Take control, adjust your controls that is

Want to make your ATV experience more enjoyable?  Want to increase your ability to go those long rides with less fatigue in your arms?  Want to do all this for free?  Of course you do!  Adjust your controls my friend.

It seems so elementary but many people fail to do this after buying their machine.  Whether it s a new machine or a used one, adjusting the controls to fit your particular body and riding style will surely help you enjoy your riding that new machine even more. Here is how to do it.

First off think about your natural riding position. Do you sit most of the time your riding or do you stand most of the time? Put both index fingers straight out to rest on the levers. Adjust the clutch (where applicable) and brake levers to make as straight of a line from your finger up through your wrist, hand and arm. If your a standing is what you do most of the time make sure your in the “attack” position.

The wrong way

The right way

Adjusting your levers is somewhat subjective but a general rule of thumb is you should never have to reach way up or way down to pull in either lever.

Responsibility of the trail leader

Riding season is upon us and of course we are all going to either participate in a group ride or organize a group ride ourselves.  For the latter it is important to be a responsible trail or group leader.  Leading riders into unfamiliar areas can be fun and rewarding.  What follows are some helpful tips to make the group ride a success and everybody gets back to the staging area in one piece.

1.  Communicate

Before anyone loads a single piece of gear, have a get together and talk about the 3 W’s Who, What, Where.  Who is all going with you on the ride, this is also a good time to get an idea of everyones skill level.   The skill level of the riders involved leads into the next question.  What type of terrain is the group going to be riding on?  Depending on everyones skill level will depend on the terrain you will want to take the riders on.   And lastly, Where are are the riders going to ride?  The what somewhat dictates the where.  For example, do the riders want a challenge or a leisurely ride.  As the leader you will need to respect the riders skill levels and desires, especially if they are new to the area.  Remember a trail that seems easy to you may be very difficult for others and vise-versa.

2. Bring the right gear

As the leader you need to set a good example and at least require the bare minimum of safety gear before you allow anyone on the trail.  Other than the obvious, be sure to take along extra specialty gear for the area or conditions you might face on the trail.  For example, if your riding in an area that sees frequent afternoon showers, pack extra rain ponchos.  Also even though the other riders might bring other gear, as the leader make sure you have a basic first-aid kit.  Plenty of water is always a good idea as well.

3.  Know your route

Know the area well.  Know where the parking is, how much parking and the route you will take to get to the trail head as well as the trails themselves.  Especially with new riders to the area you want to instill confidence that you know your way around.  Make sure if it is a complicated area be sure to provide maps for everyone just in case someone happens to get behind.  Be sure to discuss how to read the map.

4.  Don’t get too far ahead

This one is simple.  Keep track of your group.  Stop at every fork in the trail and make sure everyone is accounted for and that everyone can see the proper turn.  If there are difficult obstacles it might be a good idea to stop and make sure everyone clears the section before proceeding, this can also be a good time to take a break if people need it.

5.  Action plan

Have an action plan for the extreme case of someone getting lost, breaking down, or getting hurt.  A good plan is to have everyone meet at a certain well known landmark or area at the end of the day.  This way when someone comes up missing it is easier to plan your search of the trail to find that person.

Every situation will warrant different tactics.  These tips should only serve as introductory guidelines as the leader or organizer of a group ride.

AMA ATV MX Championships: Creamer Wins at Birch Creek

Josh Creamer showed why the Rockstar/Makita/Suzuki race team was wise to sign him, as he won his second straight Pro class overall in the ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV MX Championships series. Creamer, who took over the class points lead, also benefited from his teammate Dustin Wimmer’s second-moto seat problem to earn the win. Creamer’s 2-1 moto finishes at RV Outlet/Keystone Raptor Birch Creek ATV National in Virginia, beat Wimmer’s 1-5 score. However, Wimmer is just two points back and probably could have won the race had he not encountered the seat issue in the second moto. “In the second moto, I got off to a good start and then my seat fell off on the third lap and there just wasn’t too much I could do besides try to hang on,” Wimmer explained in a MX Sports press release.

Creamer said he was thrilled by the win, despite not winning the race to the first turn in either moto. “We didn’t get holeshots this weekend, I was actually getting too much traction leaving the gate so I was struggling keeping the power under control,” Creamer said in an MX Sports press release. “We worked our way through the pack both motos and ended up winning. Even if we don’t get holeshots we can still work our way up through. Everything on the bike was working good. I could get the bike wherever I wanted. It was hard to pass on the track so I had to stick it in there and have to make the passes happen. The second moto, we got a little bit of lead at the end of the race and that sealed the win.”

