ITP Wins San Felipe 250 on BajaCross Tires

Chalk up another one for ITP’s BajaCross tires. This time it was the 24^th SCORE San Felipe 250 in northern Baja, Mexico, as drivers Bob Viau Sr. and Chris Koch piloted the ITP-backed, DragonFire Racing-prepped Kawasaki Teryx to a decisive Sportsman UTV class victory. The Minnesota-based duo used BajaCross tires mounted to ITP T-9 Pro Mod wheels fitted with T7 Beadlock rings to complete the course in just under nine hours, at an average speed of 27.9 mph. Their margin of victory was almost a half hour. It was a nearly flawless effort under perfect racing conditions. The only issue the team experienced the whole day was being nerfed from behind by a bigger race vehicle in a deep silt bed, which knocked off the spare tire and jack. Luckily they didn’t need it, as the tires and wheels went the distance with no problem (just like they did on the way to winning the most recent Baja 1000).
The BajaCross is ITP’s most rugged tire ever, built to handle the toughest and heaviest UTV applications. It performs impressively in a wide variety of terrain conditions on 4x4 and utility ATVs as well as UTVs. An 8-ply rating and 25% stronger construction has resulted in a high level of durability. Our extended-life rubber compound and innovative overlapping tread pattern provides a smooth, predictable ride as well as slow wear characteristics — this is the highest-mileage tire ITP has ever produced! Stepped lugs provide consistent tread edges as the tire wears, for predictable performance throughout the long life of the tire. Wraparound lugs provide improved shoulder protection, while a super deep Rim Guard feature offers the best wheel lip protection in the business. Despite its strength, the BajaCross’s advanced carcass design delivers the most comfortable, trail-compliant ride available.
The ITP BajaCross now comes in six sizes: 25x8R-12, 25x10R-12, 26x9R-12, 26x11R-12, 26x10R-14 and 26x11R-14.
Since 1982, ITP has grown into the world's #1 ATV/UTV aftermarket tire and wheel source, and continues to provide a complete line of innovative tires and wheels for virtually all ATVs and UTVs. For a copy of ITP’s full-color product catalog, call toll-free: 1-800-859-4740. For other inquiries or technical advice, contact ITP at 930-A S. Rockefeller Ave., Ontario, CA 91761; (909) 390-1905. Or visit ITP’s website at www.itptires.com.

Photo by DirtFocus.com

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Nye County SAR Team Uses Kawasaki 610 Mule and All Terrain Res-Q Trailer to Perform Successful Off-Road Rescue at Nevada Sand Dunes

March 15, 2010 - TONOPAH, NV: On February 28, 2010, at 1400 hours, Nye County Ambulance Service was dispatched to reports of a 4-wheeler accident with multiple injuries at the Crescent Sand Dunes, approximately 10 miles north of Tonopah, in west-central Nevada.   As is standard procedure, the Nye County Search and Rescue unit in Tonopah and the Tonopah Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to respond as well.  Typical of smaller desert communities, the automatic dispatch of all three agencies saves time while insuring an adequate number of trained personnel and specialized off-road rescue equipment are headed to the scene.
Upon arrival at the dunes staging area, emergency personnel found the adult female passenger from the 4-wheeler accident, despite being injured, had managed to walk almost 2 miles to reach a parking area and called 911 for help.  She reported that the adult male operator, with serious multiple injuries, was laying at the bottom of a sandbowl.  The two had been riding a single seat sport type all-terrain vehicle in unfamiliar desert terrain.  Upon cresting a sand dune at an unsafe speed, the 4-wheeler tumbled approximately 30 feet, coming to rest near the bottom of the bowl.
Upon reaching his location, the adult male ATV operator was treated at the scene for neck, back, chest and leg injuries by EMTs from Nye County SAR and the Nye County Volunteer Ambulance unit in Tonopah.  Once this patient was packaged for transport, Nye County Search & Rescue members loaded him onto their All Terrain Res-Q trailer. Towed by Tonopah VFD's 4X4 Kawasaki 610 Mule utility vehicle, this off-road patient transport trailer is the first of it's kind in Nevada.
Two Nye County SAR EMTs and a driver from Tonopah VFD safely transported the victim to the waiting ambulance.  The three rescuers covered a distance of almost 2 miles over soft sandy desert terrain in just 10 minutes!   Requiring only three rescuers to accomplish the carry out portion of this rescue mission not only saved time, it allowed other medical personnel to provide care to the 4-wheeler passenger's less serious injuries at the same time her companion was being transported.
According to Rick Motis, Commander of Nye County Search and Rescue in Tonopah,"Without the All Terrain Res-Q trailer, this mission would have required 6 to 10 more personnel and almost 3 hours to carry the patient out."   Additionally, "With a trailer, risk of injuries to rescuers is greatly reduced as they're not required to carry patients out in a basket stretcher while traversing the soft sand."
The manufacturer adds: "All Terrain Res-Q Trailers are best described as 'time savers' and 'manpower multipliers' during off-road rescue missions in remote desert areas."
At the waiting ambulance, the patient was transferred from the rescue trailer's basket stretcher to the ambulance stretcher without need of further packaging;  saving even more time.  Rick Motis added:
"When dealing with off-road emergencies in remote locations like Crescent Sand Dunes, any amount of minutes saved often translates into lives saved!"While the passenger was treated and released from a local hospital, the operator was flown by medical ICU aircraft to a regional trauma center in Reno for treatment.  At last report, both accident victims are recovering from their injuries.
For more information about 'All Terrain Res-Q' trailers visit  www.eeresq.com
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Jeff Stambaugh Wins Again in WORCS Racing Rhino UTV 3 Class

Primm, NV (3/16/2010) - It was cold. It was dark. It was wet. Saturday at Buffalo Bill's in Primm, Nevada had less than ideal racing weather in the afternoon and into the evening. As the sun went down the UTVs staged at their respective lines. A total of 19 UTVs made it out for WORCS round 2. As darkness loomed overhead it began to rain -- not a gentle spring sprinkle, but a cold downpour. The spectators were less than thrilled and the track became a mess, but Jeff Stambaugh rallied hard and took 1st overall! Lines 1 & 2 left a minute apart. One minute after Class 2, Stambaugh left the line with the Class 3 UTVs. He caught the rest of Class 3 sleeping and grabbed a solid holeshot, went off the first jump and onto the truck track. This race was fast and rough. The truck track was high speed and the off road was whooped out, Stambaugh explains his advantage, "It was really a benefit to me to have the Rhino. Everyone wanted RZRs because they were lighter and faster, but they just can't handle those deep whoops like my Rhino. My Lonestar works flawlessly in that stuff -- the rougher the better!"
One lap in, he had managed to overtake most of class 2 and came back into the truck track looking strong and fast. By this time it was completely dark and the rain was still coming down, "Just like at home!" By lap 2, Stambaugh was a solid 3rd overall -- he had taken the lead early and never looked back at Class 3, then overtook most of Class 2 in a matter of 2 laps and had his eyes set on the leaders. The two RZRs in out front were battling it out in the whooped off-road and Jeff managed to put his head down and charge on to catch up to them. He drove smart and tailed them both. He managed to get around one RZR in Class 1 and then the leader made a mistake that left the door wide open. Jeff passed the leader on the last lap seconds before they would enter the scoring chute. The former leader made a last ditch effort as they came off the pavement and headed toward the chute, but was unsuccessful. Jeff crossed the finish line 1st in class, and 1st overall.

Times do not get adjusted for the Rhino race, but he did leave 2 minutes after Class 1 and still managed a phenomenal finish coming from the last row to first battling machines with bigger engines (up to 1000cc in Class 1). "I couldn't be happier with that finish, " he stated right after the race, "I thought I finished 2nd overall, but then I was told the guy I saw in front of me was broken and that was his 1 and only lap
-- I was really excited! I couldn't believe it but, MAN! That's awesome. I didn't even care about being cold and wet after that!"
Jeff would like to thank the following- without them he would not have had such a good weekend: Lonestar Racing, Elka Suspension, Fullbore Innovations, Blitz Vision, SixSixOne, Weller Racing, S&S Motorsports, Patriot Racing, Kelley Blocks, & his girlfriend.

