla Raceway in New Berlin, N.Y., September 11.

“Unfortunately, we’ve seen a number of racing programs shrink or disappear over the past few years, but Yamaha believes it’s important to stay involved in the sport of ATV racing,” said Steve Nessl, Yamaha’s ATV/SxS group marketing manager. “We’ve developed the strongest line-up of sport ATVs, worked hard to maintain our racing programs, and we’re excited to see our passion matched by the racers and fans across the country who keep coming out. We congratulate all of our race team members and everyone who hits the starting gates each weekend across the country.”

For more on Yamaha Racing, CLICK HERE!

Motovan Corporation, Canada’s leading distributor of Powersports parts and accessories, has recently acquired Steen Hansen Racing (“SHR”).

Based out of Edmonton Alberta, SHR has been servicing Western Canadian dealers for almost 40 years and currently distributes well-known brands such as: Akrapovic, Gerbings, Leatt, Ohlins, One Industries and Sidi, just to name a few.

“We are very happy to have SHR under our banner.” says James Paladino, President/CEO of Motovan; “Our acquisition investment is another clear indication that we believe in the Powersports industry and we are determined to grow Motovan in Canada. Our goal of providing dealers throughout Canada with the best brands, at competitive prices, on a timely basis… was the driving force behind the purchase of SHR.” explains James.

Equally enthusiastic of this transaction is SHR’s Poul Hansen, who is maintaining an important role with Motovan Corporation.

“SHR is a family owned business and even though we faced difficult market conditions, we were never going to sell our company to just anyone” says Poul, “I have known the Paladino family for many years and they share the same values as we do. I’m 100% certain that they will take care of our loyal customers and bring our brands to the next level across Canada. I am happy to have joined the Motovan team and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Despite sharing certain functions with Motovan, SHR will continue to operate independently from their current location and will soon publish a 2012 SHR catalogue containing their key brands.

Don’t hesitate to contact Poul and his team for any questions or concerns.

Visit motovan.com

The 4th Annual Heartland Challenge presented by GBC Motorsports took Carlisle, Iowa by storm this year.

Great weather and great track conditions made this year’s event a fun and exciting weekend full of racing for all in attendance. GBC Motorsports is proud to support ATV and UTV racing at all levels, and was pleased with this year’s Heartland Challenge turnout.

Andy Kyner and his IATVHSS (Iowa ATV Hare Scramble Series) team did a fantastic job with all aspects of the event, receiving rave reviews from riders and spectators alike.

The course itself offered up a variety of terrain, including tight technical sections with frequent elevation changes, long and fast straight-aways through the heartland’s farm fields, and motocross style whoops and jumps. The “Heartland Challenge” section is of course the defining feature of this event, in which competitors must negotiate a variety of obstacles.

GBC Motorsports was out in full force for the event, with their full line of ATV and UTV products on display. They even showcased the new Kanati truck tire throughout the weekend.

There was an impressive roster on vendor’s row, including PIAA lighting, which provided an array of products to help with the nighttime portion of the event, as well as C&D ATV.

The first event of the weekend was Friday night’s UTV challenge. The 4-hour endurance race saw Team Elias narrowly beat out Team Coastal/Yokely Racing, with Team Extreme rounding out the podium.

The Open UTV class podium was comprised of Team Coastal/Yokely Racing, Team Extreme and Team Donkey. The 850 Mod class saw overall winners Team Elias on top, followed by Team Galloping Zebra and Team LM1. Team I Love Hooters, Team D&S Racing and Team A-Team were the top 3 finishers in the 850 limited class.

Proving once again that endurance racing is not just for adults, Saturday morning’s 3-hour youth challenge gave teams of young riders the opportunity to compete on much of the same terrain as their older and more experienced counterparts. When the checkered flag flew it was Team Dirtworks taking the overall win, with Team NA in second and Team Extreme in third.

Later on Saturday, 54 teams finished their preparations and lined up for a Le Mans style start, in which riders dashed 20 yards before firing up their quads and heading out on the course.

After 10 hours of racing, defending champions Team Ballance Racing Yamaha (Kiser, Fowler and Brown) once again claimed the $6,000 top prize, putting on an impressive display of riding in the process.

Team Woodhead (Wolf, Ockerman and Henthorn) finished 2nd overall for the second consecutive year while Team Sweet Home Alabama (Pickens, Gallagher and Cecco) rounded out the podium in 3rd. “We had a lot of fun and we are happy with our finish,” Pickens said. “The tires worked awesome and we will be back next year to win this thing on GBCs.”

Ironman Class winner and GBC support rider Forrest Whorton was the talk of the race after taking first place with an incredible display of endurance on a brutally rough circuit. “I have a lot of respect for Forrest Whorton,” said GBC sales representative Kory Ellis. “He has a lot of heart and we are proud to sponsor him.”

