Press Release –

Despite inclement weather conditions and lots of mud that plagued round nine of the NEATV-MX series, BCS Performance’s Mike Pilotte came away with the Pro win while Kawasaki’s Joe Haavisto claimed the number one position in the Pro-am class.

Rain and mud was the name of the game at the Capeway Rovers Motocross Park. Even though it had been raining off and on all morning, there were many racers that still showed up to maintain, if not improve their points standings, but at 9am, just as practice was about to get underway, the skies opened up and heavy rain began to fall.

Track conditions deteriorated quickly and became so poor due to all the water that officials decided to move all of the youth classes to the end of the day in hopes that things would clear up a bit. Just as conditions appeared to be improving, Mother Nature once again let loose with a heavy down poor.

Conditions became so poor that officials decided that the track would be impassable for the smaller quads, and cancelled the kid’s races for the day. Adult classes were also cut down to a one moto, winner take all format.

With the massive amounts of mud flying everywhere off the starting line, whoever took the holeshot, and was able to keep their vision somewhat clear, had a definite advantage over those who were following. In the Pro class, Mike Pilotte was the lucky one that took the holeshot, with Joe Haavisto right behind him, while several other riders got hung up in the first turn due to the slick conditions.

The slippery track and poor visibility made passing difficult if not close to impossible, so the order that riders left the gate stayed virtually the same throughout the entire moto.

The mud claimed several victims over the course of the race with Myles Santaniello and Vincent Mofford all taking DNF’s. “It was really slick and visibility was poor. I ended up losing traction off the line and didn’t get the start I wanted. You definitely wanted to be the guy getting the holeshot this round,” said Kawasaki’s Joe Haavisto.

Out of the eight Pro’s on the starting line, only five were able to finish the race. Of the surviving racers, Pilotte was first to cross the finish line, with Joe Haavisto in second, and the Halo Suspension backed #40 Yamaha of Dave Payne claimed the final podium position. Thomas Mofford held on to take 4th place and BCS Performance backed Justin Hoffler finished in 5th.

In the Pro-am class, it was Kawasaki’s Vincent Mofford edging out Joe Haavisto for the holeshot and the early lead, but it would take long for Haavisto to make the pass to take over the lead followed by Vincent Mofford and Mike Pilotte. Just as in the Pro class, the order of the race did not change much due to the inclement conditions. Joe Haavisto rode away with the Pro-am win with Vincent Mofford taking second and Mike Pilotte taking the final podium position. Thomas Mofford ran a solid race to claim 4th, while Justin Hoffler, finished once again in 5th place.

Even with massive amounts of mud, there was a large turnout in the Women’s class with 12 riders lined up at the gate ready and waiting for their chance to get down and dirty. Halo Suspension’s Amy Thompson, who has been putting on a solid performance all season on her #103 Yamaha, took the holeshot and the win. Thompson, who had the advantage of clear sight, pulled ahead and kept a comfortable lead all the way to the finish line. Tiffany LaClair took an impressive second place, while class points leader Paige Whipple finished in a strong third place.

In the 25+ class, #122 Yamaha of Matt Atkins took the holeshot and the win, gaining some points on current points leader, Chris Lane and second in points, Casey Loring as both Chris and Casey decided not to race because of the conditions. In the Youth 200/300 class, Cody Gould braved the elements to take the win with Joshua Mondo in second and Mike Troiano taking the final spot on the podium.

The 4-Stroke Expert A class was not without its challenges as well with only four out of nine racers crossing the finish line. Jonathan Hansen was the first to reach the checkered flag, with class points leader Ralle Rookey in a close second. Jono Normandin found his way to the 3rd spot on the podium and Anthony Pugliese rode in at a solid fourth.

The next round of the NEATV-MX will be held at MX207 in Lyman, Maine. Round 10 will be a special event that is to include a fundraising benefit for the American Cancer Society. The benefit will begin at 4PM with games and prizes, including a Guitar Hero contest. Luminary bas will also be sold at the event with 100% of the proceeds donated to the American Cancer Society.

