WPSA Powersports ATV Tour Returns to Where it
All Began
Kentucky Racers Yokley and Vaughn Ready for
Daniel Boone
London, KY (6/15/2007) - The WPSA PowerSports
ATV Tour will return to
the place where it started its history-making tour, as
it invades Daniel Boone Motocross Park for this weekendÕs
Blue Ridge Open Championship. The double national event,
which comprises Rounds 4 and 5 of the Tour, is scheduled
to kick off Friday with Pro qualifying and continues through
Sunday, which will feature Pro finals.
The events will be telecast on ESPN2 on Sunday, July
15 at 1 p.m. EDT, and again on Saturday, July 21 at
noon EDT.
The PowerSports ATV Tour returns to Daniel Boone Motocross
Park, where it started its inaugural season in 2006.
The venue features one of the most breathtaking viewing
vistas on the Tour, and the most elevation change of
any WPSA venue, making for a great show and a competitive
race.
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.
The Pros will be competing in two complete races, with
qualifying scheduled for Friday and Saturday and finals
scheduled for Sunday.
SuperQuad Pro 450
With two races on tap this weekend, every point will
count. Dustin Wimmer (No. 191 MSR, Pro Taper, Yoshimura/Suzuki)
padded his lead in the chase last weekend with his first
victory of the season. In doing so, Wimmer, who leads
teammate and defending champion Doug Gust by 15 points,
helped Suzuki continue its run toward its second consecutive
manufacturers' title. Suzuki currently has a 10-point
lead on Honda in the standings.
Injured, but by no means on his back, John Natalie,
Jr. (No. 13 Elka, Maxxis/Honda) has recovered from injuries
sustained practicing earlier this season to finish second
in the most recent round, in Oklahoma. Though he sits
fifth in points, Natalie is always one to watch, and
he wants nothing more than his first WPSA title.
Keith Little is on a roll following the Oklahoma round.
After finishing third in the final there, he moved up
to third in points on the No. 12 Lonestar/Honda.
Sitting fourth is the always-competitive "Big"
Chad Wienen. (No. 44 Team Rockstar, MSR, Pro Taper,
Yoshimura/Suzuki). With one win under his belt this
season, the super-privateer-turned-factory-star rider
will definitely be in contention here.
QuadTerrain Pro Stock
The QuadTerrain Pro Stock story of the weekend is certainly
going to be about local riders Adam Vaughn and William
Yokley.
Vaughn (No. 83 Warnert Racing/Can-Am) virtually invented
the construction methods behind the WPSA's QuadTerrain
course layouts. In fact, last year, the London, Ky.
native virtually built the course himself!
Yokley, on a brand-new Kawasaki, will return to WPSA
competition for the first time this season. Although
he missed the first round, Yokley still finished third
points in 2006 after scoring three convincing victories.
Yokley is from Tompkinsville, Ky.
Arctic Cat's "Minnesota Connection" has paid
dividends this season with Rory Beckman leading fellow
Minnesotan Jesse West by just six points in the QuadTerrain
title chase. With a single podium, Beckman's (No. 10
Jack Link's/Arctic Cat) consistent qualifying efforts
have elevated him to the top of the standings.
West (No. 888 ITP Tires, Oil Boyz/Arctic Cat) has shown
that being a privateer isn't a disadvantage in QuadTerrain
racing. With a win, and some amazing back-to-front charges
this season, West is always the rider to watch.
Scott Kilby (No. 207 Warnert Racing/Can-Am) currently
sits third in points, and is looking to bring his powerful
yellow-and-black machine to the front. Consistently
fast at the start, Kilby always gives the crowd something
to watch going into the first turn.
Jesse West's brother and teammate Josh (No. 788 ITP
Tires, Oil Boyz/Arctic Cat) sits fourth in points, ahead
of defending WPSA QuadTerrain titleholder Daryl Rath
(No. 67 Jack Link's/Arctic Cat).
Though points are irrelevant to this rider, victories
aren't, and cross-country legend Chris Borich proved
that at the last round with a dominating victory aboard
his Warnert Racing/Can-Am.
SuperSport Side by Side
The PowerSports ATV Tour unveiled the new SuperSport
Side by Side Series as a professional class at the season
opener. Fans and racers alike were in awe of the capability
of these race-bred machines and their drivers. With
a new Arctic Cat built by Rath Racing unseating the
usually favored Yamaha Rhino in the last round, the
gauntlet has been thrown. These machines are built from
the ground up to race and will certainly be a highlight
of the weekend.
All Pro Class Riders will be vying for one of the richest
purses in ATV racing here. The Tour will award $45,000
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 in QuadMX and
$2,000 to win in QuadTerrain Challenge, 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 Friday morning.
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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