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Suzuki Wins Pro ATV Series Opener

Press Release –

Mill Creek Raceway in Pell City, Alabama, has always been a good track for two-time AMA Pro ATV Champion and Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Dustin Wimmer.

He has won the last six motos at the hilly facility. Sunday’s dominating performance proved that Dustin is still the man to beat.

Looking to get a third championship trophy to put on his mantle in 2010, Dustin was prepared and relaxed heading into this event.  “I definitely felt less pressure than in previous years, but I’m here to win, make no mistake about that.” Dustin set fast time in Saturday’s timed practice aboard his Suzuki QuadRacer R450 and his new teammate Josh Creamer also looked fast.

“Everyone out here wants to ride these bikes for this team,” Creamer said Sunday before the first moto. “My Suzuki QuadRacer R450 is the fastest bike I’ve ever raced and it does everything well. The team is the best and I’m looking to pay back Suzuki’s confidence in me by performing and being up on the podium at every round.”

Threatening storms cleared out just before the start of the main event and the gate dropped under blue skies and sunshine.

Josh Creamer pulled a huge holeshot and quickly put a three-second gap on second place (and teammate) Dustin Wimmer.  The race for the top-five positions was very close until about midway when Dustin passed Creamer for first and then slowly started to pull away to a six-second lead. In the meantime, Creamer left a small door open, was bumped, and missed a berm, dropping several positions in the process. By race end, Dustin won by a comfortable 5 seconds while Creamer crossed the line in 6th place.

The second moto started just like the first with Creamer grabbing another clean holeshot over teammate Wimmer. The fuel-injected Rockstar Makita Suzuki QuadRacer R450s scorched the track in a yellow blur as Creamer and Wimmer quickly distanced themselves from the pack.

As in the first moto, about mid-distance Wimmer was able to get by Creamer for the lead, but this time Josh stayed with Wimmer and the two ran nose to tail. The two riders pulled a large gap on the rest of the pack and were in a league all to themselves.

The two Suzukis were noticeably making up time in several sections of the track; linking sections together and riding lines that the others were struggling with. Toward the end of the race, Creamer had a slight spin coming down one of the hills, but he was so far in front of the third-place rider that it only cost him a little time.

At the end of the race the two Suzukis finished one-two for a truly dominating finish. From atop the victory podium, sipping on a Rockstar, Wimmer was very happy. “I love this track, and with the weather holding off I felt pretty good about my chances today,” Wimmer said. “My Rockstar Makita Suzuki QuadRacer R450 got me the good starts I needed and I was able to ride steady and smooth… It paid off and I couldn’t be happier. It was a great way to start off the new season.”

Teammate Josh Creamer was happy, as well. His 6-2 moto scores put him on the podium with a third overall for the day. “My goal is to be on the podium at every race, so this result is good,” the likeable Connecticut rider said. “I always want to win, but I made a couple slight mistakes and paid for it. Overall though, I’m pretty happy. My Suzuki is so fast, I’m really happy with the two holeshots. I think this year is going to be really good. I’m really loving this bike and the team is awesome. I’m going to settle into some training back down in Florida and come out really strong for the next race. I can’t wait for Bowling Green.”

Team Manager Kevin Mummah was happy with the results as well. “It’s always a good thing to start a season off with a win,” Mummah said. “To have both of our guys up on the podium was even better. There are a lot of fast guys out here this year and it’s clear that several riders have stepped up their game so it’s going to be a long, tough season, but it’s clear the Suzuki is the quad to beat and that our riders are ready to win.”

Watch out for Rockstar Makita Suzuki at the next event at the Ballance Motorsports facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Can-Am Podiums In Opening of Nationals

Press Release –

Chad Wienen of the Motoworks / Can-Am ATV race team powered his Can-Am DS 450 EFI ATV to second overall in the Pro 450 class at this past weekend’s AMA ATV Motocross Championship opening round near Pell City, Alabama.

His teammate John Natalie narrowly missed joining Wienen on the podium; he finished fourth overall. In all, Can-Am racers put three DS 450 ATVs in the top 10.

“Both Chad and John looked extremely impressive at this track,” says Jimmie O’Dell, Racing Manager for Can-Am ATVs at BRP. “We are really looking forward to the next round as everyone on the team is confident after seeing the results from the hard work the team put in during the off-season on the DS 450 program.”