Press Release –

Injured Hiker Rescued From Canadian Rockies After Sending GPS Coordinates and Distress Message From His SPOT Satellite Messenger

Globalstar Canada Satellite Co. reported today that on August 22, 2008 experienced hiker and Canadian oil analyst Michael Ervin, set off to enjoy a backcountry wilderness trip to the base of Mount Assiniboine, one of the highest and most distinctive peaks in the Canadian Rockies outside of Banff.

A bad fall under the weight of his forty-five pound backpack left Mr. Ervin with a ruptured quadriceps tendon to his knee, unable to put any weight on his leg and 10 kilometers from the nearest road with no cell phone coverage.

“I heard a loud snap from my leg and could see my knee cap hanging loose, lower than usual,” said Michael Ervin, President of fuel-analysis firm MJ Ervin & Associates of Calgary. “I was experiencing shock and knew I was unable to walk. I needed real help and pressed the 9-1-1 button on my SPOT Satellite Messenger to notify emergency responders of my GPS location coordinates.”

The SPOT Satellite Messenger™ is a personal safety device which enables users to communicate via satellite technology from remote locations around the globe and initiate check-in and emergency response calls independently of cellular networks.

Banff National Parks, which maintains a 24/7 rescue office, immediately dispatched a local Parks helicopter to Mr. Ervin’s exact location. He was flown to Banff Mineral Springs Hospital and underwent surgery the next day.

“As a pilot, I learned about SPOT through my membership with COPA (Canadian Owners and Pilots Association) and purchased the device because it was more affordable than other PLBs and due to its GPS location capability SPOT is far more reliable than the 121.5 ELT,” added Mr. Ervin. “Because it’s small and lightweight, I take SPOT with me on my backpacking trips to stay connected with my family and friends at home. This time, it proved vital in getting me the quick medical attention that I needed.”

Mr. Ervin is no stranger to this wilderness area. This was his third attempt of reaching the base of Mount Assiniboine by foot along the 29 Kilometer Citadel Pass Trail. His previous attempts were never completed due to a forest fire one year and inclement weather brought on by an early winter storm during a later attempt.

“This is but a speed bump on the highway of life, and after I have completed my recovery in the next few months I will try to make it back to Mount Assiniboine.”

Press Release –

Kawasaki/Monster Energy’s Josh Creamer swept both the Pro and Pro-am classes of round nine of the NEATV series at Jolly Roger, which would be his final races of the season before undergoing surgery to repair a knee injury sustained earlier this year.

Jolly Roger is a favorite track of many NEATV racers and for round nine, racers were treated to a backwards run of the track, which included some whoops and jumps that are not included in the usual format. The racers were quite pleased with the change of pace and readily took on the challenge of running the track in the opposite direction.

In the pro class, Kawasaki’s Josh Creamer and Joe Haavisto both made an all night trek to Jolly Roger after racing at the AMA Motocross Invitational at Steel City the day before.

Both Creamer and Haavisto were riding injured due to crashes they were involved in at Steel City where, Haavisto hyper-extended his knee during practice and did not race in the main event.

Although he was still in a great deal of pain, Joe raced at Jolly Roger in order to salvage points and keep some distance between him and second place, Michael Pilotte. “I’m leading in points and I really want to keep it that way, especially in the pro class; that’s the one that really matters to me,” Joe stated.

Despite being a bit banged up himself, Josh Creamer came on strong in the Pro motos, taking the holehsot in both moto one and two and led the entire time.

Meanwhile, Canadian racer, Richard Pelchat also made an appearance at round nine, and ran a close second to Creamer in both motos, but since Pelchat is not a full member of the NEATV series, he was not eligible for points, which kept things in order for series regulars.

Even though Creamer and Pelchat checked out, the Pro motos had plenty of excitement as Michael Pilotte, Myle Santaniello and Justin Hoffler were battling it out as the end of their season draws near and the point race is heating up.

