“Beckley pro ATV racer looking for Baja sponsors - Register-Herald” plus 4 more

Beckley pro ATV racer looking for Baja sponsors - Register-Herald
Marks, Dean - Journal
Laguna Seca: John Baker, Guy Cosmo preview - Motorsport.com
Series announces Future Award nominees - Motorsport.com
LTD To Field Four At Daytona - Cycle News

Beckley pro ATV racer looking for Baja sponsors - Register-Herald

Posted: 06 Oct 2009 08:33 PM PDT

Published: October 06, 2009 09:38 pm

Beckley pro ATV racer looking for Baja sponsors

By Jessica Farrish
The Register-Herald

When Bryan Buckhannon was 5 years old, he watched the Baja 1000 on ESPN and dreamed of the day he could race his all-terrain vehicle across the tough desert course.

'As far as I can remember, I've wanted to go,' he said. 'It is my lifetime goal to win the Baja 1000.'

All-terrain vehicle enthusiasts may recognize both the Baja 1000 ' an off-road race that takes place on the Baja Peninsula in Mexico each fall ' and Buckhannon.

Buckhannon, 31, is the 2008 4x4 Open Class champion in the United States. He also owns and operates ATV Parts Plus on Robert C. Byrd Drive in Beckley.

Sponsored by ATV manufacturer Can-Am, Buckhannon is currently competing in the Grand National Cross Country Championship for the 2009 4x4 Open Class.

'I've got two races left,' he said. 'I've got to win one of those.'

He loves ATV racing, and his dream is to race in the Baja 1000.

'The Baja 1000 is recognized as the world's largest and most difficult ATV race,' said Buckhannon, a West Virginia University graduate. 'It's known worldwide as the biggest and toughest off-road race there is.'

The Baja 1000 event includes various types of vehicle classes, including small- and large-bore motorcycles, stock VW, production vehicles, buggies, trucks and custom-fabricated race vehicles.

This year, Buckhannon's wife, Kim, told him to do it. Go to Baja.

When he replied that finances wouldn't allow him to pursue his dream right now, Kim encouraged him to locate sponsors who could help with the cost of participating in the event.

Swamp Fox Motorsports in Beckley has signed on to sponsor Buckhannon's bid for Baja, and he and Jeremy Dunning of Beckley have put together a team that is excited about the opportunity to compete on the international level.

Some riders on the Baja team are Buckhannon's teammates from the Can-Am Warnert Racing team of St. Cloud, Minn.

The Baja team is hoping more sponsors will come forward and send them to the Baja 1000.

Although the team needs a total of $10,000 to participate at Baja, Buckhannon needs $2,000 immediately to pay the entry fee.

'We're trying to get the entry fee,' he said. 'We just need to sign up, and then, as the time comes, keep putting money toward it.'

Buckhannon also aided in the program development of the Burning Rock Off-Road Park near Sophia.

He began riding ATVs 20 years ago and started competing two years later, he said.

His wife is a strong supporter of his racing.

'She's been right here and definitely part of the team,' he said.

His parents, Melvin and Connie Buckhannon of Beckley, helped him get started in off-road racing.

'They've been behind me since day one,' he said. 'They never held me back at anything.

'My dad is still a big supporter. My mom goes to all my races to this day.'

He said Can-Am has been a major supporter of his professional racing career.

'Can-Am is a new, upcoming manufacturer that is on top of ATV racing,' he said.

'Can-Am has really set the racing world on fire,' Buckhannon said. 'They're putting a lot of money in the racing program and helping people like me out.'

Can-Am sponsors Buckhannon professionally but does not sponsor his participation in the Baja 1000.

Buckhannon said any donations and sponsorships will help the run for Baja 1000.

'We're trying to get in it ourselves, without these gigantic corporate sponsors,' he said.

Additional information is available at 304-252-7837.

' E-mail: jfarrish@

Marks, Dean - Journal

Posted: 06 Oct 2009 08:33 PM PDT

Marks, Dean

SLEEPY EYE - Dean Curtis Marks, 53, of Sleepy Eye, died Oct. 2, 2009, in Castaic,Calif.

Service will be held at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Springfield, on Friday, October 9, at 10:30 a.m. The clergy will be Father Dennis Labat. Interment will be at St. Raphael's Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be at the Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield, on Thursday,Oct, 8, from 4-8 p.m. and will continue on Friday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at St. Raphael's Catholic Church in Springfield. A parish prayer service will be held on Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield.

