Cumming, GA (10/29/2008) - In
the inaugural year of GNCC UTV Racing, Yamaha
Rhino mounted Media Allstars teammates Dustin
Shuler, and Josh Starrett brought home both Lites
Class Championships (Lites Modified, and Lites
Stock respectively). The four rounds of the GNCC
UTV Series took the team from South Carolina,
to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and finally Indiana. Amazingly,
the duo never finished off the podium, racking
up three wins, two-second place finishes, and
two thirds throughout the season. “Winning
two out of the four Championships is a huge accomplishment
for us. We knew coming in that it would be a learning
year for us, and we expected a certain degree
of success, but these two Championships blew our
expectations out of the water.” Stated Team
Manager Jorge Cuartas. “We’re just
really happy to have done this for our sponsors,
times are tough and we couldn’t be happier
to put their products out front and get them a
tangible return on their investment. GNCC Racing
is extremely tough on equipment, and the fact
that we never DNF’ed is a testament to the
products we’re using.” Choosing to
run the Yamaha Rhinos was an integral part of
the team’s success, as the virtually bulletproof
Rhinos stood up to even the most demanding conditions.
“We’d like to congratulate Dustin
and Josh on a stellar season,” said Steve
Nessl, Yamaha ATV/SxS marketing manager. “To
finish on the podium at every round is a testament
to their abilities as racers, not to mention
an indica-tor of just how durable and reliable
their Yamaha Rhino is in a wide variety of terrain
and conditions.”
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2008
GNCC UTV Lites Stock Class Champions Josh
and Charlie Starrett |
2008
GNCC UTV Lites Modified Champion Dustin
Shuler |
“We went in to the series looking to
have a lot of fun. We knew that to have fun
meant not breaking down. I had al-ready logged
countless hours on the Media Allstars Rhino
and knew that it would be the machine for us.
It helps to know that you have a reliable and
safe machine under you when you are going wide
open through the woods. Those trees come up
fast! We’re happy to bring home the #1
Plate, it was hard fought.”
“Racing has been such a huge part of
our lives, and we immediately knew that UTV
racing was a perfect outlet for us to keep racing.
We also knew that we had to have tough machines
under us because of our aggressive riding styles,
and the Yamaha was the only choice. You just
wouldn’t believe some of the conditions
we put these things through. It’s a testa-ment
to our sponsors’ products, that’s
for sure.” – Dustin Shuler
As for the team’s co-drivers/ navigators,
Starrett was pointed in the right direction
by his father Charlie Starrett, while Hank Millar
handled navigational duties in Shuler’s
ride.
“We jumped into this [GNCC UTV Racing]
at full speed, and with the same type of commitment
we’ve shown in our MX efforts. The UTV
thing is just getting going on the East coast,
and we want to support it in every way possible,
from racing National events such as the GNCCs,
to local events like the Durhamtown Rhino Rally,
and Top Gear UTV Challenge series in Georgia.”-
Jorge Cuartas
The 2008 UTV Team Sponsors are FullBore Innovations,
DG Performance Products, Maxxis Tires, Outerwears,
Uni Filter, Hi-Per Technologies, Lonestar Racing,
UTV Crap.com, Andy Shaw Ford (Sylva, NC), Maxima
Lubricants, Yoshimura R&D, G4 Graphics,
& Elka Suspension
About
the Media Allstars
Established in 2004, the Media Allstars Amateur
ATV MX Team has racked up an impressive Ten
National Champi-onships, 91 Overall Wins, 211
Moto Wins, & 390 Podium Finishes. The Team’s
unique business model which focuses on presence,
and sponsor representation, while grooming future
champions has kept them out front since the
Team’s inception. The UTV Team was created
in 2008 with three drivers; Josh Starrett, Dustin
Shuler, and Jorge Cuartas, all three are ex-Motocrossers,
and fathers. Year one has yielded two Championships,
not to mention Countless Wins, Ex-perience,
Memories and Fun. Bring on 2009.
