by: Rodney Tomblin
Friday, February 14, 2014 | 3:00 PM
The 2014 Mtn. Dew AMA ATV Motocross Championship is only five weeks away. As time continues to pick up momentum and before we know it the gate will be dropping on the new season. That being said the final tests and preps are wrapping up and focus should be on March 22nd and 23rd at Aonia Pass in Washington, Georgia. Easier said than done I am sure but even with the pressure we all know that is where the focus has been all along.
As the season approaches we would like to take this time to caution and remind everyone to make their lists and check them twice. Also, it may be a good idea to open up the “Rules” tab on the homepage of www.ATVMotocross.com. Under the same tab you will find the practice order and race order for each event. There have been some changes made in some classes and you may want to brief yourself on the particular classes you are running and if you have any questions make sure you contact someone to get it resolved. The folks at MX Sports and Racer Productions are always glad to assist and you can contact anyone there and they can get you to where you need to be and whom you need to talk to.
It may be a good idea to check the “Registration” tab as well. There you will find about any information you may need concerning race fees, number reservations, transponders, contingency and more. If you have not yet reserved numbers for the 2014 season make sure you follow the appropriated steps to make this happen. As we all know with the number of different promoters promoting the series that can get to be a little confusing so if we can get it all situated before the start of the season then that would be best for everyone.
Transponders should also be on your list of to dos. MYLAPS FLEX transponder is the official transponder of the AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series and you will be able to buy or rent a transponder depending on your particular needs. If you plan to run a number of the nationals it may be more convenient to purchase and you can even do that ahead of time. Buy a MYLAPS Transponder online for $90, which is good for one full year. If you purchase a FLEX transponder online, be sure to download the Flex Manager software and activate your transponder when it arrives in the mail. This is required before you can use your transponder at a race. Instructions to do this will come with the transponder. It is quick and easy to do but you must have Internet access to do it.
If you are a casual racer and plan on only one or two events this season then renting may be the best Internet You can rent a MYLAPS Transponder at the track and pay $40 Rental Fee (cash only) plus $100 Deposit (cash or credit). You do not have to reserve a transponder. Many transponders will be available at the track. You pick up your transponder at the event before or after registration.
As a reminder if you are going to be attending the events and not racing, that is welcome. There are a few things you may need to know and you will need to check the “Fan Zone” tab to find out the details. It is also possible that if you are not racing you may be asked to park/camp in a designated area. If you are not racing and staying at a pit with someone that is, you may need to make special concessions at to ensure they can make it to their pits. i.e. Red Bud.
The “Contingency” tab is also a good place to check. As of the moment Can Am and Honda are the only two to post their programs but as the season gets closer more announcements are expected to be made and if you are a manufacturer and would like to offer contingency it will surely be welcomed. It’s a great way to give back to the folks that use your products and keep your name in the limelight.
Can Am officially released their plans for all the race teams in 2014 and it looks like a stellar line up in GNCC, WORCS, NEATV and of course The Mtn. Dew AMA ATV Motocross National Championship. Obviously there are a number of satellite riders but former AMA Pro ATV MX champ Josh Creamer and former Can Am factory rider Joel Hetrick are set to fly the flag in the AMA Pro ATV ranks and former AMA Pro ATV contender Travis Moore will be defending his title in the NEATV for 2014. Travis may actually make an appearance at an event or two and with two nationals in home state of Tennessee and this Titan may not have much choice when the nationals roll into town.
Joel Hetrick is a favorite to win in the AMA Pro ATV ranks this season.
Photo: Hill
I spoke with Brent Sellers from the Root River Racing squad and he says that he is still of the mind that he will not be returning in 2014. An injury at the Caleb Moore Memorial as well as other personal and family concerns have help fuel this decision. No word on what his plans are yet but whatever they are I certainly hope the best for him and his great family.
As Brent makes his way out of the lineup there will be a major vacant spot on the Pro Am front. However as one man leaves another steps up to take his place and there is much anticipation and excitement for the return of one youngster that at one time may have been too good for the time. Under lots of scrutiny and controversy Cam Covil elected to sit a couple of seasons out of the nationals and as he makes his return now at 16 years old, that empty Pro Am spot just got filled. Cam has been honing his skills in the sands of Florida and is expected to be a true threat from the start of the season.
Covil will be running out of the Joe Byrd Quad Riding School this season and Joe who is a well-known monster and recently builder of champion contenders is training the young Cam and is in charge of his nutrition as well. Cams father Tracy along with Chris Williams will be making sure the bike is set up to par and they have received tremendous support from Custom Axis and one of the best guys to have on your team in the industry, Walsh Race Craft. It appears that all the right elements are in place and anyone who knows will be looking for some exciting things out of that youngster.
Covil will have his hands full in the Pro Am class though as there will be many returning fast riders in that class like Ronnie Higgerson, Brett Musick, Tyler Hamrick, Tim Dettling, Nick Gennusa, Duck Lloyd and many more too numerous to mention. I can’t wait to see what kind of competition and results this class brings this year. It is such a cool class because everyone still believes in that dream to be the best without worrying about the paychecks.
Let’s check in with Kenny “Cool Cat” Hill to see how things look from his snowy mountaintop:
Thanks Rodney,
Wow, we are another week closer to round one and for a huge portion of the racin' nation, we are stuck under more than a foot of snow or dealing with ice. I know from reading all the tweets and posts that I am not alone when I say, come on spring!
On the media side of things, we launched our ATV Motocross Instagram account which you can find at @atvmotocross hashtag #atvmx. This is just another avenue of communication we are going to use to spread the word about all sorts of things that are series related so please, help us get the word out! Twitter started seeing some use as well and of course Facebook is always hopping.
If you got a chance to see the quick hit interviews with a few of the series hot shots you can get a feel for one area we intend to expand on throughout the season. As we narrow down what works best, this platform should allow riders from all classes a chance to update information and gain some exposure. It is works in progress so if you have input or would like to be sent a set of questions, please email me at [email protected]. The response so far has been great and we will be releasing more as we ramp things up prior to the opening round.
That is all from me this week. I hope everyone remains safe in this winter mess!
Thanks Ken! One more thing before we go, Happy Birthday goes out to the #123 Nick Denoble who is chilling at home in Wisconsin celebrating with his wife and kids. You may have heard he will be making another return to the AMA Nationals in 2014 and we will let you in on the full scoop next week.
That’s it for now. Till next week, God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs!