The positives are undeniable this year. A quick look at what has taken place the past few months is all the proof we need. Everything from Silas Lamons and the Lamons Brother Racing announcement of their expanded and new team efforts to the return of west coast sensation Davie Haagsma riding for the Maxxis/Liquid Wrench/Elka/Honda ATVMX Team with championship contender Joel Hetrick to the recent word of NEATVs Jon Glynn under top talent booster from the northeast Dave Porter and the addition of CST tires as the presenting sponsor for 2016. The signs of growth and a bright looking future are happening in our sport.

Davie Haagsma as mentioned is the current fast guy in the Northwest Quad Cross championship and defending champion in the WORCS off road series will contest the ATV Motocross National Championship by CST in 2016. Davie says he will continue to battle in both championships but will focus on the AMA national championship. Davie reminded me earlier this week that this is not his first go round in the ATV national series. And no we are not referring to his recent visits either. If you recall a few years ago when Monster/Pro-Circuit/Kawasaki fielded a team headed up by Josh Creamer, Haagsma was a part of the team being groomed to move into the pro class. As he said it was “short lived being it was their last year” but he said he gained lots of experience and above all a desire to come back and compete. It will be exciting to see him in the mix since the limited times we saw him last season he was at time looking like a player.

A name you may or may not recognize as and ATV star mentioned is Jon Glynn. When you hear or read this you think space flight and orbiting the earth and things but ATV racing likely does not cross your mind. Well let that all change now as we welcome one of the newest rider to step up to AMA Pro ATV competition. Jon is a 30-year young NEATV star who started racing ATVs in 2003. He actually spent a season in 2004 on the n30-year tour until he snapped his ankle at the Southwick ATVMX national. In 2006 Glynn borrowed a quad and jumped to the AMA Pro ATV class at Unadilla. Then he raced only a few times from 2006-2013. Then in 2014 he came back to racing full time in the NEATV finishing third that season only 14 points from the championship. During 2014 he dislocated both shoulders and sustained a bad back injury. 2015 saw a few NEATV wins as well he began preparing for the 2016 nationals.

Glynn says that right now he is in California getting ready to contest both the AMA ATV National and NEATV titles. He is competing in the Quad-X/Dirt Series at Glenn Helen this weekend and will spend another week in SoCal getting shocks and motors dialed in at DASA Racing with Wayne Mooradian from PEP. He said after that is complete he will then be heading to Florida to train till the 2^nd Annual Daytona ATVSX by Fly Racing. He said “I am really looking forward to getting back to the nationals and racing with those guys and for the season to start.”

A familiar name and expected star will be making his return with a few changes in his 2016 program. Thomas Brown will be back to contest the 2016 season and yes he will be riding a Yamaha. There was some speculation that there may be some changes but Brown says that they worked out a deal for the New Year.

Thomas sent me this message to let everyone in on what’s going on. He says:

“ I just got back from Winter X Games in Aspen where I went to support Colten Moore. Things didn't go as we hoped he wrecked during both runs. He is all right just bummed. He was by far the best rider competing in my books. He had the best style and biggest tricks. Before I get on to my stuff would like to mention his new book called "Catching the Sky." In the book, Colton tells his brother Caleb Moore and his story of growing up and becoming to the top of their game. It is a great book I know the story and I still am learning more and enjoying it!

As for me this year, it was close to not happening. Yamaha backed down on there support for me; they are still behind me just not on the level they were. This scared me at one point me and my dad and I were trying to figure out what I could do for a living. Since I was 16 all I have done is raced and hadn't planned on stopping. Luckily Rich Gillett stepped up with his RRR support for my program. He saved me! With him and the Support of Maxxis tires I will be on the track this year with the Maxxis RRR Bike. I have some new sponsors that have stepped up to support more and me that continued their support of me. I will be doing a press release here closer to the Daytona SX season opener. 

I can tell you this. I'm honored to race my quad for a living. It has given me a great life and I'm going to keep working hard. My goals I'm sure are the same as most, to WIN! I'm really looking forward to 2016. I've been and will continue training here at my place in Texas. Maybe make a trip or 2 down to Splendora to ride with the RRR crew. 

According this message, a lot of what many may have heard may have been closer to true than we thought. Thankfully though RRR stepped up for his program and Yamaha came through with the added support to keep his program somewhat on par. Thomas says also that he is still inspired and this may be the shot in the arm he was looking for to dig deeper and push even harder than he already does. Which makes me wonder just how much faster these guys can go, they are already faster than they ever have been in history and for them to think they can go even faster is amazing.

As the season approaches the excitement builds and more news and plans are being shared. There is new hope and new life in a championship that only a few years ago had an uncertain future. Though the future may still not be known the indications are that it is good. Where this road through the new era of ATVMX leads no one knows but one thing is for certain, I’m going to enjoy the ride and wherever it takes me.

That’s it for me for now. Let’s check into Gloop’s Loop and with Ken “No Trespassing and I mean it!” Hill. Till next time God Bless Your Heart and All Your Vital Organs.

In the Loop with Gloop:

Bubba Hicks is doing his own program this year and he is excited for the season to start.

Brett Musick is still going hard at training before the first round in Daytona, Florida.

Keeping up with Ken Hill:

The days are really flying by and in no time we will all be standing on the Daytona grounds, hopefully enjoying the warm Florida sunshine and preparing for the first gate drop of the 2016 season. As if the new season is not exciting enough, there is something different I have been picking up on as the slow build up to the new season starts to build in to a fevered scream. I cannot place exactly one thing above the other as far as what is driving it, as the combination of things just seems to be clicking into place around the racing nation. Tidbits of info here, a new sponsors there and it is all adding up to be good news, as I have not heard anything negative in quite some time. Rodney Tomblin, David Smith of Raceday Pics and myself were chatting for an upcoming edition of Quad Radio and the feeling of positive vibes continued. There of course is always struggle but sometimes that makes the accomplishments that much more rewarding.  

If you don’t live in a cave on another planet, you have to be seeing the videos and posts from riders in various classes as they blow up social media. Several of our pro class riders are becoming very savvy as they use social media to keep fans engaged and promote sponsors with Joel Hetrick and Chad Wienen leading the way. Hetrick’s highflying antics are only upstaged by Wienen’s hustle as this duo knows the battle that will soon find them bar to bar. We all know it will not be just those two competing but I have a feeling we will be seeing those two names once again dominate the podium in 2016. 

One thing I found myself repeating this week was the fact that we will have 5 or 6 riders who could claim wins at any given round and I can not recall heading into a season when we had the level of competitors so high or so close in skill. This could prove very interesting as riders push hard to claim podium positions as far as points are concerned and we all know when the racing gets that close, it can get heated in a hurry. I keep having this vision of moto one from Georgia a few seasons back when we all witnessed one of the most intense and insane races every run anywhere. It could be a season filled with that intensity and for the fans this could be one of the best seasons ever! Nothing gets people interested or excited like a battle that never seems to end.