Reigning Champion Dustin Wimmer surely was pleased with his first moto results and relieved to finish where he did in Moto 2. Wimmer led every lap in Moto 1 and acknowledge the friendly competition with Creamer, saying, “I had a good first moto,” Wimmer said. “My teammate and I battled it out a little bit.”

Josh Creamer went 2-1 to earn his second consecutive AMA ATV Pro MX overall. (Courtesy of MX Sports)

Moto 2 started out great for the champ. He grabbed the MotorcycleUSA.com $250 holeshot and then led the first four laps (according to eScore) before his seat fell off. Once his seat came off, Wimmer dropped to fourth on the next lap and as far as seventh place during the race. He recovered to place in the top five and earn the No. 2 spot on the podium. “I had to stand a lot and my legs were giving out and I had to let people go by so I didn’t crash. I just tried to suck it up and get as many points as I could,” he added in the release.

Yamaha’s Thomas Brown put in his best Pro race of his young career (he took fourth overall at the opener and Round 2 in 2009). Had he finished higher in the first moto (he went from fifth to fourth during that race) or held on to the lead in Moto 2, he may have taken the second stair. Brown led laps seven and eight in Moto two before being passed by Creamer and then John Natalie Jr. Regardless of what could have been, Brown was more than pleased with the end result. “I’m super pumped about my finish,” Brown said in the MX Sports release. “We got two great starts, the second one we came out third. We led several laps in the second moto. It got us on the podium and I’m happy just to be there. Every race is getting better and better.”

The second moto was said to be one of the most exciting all year as four different riders led the second moto (Wimmer, Josh Upperman, Brown and Creamer). We can only hope the remainder of the 2010 season stays as competitive and closely contested as Moto 2 in Virginia.

Biggest MX Movers 1: Several riders deserve acknowledgment for the way they raced in Virginia. John Natalie Jr. (Warnert Can-Am) followed up his sixth-place ride in Moto 1 with an impressive second-place run in Moto 2 to snag fourth overall and earn 37 points (his most this year). Very similar to the first moto, Natalie started Moto 2 in seventh, but charged the entire race and climbed into second place (where he finished) by lap 10.

The eScore results clearly show Warnert Can-Am’s Chad Wienen’s Moto 2 effort was quit impressive. After lap 4, he was in 15th, but by the end of the event he was in seventh. His moto scores of 5-7, were good for sixth overall. Had he not dropped from third to fifth in Moto 1, he may have moved up even more.

Jeremy Lawson also gets a kudos from me for never giving up. The Walsh racer’s combined moto scores of 7-4 was good for fifth place. He gained two spots in Moto 1 and moved from sixth to fourth in Moto 2 to earn the fifth-place finish, which was his best of 2010.

Biggest MX Movers 2: Joe Byrd and Josh Upperman (Baldwin Motorsports) have to be disappointed with their Virginia results. Byrd, who finished a season-worst 18th at Birch Creek, saw Creamer gain 37 points over him after Round 3 and dropped two spots from sixth place to eighth place and trails Creamer by a whopping 60 points.

Upperman was putting in a good ride at Birch Creek before his day ended short in Moto 2. He followed up his third-place ride in Moto 1 with a unlucky 17th place in Moto 2. And as stated above, the Louisville, Ohio, rider actually led the second moto before trouble struck. Luckily for Upperman, he garnered 24 points and still sits in sixth place just nine points behind Chad Wienen, who is in third.

Harold Goodman also suffered a little in Virginia. After racing to the MotorcycleUSA.com holeshot award in Moto 1, Goodman fell to sixth place by the end of the first lap. He ended up in 11th with a 14-11 moto score.

Consistency has been hurting French racer Jeremie Warnia. After finishing in eight in Moto 1, the Can-Am-mounted racer took 18th in Moto 2. Even with the last-place ride in the second moto, Warnia scored 17 total points and still sits in 10th overall after three rounds. If this guy starts putting together two decent motos, he’ll be pushing for a top five finish (at the very least).

Perfection Tracker

These eight amateur racers (down from 17 after Round 2), still remain perfect in 2010 in their class and have the early class points lead. They are:

* 4-Stroke A – Chase Henry, Petersburg, Va.

* Women – Heather Byrd, Union City, Tenn.

* Women C – Kelsey Dyer, Quincy, Ill.

* Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) – Dallas Tapscott, Scottsville, Va.

* Schoolboy Jr. (13-15) – Brent Sellers, Willis, Texas

* 90 CVT (8-15) – Tyler Mack, New Ulm, Minn.

* 50 CVT (6-8) – D.J. Bassani, Sussex, N.J.

* 50 Limited Jr. (4-6) – Ethan Ahlm, Cumming, Ga.

Round 4 is slated for May 15-16, at Sunset Ridge MX in Walnut, Ill.

Round 3 AMA ATV MX Pro Class Results

AMA ATV MX Pro Class Points (Top 10)

For more information, log on to www.atvmotocross.com.

An Introduction from Scott Lukaitis

Hello all-

Since it has been quite a while since I posted here I thought I would give you a brief run down on who I am.

My name is Scott Lukaitis and I am a lifelong member of the powersports business. Working in this industry is the only job I’ve ever known. Starting in 1984 as a student in high school I began working at the local Honda and Kawasaki dealer as a counter guy and over the years I’ve worked for a couple of other stores as a parts counter employee, a parts manager, an accessory manager and most recently as the e-commerce manager for Ocean County Powersports. [Read more]

'Nail'd' ATV Video Game

I have to credit Joystiq.com for reporting a new ATV game soon to arrive for the XBox 360 and PlayStation 3 (PS3). The game, “Nail’d” by Deep Silver is associated with developer Techland, which Joystiq.com says introduced a first-person shooter success story in “Call of Juarez” and its follow-up.

After reading the brief Joystiq.com listing, I had to check out “Nail’d” for myself. I went to Deep Silver’s Web site and I liked what I saw. Cool music, nice game footage, obscene terrain challenges and a whole lot more. I never played “Pure”, so I can’t compare the two games. Either way, it looks like it’s almost time for this guy to purchase a PS3 – I know my 8-year-old would dig it.

Nail'd will let game players customize their ATVs. (Courtesy DeepSilver)

Here’s what Deep Silver says about “Nail’d”

Non-Stop Adrenaline: Constant sensation of ultimate speed is the players companion throughout the game. Lightning-fast reflexes and tactic skills are what stands between victory and defeat.

Vertical Experience: Breakneck rides on near vertical mountainsides with up to 70-degree slopes – feel your heart pumping!

Monumental Tracks: Extreme track design with breathtaking vistas – learning the inside-outs of their topography will be an advantage in the race for #1

Air Control: Steer your vehicle mid air allowing for full control over your ride. Shortening or lengthening your jumps, changing angles can make or break your lap time.

Expansive Online Competition: The online racing community of nail’d opens the road to fame and fortune, putting you in the driver’s seat to be the best in the world. With global ladders and tournaments its a global racing circus in your home!

Vehicle Customization: Assemble your own vehicles from a wide selection of parts and components. Adjust their parameters to best suit your playing style and personalize the looks, making it unique and truly your own.

Rugged terrain and a wild soundtrack will have you pinning the throttle on your virtual ATV! (Courtesy of DeepSilver)

Summary:

• Different classes compete simultaneously on the same track
• Multiplayer – up to 12 players
• Extensive Online options – leaderboards, achievements
• Own soundtrack by popular US rock-musicians
• 16 unforgettable tracks in 4 exciting locations

Deep Silver also says “Nail’d” will be available for Next Gen consoles and PC.

Also check out this game on your favorite social networks.

Deep Silver and Techland have each developed other powersports/racing related games and this joint effort looks to be a good one. (Courtesy DeepSilver)

Nail’d Facebook page

Nail’d Twitter page

Nail’d YouTube page

CONTACT:

DEEP SILVER US

Deep Silver Inc.

2615 Pacific Coast Highway #225

Hermosa Beach CA 90254-2250

MX Images From ATV Pub

I like it when companies find new ways to interact with fans and potential customers. David Screws of the ATV Racing Extra (ATVRE) has announced he’s offering a free photo page/slide show – sponsored by Mushin Racing – that showcases the 2010 ITP Tires Moose Racing AMA ATV Championships presented by Parts Unlimited.

You can also download an image and save it to your computer. If you want the high-resolution image, you have to e-mail Screws and do a few more steps and you’ll soon have the image in your possession. Most sites include a watermark, which provides ownership info and a marketing tag, but ATVRE and Screws don’t appear to being that.

I think this is a nice move by a guy who’s passionate about the sport. Of course, you make his mailing list, but it could be worth it to grab an image of your son, cousin, grand son, sister, dad or of your favorite ATV pro like Dustin Wimmer or John Natalie.

Not every site offers free images, so take advantage of this offer. What’s your take on this move? Marketing move? Fan-based interaction? Deserves a thank you? Creative way to share more images with his readers? Here are two of many of the images fans can download.

(Courtesy of ATVRE)

No. 9 Josh Creamer on the podium. (Courtesy of ATVRE)

Creamer Victorious At Ballance Moto-X

A few years back, someone once told me “Josh Creamer, would sign a contract for a cheeseburger.” I don’t know if they were making fun of him or just criticizing his approach to being a professional racer. Either way, that person’s opinion has proven to be erroneous. Creamer, who signed his first pro contract with Kawasaki in 2007, has more than lived up to his hype as one of the top pro ATV racers in world. First, he did very well with the Jimmy White-led Monster Kawasaki teams. Then he signed a full deal with Suzuki for 2010. This past weekend he earned his most  impressive overall at Round 2 of the ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV MX Championships presented by Parts Unlimited. The Pro class win was Creamer’s first of the year and, more importantly, his first career Pro MX overall and first under the Makita Rockstar Suzuki team banner.

(Courtesy of Creamer/DeBault Photography)

The victory made the Pro class points a lot more interesting as Creamer pulled to within four points of teammate Dustin Wimmer, who has 88 points and the other Pro class victory in 2010. Creamer, who also scored some bonus cash for the grabbing the Moto 2 holeshot, told me he wasn’t particularly happy with how his practice session went, but was more than thrilled with the final result. “When it came to race time, we did what we had to do,” he said.

“The second moto we just checked out. It just worked out really well. I’d like to thank my whole team under the Rockstar Makita Suzuki tent, and Yoshimura and all the sponsors we have. Everything’s just going really well this year,” he elaborated in a Racer Productions press release.

Joe Byrd finished third overall for his podium of the season, but was knows he has a tough fight against the Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammates. He said in the www.atvmotocross.com release: “The race could have been better, but we had a couple gremlins bite us. My goggles broke in the first moto and I couldn’t see, so the first moto was definitely not good to me. The second moto was better. We came out second and then took the lead, and I had a good battle with Creamer but I screwed up and he passed me back.”

Chad Weinen’s 6-3 finish was good enough for fourth place and keeps him in striking distance of the points leader, just 15 points behind.

Josh Creamer leads Joe Byrd at Ballance Moto-X. (Courtesy of ATVmotocross.com/Michael Roth image)

Biggest Movers 1: Byrd, who said he’s in charge of a “true privateer program,” did well in Moto 2.  The longtime pro finished in the seventh spot in Moto 1. However, in the second moto, he challenged for the
win and actually held the lead for the first six laps before an error allowed Creamer to pass him. His 7-2 score put him on the podium.

Reigning Pro AMA ATV MX Champ Dustin Wimmer (Rockstar Makita Suzuki) also put in two impressive rides, considering he got off to sluggish starts in both motos. After lap 1 in the first moto, Wimmer was in seventh place. He recovered to move into third. In the second moto, Wimmer was in sixth place after the first lap, but moved into third place. However, this time he dropped to fourth before the flag was waved. The 3-4 finish was good enough for second overall and he retained the points lead heading into Round 3.

Also in Moto 2, Pat Brown showcased some speed on his Honda as he motored from 16th all the way to eighth place to salvaged a 12th place finish and avoid a horrible weekend. Nick Denoble and Cody Grant also deserve a little praise for their “never-give-up” attitude. Each rider gained at least five spots by the time the Moto 2 checkers flew.

Biggest Movers 2: John “Ironman” Natalie. The Can-Am/Motoworks won the Moto 1 holeshot and than went wire-to-wire to win it. That put him in position for an overall. However, mechanical trouble in the second moto hurt Natalie’s shot at the podium. He sat in fourth place after two laps, but his day ended shortly after that. Natalie’s 1-17 finish, resulted in an eighth-place overall.

Harold Goodman also had some Moto 2 trouble, dropping from seventh place after the initial lap to 13th at the end of the race.

Pro-Am 2-fer
The Kawasaki-mounted Joel Hetrick was a perfect 2-for-2 on the weekend in both his Pro-Am classes. Hetrick edged Casey Martin (Polaris) and Chase Sapp (Suzuki) in the Pro-Am Production class, notching a 1-1 moto scores for the win. He backed that up with another 1-1 moto combo in the Pro-Am Unlimited ranks to beat Jeremy Tulenchik (Honda) and Andy Travis (KTM).

Perfect Thus Far

These 17 amateur racers, who have won both rounds in 2010 and have the early class points lead, deserve a lot of praise for their early season efforts. They are:

• 450 A – Wesely Holifield, Petal, Miss.
• 450B – Bret Cusumano, Maple Shade, N.J.
• Open B – Mark Gehring, W. Springfield, Mass.
• 4-Stroke A – Chase Henry, Petersburg, Va.
• Vet 30+ – Josh Strominski, Cedar Lake, Ind.
• Vet 30+ C – Bryan Williams, New Port Ritchey, Fla.
• Women – Heather Byrd, Union City, Tenn.
• Women C – Kelsey Dyer, Quincy, Ill.
• Schoolboy Sr. (14-17) – Dallas Tapscott, Scottsville, Va.
• Schoolboy Jr. (13-15) – Brent Sellers, Willis, Texas
• 90 Modified (8-15) – Samuel Rowe, Menasha, Wis.
• 90 Production (8-15) – Clay Pearson, Cullman, Ala.
• 90 CVT (8-15) – Tyler Mack, New Ulm, Minn.
• 70 Modified (6-11) – Ryan Harness, Beebe, Ark.
• 50 Sr. (6-8) – Ethan Putty, Nortonville, Ky.
• 50 CVT (6-8) – D.J. Bassani, Sussex, N.J.
• 50 Limited Jr. (4-6) – Ethan Ahlm, Cumming, Ga.

AMA Pro ATV – Overall

Overall Nbr Name Moto 1 Moto 2 Points Earned

1. #9 JOSH CREAMER – HON, NORTH STONINGTON, CT 2-1 47

2. #1 DUSTIN WIMMER – SUZ, CENTER VALLEY, PA 3-4 38

3. #7 JOE BYRD – HON, UNION CITY, TN 7-2 36

4. #44 CHAD WIENEN – CAN, GALENA, IL 6-3 35

5. #84 THOMAS BROWN – YAM, SANGER, TX 5-5 32

6. #20 JOSH UPPERMAN – HON, LOUISVILLE, OH 4-6 33

7. #16 JEREMY LAWSON – WAL, LIVE OAK, FL 10-7 25

8. #13 JOHN NATALIE JR – CAN, HOUTZDALE, PA 1-17 29

9. #12 KEITH LITTLE – HON, SPRUCE PINE, AL 9-10 23

10. #123 NICK DENOBLE – HON, DE PERE, WI 11-9 22

11. #62 JEREMIE WARNIA – CAN, PARIS, FR 8-16 18

12. #99 PATRICK BROWN – YAM, PITTSTOWN, NJ 17-8 17

13. #708 HAROLD GOODMAN – HON, ROMULUS, MI 12-13 17

14. #18 CODY GRANT – SUZ, OAKLAND, KY 15-11 16

15. #79 CLAY HOLMES – HON, LEXINGTON, TN 14-12 16

16. #111 NATE MORELLO – KTM, PETERBOROUGH, NH 13-14 15

17. #10 GREG GEE – HON, SIMCOE, ON 16-15 11

18. #86 JUSTIN BUSH – KTM, BAXTER, TN 18-18 6

ATV Pro Class Points (For riders who competed at both rounds, Through 2 Rounds – unofficial)

Rank, rider, points (wins)

1. Dustin Wimmer, 88 (1)

2. Josh Creamer, 84 (1)

3. Chad Weinen, 73

4. Josh Upperman, 70

5. John Natalie Jr.,65

6. Joe Byrd, 61

7. Thomas Brown, 58

8. Jeremy Lawson, 53

9. (tie) Pat Brown, Jeremy Warnia, 39

11. Nick Denoble, 35

12. Harold Goodman, 33

13. Keith Little, 32

14. Greg Gee, 28

15. Nate Morello, 26

For complete Round 2 results from Ballance Moto-X, visit the Trackside RESULTS PAGE.

Get More AMA ATV MX CHAMPIONSHIP INFO HERE.

Bringing new riders into the sport

From time to time we all run into or meet new people that are eager to get into the sport, and because most of us are thrilled to share the joys of the sport we all know and love, we are more than happy to introduce and teach the “new blood” all there is to know about riding ATV and motorcycles.  Problem is we as the unofficial mentor of this new rider tend to get overzealous and over-estimate the new riders abilities (from our own excitement).  Over estimating this new riders abilities can either present a less than desirable outcome and in some cases present a dangerous situation for this “newb”.  Below are some considerations to keep in mind when introducing a new rider to the sport for the very first time. [Read more]

SHOEI Helmets Adds SHOEI NEWSWIRE

SHOEI Helmets North America announced, last night on its Facebook page, a way helmet buyers and SHOEI fans can get updates and news from its favorite helmet manufacturer. Although I’m a member of the media and can usually speak with a PR or media relations person at off-road companies, I usually sign up for these newsletters (“newswires”) because I enjoy seeing how different companies approach consumer interaction, share and present product info and explain technology. For SHOEI, it’s about offering top-of-the-line safety and innovation and being seen as one of the leaders in the helmet business.

Shoei VFX-W TC-2 MX helmet retails for $556.99. (Courtesy of Shoei)

Once you sign up for the SHOEI NEWSWIRE subscription, you have to follow a link sent to you by Shoei. A confirmation message says, “Your subscription has been confirmed. You’ve been added to the SHOEI Newswire e-mail list and will hear from us soon!”

The next message said, “Thanks so much for joining the SHOEI NEWSWIRE email list, your subscription was a success. If you have any questions about our emails or have any feedback of your own, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email. We’d love to hear from you.

“Also, we’ll be including a removal link in every email we send you, so you can leave our list any time that suits you.”

Along with social networking, I believe going the extra step (a newsletter for example) is important. If this improves customer service and leads to valuable consumer-driven research/fitment in any way, I’m all for it.

For more info, visit Shoei Helmets North America.

Reality TV Takes On Quad Racing With 'ATV-24/7'

‘ATV-24/7′ To Air in May

Digby Family ‘Tickled To Death’ By TV Coverage

April 9, Long Haul Productions, in cooperation with MX Sports Pro Racing, Inc. and the ATVPG, announced the launch of “ATV-24/7.” The all-new ATV reality show premiers May 15, 2010. Show producers told me each half-hour episode of “ATV-24/7” follows three racers — in real time — as they prepare for and race in the 2010 ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championships. This is good news for an sport that still seems to be viewed as the ugly, red-headed step child to dirt bike motocross (Supercross).

Not since the WPSA Powersports ATV Championship Tour, circa 2007, has the ATV motocross scene been so well represented on TV. At least that’s what I think the producers of “ATV-24/7″ are hoping to achieve. Sure, it’s a different approach to race coverage and it could be one that appeals to wider viewing audience. “We think ‘ATV-24/7’ will be watched not only by racing enthusiasts, but also reality TV viewers who, coincidentally, share similar demographics with powersports owners,” said John Daniels, Long Haul Productions president.

Dustin Wimmer (Courtesy of Yoshimura)

Think “Madhouse” meets “24” and you can figure out just what sort of feel the producers are trying to create. They want some “in your face moments” and real drama to convey just how competitive and authentic ATV motocross can be. It’s not just hicks riding four-wheelers, folks! Clearly, it will show just how competitive and challenging the pro ranks are. Yet, it won’t lose sight of the grassroots and amateurs by covering the youth racer, too.

“It’s sun up to sun-down coverage,” notes Executive Producer, Carey Bohn. “We are capturing what it takes to compete on — and off — the track…the gritty and the glamorous side of the sport…it’s a reality show that is truly ATV racing 24/7.”

Bohn reported that his camera men (Joe Harewicz and Brandon Boulay) are experts at capturing the essence of a scene and those “special moments.” These two photojournalists will use a combination of hand-held video cameras and steady cams to follow three ATV racers at seven different racing venues in 2010. The press release said the show could include split-screen edits with a digital clock ticking in the lower right corner and the compelling racers’ stories will be supported by a powerful, driving soundtrack.

Two-time Defending AMA ATV Pro MX Champion Rockstar/Makita Suzuki’s Dustin Wimmer, Motoworks Can-Am’s John Natalie Jr. and youth rider, Jordan Digby (see sidebar below), will each share the spotlight in this reality show.

The Episodes

“ATV-24/7” will being May, 15, an d run to the end of October and include seven episodes, according to producers. Six rounds will showcase the high-speed and thrilling action of the ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV MX Nationals. Another episode will feature a stop on the ITP/BRP/CMR Championship Mud Races. Supporting sponsors of “ATV-24/7” include BRP/Can-Am ATVs, ITP Tires and Wheels and Amsoil, Inc. The promo PDF included with the press release said the a new episode will “air a minimum of three times per month” (or a total of 21 individual airings).

John Natalie Jr. (By Jerrod Kelley)

The show can be viewed on Direct TV (Channel 344 [ICTV]), Dish Network (Channel 230 [ICTV; MAVtv]. Other locations for the “ATV-24/7” include,  America One Networks, AMGTV Family Networks, Tuff TV Networks, Untamed Sports Networks and other regional sport networks to be determined. Airtimes and other viewing information will be released in early May, 2010.

Distributed nationally, the show will be on the top 100 DMAs through a comprehensive network of regional cable sports channels (Comcast, Cox and Time Warner), Dish and Direct TV, plus Fox Sports Net Regional Sports networks. It’s estimated that the “national footprint” (total households served) for “ATV-24/7″ will be in the 65 million HH range.

2010 Race & Telecast Schedule

SIDEBAR: The Digbys

Stan Digby, Jordan’s father, said the news that his son was selected for the show made all of them feel great. “We were at the Indy trade show and Carey Bohn walked up and told me about the show and that it may cover a couple pros and an amateur racer. I jokingly said ‘I knew where a good youth rider was’ and that’s when he pulled out a flyer that had a picture of Jordan and me on it. He then said, ‘that’s what I wanted to talk to you about [using Jordan].’ Finally, [In March] we got a phone call saying they were definitely doing the TV deal and that they definitely wanted to film Jordan. We were tickled to death. The exposure we can get out of it would be great for the sport and our son,” he added.

I asked Stand Digby if the family was at all suspicious of the coverage and how it could portray the sport and his family. He explained that they discussed the positives and negatives and know what to expect. “Me and my wife sat down in February and talked about the pros and cons. We understand that some folks — I call ‘em haters — may have bad things or whatever to say,” he explained. “I learned that from my daddy, when he ran for senate in the state of Mississippi, that even though you’re a decent person and doing good things, people can say bad things. The reception we’ve gotten since Saturday [when the news broke] has been 98 percent positive. Jordan deserves it no matter what anyone else says.”

Jordan Digby (Courtesy of Stan Digby)

Will the cameras make the Digby’s approach racing and parenting any differently? That’s a big, fat no! “We said we’re going to be real about this and not put on any phony story. The good Lord put us in this situation for a reason and we’ll go with it from there and hope for the best.”

When we discussed what this TV exposure meant to Jordan, Digby answered honestly and said, “He’s a little timid. But you have to know him. If he knows you, he’ll talk and kid and punch ya and hit up on you,” he explained. “He was worried about getting to the races and not being able to play with his friends and being interviewed all the time. He started racing the MX Nationals since he was four-years old, so we’re all familiar with how things work. We told him it’s not all about the cameras and said, ‘If we don’t need you to talk to us about bike setup, go do what you do, be yourself — ride bikes, play with your friends .’ He’s pretty excited about it. He has a little bit of this stage fright, like he’s going to be asked to go on stage and sing. However, he’s training his butt off right now. It’s a lot of roughness that goes behind the scene that people don’t see. He just wrecked hard yesterday on a big tabletop — did and end-over-end.”

Papa Digby said more on the subject of youth racing and parenting and how they interact. “The one rule is we never make him practice. He wants to win races and he wants to practice. Let me be honest, after a hard day’s work, I would rather come home and sit on the couch, but he comes in and says, ‘Daddy, I wanna practice, so that’s what we do.”

“Listen, I raced, I know how bad you can get hurt doing this, but I was never nervous when I did it. But watchin’ my  son race, that scares me. I’m proud of him, we put the time in and run the best of the best in terms of safety equipment. I can’t hold him back and I can’t prevent something from happening. We just put in 100 percent and if something’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. I’ll never say he can’t do what he loves,” Digby added.

“I see too many parents who make their kid do this or that, like ‘try that triple’ for example. I don’t want to walk out on the track and see him hurt or paralyzed because of something I made him do that he wasn’t comfortable with,” he said.

Just speaking with Digby over the phone gives me the sense that the producers picked the right amateur rider and family for its “ATV-24/7″ show.

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