Can-Am Race Report: Racers Dominate Mountaineer Run

Can-Am® racers earned a podium sweep with the Maverick™ 1000R in the XC1 Modified SxS class and won all four ATV 4x4 classes at round seven of the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country series in Masontown, W.Va. Can-Am DS 450™ racers also won both the Pro and Pro-Am classes at the third round of the New England ATV Motocross series in Pennsylvania.

“We had an outstanding weekend at the Mountaineer Run GNCC in West Virginia and in the New England series. Earning a historic sweep in the XC1 Modified SxS class, winning the 4x4 Pro class and also both Pro-level NEATV-MX classes was perfect,” said Jeff Leclerc, Racing Project Leader, Can-Am. “During their push toward winning a GNCC championship, our Maverick pilots continue to showcase their merits and those of their Can-Am vehicles.”

Bryan Buckhannon (ATV Parts Plus / Can-Am) finished third at round seven on his Can-Am Renegade 800R X xc to retain the second-place points spot in the 4x4 Pro class standings Photo: Ken Hill

GNCC – Round 7

The Rocky Mountain ATV / MC Mountaineer Run GNCC was held at a rocky, dusty Marvin’s Mountain Top in Masontown, W.Va. This stop, considered the halfway point for the season, hosted round seven of the 13-round GNCC ATV series and round three of the six-leg GNCC SxS National Championship. Can-Am competed in the 10 a.m. ATV racing session Saturday, May 24, as well as the side-by-side portion of the series later in the afternoon.

With his second straight second-place finish in the XC2 Limted ranks, Marcus Pratt has his Jack's Excavating II vehicle in the running for the class title with only three rounds remaining Photo: Ken Hill

Maverick 1000R side-by-side racers made Can-Am GNCC history, as they earned the first sweep in the XC1 Modified class podium. Chaney Racing / Turnkey / Can-Am pilot and Ohio native Kyle Chaney won the round and was joined on the podium by fellow Can-Am Maverick pilots and Ohio-based racers Tim Farr and Larry Hendershot Jr., both of JB Racing / Can-Am. Chaney, who started in row two, soon caught the first row and, with the time adjustment in his favor, was battling for the win. Once he took over the physical lead, Chaney drove smart and took his first victory of 2014. He now owns the class points lead after three rounds of racing. Farr is currently third in the standings. Hendershot earned a third-place finish and his first podium of 2014. Maverick pilot Zac Zakowski finished ninth.

The Mountaineer Run GNCC XC1 Modified class and side-by-side overall podium was comprised of Can-Am Maverick 1000R racers, including runner-up Tim Farr (co-pilot Julie Farr), winner Kyle Chaney (co-pilot Chris Bithell), and third-place finisher Larry Hendershot Jr. (co-pilot Larry Sr.) Photo: Ken Hill

“The fields were super dusty. The rocks were pretty treacherous, you really had to drive smart to keep everything intact,” said Chaney. “Three Can-Am Maverick vehicles on the podium speaks for itself; it’s a great day for my team and for Can-Am.”

The Mountaineer Run GNCC XC1 Modified class victory in West Virginia pushed Chaney Racing/Turnkey/Can-Am Maverick driver Kyle cHaney into the class points lead after three rounds of racing Photo: Ken Hill

Can-Am Maverick 1000R side-by-side pilot Marcus Pratt (Jack’s Excavating II / Can-Am) scored a strong second-place finish in the XC2 Limited ranks and ninth overall in the side-by-side session at the Mountaineer Run. He’s currently third in the class in points, just three points out of first. Travalena Racing took fourth in its Can-Am. Novice Limited class racer Blake McDaniel (Crash Addict / Can-Am) earned second place.

His third 4x4 Pro class win of hte season has given Can-Am X-Team and Renegade 800R X xc racer Kevin Trantham a nice points cushion heading into round eight Photo: Ken Hill

Can-Am 4x4 racers secured four class wins and eight total podiums at the Mountaineer Run. Kevin Trantham led the way on his Can-Am X-Team Renegade 800R X xc, winning the 4x4 Pro class for the third time this year. Trantham, who also earned third on the 10 a.m. overall podium, ran in the top three the entire race before finally taking the lead on the final lap. ATV Parts Plus / Can-Am racer Bryan Buckhannon, who took third in the class, joined Trantham on the podium. Trantham leads Buckhannon by 12 points heading into round eight. Rob Smith (BNR / Can-Am), who grabbed the holeshot and led lap one, took fourth and is third in the standings. Can-Am 4x4 pilots Tanner Bowles (4x4 A/B), Nick Eichelberger (4x4 C) and Nick Mase (4x4 Novice) also won their classes.

NEATV-MX – Round 3

Can-Am DS 450 racer Joel Hetrick (JB Racing / Can-Am) won three of four Pro-level motos at round three of the NEATV-MX series at Hurricane Hills MX in Clifford, Pa. He won the Pro class with a 1-1 sweep and was third in the Pro-Am ranks with a 6-1 scorecard. BCS Performance / Can-Am Pro Josh Creamer took second in the Pro class and won the Pro-Am class. Defending NEATV-MX Pro class champion Travis Moore was third in Pro-Am.

Creamer, who took second to Hetrick in the Pro class, won the NEATV-MX Pro-Am class at round three aboard his BCS Performance-backed Can-Am DS 450 ATV Photo: Courtesy of Can-Am

“My Can-Am DS 450 ran great today, handled well and pulled up the big hills; it propelled me to the win,” said Hetrick. “The win last week at High Point gave me a lot more confidence heading into this (local) race, but also for the rest of the ATV MX season.”

Joel Hetrick (JB Racing / Mtn. Dew Live Wire / Can-Am) put his DS 450 ATV on top of the Pro class podium at round three of the NEATV-MX series Photo: Courtesy of Can-Am

For more information on 2014 Can-Am racing, the contingency program and all amateur racer support programs, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.