Site Lap: Off Season

The 2012 off season has truly only just begun and already seems to be the longest on record.  Seemingly anyway that is what it feels like.  I am not sure if it was all the questions that loomed overhead of whether this guy got that contract or if a contract is going to be offered.  What are the manufacturers going to do and what are riders going to do to support their programs?

Those are surely some heavy questions that people want to have answered and sometimes there is no answer or the answer is what seems to be the worst possible scenario.  Such as the case when Suzuki pulled their team after dominating the series and backing the top two riders in the world.  As bad as it seemed the racing went on.  Yes there were casualties but in the end the season turned out to be one of the best and most exciting in the championships recent history.  There was every element of drama a race fan could ask for.  The Point leader was injured while three underdogs waged an all-out war down to the final moto of the season.

The end of the 2011 season brought questions about even the support that the major manufacturer supporter of ATV racing would be bringing back in 2012.  I spoke with Jimmy O'Dell from Can Am at the GNCC ATV Awards Banquet last weekend and Jimmy announced the continued support of Can Am in racing as a whole.  He stated that the team would be a single rider pro team in GNCC and that the other programs would reflect what we saw there.  The upside to that was that there would be continued and increased contingency programs that would be more beneficial as a whole to the ATV racing community.

Contingency awards will also be dealt out from DWT tires, Maxxis Tires and ITP Tires.  I am not sure what is working for everyone else but Jay Gobel from ATVMX and GNCC Maxxis Support says it looks like this year's popular cash contingency program will be repeated for next season.  Stan Digby says that they $140,000.00 plus program they ran this year will be working for next year as well.  I am not real sure what DWT has up their sleeve but I am sure it will be equal or even better than last year's program.

If you want to keep up with the contingency program make sure you check the racers tab on www.atvmotocross.com to keep up to date on the latest information.  If you are a business or sponsor that would like to offer contingency in some way then feel free to contact Dean Van Leeuewen at dean@atvmotocross.com and they will help you work out the details of getting it published to our site.  Also riders if you know of a program that is not or has not been listed please bring it your sponsor and or the website to ensure all programs are published and made available for everyone.

As far as the dirt and any scoops this week I must admit I know very little.  I like many am very busy this time of year.  Christmas shopping is just about done and those that have been training in Florida have headed or are getting ready to head home for the Holiday season.  I know that a number of rider programs are still up in the air and we may still hear some pretty huge announcements.  But in the meantime we are left to our own devices.

I have talked to a few a like Mark Madl and Jeffrey Rastrelli over the past few weeks.  Madl seems to have most everything dialed in for next season.  Rastrelli is still looking for a few more sponsors and was spotted at the Thor Winter Olympics talking to a few prospective supporters.  Not real sure how things were going but there were a lot of smiles by everyone so at least they liked each other.

AMA Pro ATV Motocross Champ John Natalie made a guest appearance at last Friday nights GNCC awards banquet.  The Ironman praised all the GNCC competitors for their efforts over the last season stating that he had taken a bite or two of the GNCC and has the utmost respect for each one of them.  He even said that they each may deserve the nickname of "Ironman" for the grueling two hour races they participate in each round.  Natalie also announced that he would be stepping in the promotions department in 2012.  It seems that John has scheduled an off road jamboree type event with mud bogs, trail rides, poker runs and more coming up this summer in his home state of Pennsylvania.  John said that more details would be announced and the event was scheduled for some time in July and that it would take place at Rock Run Off Road Park near Patton, PA.

That will do it for now but if you have any updates on your program or any good off season stories you would like to share.  Hunting stories, vacation stories, sponsorship deals or anything you think is interesting would be nice to help keep us all connected.  What are your plans and what's going on? Let me know at Rodney@atvmotocross.com.

Till next time, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs.