THE BEST OF THE BEST IN ATV RACING TAKE OVER SILVER DOLLAR RACEWAY
REYNOLDS, Ga. (April 25, 2007) -- The top names in ATV racing will all converge on South Georgia this weekend as the WPSA PowerSports ATV Tour hits Silver Dollar Motocross Raceway for the ITP Tires Southern Open National. The event, which runs from Friday, April 27 through Sunday, April 29, will be telecast on ESPN2.
The racing weekend will feature the nation's top Pro riders, competing in three Classes: SuperQuad Pro 450, QuadTerrain Challenge Pro Stock, and SuperSports Side by Side. The SuperQuad Pro 450 Class features big air, motocross style racing. QuadTerrain Challenge features the larger, utility-type ATVs, competing on an obstacle course, that includes log jams, mud bogs, rock crawls, as well as high-speed sections. The SuperSport Class comprises four-wheel utility vehicles piloted by a driver and co-driver, sitting side by side. The purpose-built racing machines compete on a modified course that includes both big air sections, as well as obstacles.
The race weekend will also feature nearly 20 other classes for Pro Am, Amateur, Junior and Women's classes.
SuperQuad Pro 450
Leading the charge into the Peach State is a triple threat from Team Suzuki Yoshimura. Led by defending SuperQuad Pro 450 Riders' Champion Doug Gust, the team will also be bolstered by young gun Dustin Wimmer and the newly signed Chad Wienen.
Wimmer and Gust came into the final race of the season just one point apart. Experience won out over rookie exuberance, as Gust took the final prize by just two points. Gust also helped hand Suzuki the Manufacturers' Championship.
John Natalie, Jr. will also return to action, riding his familiar red-and-white Honda. Natalie dominated much of the early part of last season before being sidelined with a severely broken thumb. Healthy again, Natalie is certain to be a force in SuperQuad Pro 450.
With a full season under his belt, 2006 Rookie of the Year Rocco Arno, Jr. is ready to put his experience to the test this year.
Other top riders expected to be in contention include: Jeremy Lawson, Jason Dunkelberger, Jason Luburgh, Josh Creamer, Kory Ellis, Dana Creech, Tavis Cain, and many others.
QuadTerrain Challenge Pro Stock
Defending QuadTerrain Challenge Pro Stock Riders' Champion Daryl Rath will return to defend the title on his familiar Arctic Cat. Rath dominated last season, and won the title by 13 points ahead of North Carolinian Scott Kilby.
Can-Am, which dominated the Manufacturers' Championship last season, is back strong with its stable of five riders: Kilby, Brock Parker, Michael Swift, and Clifton Beasley. Can-Am's efforts will again be run by WPSA Super Team Warnert Racing, which also competes in the Tour's sister series: The PowerSports Snowmobile Tour.
A fan favorite, Jim Stack is also expected to compete. The "Super Privateer" of the ATV Terrain world, Stack is always in contention and rides with reckless abandon.
SuperSport
The PowerSports ATV Tour unveiled the new SuperSport Class at the final race of last year. Fans and racers alike were in awe of the capability of these race-bred machines and their riders. Based on utility vehicles--like the Yamaha Rhino, the Arctic Cat Prowler--these machines are built from the ground up to race and will certainly be a highlight of the weekend.
Riders will be vying for one of the richest purses in ATV racing here. The Tour will award $22,500 in purse monies this weekend for the SuperQuad Pro 450 and QuadTerrain Pro Stock Classes. The purse pays to 20th place in the QuadMX Series and to 15th place in QuadTerrain Challenge. The purse structure awards $4,000 to win in QuadMX and $2,000 to win in QuadTerrain Challenge, with $15,000 and $7,500 available in each Series, respectively.
The ITP Tires Southern Open Championship kicks off Friday, April 27, with a full card of qualifying and finals for the Pro classes, as well as Amateur, Pro-Am, Youth and Women's classes scheduled for the weekend. Tickets, which start at $10 per day for adults and $5 for kids 6-12, will be available at the gate.