Reynolds, GA (4/25/2007) - 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.
HONORING OUR HEROS...With Fort
Benning just a short drive from Silver Dollar Raceway,
the WPSA PowerSports ATV Tour is offering $5 admission
to all active military personnel. Military members
simply need to present their military ID at the
gate to receive the discount.
REMEMBERING...In order to honor
those killed in the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech,
the WPSA PowerSports ATV Tour is requiring all Pro
riders to feature a Virginia Tech decal on their
quads during the weekend.
About the PowerSports ATV
Tour:
The PowerSports ATV Tour is North America's
premier professional ATV racing circuit, featuring
QuadMX, QuadTerrain and SuperSport Pro series
action as well as more than 20 amateur classes
for adults, women and children. The Tour is
sanctioned by the World PowerSports Association,
North America's most respected snowmobile
and ATV sanctioning body, and a promoter of
ATV and snowmobile racing on both the regional
and national level. For more information,
please visit www.PowerSportsTour.com.
World
PowerSports Association Headquarters
1863 Buerkle Road
W hite Bear Lake, MN 55110
651.209.7404
