February 7, 2011-They’re racing forward

OEMs in recent weeks have shared a wealth of news about their upcoming racing plans for 2011.
Here’s a detailed look at manufacturers’ plans for the coming year:
BRP Can-am
For the 2011 ATV and side-by-side vehicle racing season, BRP will offer up more than $1.6 million as part of its Can-Am X-Team Racing Contingency Program.
Can-Am ATV and side-by-side racers across Canada and the United States will be eligible for a cash payout though the program in the 2011 racing season.
As in the past, riders of the Can-Am DS 450, Can-Am Outlander and Can-Am Renegade lines of ATVs are eligible for the cash payout. However, starting in the 2011 race season, drivers of the new Can-Am Commander 800R and Commander 1000 lines of side-by-side vehicles will be eligible for the program as well.
“We are excited to continue our support for both the professional and the amateur Can-Am ATV, and now, side-by-side vehicle racer,” Denis Morin, vice president of product development and racing at BRP, said in a press release. “Racing has always been an integral part of our DNA here at BRP, and we reward those who commit to joining the Can-Am family on the race track.”
BRP is paying out contingency cash in all major U.S. national racing series, including the Can–Am Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series, the AMA ATV Motocross Championship and the World Off-Road Championship Series (WORCS). In addition, BRP will pay contingency in several regional series and the High Lifter Mud Nationals.
For more information on Can-Am racing, the entire 2011 schedule, the 2011 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.
Honda
Joe Byrd Racing returns for its sixth season as the official support team for Honda in the 2011 AMA Pro ATV Motocross National Championship. Representing Honda in the Pro, Pro Am and Production A classes, the team has won multiple titles over the years and will continue racing Honda’s TRX450R in the ATV competition. “I’ve really enjoyed working with Honda over the years because we share the same professionalism and work ethic toward winning on and off the track,” Joe Byrd, the owner of the Joe Byrd Racing Team, said in a press release. “Honda has treated me like family since day one, and I couldn’t see myself riding anything else.”
In 2011, Honda’s Red Rider Rewards program will support racing across the United States by offering contingency payouts to a range of Honda-mounted professional and amateur racers during the 2011 race season.
Polaris
Polaris comes into the 2011 race season with teams competing in the Grand National Cross Country series (GNCC), World Off-Road Championship series (WORCS), Best in the Desert (BITD), TORC, LUCAS and Mud racing. Polaris also will continue to offer its ATV racing contingency program.
“Polaris is excited for another year of ATV and side-by-side racing,” Donna Beadle, race team manager for Polaris’ Off-Road Division, said in a press relase. “We hope to continue our momentum with the Sportsman XP 850 and are excited to introduce our new Ranger RZR XP 900 to side-by-side racing.”
Polaris also will continue to offer an ATV race contingency program, in eight ATV racing series, with a total purse of almost $400,000. Polaris is offering contingencies in GNCC, WORCS, ATVA-AMA Motocross Nationals, AMA National Harescramble, Iowa ATV Hare Scramble Series (IATVHSS), New England ATV Motocross Series (NEATV), the Heartland Challenge and Canadian Motorsport Racing Club Series (CMRC). Racers must race 2008 or newer quads, and utility classes must be raced on a Sportsman XP 850 or Sportsman 550. More information and complete rules about Polaris’ ATV racing contingencies can be found at www.polarisfactoryracing.com.
Yamaha
Yamaha Motor Corp., U.S.A., has announced its 2011 ATV race team members. They include Bill Ballance, Traci Cecco, Taylor Kiser and Walker Fowler in the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) series; Thomas Brown in the ATVA/AMA National Motocross series; and Dustin Nelson in the revamped QuadX Series as well as the World Off Road Championship Series (WORCS). The MX racers will compete on the high-performance YFZ450R while the cross-country teams will continue to race the trail-optimized YFZ450X.
“Racing has always been at Yamaha’s core, and our high-performance machines and stellar race teams are a result of Yamaha’s ongoing commitment to the sport,”?Steve Nessl, Yamaha ATV/SxS group marketing manager, said in a press release. “We’re looking forward to another exciting season in 2011.”
Traci Cecco, the winningest women in cross country ATV racing, returns to recapture her crown after a third place overall finish in the 2010 GNCC season. PSB