Pilotte is currently second in points with 313 points, which is only 56 points behind pro points leader, Haavisto. Santaniello has had a strong showing this season and is currently sitting in third with 278 points, while Thomas Mofford, who has been very consistent this season is close behind with 273.

In the Pro-am classes, it was Richard Pelchat, who grabbed both holeshots, but Josh Creamer made quick work of him, taking over the lead both times to claim the win in the Pro-am class as well. “It feels really good to come out here and end my season on a high note,” said Josh. “After I’m healed from my surgery, I’ll be getting back to training full time and hopefully come back even stronger next season.”

As Pelchat and Creamer battled it out up front, Jason Connell came on strong claiming a 2-2 finish and second overall. Michael Pilotte ran into problems in the first Pro-am moto and finished dead last, but the #748 Honda made a good comeback and took 4th in moto two, claiming 9th overall, which allowed him to hang on to second in the points race. Meanwhile a rather weary points leader, Joe Haavisto, was riding mid pack, taking a 9-7 finish, which was identical to his Pro moto finishes, claiming 7th overall and increasing his points lead to 352. Myles Santaniello rode strong to take a 3-3 finish, while Justin Hoffler’s 5-5 finish was enough to earn him 4th overall with Matthew Pomeroy rounding out the top five for the Pro-am class.

As the end of the 2008 NEATV season fast approaches, many racers are beginning to feel the pressure as the points battles begin to heat up and the weather cools down. Round ten of the NEATV series will head back to Middleboro, MA on September 14th, where Capeway Rovers Motocross will play host to the series for the third and final time this season.

Press Release –

On August 11 Jesse Skvarek took first place at Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, giving him enough points to win the 90 CVT class in the ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA/ATVA National Championship. In riding to victory at Loretta Lynn Ranch Dirt Days, the Jefferson, Ohio racer reclaimed the crown he first won in 2006.

At age 13, Jesse has two ATVA National Championships in three years – both on board the same KYMCO Mongoose 90 he has relied on for four full racing seasons.

“People call me continuously wanting to purchase Jesse’s quad,” says his father and crew chief Paul Skvarek. “Performance-wise, that machine just rips. He took the hole shot in all but two or three races, which tells you everything about the performance.”

Jesse Skvarek is factory sponsored by KYMCO USA. “The people at KYMCO have been great. They’ve help us out any way they can.”

Beginning in May in Walnut, Illinois, Jesse got on a roll and just scorched the competition, taking first place an amazing five events in a row! But, after finishing 3rd in the RedBud in Buchanan, Michigan, Jesse needed a win at Dirt Days – and he and his Mongoose delivered.

Jesse’s Mongoose is tough, but he may be even tougher. He had a minor riding accident and broke his ankle just before the Buchanan event, but rode anyway. Then, still in some pain, he went to Dirt Days and got the necessary points for the championship.

“The doctor gave him a removable cast,” Paul explained. “On race day we took the cast off and then laced his riding boot up real tight.”

Though only 13, Jesse Skvarek is already a veteran on the youth ATV racing circuit. In 2006 he won his first ATVA National Championship in the 90 Production Jr. Class after finishing third overall in 2005 riding in the 70 Modified class. Last year, he raced the same Mongoose 90 on the WPSA circuit in three different classes, taking a second and two thirds.

Asked how his children got into ATV racing, Skvarek says that in his family, “we grew up riding. We’d get fifteen or 20 machines together and just go trail riding.” He noticed that his son Jesse “never could stand to follow anybody.” So racing just came naturally.

For the Skvareks, ATV racing is a family affair. Jesse’s sister Erica raced one season herself, on a Mongoose 50. Their mother, Robin Skvarek, supports Jesse’s racing efforts and attends most race weekends, as do two older children who don’t race themselves but are there to cheer on their brother.

The Friday before a race finds the Skvareks packing their camper with food and gear and setting out on road trips that can take them a thousand miles or more from their home in Northeastern Ohio. They enjoy the time together and the family atmosphere of ATVA venues on race weekends.

