Minneapolis, June 1, 2011-Factory Polaris rider Daryl Rath of Rath Racing finished the day strong with an overall Utility Podium position. Rath has been relentless in his hunt for the podium and has continuously finished within one position the entire season. Rock Run, Patton, Penn. was a new stop on the GNCC National Cross Country Schedule this year, and the name alone was intimidating to most. Racers are given the opportunity to walk a racetrack Friday afternoon to see what they are up against and this track was going to be a challenge with lots of rock sections and long sweeping open grass fields.
Rath didn't get the start he was hoping for. Following fellow racers into the first turn he know he had his work cut out for him. He continued to charge through the other racers gaining position after position. With the leader in sight, he experienced a small issue causing him not only to stop but to make a quick repair. Once repaired, he worked twice as hard to regain the time he lost making his way through his fellow competitors and lapped traffic.
With the white flag waving, the riders had one last lap to finish strong. As Rath came out of a short wooded section, he could see second place rider which he followed closely until he saw the opportunity to make a daring inside pass to take over the second place position in his class, and allowing him to finish third overall out of all Utility riders who had entered the event.
When asked about his accomplishment Rath stated, "My finish today proves that the people standing behind me and working with this team are determined to continue to improve this bike and push me to be the best rider I can be. We spend a lot of time testing and trying new things. Fox Shox has been great dialing in my suspension and adapting to the changes Dave and I made to the front end. Also, the weather is starting to cooperate in Minnesota so I can get out and train more on the bike, and my lap times are showing we are improving each round. I just want to keep the momentum going."
After this round, Rath currently sits third in overall points with just a few points separating the top three positions.
Factory Polaris Rath Partners - Polaris Industries, Rath Racing, Fox Shox, Maxxis, DWT- Douglas Wheel, Baldwin Motorsports, Fly Racing, WPS, SSI Decals, DASA, Quad Tech, Maxima Oils, Hinson Clutch Components, Scott Goggles, CV4, Precision Stabilizers, Powermadd, Faast Handlebars
About Polaris
With annual 2010 sales of $1.99 billion, Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets off-road vehicles (ORVs), including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), the Polaris RANGER(r) Side x Sides, 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 MidCap 400 stock price index.
Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime from the Polaris homepage at www.polarisindustries.com.