Can-Am Maverick Racers Notch Baja 500, GNCC Wins
OutdoorHub 06.11.14
Can-Am Maverick 1000R side-by-side pilot Marc Burnett won Class 19 at the 2014 Tecate SCORE International Baja 500 race held this past weekend in Baja California, Mexico. In Ohio, fellow Maverick racer Kyle Chaney won the XC1 Modified side-by-side class at the Wiseco John Penton Grand National Cross Country race in Ohio. Can-Am ATV racers also had a great weekend sweeping their respective podiums in the GNCC 4×4 Pro class and in the New England ATV Motocross Pro class.
“Highlighted by Maverick racer Marc Burnett’s dominating victory in the SCORE Baja 500, we had several Can-Am racers win their class either on an ATV or in a side-by-side. Burnett, Kyle Chaney and our GNCC 4×4 Pros have been outstanding this year” said Jeff Leclerc, Racing Project Leader, Can-Am. “With wins in gnarly terrain like Baja, the challenging GNCC series in Ohio and at the Maine NEATV-MX race, our racers, once again, proved – no matter the Can-Am vehicle — our guys will challenge for the win at every event.”
SCORE Baja 500
MB Motorsports / Can-Am racer Marc Burnett had a stellar weekend on the Baja Peninsula, earning the top spot in the Class 19 side-by-side ranks at the 46th Tecate SCORE Baja 500. Going into the race, Burnett had to make a late scramble to replace the engine in his Monster Energy-themed Can-Am Maverick 1000R, but overcame that challenge and then put the hammer down as he put together a dominating run.
“We worked tremendously hard for this win. My entire crew and myself did not get any sleep for four days. We overcame some challenges to fight our way to the top of the podium. We are very dedicated to winning the championship with the Can-Am Maverick,” said Burnett.
Burnett, who piloted the No. 1905 the entire race, finished with a time of 13:01:56. He and his navigator Fernando Flores averaged a speed of 34.33 mph to take the top spot on the podium and sole possession of the Class 19 points lead. Out of 17 racers, he was one of only nine racers to finish the 2014 course, which measured more than 445 miles in length. All three Can-Am Maverick 1000R teams that entered completed the race. Burnett earned his second win of ’14 and the third in three races for Can-Am, which is currently 1-2 in the class standings. Round-two winners Derek and Jason Murray finished seventh in their Murray Racing / Can-Am / ITP-backed Maverick 1000R. Maverick 1000R racer Cory Sappington of Desert Toyz / Can-Am was eighth and is currently fourth in the standings.
GNCC – John Penton
The AMSOIL GNCC series held the 25th running of the John Penton GNCC in Millfield, Ohio. Can-Am racers had an outstanding weekend, winning all four 4×4 classes and taking home the top spot in the XC1 Modified side-by-side class. Can-Am ATV racers scored all 12 podium spots in the 4×4 classes and were led by ATV Parts Plus / Can-Am Renegade 800R X xc rider Bryan Buckhannon, who won the 4×4 Pro class. Can-Am X-Team racers Kevin Trantham and Jordan Philips, respectively, joined him on the podium. The victory moved him to within seven points of Trantham, the class leader. Can-Am also swept the other three 4×4 classes, with victories going to Tanner Bowles (4×4 A/B; seven wins in a row), Nick Eichelberger (4×4 C; 4 wins in ‘14) and Chris Bragg (4×4 Sr.; first victory).
“I made the switch this year from the Outlander to the Renegade…the ATV is perfect now. This is the best race I had all season,” said Buckhannon.
The John Penton venue also hosted round four of the GNCC SxS Championship Series. Kyle Chaney (Chaney Racing / Turnkey UTV / Can-Am) claimed his second straight XC1 Modified class victory to grow his points lead to 13. Crash Addict / PARCS / Can-Am pilot Treavis Poynter battled from the fifth row to earn a hard-fought second-place finish behind Chaney to give Can-Am a 1-2 finish. A total of six Can-Am vehicles finished in the top 10 at round four and seven are currently in the top 10 in the class points race. Can-Am Maverick 1000R side-by-side pilots Dave Plavi (Crash Addict / PARCS / Can-Am) and Marcus Pratt (Jack’s Excavating II / Can-Am) each made the XC2 Modified podium.
“The Maverick worked awesome and really handled the course. It was probably the tightest track we’ve seen all season and we didn’t have a single issue,” said Chaney. The lappers were a bit thick towards the end, but we kept the distance between us and second place.”
NEATV-MX – Round 4
Can-Am DS 450 racers swept the ATV Pro class podium at round four of the NEATV-MX series held at Hemond’s MX in Minot, Maine. Canadian Can-Am X-Team Pro Keven Vachon won the Pro class and was joined on the box by reigning champion Travis Moore and Josh Creamer. The Pro-Am podium also featured two Can-Am ATVs, as Creamer edged Moore for the victory. Mathieu Deroy was fourth.
For more information on 2014 Can-Am racing, the contingency program and all amateur racer support programs, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.