Team BCS Performance / Can-Am racer, Cody Miller, raced to a tenth-place overall finish on his DS 450 in the Pro class. The third Motoworks racer, Jeremie Warnia, took eleventh overall in the class after experiencing sickness before and during the second moto.

In the amateur classes, Can-Am DS 450 riders had a great weekend of racing. Mark Gehring took the Open B overall on his DS 450, winning both his qualifier and the main race.

In the 4-Stroke B class, Chase Henry took the weekend overall winning both his races. Chase’s brother, Cole Henry, had a top-10 finish in the Production A class aboard his DS 450.

Merrill Crose narrowly missed taking the overall in the Vet 30+ class, while Nicole Gates finished second overall in the Women’s C class.

The next round in the AMA ATV Motocross Chapionship will be April 17-18 at Ballance Moto X near Bowling Green, Kentucky. For more information on Can-Am racing, the entire 2010 schedule, the 2010 contingency program and DS 450 amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.

YPAD Announces MSD Blaster FI

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Press Release –

Yamaha Parts and Accessories Division today announced the distribution of the MSD Blaster FI, a mapping controller for the Yamaha YFZ450R and YFZ450X.

The Blaster FI allows YFZ450R and YFZ450X racers to edit both fuel and ignition maps along with, rev limiter and accelerator pump functions. Fuel and ignition mapping changes are completed on any laptop with provided MSD software, and allows for changes at 10 different RPM and throttle positions. Additionally, 10 different maps can be saved in the Blaster FI module providing easy tuning at the track without the use of a PC.

“The MSD Blaster FI is the only product in the market that provides a simple, cost effective, solution for our YFZ450R/X customers who have expressed interest in adjusting the fuel and ignition mapping for their specific racing conditions and riding preferences,” commented Yamaha Off-Road Accessory Manager, Philip Lash. “Additionally, Yamaha dealers will have exclusive distribution of the MSD Blaster FI for the first 90 days of production that is planned to begin this April.”

Mike Sharp, General Manager of MSD’s Powersports Division said, “We are excited to partner with a great company such as Yamaha. MSD is well-known for building the highest quality ignition products for many categories of professional and sportsman racing. We are committed to engineering products for Yamaha to the same standards demanded by racers around the world. We are confident that our partnership with Yamaha will be one of great success.”

Part Number: GYT-0SS55-90-86
MSRP: $435.00

For more information please go to www.yamaha-motor.com or call 1-800-962-7326 to find a dealer near you.

POLARIS NAMES NEW VP OF SUPPLY CHAIN & INTEGRATION

Press Release –

Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) today named Suresh Krishna as vice president supply chain and integration. Krishna has a strong background in operations, mergers and acquisitions and strategic business leadership that spans the globe.

“We are excited to have Suresh join Polaris and bring a new dimension to our leadership team as we focus on growing our business around the world,” said Scott Wine, chief executive officer, Polaris Industries. “Suresh will play a key role in developing our international footprint while overseeing global purchasing and logistics functions with a focus on reducing costs and lead times. His proven track record of delivering results will be a huge asset and fit very well with the Company’s goals and objectives.”

Most recently, Krishna led global operations, supply chain and IT for a division of UTC Fire & Security, where he was responsible operations in China, Mexico, U.S. and Europe.

Earlier, Krishna has led strategic sourcing and supply chain organizations for Mitsubishi, ABB and Diageo. He also spent a couple years as a management consultant with Booz & Co. He has lived in India, the Middle East and Europe.

Krishna holds a B.S. in engineering from the National Institute of Technology in India and an M.B.A. from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. He currently serves on the corporate advisory board of the MSCM program at Ross School of Business (University of Michigan).

ABOUT POLARIS – With annual 2009 sales of $1.6 billion, Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets off-road vehicles (ORVs), including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER, snowmobiles and Victory motorcycles for recreational and utility use and has recently introduced a new on-road electric powered neighborhood vehicle. Polaris is a recognized leader in the snowmobile industry; and one of the largest manufacturers of ORVs in the world. Victory motorcycles, established in 1998 and representing the first all-new American-made motorcycle from a major company in nearly 60 years, are rapidly making impressive in-roads into the cruiser and touring motorcycle marketplace. Polaris also enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Pure Polaris apparel, accessories and parts, available at Polaris dealerships. Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ‘PII,’ and the Company is included in the S&P Small-Cap 600 stock price index. Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories is available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime from the Polaris homepage at www.polarisindustries.com.