GBC Motorsports is thankful for the dedication and support of everyone involved in putting together such a successful event. They are already working closely with the IATVHSS crew on some ideas for 2012, with plans to make the event bigger and better than ever.

Visit www.gbcmotorsports.com for more information on their lines of ATV and UTV tires.

The Can-AmTalk.com / UXC Racing / Can-Am team of Michael Swift, Clifton Beasley and Adam McGill won the Pro Utility class riding a Can-Am Outlander 800R X xc at the 2011 Heartland Challenge off-road endurance race in Carlisle, Iowa.

The trio of Can-Am racers, who normally compete on the Can-Am GNCC Racing circuit, made the gruelling 10-hour endurance race seem easy as they finished more than one half hour ahead of their class competitors.

“Swift, Beasley and McGill, aboard the Can-Am Outlander 800R, proved to be the perfect formula for dominating the Heartland Challenge,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “It’s pretty clear they were the team to beat in this true test of endurance for man and machine. They lapped their class a couple of times. I also have to praise the rest of the Can-Am finishers for their efforts, especially Forrest Whorton who completed 25 laps, riding solo for 10-plus hours to win the Ironman division on a sport utility quad – amazing!”

Beasley began the day coming out off the Le Mans-style start in third place. On lap three he charged out front on the Can-Am and took over the lead by more than a minute.

The team’s strategy was to have each racer complete four laps each time out before switching riders. They made short work of the seven-mile course and the competition as Beasley, Swift and McGill expanded their lead with each passing lap.

Eventually they lapped everyone in their class at least twice and won the Pro Utility division by more than one half hour and bringing home the $5000 winner’s pay check.

Team Can-AmTalk.com / UXC Racing / Can-Am ended the day seventh overall in the combined results with a total of 31 laps in a time of 10:16:10.

“I have to thank everyone who helped us out for this event. We took the win and were able to put our sponsors on the podium,” said Swift. “We asked Adam McGill to race with us and we had a great time. He did a good job and was able to run the same lap times that we were doing, so it all worked out well.”

FD Racing, also riding a Can-Am, fared well in Iowa as well, completing 29 laps in 10:18:15, earning second place in the Pro Utility class and 13th overall.

Zakowski Motorsports / Can-Am X-Team tandem of Zac Zakowski and Kevin Trantham and fellow GNCC regular Andrew Langston, overcame two minor mechanical issues with two of their three race quads to finish on the podium.

They ran in last place for most of the day before rallying during the latter portion of race. Riding a Can-Am Outlander 800R, Trantham took over the controls and eventually challenged for the third-place position.

A gutsy-but-determined pass near the finish line put the team, which completed 28 laps in 9.59:47, in third and led to a Can-Am podium sweep.

Forrest Whorton (Team UXC) put in a truly impressive solo performance aboard an Outlander 800R in Iowa. The 52-year-old GNCC veteran won the Ironman class by completing 25 laps in a little more than 10 hours without a teammate.

“I had a great race and achieved what I set out to do,” said Whorton. “I guess I’m not getting too old.”

In Friday’s side-by-side classes, Team Xtreme put its Can-Am Commander on the podium, finishing second in the Open class and third overall. MPR / Can-Am X-Team racer Mike Penland also competed in the Commander 1000 X. He ended up in fifth place in the Open UTV class and finished 11th overall.

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 ATV racers Josh Creamer and Josh Frederick each won the Pro class in their respective series to inch closer to the overall points lead.

Creamer, who competes in the New England ATV Motocross Series (NEATV-MX), went 1-2 in the Pro class at Englishtown, N.J. to stay within four points of the Pro class points leader.

In Washougal, Wash., Frederick won his second race of the season in the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS) to climb within five points of class leader, teammate Jeremie Warnia.

“I was very pleased with the efforts put forth by both Creamer and Frederick and seeing them each earn the top spot on their respective podiums to stay in the hunt for their Pro class titles,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “No matter the conditions, terrain, distance or series, the Can-Am DS 450 continues to outperform the competition.”

NEATV-MX, Round 9

Creamer won the Pro and Pro-Am classes on his DS 450 ATV, tallying 2-1 moto finishes in both classes at a gnarly Raceway Park in Englishtown.

Creamer overcame the wet, single-line course to notch his second straight victory and fourth win of the season on the Can-Am ATV. Difficult passing conditions hampered Creamer’s first moto as he took second place.

However, in moto two, Creamer started out in third place and quickly moved into second after just two turns. He then made a pass on the leader to take the lead and earn the overall victory. Creamer remains only four points behind Pro class points leader with three rounds remaining on the NEATV-MX schedule.

