2011 Maxxis 25th Annual Pont de Vaux 12 Hour ATV Race Pont de Vaux, France August 20-22, 2011 By: Bill Lanphier

The French Armee de l'Air put on a show which included these tightly-choreographed prop planes, plus fighter jets catching some truly major air	After each teams presentation, ATVs are moved to the staging area on PDV's main drag in preparation for the parade back to the track

Bomb Squad freestyle included Colten & Caleb Moore, plus Swede Daniel Bodin & other guys on two-wheelers. Each of the three performances drew close to a thousands spectators in the small town of Pont de Vaux

For 2011, the 25th running had all the bells and whistles: live music, a French-Army air show, Bomb Squad freestyle, manufacturer semis, a parade in the small village of PDV...well, you get the idea.

Twenty women competed this year, including 17 Pros and 3 Amateurs (Also pictured here are pit crew members) Photo by funmotorslemag fc/yl

Because of a WORCs Racing conflict and the economy, American participation was down for 2011, but that didn't mean America was out of the running. Far from it. Super fast rookie MX Pros Joel Hetrick and Travis Moore would be riding a Can-Am 450 prepped by one of the most highly regarded ATV Teams in Europe, Germany's Quad Briel. That team has brought over several of America's top racers and has made the podium more than once.

Team Race Comas Motos - A French team managed by 2009 PDV winner Jean Michel Abfalter broke a shock in the first session and lost 3 laps, but still managed a 5th overall. They led session 2 at hour one and three. Their Suzuki ran a Hot Cam, but a stock piston (Overall: 5th - Qualified: 3rd - Session 2: 3rd)

Team Quad Briel - Despite Can-Am's frame updates, the hours of pounding at PDV was too much for the area near the front of the upper A-arms & that took the Quad Briel team including Americans Joel Hetrick & Travis Moore out of the race. The team's German member, Max Freund, has won a half-dozen German MX championships. The Can-Am was set up with a cam, Power Commander, K&N filter, Dominator 2 axle, and Warner radiator with two fans. A-arms, piston & clutch were stock (Qualified: 7th - Session 2: 4th -Combined 1&2: 11th)