E-mail condolences may be sent to the family at www.sturmfh.com.

Dean Curtis Marks was born on July 7, 1956, in Springfield, to Curtis and Shirley (Hollingsworth) Marks. He attended Springfield Public School and graduated in 1975. Dean and Lynn (Nachreiner) were united in marriage on September 6, 1980. They lived in Springfield until 1987 and then moved to the farm where they currently lived in Redwood County. Dean had owned and operated his own trucking business since 1984. He enjoyed NASCAR racing, bow hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, motorcycles; but most of all he enjoyed spending time with his family, especially in his shop.

He is survived by his wife Lynn of Sleepy Eye; children, Theresa (Travis) Berg of Willmar, Amanda (Brian) Fasen of New Hope, and Robert Marks and friend Jenny Hexum of Sartell; parents Curtis and Shirley Marks of Springfield; brothers and sisters, Cheryl (Chuck) Bauman of Springfield, Steve (Diane) Marks of Springfield, Kathy (Lynn) Tessmer of Sleepy Eye, and Rhonda (Larry) Mickelson of Sleepy Eye; parents-in-law, Richard and Yvonne Nachreiner of Springfield; brothers and sisters-in-law, Jean (Don) Riderer of Savage, Dean (Connie) Nachreiner of Elk River, Gary (Nancy) Nachreiner of Mound, Sandra (Jim) Turbes of Wood Lake, Mark (Sheila) Nachreiner of Lakeville, David (Shelly) Nachreiner of Good Thunder, Todd (Sheila) Nachreiner of Springfield, Mary (Nathan) Ulrich of Good Thunder, Kevin (Kim) Nachreiner of Shakopee, Tony (Melanie) Nachreiner of Lakeview, Frances (Greg) Svalstad of Yuma AZ, Joanne (Jon) Diede of Mankato, and Mike (Jamie) Nachreiner of New Ulm; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents.

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Laguna Seca: John Baker, Guy Cosmo preview - Motorsport.com

Posted: 06 Oct 2009 06:03 PM PDT

John Baker and Guy Cosmo Head To Mazda Raceway For the Monterey Sports Car Championships Presented by Patron The American Le Mans Series' 2009 Season Finale

John Baker and Guy Cosmo take the #47 Orbit Racing Porsche GT3 Challenge car west this weekend for the Monterey Sports Car Championships Presented by Patron featuring the American Le Mans Series. The team will take on the challenging Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca as the American Le Mans Series winds up the 2009 racing season. For Baker and Cosmo this will be the final race in their inaugural American Le Mans Challenge 5-race campaign. While the duo have enjoyed a season that found them on the pole twice, a win at Laguna would be a perfect way to end the season. The race is a true test of endurance for the team as it will be four hours in length, running into twilight over what is arguably one of the most scenic road course in North America.

"We want this one bad," noted Guy Cosmo. "For a variety of reasons, we have yet to win an American Le Mans Challenge race-- we're overdue. I know John has been putting in a lot of work preparing for this race and he's focused. For me, working with John as been an absolute pleasure. I couldn't be more pleased with John's development as a driver. We've both had a lot of fun and nothing would top off the year more than celebrating a victory at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca."

John Baker will also participate in the final race of the Patron GT3 Challenge by Yokohama. With Cosmo coaching from the sidelines, it will make for a busy weekend for all. None more than the Orbit racing team. With all the run-time the cars will see, maintaining and staying on top of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars will have the team going around the clock.

The four-hour format will be a first for the American Le Mans Challenge class. The 2009 season was the inaugural year for the GT3 cars running with American Le Mans pro-level events, however the other four events were the regular 2:45 hour format. In addition to being a longer event, the Monterey Sports Car Championships Presented by Patron will run into dusk. Add to that the daunting elevation changes of Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and it will definitely come down to the survival of the fittest.

"This format and this track will change a driver forever," laughed Cosmo. "It's going to be action-packed, flag-to-flag racing for the full four hours. The elevation changes are coming at you non-stop, lap after lap. There is no real opportunity to catch your breath. The Corkscrew drops 59 feet between the entrance of Turn 8 to the exit of Turn 8A -- the equivalent of a 5 story drop -- in only 450 feet of track length. And when the sun starts to set, the closing rate of those huge prototypes is going to seem like double the norm. The last hour of this race will be run on pure adrenaline."

