With only 6 days to recuperate, and prepare after Round 1 in Florida, The team of GBC support riders arrived in Georgia road weary but enthusiastic about the second stop on the 2011 GNCC tour.

Near perfect temps greeted the riders and a considerable amount of rain in the days leading up to the event ensured that there would be no dust, and both rider and tire would be tested in the soggy Georgia red clay.

Always quick off the tip of the starters flag Kristen Atwell started the day off with another holeshot, and traded the lead back and forth throughout each of the first 4 laps.

The final lap saw the top 3 women all running within inches of each other right up to the checkered flag. Kristen finished in 3rd place and 6th overall. Known to excel as the series heads north to tighter and more technical tracks, watch for Kristen and her X-Rex tires to be making a visit to the top step of the podium very soon.

Forest Whorton continued his winning ways in the 4X4 +45 class and holds the points lead heading into the Steel Creek GNCC. Top 4×4 open contender Rick Cecco was running well, and hoping to track down his first win of 2011, but a mechanical failure dropped him from contention after 3 laps.

In the afternoon Pro race it was Johnny Gallagher who lead the way this time for the GBC brigade. Starting off the day near the back of the pack Johnny climbed his way up the ranking all day long to eventually cross the line in the 6th place position, 7th overall.

“I had a terrible day in Florida, so I was anxious to redeem myself here today. My Ground Buster II XC’s pulled me through all the deep ruts and mud holes with ease, and I’m looking forward to Steel Creek.”

XC1 Rookie Kevin Yoho proved that his top 10 finish in Florida was no fluke by backing it up with a 7th place, and 8th overall.

Brian Cook used the traction of his GBC’s to get off the line quickest and was awarded the holeshot award. He ran in the top 5 for the first 3 laps before loosing time removing a stick that wedged itself in his chain.

Despite the setback Bryan was able to earn an 8th place finish, 9th overall. Keep a close eye on Mr. Cook at round 4 in 2 weeks, as Steel Creek is a track he has won at before. The XC2 podium celebration was covered in GBC Motorsports riders with FRE/KTM riders Aarol Bright, and Richie Brown taking the 2nd and 3rd place positions, as well as 12th and 13th overall.

The racing action moves north to Morganton North Carolina on March 26th, if you’re attending the race be sure to stop by the GBC pit area in the Pro Pits to say hello and pick up some cool swag!

The Crazy Horse GP WORCS race, in Lake Havasu, AZ., saw Polaris RANGER RZRs dominate with clean sweeps of the top three spots in the Side-by-Side 1 and 2 classes.

National Guard Polaris Coastal DragonFire Yokley Racing Team Driver William Yokley finished sixth in the Side by Side 1 Class, and National Guard Polaris Coastal Yokley Racing Team Driver Scott Kiger finished third in the same class.

“We are thrilled to see RANGER RZRs, especially the new RANGER RZR XP 900, on top in the Side-by-Side classes,” said Donna Beadle, Polaris Race Team Manager. “We congratulate Yokley and Kiger on their great runs and look forward to the continued success of RANGER RZRs in this series.”

Yokley continues to lead the WORCS season points in the Side-by-Side 1 class and Scott Kiger is in striking distance, in fifth. The Team will be back in action at the GNCC race, in Union, South Carolina, on April 9.

4,000 PEOPLE FROM MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES TO VISIT MONTRÉAL AND THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPS

From July 10 to 17, 2011, BRP will host the largest event of its history in Montréal, Québec. Over 4,000 dealers and distributors from more than 100 countries will visit Montréal and the Eastern Townships. All regions of the world will be represented: Latin America including Brazil and the Caribbean, all parts of Europe including Russia, the Middle-East and Africa, Asia-Pacific as well as the NAFTA countries, Canada, the United States and Mexico.

“Although we have been present in many markets outside North America for several years, we started to really focus on international markets in 2005,” said José Boisjoli, president and CEO. “Six years later, we can be proud of our leading position in North America and of our international expansion; it is time to celebrate and invite our dealers, distributors, employees, suppliers, representatives of the media as well as the general public to show them our origins and what fuels our passion.”

The Palais des congrès de Montréal (convention centre) will become a large showroom where all the latest models of BRP product brands (Ski-Doo, Lynx, Sea-Doo, Evinrude, Rotax, and Can-Am) will be on display. Another section will showcase concept vehicles, prototypes and technological innovations never before seen by the public. BRP will also provide participants with the opportunity to test-ride or take a closer look at all the products in an “Ultimate Playground” setting.

BRP will also extend an invitation, for the first time in its history, to members of the general public for July 16 and 17 so they can discover in person what BRP is all about.

Chad Wienen, Team Motoworks / Can-Am DS 450 racer, continued his commanding performance this weekend at the AMA ATV Motocross national race near Pell City, Alabama, going 1-1 on both Pro-class motos to take the overall. Wienen won the first moto by 18 seconds and the second moto by 12 seconds.

“We at BRP were very impressed by Chad’s performance this weekend,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “It is clear the off-season training by Wienen and the hard work Motoworks has put into its DS 450 program are coming together nicely at this early stage in the season.”

