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2007 MSR/Pro Taper/Suzuki/Yoshimura
ATV Race Team
#55 Doug Gust & #191 Dustin Wimmer
MSR/Pro
Taper
Suzuki/Yoshimura Links
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Chino, CA (3/2/2007)
- ATV racing has grown leaps in bounds over the past four
years with the ATV manufacturers finally embracing the
sport and releasing race worthy sport ATVs for the first
time in nearly thirteen years. March of 2002, Suzuki released
the LT-Z400 with its water cooled power-plant, and just
one year later they signed Doug Gust to race in the ATVA
Motocross Nationals where he wrapped up the ATV Pro Production
Championship out of a box van. In 2004, Suzuki and Weekend
Warrior teamed up and provided Gust a trailer and a near
factory level support, and “Digger” Doug Gust
won yet another title with the Pro Production Championship,
which prompted Suzuki and Yoshimura to increase its racing
efforts once again by expanding the team to include Jeremiah
Jones in 2005. The birth of a new era of Full Factory
ATV Race Support was back with Suzuki/Yoshimura as they
provided the team with a support crew and a new 53’
semi-truck. This dynamic pair finished out the year in
the top three behind John Natalie Jr.
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Suzuki /Yoshimura
& Weekend Warrior teamed up for 2004
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Jeremiah
Jones joined Doug Gust in 2005 & the team
upgraded to a 53' Rig |
In 2006, Suzuki/Yoshimura LT-Z450 machines were replaced
by the all new Suzuki LT-R450, which was the first truly
motocross ready ATV ever produced with fuel injection
and its wide stance. Once again Doug Gust and Jeremiah
Jones were up to the challenge of starting out the season
on a brand new machine with the pair battling for the
ATVA Pro Championship till Jeremiah was tragically paralyzed
in a first turn crash at Unadilla, which ended his ATV
racing career. Doug Gust would go on to win the first
ever WPSA Pro Championship by edging out Dustin Wimmer,
but he had to settle for the runners-up spot in the
ATVA series after a tight and controversial points battle
with Joe Byrd.
For 2007, Suzuki and Yoshimura are back again with
Doug Gust and his new teammate, Dustin Wimmer along
with Jeremiah Jones returning in his new role as Team
Coordinator. Also, Suzuki and Yoshimura will be joined
by two new partners with MSR and Pro Taper, which is
another huge step forward for ATV racing. MSR and Pro
Taper are divisions of Tucker Rocky Distributing - a
leader in the wholesale distribution of aftermarket
parts, accessories and apparel for the powersports industry.
These two leading national brands have a strong lineage
of winning and performance, and make a great addition
to the team as they prepare to defend the WPSA title.
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Suzuki /Yoshimura
& Weekend Warrior teamed up for 2004hj'/]\
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Jeremiah
Jones joined Doug Gust in 2005 & the team
upgraded to a 53' Rig |
With excitement in the air, Suzuki and Yoshimura invited
the press out to California to introduce the team and
its new team sponsors. I arrived in California a day
early, so I could have a chance to meet up with Dustin
Wimmer and see him in action on his new Suzuki ride.
Fortunately, the entire team was practicing and testing
at Glen Helen Raceway, so I had a chance to catch Gust
and Wimmer in action along with Suzuki support rider,
Russell Shumaker. After watching Gust and Wimmer carve
out a few laps around the track, there was no doubt
that Wimmer was completely at home on LT-R450 QuadRacer
as he appeared faster than ever. I also discovered that
Allen White was replaced by Dustin’s 2006 mechanic,
Faron Dukes, after negotiating a last minute deal with
the team just a few days earlier. For Doug Gust, Robert
McClure will be replacing Paul Turner as his mechanic
and Turner will be wrenching for Yamaha’s Pat
Brown.
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