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Monster Energy Kawasaki and Lasher Motorsports join forces for 2010

March 17th, 2010 – Lasher Motorsports and Monster Energy Kawasaki are proud to announce they have joined forces for the 2010 Best in the Desert Season.  Mike Lasher and the team at Lasher Motorsports have worked hard to bring their team to the front of the pack and be a serious contender.  Finishing the 2009 season in second place in their first full year of competition shows they have the stamina and determination to do the job right!  Reid Nordin, Manager of Kawasaki’s Team Green, had this to say,  "The BITD desert series has proven to be a popular series in the UTV class and Kawasaki has recognized that, and is expanding its support of the Lasher Motorsports Kawasaki Teryx.  Monster Energy Kawasaki Racing will now be represented at the front of the pack with the #1924 Kawasaki Teryx. In these long tough desert races the V-twin Power of the Teryx is just the ticket for success.  Mike Lasher and his crew have the tools and experience to put the Monster Kawasaki Teryx at the front of the pack, so we expect great things from the team in 2010". During the off season the team has been working hard on improving their winning platform and are excited to hit the dirt at the Silver State 300 on April 24th.
The Lasher Motorsports Kawasaki Teryx was designed and built by Side X Side Outfitterz of Oak Hills, CA.  Side X Side Outfitterz was chosen because of their years of desert racing experience and knowledge of the UTV platform.  Wally and the crew at Side X Side Outfitterz build the products that make the long distance drives more enjoyable and comfortable.  When it comes to keeping the Kawasaki Teryx performing at its best, Paul at ZT Fab knows what it takes.  We are proud to have Paul maintain our car and keep it running strong in the desert.
Keeping the the Lasher Motorsports Kawasaki Teryx ahead of the competition is a Muzzy’s 800cc V-Twin built entirely by Lockmann Precision.  Coupled with Muzzy’s performance cylinders and heads, is their new Pro Pipe Exhaust, bored throttle bodies, and a MSD Ignition.  This winning combination is any racers dream as the power that is put down in undeniable.
Getting traction in the Desert is one of the biggest keys to success.  With GBC Motorsports Dirt Commanders, the team will  have the traction needed, and will not have to worry about flats with GBC’s strong 8-ply rating.  GBC has a strong racing presence on the East coast in the GNCC series and is proud to add to their winning reputation on the West coast.  The GBC Dirt Commanders will be installed on the new Walker Evans 14” bead lock UTV wheels.  Walker Evans is known for performance in bead locks and is the wheel of choice in all desert racing applications.
To tame the rough desert, and smooth out the whoops, a set of Walker Evans Racing 10? 2.5” dual rate coil over shocks with remote reservoirs were installed, along with the race winning +5 long travel kit from Xtreme Machine and Fabrication.  The XMF and Walker Evans combo, along with the Summers Brothers 300m axles guarantee no issues in the desert!  Helping keep the car pointed in the right direction is a billet steering rack that boasts a 20% increase in speed over the stock rack from Billet King.
When safety comes to mind there is no better choice than Simpson.  Lasher Motorsports chose Simpson because of their outstanding track record and focus on safety and comfort.  The team is equipped with Devil Ray Carbon Fiber Helmets, and custom stitched two layer fire suits along with their D-3 racing belts.
Lasher Motorsports is proud to announce UTVUnderground.com and OffroadPress.com as their official media partners.  The community that UTV Underground has built and their dedication to UTV racing is undeniable!  Without their support the team wouldn’t be where it is today.

2010 Sponsors include:
Monster Energy, Kawasaki, Side X Side Outfitterz, GBC Motorsports, XMF, Walker Evans, ZT Fab, Hostyle Racing, Summers Bros, Billet King, Pro Armor, Muzzys, Simpson, Beard, MSD, K&N OffroadPress.com, UTVUnderground.com
For more information on the Lasher Motorsports Monster Energy Kawasaki Teryx you can visit www.lashermotorsports.com
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30 UTV's Invade Pala Raceway for the 2010 Pala Raceway Spring GP

Pala, CA 3/13/10 - The 2010 Pala Raceway Spring GP presented by Summers Bros., UTVUnderground.com, and OffRoadSwapMeet.com turned out to be a HUGE success. With 30 UTV's staging at the start line for a 3 class land rush start the race proved to be hard, fast, and exciting. The tight enduro styled course took racers from a large open field into the hills of the Pala Indian Reservation and back into an awesome MX styled track.