Once they started racing seriously, KYMCO became the obvious choice for the Skvarek team. Jesse campaigned on a Mongoose 50 in 2004, and, according to his father, “It floored me. I couldn’t believe how that thing ran.” Paul Skvarek, an electrician by trade, is his own chief mechanic. He says that the reliability of the Mongoose has made his job easier.

“Our big advantage has been consistency,” Paul says. “We had no DNFs because of the machine. In fact over three years we’ve only had one part failure, and that was a four year-old part that we wanted to see just how long it could go. This year, same way. We had no issues with the machine. Others have continuous breakdowns. We ride it, clean it up, and then go on to the next race. It’s pretty amazing.”

In addition to KYMCO factory support, Skvarek Racing received help from Powroll engines, Bud Fisher and Fisher Cycle, Wiseco pistons and HiPer carbon fiber wheels.

Paul said he especially wanted to thank Joe Wofford at KYMCO USA. “He really made it all happen.”
For more visit KymcoUSA.com

Press Release –

KTM Canada, Inc. is extremely pleased to announce its partnership with Elka Suspension to sponsor the KTM Mini Stars at the Montreal SX.

The KTM Mini Stars program aims at giving a unique “Factory rider for a day” experience to children selected throughout the whole country.

When it comes to “Factory treatment”, what could be more natural for KTM than being associated with Elka Suspension, a leading manufacturer of high performance custom-built suspension systems who also offers custom suspension modifications for motocross and off-road riders?

With over 25 years of expertise in suspension tuning, Elka Suspension’s knowledgeable staff has been working on the suspensions of many champions in multiple Motocross, Supercross, Off-Road and even Supermoto.

In Canada, lots of KTM top racers such as Cory Graffunder (KTM Enduro Challenge Winner at WEC Canada, Gold Medalist at 2006 ISDE in New Zealand) have put their confidence in Elka Suspension to win championships.

Elka Suspension’s structure and capabilities enable them to offer the best possible service to customers, no matter if they are pro riders or weekend warriors.

Through a true scientific approach, such as telemetric data acquisition systems and dynamometer testing, Elka Suspension can go way beyond the simple revalve and oil change.

“Elka Suspension and KTM share lots of values; the strongest one being our common Ready to Race philosophy. All Elka Suspension set-ups and products are extensively tested with some of the best pro racers and we are really happy to associate Elka’s image to the KTM Mini Stars program at the prestigious Montreal SX” stated Martin Lamoureux, Elka Suspension President and Founder.

Press Release –

The GBC Motorsports Heartland Challenge, presented by PIAA, announces a change in venue for the 1st Annual event scheduled for November 7-8, 2008

The GBC Motorsports Heartland Challenge was originally going to be held in Montezuma, IA at Fun Valley Motocross Park, but after an overwhelming response from racers and sponsors, it was feared the Fun Valley location wouldn’t have enough parking for the event, so the GBC Motosports Heartland Challenge will now be held in Carlisle, IA, which is a suburb located just southeast of the capital city of Des Moines.

To our delight, the Fun Valley crew will still be assisting with the event at the new Carlisle, IA location and making the trek to Carlisle to assist in making this race a success.

The new location offers plenty benefits including more hotels, restaurants, and easier access to the Des Moines International Airport, all of which are located within 12 miles of the track.

In addition, the Carlisle facility is just a quarter mile off of a four lane road, which makes access much easier for big vehicles and trailers.

The facility is also easy to get to from just about anywhere by Interstate 80 and Interstate 35.

The Carlisle and Des Moines community has been very active in assisting with the GBC Heartland Challenge, and with the support of the communities around this race, it will truly make everyone feel right at home.

In addition to the location change, the GBC Motorsports Heartland Challenge is also pleased to announce that our online registration is now up and running!

To register, simply go to the GBC Motorsports Heartland Challenge website at www.heartlandchallenge.com to download the entry form.