“I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t win all four motos, but I’m still happy to get the overalls,” said Creamer. “Ryan Cox (Motoworks) came out to help me this weekend and it was nice to have a mechanic there to take some of the pressure off and let me focus on racing.”

BCS Performance / Can-Am DS 450 Pro racer Cody Miller recorded 3-3 finishes in the Pro class to finish third on the podium. In Pro-Am action, he also earned third with 4-3 moto scores. Miller is currently in third place in the points races in both classes.

On September 4, Hurricane Hills MX in Clifford, Pa., will host round 10 of the NEATV-MX series.

WORCS, Round 6

Frederick, the defending WORCS ATV Pro Class Champion, was ready to take on the rough-and-wooded Washougal course and jumped out to an early lead as he grabbed his first holeshot of the year.

However, he soon dropped to third place after going through Washougal’s picturesque motocross section. Frederick held that spot for the next five laps until he passed for the lead around the midway point of the race. He never let off from there and won his second Pro event of the year by more than a minute.

“Taking the win let me close the points gap a little more and now, hopefully, I’ll win at the next round and can take the points lead,” said Frederick.

Warnia, the current Pro class points leader, started the race strong, despite riding with a badly swollen right thumb that was the result of a qualifying crash.

Warnia battled all day aboard his Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 and even posted the fastest lap of the day on lap three. However, his injury slowed his pace and forced him to settle for third place overall. His podium finish also helped him maintain his Pro class points lead.

In UTV Class 1 action, Marc Holz, in the No. 673 Holz Racing / Motoworks / Can-Am Commander 1000 X, grabbed the holeshot and led for much of the race before a lapped vehicle allowed another driver to sneak past him on the final lap. The second-place finish allowed Holz to maintain his second place points spot in his class.

The WORCS series resumes Sept. 16 at Glen Helen MX in Devore, Calif.

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.

GBC Motorsports is pleased to announce the most recent winner of the Friday Night Lights Summer Series tire raffle.

Joey Berg took home a set of GBC’s Bomb Squad MX tires following the August 12th round of the Friday Night Lights series at Milestone MX in Riverside, CA. GBC Motorsports will again raffle off a set of Bomb Squad MX tires at the next round of the series on August 26th.

The Bomb Squad MX tires are high performance ATV motocross tires designed in collaboration with ATV legend Wes Miller, founder of H-Bomb Media and the Bomb Squad.

The tires feature both the Bomb Squad and H-Bomb logos as the tread knobs, providing racers better forward tracking and braking performance while also allowing them to groove the tires to suit specific track conditions.

The last winner of the Bomb Squad MX raffle, Ed Franco, used his new tires on August 12th, with great results. “I put the Bomb Squad tires on for this race and pulled my first holeshot in a long time,” Franco said. From local racing series to the AMA ATV Motocross Championships, GBC Motorsports’ Bomb Squad MX tires have been making a splash in motocross racing.

Milestone MX’s Friday Night Lights ATV Summer Series draws some of the best amateur and pro ATV racers in Southern California. GBC Motorsports is proud to support local ATV racing and is thrilled at the success their tires are producing on the track.

For more information on GBC Motorsports products head to www.gbcmotorsports.com.

ARGO is proud to continue its segment-shattering off-road dominance with a 2012 line-up offering the most versatile and durable off-road machines available today!

People who are passionate about riding off-road often discover that traditional ATVs and UTVs just can’t get the job done when used for accessing the remote areas that hunters and property owners’ dream of. But the ARGO family of vehicles lets riders reign over any terrain!

Owning an amphibious ARGO UTV gives outdoor enthusiasts and landowners the freedom to go anywhere, anytime with minimal impact. ARGOs offer unmatched capability to carry friends and co-workers into remote areas, explore wild places despite physical limitations, and of course, pursue another hunting or fishing adventure lying just over the horizon.

ARGO’s flagship model – the 750HDi and other units in the ARGO fleet have the combined capabilities of a UTV, snowmobile and small boat. It is a true all terrain vehicle that goes everywhere sportsmen want to.

Whether putting up deer stands in flooded areas, bass fishing on a secret pond or hauling equipment into the Canadian bush, once you use an ARGO you’ll never switch back to riding with non-amphibious machines! ARGOs are equipped with a premier suite of features, including seating for up to 6 people, large cargo storage, a proven-rugged amphibious design and a high-torque fuel-injected engine.

Today’s ARGO designs are both rugged and refined-forged by a master design team with decades of experience in the harshest places on earth-and beyond.

The ARGO line-up represents an engineering pinnacle, giving outdoor adventurers the power to tame whatever terrain they encounter.

Find more information at argoutv.com