Press Release –

Dustin Wimmer braved the cold wind and rough track busting out the first ATVA National overall win of his young career and his first win for Team MSR/Pro Taper/Suzuki/Yoshimura.

A heavy rainstorm moved through South Georgia on Saturday night raising fears that the track would be washed out. Sunday dawned cold and overcast but the sand base of the track made for a raceable surface.

Moto one saw a Suzuki One – Two – Three sweep into the first turn. Dustin Wimmer snagged the holeshot with teammate “Digger” Doug Gust hot on his heels in second, and Suzuki support rider and rookie Pro Russell Shumaker in third.

Wimmer was smooth and fast around the elevation changes of Echeconnee, pulling away to a commanding lead by moto end. Digger Doug had an up and down race but managed to pull off second.

“The Suzuki was really working for me today,” an excited Wimmer said after the race. I’m really good in the mud, but it wasn’t all that muddy out there, they really cleaned up the track. I had good lines and was able to stay out in front.”

“We are all really proud of Dustin today,” Suzuki’s Rod Lopusnak happily said. “We all knew he could do it and it was really great to see him get his first ATVA win on a QuadRacer® 450.”

Doug Gust also ran a good race dicing with Lawson in a few places, but was able to cross the line in second place. “This is one of my favorite tracks,” Digger Doug said. “I pulled two good starts and was really happy about that. The Rockstar/MSR/Pro Taper/Suzuki/Yoshimura QuadRacer 450 was really awesome getting off the line.”

Moto two saw lots of ruts but a pretty raceable track surface. There were a lot of rollers and stutter bumps leading up to most of the jumps. Two-track ruts also made precision a key.

Once again when the gate dropped Wimmer holeshot with Doug right behind him in second. Wimmer blistered the track surface and pulled out a slight advantage by the end of the lap. Doug picked a few outside lines on lap one to avoid Wimmer’s roost and ended up stuck in some very deep and soft dirt. His momentum gone, Doug lost three spots in just a few seconds. Once back under way- Digger was on the prowl looking to get back up front.

“I took a bad line because I thought it looked smoother to the outside,” Digger said. “And it was like driving into quick-sand. By the time I got through it, three guys went by me like I was tied to a post…I was pretty mad at myself.”

Meanwhile back up front, Wimmer lead for the first five laps. Joe Byrd pushed by a few laps form the end but Dustin knew he wouldn’t factor into the overall as Joe had only a 4th place in the first moto. Dustin crossed the checkers in 2nd grabbing his first overall win and pumping his fists in the air.

“My Suzuki QuadRacer 450 is so fast. Doug and I ruined those other guys on the starts today,” an elated Wimmer said after the race. “Both motos, I just set a fast pace and let my bike do the rest. About halfway through the second moto I knew I had it… it was a really good feeling.”

In addition to the Double D’s machines, Suzuki was the brand of choice with the majority of bikes in the pro class and four of the top ten with Russell Schumaker, Jason Dunkelberger, Joe Haavisto and others campaigning QuadRacer 450s.

Yoshimura’s Brant Russell summed it up this way, “The Suzuki QuadRacer 450s really shine on technical tracks. The power delivery, the frame geometry, and overall quality of these machines are at a very high level. What is really gratifying, is that Dustin and Doug’s quads are probably the least modified of any of the Pro Class bikes.”

The team will stay in Georgia to do some more testing and training. Team Manager Pat Alexander explains, “The bikes are really dialed in right now and running really well. But there is always some tweaking to do. We’re going to be ready for some real racing in two weeks time at the first WPSA event at Silver Dollar.”

Press Release –

Goodyear Engineered Products is hitting the trail with a “self-healing” carbon-fiber-loaded ATV drive belt that can reduce the possibility of a long walk home.

Goodyear Gatorback Sport is the first Continuously Variable Transmission or CVT belt with carbon fiber reinforcement in its body construction, according to Loren Danhauer, Goodyear chief belt engineer.

“Threadlike strands of carbon fiber are strong and flexible and weigh much less than steel of similar strength,” said Danhauer. “The fiber alignment in the rubber compound provides added stiffness across the width of the belt.”

Jonathan Cocco, marketing manager for Goodyear aftermarket products, said a Goodyear survey of quad riders shows they want precise, immediate throttle response and off-road durability whether for hunters, ranchers, fire rescue teams or sport enthusiasts. A CVT system varies the working ratio of two v-shaped pulleys linked by the belt, said Cocco. The distance between pulley flanges can fluctuate, allowing the belt to ride smoothly up or down the pulley, continuously changing the gear ratio and varying vehicle speeds. The pulleys are part of a power sensing drive that increases tension during acceleration and lowers tension when power is reduced.

Danhauer explained that conventional CVT belt sidewalls can glaze and char from heat buildup when engaged with pulleys under extreme loads. Materials from the top width of the belt then turn down and inward, creating vibrations that can quickly destroy the belt.

ATV BELT HEALS SELF

Goodyear’s new Gatorback Sport ATV drive belt is the first CVT belt with carbon fiber reinforcement in its rubber compound. When handling an extreme load demand, the carbon fiber allows desired slippage on pulleys without top-width belt distortion. After the extreme demand subsides, the carbon material restores the integrity of belt edges in order to handle the normal load demand.

“Gatorback Sport regulates itself under extreme events,” said Danhauer. “Its carbon fiber in the rubber compound allows desired edge slippage without losing top width. When extreme demand subsides, the belt self-heals and again picks up the load.” Danhauer added that tests he conducted show significantly improved top width wear and reduced belt weight loss.

Cocco said Gatorback Sport is responsive and durable. “Its aggressive carbon fiber material maintains pulley grip without sacrificing belt wear,” he said. “It provides quick, clean throttle response to help riders conquer steep hills and nasty mud pits, while withstanding inadvertent abuse, such as spin-and-runs.”

Gatorback Sport’s performance was born from race technology introduced last year. Hendrick Motorsports and eventual NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Champion Jimmy Johnson turned to Goodyear for help after making mid-season engine adjustments for added horsepower that increased demand on cam drive belts by 50 percent.

Goodyear quickly responded by mixing carbon fiber reinforcement in rubber compounds for the new timing belt. The result was an advanced composite that withstood the increased loads and higher temperatures, allowed engines to run more efficiently, and provided precision timing in a very harsh environment.

“Buoyed by our success with carbon fiber, we went to work on the CVT belt for allterrain vehicles,” said Cocco. “Its performance earns it the Gatorback name, joining a growing family of popular Gatorback automotive belts that are used by all major NASCAR Cup Series teams and are available in auto part stores and service centers.”

While Gatorback Sport’s lateral strength comes from carbon fiber, its longitudinal strength comes from Goodyear Flexten aramid cords traveling the circumference of the belt. Flexten minimizes stretch, stabilizes overall length and maximizes horsepower transmission. “It adds up to predictable tension performance,” said Danhauer, “and tension is as important to belts as air pressure is to tires.”

Engineers also took care when designing belt dimensions, precisely duplicating most major ATV manufacturers’ original equipment profiles and measurements for top width, length and sidewalls to ensure proper fits.

Gatorback Sport’s top width range is 17 to 35 millimeters or 0.68 to 1.37 inches, while its length range is 679 to 1106 mm or 26.75 to 43.56 inches.

For additional information, go to goodyearbeltsandhose.com.