Racers competed in 3 classes ranging from Unlimited, Modified, and Stock. Everything from R1 powered Yamaha Rhinos, to 4 seat family wagons, and professional LOORRS Unlimited UTV's were lined up side by side for a 45 minute GP race. While the course proved to be much rougher then what most expected it was still a very exciting course. Lots of vehicles fell victim to the Pala rocks. Tires and rims were being ripped apart like rubber balloons and aluminum cans. The racers who finished did it because of smart driving, awesome team support, and lots of luck!



While we are still waiting on official results we do know that Brent Fouch in his Kawasaki Teryx took top honors in the Unlimited class followed by Taylor George in the Monster Energy / Funco Kawasaki Teryx normally piloted by Funco family member Chad George. This was Taylor's first time behind the wheel of this championship winning Teryx and by mid race she was turning off lap times that were as fast and at times faster then our winner Brent Fouch. Brent hasn't always had the best of luck on the short track in his Teryx but Saturday was his day as he raced a flawless race to take home a dominating win. Brent has moved onto the Super Lite division in the Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series but will continue to race his #699 Teryx in the Pala GP Series as well as the ITP Series at Lake Elsinore.

Summers Bros. awarded 2 sets of their top quality +6 axles to winners in the Unlimited and Stock classes. Jose of Summers Bros. was in attendance and said he was amazed at the turnout. He was pleased to be a part of this event and looks forward to the next round!

It was a great weekend, a lot more relaxed the most of the "big" racing series but there was no shortage of excitement and competition. Racers like Doug Mittag with his co-driver RJ Anderson were tearing the track up in first place in the COD "Red Dragon" Polaris RZR until they lost their rear differential mid race due to a large rock that punctured the rear skid plate. Unlimited UTV racer Tyler Winbury competed in his old super stock Wagon Burner's Yamaha Rhino and had his little brother co-driving with him. They unfortunately didn't get to complete a full lap due to motor problems. The Wagon Burners looked like the team of old with 5 UTV's in competition. They even let Luke Johnson son of superstar MX and Unlimited2 truck racer Ricky Johnson take the wheel of their stock Kawasaki Teryx Pit vehicle. Luke wheeled it in with only a little bit of bumper damage to the stock Teryx which he said was as much fun to race as anything else he drives. Wagon Burners Team Owner, Uncle, Father, Husband, and Friend Pat Winbury said it's time to upgrade it to a new Funco front bumper! Anyone who has raced UTV's on the west coast over the last 4 to 5 years knows that Team Wagon Burners on any given race can have upwards of 8 cars racing ranging from Teryx's, Rhino's, RZR's, and Arctic Cats. The Winbury's have it all. They are one of the first family's of UTV racing so to see them out at Pala racing together again was a real blast for all of us and we hope to see more of them at future events.

Magnum Off Road out of Vista, CA showed up with 4 cars of their own and they were all racing hard until a few had some Pala rocks take them out. Bill Hogan in his Magnum Off Road / Voltage Off Road Lighting Polaris RZR-S has unofficially won the modified class. He drove an awesome race and his RZR-S was in the hunt all day! Dan Fernandez of OffRoadSwapMeet.com came in just behind him in his 4 seat Yamaha Rhino. Fernandez broke a spindle in the practice/parade lap but due to some quick help from 747Ink's Trevor Smith Dan was able to get his Yamaha Rhino back on the course and into the starting lineup.

There are too many stories to tell in one single write up so I will leave it up to the racers themselves to tell their many stories on UTVUnderground.com. It was a great day at Pala Raceway, and it looked like we may have found a series that can fully re kindle the magic so many think we may have lost on the UTV racing front. The entry fees were affordable, the track was an equalizer, and the atmosphere was pure fun! I cant remember the last time I saw a race this large where when it was complete the racers, their friends, and families all stood at the finish line reflecting on their race all together with nothing but smiles across every ones faces.

If you didn't make it to Pala this race then be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the next. Word is it's going to be a lot bigger and the track is going to be a little more refined. Until next time.........

Check the official Pictures and Results thread here:
http://www.utvunderground.com/f18/pala-raceway-spring-gp-utv-race-pictures-results-3283.html

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