Arctic Cat Mud Nationals Race Contingency

Press Release –

Mud Creek Offroad Park, near Jacksonville, Texas will once again host over 10,000 mud riding and racing ATV enthusiasts from across the Unites States and Canada March 24-28th.

Arctic Cat is the only manufacturer to offer Factory-Built mud racing ATVs with the ultimate power, ground clearance, snorkels and mud tires via Arctic Cat’s potent 650, 700 or 1000 Mud Pros.

In support of the largest mud racing event in the world, Arctic Cat announces the following contingency payouts for the premier MuddaCross and Mud Bog events.

For more information on Arctic Cat’s Mud Pros, please log on to www.arcticcat.com or visit your local dealer.

Enthusiast Tours for a Cure in Pink RANGER RZR

Press Release –

For the second year in a row, Off-Road Enthusiast CJ Rena Johnson is on a mission, a mission to cure.

Johnson, along with her Pink Polaris RANGER RZR, is visiting private, public, local, state and federal ATV and OHV parks around the country to spread the word and raise money for various charities including American Cancer Society, American Breast Cancer Society, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and St. Jude Children Research Hospital.

“2009 was a huge success,” said Johnson. “Once again, we are going to take the nation by storm as we take on challenges in a way that will affect our community in very positive and profound ways.”

“OHV Tour for a Cure” works by having sponsors, groups, businesses, participants, spectators and other riders pledge donations to the charity of their choice.

People interested in pledging or joining one of the rides can visit cjrenajohnson.com for an updated list of places ‘OHV Tour for a Cure’ will stop.

Johnson attends every event and rides along in her Pink Polaris RANGER RZR which has become a symbol of the tour.

KYMCO Maxxer 375 Finishes Strong at GNCC Events

Press Release –

On March 6, 2010, the Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCC) stopped at Washington, Georgia for the two-day event known as “The General.” And when the red clay dust settled, Bradley Caldwell had piloted his KYMCO Maxxer 375 to a third-place finish in the 4×4 Lites Class.

The Maxxer is a new 2010 addition to the KYMCO ATV line, and the two hour-plus race over grueling terrain was a real test of reliability and performance that the KYMCO machine passed with zero mechanical problems.

This notable accomplishment was quickly followed up at the next GNCC event with another great finish from Caldwell on the same KYMCO Maxxer 375. On March 20, 2010, Bradley Caldwell upped the ante by finishing second in the 4×4 Lites Class in Morganton, North Carolina at the GNCC Steele Creek race. That’s two straight podiums for the KYMCO Maxxer 375, putting Caldwell in second place overall

Two factors make the strong finishes in America’s premier off-road racing series a notable accomplishment. First, the Maxxer 375 was completely stock with the exception of aluminum nerf bars (an option available from KYMCO). Second, Caldwell’s entry in the GNCC’s 4×4 Lites class put him up against race-modified competitors with engine displacements as large as 500cc. Yet the Maxxer’s quick hole shot had him a close second coming off the line.

Caldwell, a twenty year-old from Laurens, SC, had raced a limited GNCC schedule last year on KYMCO’s Mongoose sport ATV. But this was his first experience on the Maxxer, a quad that blurs the line between sport and utility models.

“It took off like a bottle rocket from the start,“ Caldwell said after the race. “I was very impressed by the handling, steering and four-wheel drive. The independent rear suspension surpassed my expectations when riding through the deep ruts. With the rear sway bar, the Maxxer was able to power slide like a true sport bike. I can’t wait to race this machine again.”

Al Golding, KYMCO USA’s Accessories Manager, was on site in Georgia to provide support. He says the Bradley Caldwell team will move on to as many other GNCC events as possible, “carrying the KYMCO banner forward.” The circuit’s larger competitors may not be happy to see the KYMCO flag coming at them.

Borich Takes the Win at Steele Creek

Press Release –

Chris Borich and his Suzuki QuadRacer R450 took the top spot on the podium at Round 3 of the GNCC series this weekend at Steele Creek in Morganton, North Carolina. The win is Borich’s second of the young season, and the defending 2009 GNCC ATV champion is on track to have another winning season on his Suzuki.

Borich ran in third for most of the two-hour-long race, making his winning pass on the last lap of the 11.2-mile racecourse. “My quad worked awesome all day,” Borich said. “I sat back and waited for people to make mistakes, because it was basically a one-line track. I was able to capitalize and come with a victory. Everything is clicking good this year, and I have basically the same setup as last year when I won the championship. So, we’re going to keep getting that Yoshimura Suzuki back on the podium this year.”

