White Bear Lake, MN (7/18/2007)
- As the 2007 WPSA PowerSports ATV Tour begins
to wind down another successful season, the points
are still up in the air as the Tour hits Indiana this
weekend for the AMSOIL Wildcat Open Championship.
The event is being held at Wild Cat Creek MX here,
and represents Round 8 of the 10-race Tour.
This weekend's events will be telecast on ESPN2 on
Friday, Sept. 7 at 3 p.m. EDT.
The racing weekend will feature the nation's top
Pro riders, competing in three Classes: SuperQuad
Pro 450, QuadTerrain Challenge Pro Stock, and SuperSport
Side by Side. The SuperQuad Pro 450 Class features
big air, motocross style racing. QuadTerrain Challenge
features 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
The gloves came off three weeks ago in Virginia, and
John Natalie, Jr. definitely lived up to his Iron
Man nickname, winning both rounds of the double national.
The rider of the No. 13 Elka, Maxxis/Honda moved well
within striking distance of the points lead and now
sits just seven points out the lead with only three
races left.
However, leading the points is sophomore sensation
Dustin Wimmer (No. 191 MSR, Pro Taper, Yoshimura/Suzuki),
and he certainly won't give up without a fight. Nor
will his teammates Doug Gust (No. 55 Team Rockstar,
MSR, Pro Taper, Yoshimura/Suzuki) and Chad Wienen
(No. 44 Team Rockstar, MSR, Pro
Taper, Yoshimura/Suzuki), who currently occupy the
third and fourth slots, respectively, in the title
chase.
Keith Little (No. 12 Lonestar/Honda) has seemingly
come out of nowhere with his privateer effort and
completes the top five in points.
Other riders to watch include the Kawasaki duo of
Josh Creamer and Josh Upperman, both of whom have
continued to build on the Monster Energy Drink backed
team's new sport quad racing program, stringing together
several top fives of late.
Honda has begun chipping away at Suzuki's lead the
Manufacturers' Championship, and now sits just 14
points out of first.
QuadTerrain Pro Stock
The slug fest is likely to continue in the big bike
ranks, and although Scott Kilby (No. 207 Warnert Racing/Can-Am)
is in front in riders' points, it's Jesse West (No.
888 West Racing/Arctic Cat) who's come on strongest
recently. West now sits just three points out of the
lead and returns to the track where he netted his
first PowerSports ATV Tour victory, scored last season.
West leads a hungry gaggle of Arctic Cat silver
trying to unseat the dominant Can-Am. Rory Beckman
(No. 10 Jack Link's/Arctic Cat) sits third, ahead
of defending titleholder Daryl Rath (No. 67 Jack Link's/Arctic
Cat). West's brother Josh (No. 788 West Racing/Arctic
Cat) rounds out the top five in points.
All Pro Class Riders will be vying for one of the
richest purses in ATV racing here. The Tour will award
$22,500 in purse monies for the SuperQuad Pro 450
and QuadTerrain Pro Stock finals. 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 each QuadMX final and $2,000 to win
in each QuadTerrain Challenge final, with $15,000
and $7,500 available in each Series final, respectively.
Tickets, which start at $15 for adults and $5 for
kids 6-15, will be available at the gate on Saturday.
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
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