Set in the hills of Salinas and overlooking the Monterey Bay, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca has been visited by some of the most prestigious racers in history; Roger Penske, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Kenny Roberts, Bobby Rahal, Wayne Rainey and Valentino Rossi to name a few. The late 60's and 1970's may be remembered as the "Can-Am Years," but it was also the debut of Trans Am, IMSA and AMA motorcycles. Today, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca hosts five world-class race weekends each season, with elite road racing series from around the world visiting the Monterey Peninsula every year.

"The good news is," remarked Cosmo, "I love Laguna Seca-- for the elevation & character of the course, the racing history and how it reminds me of the former Bridgehampton Raceway on Long Island, NY. Plus, Monterey is also one of the best towns we visit all year long. With the American Le Mans' awards banquet to enjoy Sunday night, it'll be a very nice weekend for all of us. I'm really looking forward to it."

Reflecting back on his 2005 Rookie of the Year title, Cosmo is actively pursuing a full time seat in the American Le Mans Series. With his prototype experience as a definite plus, Cosmo is confident his background is of value and would fit in with any number of ALMS teams.

"I'd really like to have an opportunity to contest the full championship in a prototype or GT car," expressed Cosmo. "These five races participating in the American Le Mans Challenge have been great, but it's hard to be around this paddock just part time. I want to be here full time, to win races and win championships. I'm ready, and the time is now. I hope I can find a program that shares the same goals as mine and get something full-time for 2010."

Fans will want to make a point of stopping by to visit with Baker and Cosmo during Saturday's autograph session and pick up the limited edition poster commemorating John's and Guy's 2009 season together. The posters are limited in supply, so fans should come by early. The autograph session is slated to run from 12 noon to 1PM in the ALMS paddock.

Monterey Sports Car Championships Presented by Patron is the season finale for the Challenge class participating with the American Le Mans Series regulars. Earlier this year, IMSA and the American Le Mans Series announced the formation of the Challenge class as an effort to promote the brightest and best of a new generation of sports car drivers. The Challenge class will compete with the American Le Mans Series for five races in 2009.

To be eligible for selection by the sanctioning body (IMSA), drivers and teams must have had notable success for at least a year within GT3 level of racing. Teams may only field Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars from the Platinum class of the Patron GT3 Challenge by Yokohama, which is supplying the spec tire for both its championship and the Challenge class.

Certain technical regulations for the American Le Mans Series' GT2 class will apply for Challenge entries, most notably rules governing refueling. Sporting regulations for the Challenge class also differ slightly from GT2. The number of crew members allowed over the wall during a pit stop is reduced, and only two members with only one wheel gun are allowed to change tires per stop. Teams also will have to make at least one stop to change all four tires at one point during the race.

The distribution of points will follow the American Le Mans Series championship. In a two-hour, 45-minute "sprint" format, class winners receive 20 points, runners-up 16, third-place 13 and down the line to 1 point for 10th place. A Challenge entry is limited to three drivers per car; however all competitors who drive an entry during the season will share the points awarded to that entry throughout the season. To score points, an entry must complete 70 percent of the overall race winner's distance.

Drive time requirements from other Series classes apply - a two-hour maximum per competitor with each driver required to complete at least 10 laps.

-credit: www.guycosmo.com

Series announces Future Award nominees - Motorsport.com

Posted: 06 Oct 2009 04:52 PM PDT

FOUR ROOKIE DRIVERS HEADLINE NOMINEES FOR 2009 AUTO CLUB ROAD TO THE FUTURE AWARD

GLENDORA, Calif. (Oct. 6, 2009) -- Four NHRA rookie drivers, representative of three pro categories, have been selected as nominees for the 2009 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award, it was announced today by officials from NHRA and the Automobile Club of Southern California.

The nominees for the prestigious award include, in alphabetical order, Matt Hagan (Funny Car); Doug Horne (Pro Stock Motorcycle); Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel); and Spencer Massey (Top Fuel).

The award, which recognizes the top rookie competitor in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series and offers a $20,000 prize and traditional trophy to the winner, will be presented during NHRA's annual championship awards ceremony on Monday, Nov. 16 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

"For more than 100 years the Automobile Club of Southern California has represented outstanding commitment and professionalism to our millions of members. The Road to the Future Award has come to symbolize these same attributes in the sport of NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing," said Thomas V. McKernan, chief executive officer of the Automobile Club of Southern California. "To be nominated recognizes not only that a rookie driver had a noteworthy first season, but also that they demonstrated exceptional potential for the future. We congratulate all four of the nominees for this year's award and look forward to enjoying their achievements both on and off the race track for many years to come."