Borich’s win on Sunday gives him control of the series points lead with 85. Round 4 of the GNCC series takes the racing action to Union, South Carolina, on April 10-11. Expect to see a lot more victories for Borich aboard his Suzuki QuadRacer R450 in 2010.

About Suzuki: The Motorcycle/ATV Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, Calif., was founded in 1963 by Suzuki Motor Corporation. ASMC markets motorcycles and ATVs via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. ASMC’s parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 120 distributors in 191 countries. www.suzukicycles.com.

Curtis Announces New ProSeries Cabs for UTV

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Press Release –

Curtis Industries, LLC announced a major product expansion for 2010 with its new line of ProSeries cabs. The ProSeries will include PathPro for UTVs, StreetPro for golf cars, and WorkPro for compact tractors.

Each product group will include enclosure choices for all levels of applications: two soft-sided options, the Pro and the Pro SS, and a hard-sided option, the Pro SE.

In the PathPro Series, which were showcased at the Dealer Expo 2010, Curtis will be offering three UTV enclosure choices from value-priced to high-feature cabs for a host of powersports vehicles.

The value-priced cab, PathPro, will feature a “soft top” style with strong PVC-based material, great overall fit-up/seal around cab mounting points, a complete cab including roof, windshield, rear panel and doors, zippered rear window.

The mid-level system, PathPro SS, will offer a hard coat windshield, steel roof (w/acoustic liner), soft doors and rear panel with zippered windows for partial or full ventilation.

The high-feature cab PathPro RCS, (Rapid Convertible System) package where all body panels are made of TPO (not fiberglass or ABS), hard coat windshield, either sliding windows or doors. The PathPro series will offer enclosures for Yamaha, Polaris and John Deere’s Gator XUV as well as a host of other models over the next year.

Tom Dimauro, Vice President of Sales and Marketing said, “We’re in an ‘age of thrift’ and buyers are seeking out more value for their money and less of the bells and whistles.” Dimauro added the long economic downturn will most likely continue for some time until credit for small business and consumers is eased and unemployment recedes and stops its upward trend, bolstering the need for products which more closely align with the users’ needs.

Curtis Industries, LLC is the leading manufacturer of cabs, enclosures and accessories for compact tractors, golf cars, and utility vehicles. The company markets its products exclusively through a large network of dealers in the United States and Canada as well as Japan, Korea and Western Europe. The company operates from a modern 150,000 sq. ft. facility in Worcester, MA. For more information on Curtis products please visit www.curtisindustries.net or call 800.343.7676.

ITP ADDS PLATINUM FINISH TO SS212 LINE

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Press Release –

Due to popular demand, ITP has added a platinum finish option to its SS212 alloy wheel line.

Previously available only in the 15-inch size, this rich platinum finish is now available for the 12- and 14-inch SS212 as well.

Two coats of paint plus a coat of gloss clear coat makes this platinum finish as durable as it is attractive.

This one-piece wheel, with a distinctively muscular style, is available in a 12×7 size, as well as unique 14×6 and 14×8 sizes designed specifically for front and rear applications, respectively.

These dedicated sizes provide more precise fitment and make the most of 26- and 27-inch radial tire performance on most late-model 4×4 sport/utility ATVs as well as many side-by-side UTV applications.

The 14-inch models are a great choice for UTVs, as they carry an 800 lb. load rating (12-inch ATV models are rated at 700 lbs.)!

Like all SS Alloy wheels, the SS212 comes standard with a custom SS wheel cap and is manufactured through ITP’s high-tech Advancecast process, resulting in an incredibly strong yet light final product. ITP is so confident of the SS212’s durability, in fact, that it’s covered by a lifetime structural warranty: if you bend or break it, ITP will replace it!

Since 1982, ITP has grown into the world’s #1 ATV aftermarket tire and wheel source, and continues to provide a complete line of innovative tires and wheel for virtually all ATVs and UTVs. To order, contact your favorite distributor. For a copy of ITP’s full-color product catalog, call toll-free: 1-800-859-4740. For other inquiries or technical advice, contact ITP at 930-A S. Rockefeller Ave., Ontario, CA 91761; (909) 390-1905. Or visit ITP’s website at www.itptires.com.