It seems like it was just yesterday I entered the pearly white gates of Glen Helen Raceway Park sipping on a hot cup of Starbucks coffee and daydreaming about all of the new and thrilling things to come during the 2005 ATV racing season. Being the optimist that I am, I clearly remember thinking I'd get the adrenaline fix I desired from the hottest racing action of all time that year. The season turned out even better than I had imagined with record-breaking attendance and participation numbers paired with all of the major series witnessing hot point battles between the racers.
As we enter into a new and unwritten season, it's obvious that the momentum gained in '05 continues to roll furiously into '06. Fresh equipment is hitting the market, and the competition has risen to a level not seen before-both signs the manufacturers are beginning to truly give ATV racing the attention that it needs through sponsorships, support and, best of all, innovation.
The Buzz
Change and refreshing tweaks greet every new race season in the never-ceasing effort to improve upon the past. In case you have been buried in a berm, Suzuki finally debuted its long-awaited 450cc QuadRacer. The industry-shocking LT-R450 is reported to be a race-ready quad, and Suzuki used the GNC season opener at Glen Helen for its press introduction to prove this point (page 54). No doubt this ATV is a sign of the future and new owners won't need to drop serious coin to make their machines track-capable.
Former champion Doug "Digger" Gust will be using this new Suzook to chase down reigning motocross king John "Ironman" Natalie and increase his chances of regaining the title he surrendered in '05. A quirky side note: during the off-season, Gust and Natalie literally traded suspension setups. Now it's Gust with Fox air shocks and Natalie using the Elka Suspension and Roll Design combination. An interesting swap, but will it reverse the two racers' fortunes?
Off-road in the Grand National Cross Country arena, you can expect to see six-time champion Bill Ballance remain on the Yamaha YFZ450. However, the rumor mill has it that Ballance may be trying his hand at a new suspension system that will literally shock the ATV racing community. Meanwhile, his young Honda-mounted challenger, Chris Borich, will be back to battle for his first championship aboard the new-and-improved TRX450R. If Ballance can hold off Borich one more time and grab the title again in '06, he will match Barry Hawk's record of seven consecutive championships. But we can't overlook another title-run spoiler, William Yokley. Although he is not expected to kick off the season on the new Suzuki, Yokley will likely be chasing down Ballance aboard a new LT-R a few races into the season.
Out West, despite any rumors you may have heard, Doug Eichner will remain on his Duncan-prepped TRX450R and continues to be a force to reckon with in the World Off-Road Championship Series and ITP QuadCross as well as the Baja 1000. There's one small difference in his setup: he has also converted over to the very same Fox air shocks that have been abruptly sweeping through the industry. Early in '05, Josh Frederick gave Eichner a tough run in the WORCS but just missed the top spot by the end of the year. We expect the Eichner versus Frederick match to heat up even more in '06 now that Frederick has indicated he and racing partner Cyle Chislock won't be spending the year defending their Best in the Desert number-one plate. Frederick plans to focus more on the WORCS races as well as select desert events, and Chislock will be off to concentrate on motocross. Add in the talk of the Chad Prull/Wayne Matlock team switching to Hondas and Jimmy Stephensen retiring, and '06 should be another interesting year, regardless of venue.
Rules, Rules
As these race series continue to grow, rule changes shouldn't be a big surprise. Some of them are designed to benefit the riders as well as assist in the speedy growth. Speaking of beneficial, greater payouts for the pro riders in the national events are on the rise, as they should be for someone trying to earn a living by racing. Such is the case in both the GNCC series and the GNC motocross series which recently announced a payout of $10,000 per round. More respect for the pros-the GNC motocross series will have a speedy sign-in line so they can spend more time signing autographs for fans and focusing on their race program.
Focus
Again, we're excited about the new race season's prospects, which promises even more excitement and adrenaline than last year-a tough feat to top. Naturally, we'll keep our eyes peeled so we can share any dirt we uncover and all the action we witness in '06. And if print is not enough to satisfy your speed craving, continue to check out www.atvrideronline.com for race updates and point standings.