Hagan, 26, from Christiansburg, Va., drove his Valvoline/Shelor.com Dodge Charger to runner-up finishes at Las Vegas 1 and Charlotte. He also posted a No. 1 qualifying effort at Sonoma.

Horne, 21, from Aberdeen, Md., rode his Horne Concrete Buell to back-to-back runner-up finishes at Houston and Atlanta and claimed his first No. 1 qualifying position of his career at Chicago. He qualified for the Countdown to 1 in Pro Stock Motorcycle and is currently sixth in the point standings with two bike races remaining.

Langdon, 27, from Mira Loma, Calif., powered his Lucas Oil/Dixie Chopper dragster to a runner-up finish at Charlotte and a No. 1 qualifying performance at Las Vegas 1. Langdon qualified for the Countdown to 1 in Top Fuel and is currently sixth overall in the standings with three races to go.

Massey, 27, from Fort Worth, Texas, raced to three final rounds, including a victory at Chicago, in his U.S. Smokeless dragster. Massey was the No. 1 qualifier at Atlanta and went on to post a runner-up finish at that event. He also was runner-up at Reading. He qualified for the Countdown to 1 and is currently eight in the point standings with three races to go.

In 2002 the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award and the NHRA Rookie of the Year Award were combined to create one award recognizing the future stars of the sport. Past winners of the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award have developed into some of NHRA's biggest stars, including Tony Pedregon (1996, Funny Car), Ron Capps (1997, Funny Car), Doug Kalitta (1998, Top Fuel), Antron Brown (1999, Pro Stock Motorcycle), Melanie Troxel (2000, Top Fuel), GT Tonglet (2001, Pro Stock Motorcycle), Gene Wilson (2002, Pro Stock); Brandon Bernstein (2003, Top Fuel); Jason Line (2004, Pro Stock); Robert Hight (2005, Funny Car); J.R. Todd (2006, Top Fuel); Ashley Force Hood (2007, Funny Car); and Mike Neff (2008, Funny Car).

NHRA Rookie of the Year winners prior to the merger of the two awards included the late Darrell Russell (2001, Top Fuel), Don Lampus (2000, Top Fuel), Scotty Cannon (1999, Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (1998, Pro Stock), Gary Scelzi (1997, Top Fuel) and co-winners in 1996, Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) and Matt Hines (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

Rookie drivers in all four of NHRA's professional categories are eligible to win the Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award. More than 125 of the nation's most distinguished auto racing journalists will select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: number of events participated, performance on and off the race track, participation in NHRA promotions and relationships with fans, sponsors and media.

-credit: nhra

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LTD To Field Four At Daytona - Cycle News

Posted: 06 Oct 2009 01:10 PM PDT

The following is from LTD Racing...

LTD Racing will field four riders at the end-of-season Daytona SuperSport presented by Shoei Shootout October 16-18. Jake Gagne will join the team's regular riders Tomas Puerta, Huntley Nash, and Joey Pascarella in the final round. Gagne earned sixth place for LTD Racing in his first race on a 600cc motorcycle, at New Jersey Motosports Park in the AMA series' final round. The Red Bull Rookies Cup star filled in admirably at New Jersey when Pascarella had Supermoto obligations.

To supply a fourth Yamaha R6 for Daytona, LTD Racing is collaborating with veteran tuner Perry Melneciuc. Huntley Nash will race that machine in Florida. Nash, winner of two MotoGT races in 2009, is excited about his second trip to Daytona in 2009. "It's a really cool track and I'm really looking forward to the chance to get to race it again. Since we'll have four riders for this race, I'll be riding Perry's bike. His shop is close by, so I've gotten to know him and think we can work well together at Daytona. I'm really pumped and can't wait to see what we can do. I've been training hard and I want to close out the year with a good result and show what I can do."

The Daytona circuit is one of the talented, young LTD Racing team members' favorites. During the season-opening SuperSport race, Pascarella and Nash both ran inside the top three, with Pascarella finishing second just 0.311 seconds from the winner. Puerta won in CCS competition this spring at Daytona.

LTD Racing is now accepting applications from riders for the 2010 AMA Pro season. The team is actively looking for promising young racers for the SuperSport and Daytona SportBike classes. If you have the talent and the financial resources to ride with a professional team, send your resume to melvinsnash@msn.com.