His teammate, John Natalie, went 2-2 for second overall on his Can-Am DS 450 and sits second in the points championship after Wienen.

Can-Am X-Team racer Chase Snapp put in another top-10 performance is currently seventh in the points championship with his DS 450.

Amateur racer, Cole Henry, took third overall in the Pro-Am Unlimited class on his DS 450 and sits third in the points championship after two rounds. The next round in the series is April 2-3 at Ballance MX near Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The third round in the WORCS series was also this weekend near Lake Havasu in Arizona. In the Pro class, Motoworks / Can-Am teammates Josh Frederick and Jeremie Warnia battled hard most of the race with Warnia barely edging Frederick out at the checkered flag.

This win puts Warnia and his Can-Am DS 450 atop the WORCS series Pro points championship. The next WORCS race is round four at Cahuilla Creek near Anza, California.

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.

Arctic Cat Unleashes a Wild Cat at Recent Dealer Show ROV Wows Dealers

Arctic Cat showcased an unexpected ROV dubbed “Wildcat” during the close of their 2012 snowmobile dealer show in Nashville, TN.

Arctic Cat has strived to bring innovative designs and technology to their customers since 1962. With 2012 marking the brand’s 50th Anniversary, the bold off-road styling cues of the Wildcat’s bodywork coupled with its aggressive sport stance and interior suggest Arctic Cat will move to the forefront as the industry-leader in the pure sport ROV segment.

“This is the Year of the Cat! It’s also the Year of Excitement,” Claude Jordan, CEO told dealers in attendance. “Inspired by race bred and race proven designs, we are committed to giving our customers the highest-performance models they deserve in the snow and off-road categories, as well as future endeavours.”

Very few details were released regarding the Wildcat, but Jordan noted, “An extremely capable suspension is what all pure sport ROV owners are begging for, and we promise this will be an industry leader.”

When asked about production dates, Jordan hinted, “You may see this in dealer showrooms during our 2012 fiscal year which would end next March.”

Professional team ropers David Key and Jade Corkill are the new Grand Champions of the 29th Annual George Strait Team Roping Classic.

The finals for Roping Classic were held Saturday at the Rose Palace in San Antonio, Texas. Key, 42, and Corkill, 23, were one of fifty teams that returned to compete in the finals from nearly 500 teams who competed last Friday in the preliminaries.

Key’s Stephenville, TX, rodeo arena is composed of 100% Tarter Farm and Ranch Equipment products, including new roping chute, leadups, arena panels, stripping chute, bow gates, rodeo sweep, leadup corners, and holding pens.

“I depend on my Tarter roping products when I’m practicing for competitions,” said Key, who is sponsored by Tarter. “Whether you’re a recreational roper or a competitor, you’ll find that this equipment will be an easy and ideal choice for all your roping needs.”

Dale Sorge, rodeo product manager for Tarter, said “Tarter is proud to sponsor a champion roper like David Key and is confident his adoption of Tarter’s rodeo equipment has played a role in his success.”

Tarter’s new line of roping and arena equipment has revolutionized the rodeo equipment market. From the heaviest manual chutes for competitions to the electric chutes that operate anywhere without electric or air, to the new roping sweep system, the more than 26 products released in 2010 contain innovative features that give new versatility and independence to today’s modern ropers.

About Tarter – Tarter Farm and Ranch, the nation’s largest manufacturer of farm gates and animal-management equipment, is a family-owned business in operation since 1945, with manufacturing facilities in Kentucky and Utah. Tarter’s product lines include farm and ranch equipment, goat and small animal equipment, equine equipment, roping & arena equipment, ATV equipment, 3-point equipment and utility trailers. Tarter products are sold in more than 5,000 farm and ranch stores nationwide. For more information about Tarter Farm and Ranch, please visit www.tarterfarmandranch.com.

Can-Am GNCC racers had a successful weekend of racing taking five of a possible nine overall podium spots in the morning, afternoon and side-by-side racing sessions.

Team Warnert Racing / Can-Am XC1 Pro-class pilots kept inching closer to an overall victory with Chris Bithell and Adam McGill taking second and third overall respectively in Washington, Ga., aboard Can-Am DS 450 ATVs.

While Team Travelena took the Open Limited class win in a Can-Am Commander 1000 X side-by-side vehicle.

“It is good to see success two rounds into the 2011 season,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “From the pro class to the amateurs to the side-by-sides Can-Am was well represented on the overall podiums.”

In the 4×4 classes, Can-Am X-Team racer Bryan Buckhannon took the 4×4 Open win and second overall aboard a Can-Am Outlander 800R X xc, while fellow X-Team racer Cliff Beasley rode his Can-Am Renegade 800R X xc to the U2-class title and third overall in the morning race.

Kevin Trantham also had a successful day on his Outlander 500, winning the 4×4 Lites class. Can-Am racers swept the utility podium in Georgia In the 40+ class, Tom Wright took first on his DS 450.

Round two was also the first round for the side-by-side classes and Can-Am saw much success in the debut of the Can-Am Commander 1000 side-by-side vehicle.

As mentioned, Team Travelena took the Open Limited class win and in the Open Modified class the Custom Night Krawlers Commander 1000 X took second.

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.