MK’s blog

PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release
13th April 2010

‘Ridin 9 to 5’ at the Muc-Off 8 Enduro MTB – Race results

An unforgettable two-wheeled festival experience was delivered on Sunday 11th April at the six hundred acre private estate at Pippingford Park in East Sussex when 550 competitors gathered to take part in the Muc-Off 8, a unique new eight hour, eight mile enduro mountain bike race.

The sun shone for two days on an international field of competitors including the Norweigen Proteinfabrikken KTM Racing Team, which included the national XC Marathon cross-country champion Tor Halvor Bjornstad; corporate teams from Formula 1’s Force India, Mercedes and Red Bull and other competitors ranging from 19 to 61 years of age all taking part in the eight hour show-down.

With 1576 laps completed and a cummulative 12,608 miles ridden, the event went without a hitch with trained on-site paramedics having to deal with nothing more than one sprained ankle over the duration of the race.

Greg Saw, team manager and rider for Norwegian Proteinfabrikken/ KTM team comments on coming to England to take part and his first impressions of the Muc-Off 8 event; “It’s special for us to be here and riding as a team for team bonding and tactics and this event will help us prepare for the next Nordic 24 hour race. This is a refreshing and interesting format for an enduro race, and the course has a good mix of uphill, and challenging downhill to keep all the riders on their toes. The team element of the event means this is not just for elite riders.”

The Norweigen team went on to win the pairs category and also took the title for the fastest eight mile lap of the day at 40 minutes 07 seconds.

Competitors took up the gauntlet laid down by downhill world champion Steve Peat, who set a time on the downhill section of the course earlier in the year of 2 minutes 2 seconds. The downhill section was electronically split-timed and the fastest downhill time of 2 minutes and 7 seconds was set on the day by Mule Bar/Hargroves Cycles rider, Stuart Bowers.

‘Ridin 9 to 5,’ the objective of the Muc-Off 8 was for competitors and teams to complete as many laps as possible racing against time and each other within the eight hours with teams dictating their own strategy, using only one rider at a time on the course.

Muc-Off head man Alex Trimnell comments: “We wanted to create a fun laid-back event which was a challenge for elite riders and first timers alike and I couldn’t wish for a better atmosphere and vibe here today. We wanted our event to be unique and to design a varied course comprising downhill, cross-country and single track with a different enduro format, and from feedback we have had I think we achieved that. We also provided riders with free drinks, energy and nutrition through partner Clif Bar, and bike servicing with Cycle Surgery plus a free Muc-Off bike cleaning service throughout the day.”

Alex explains plans for the Muc-Off 8 2011; “Pippingford Park is a beautiful setting and a perfect venue for the Muc-Off 8 and there’s lots of space to grow the event and make it bigger and better next year. We want to create a bigger core bike cleaning area and more facilities such as a shower block and attract more competitors to enter the team disciplines, as well as attract further British and international pro riders, and more corporate teams.”

For full results visit HYPERLINK “http://www.dbmax.co.uk/store/vo2_results” \o “blocked::http://www.dbmax.co.uk/store/vo2_results” http://www.dbmax.co.uk/store/vo2_results

For further information visit HYPERLINK “http://www.mucoff8.com” www.mucoff8.com

ENDS

RESULTS:
1st Solo man – Ian Leitch – Ian was also 3rd overall
1st Solo woman – Rickie Cotter
1st team pair – Proteinfabrikken KTM Racing Team

For further press information email Lindsay Chant HYPERLINK “mailto:lindsay.chant@cyclevox.com” lindsay.chant@cyclevox.com or call Lindsay on +44 (0)1258 830095 / 07736 724068

For further event information email Andy Blow HYPERLINK “mailto:andy@votwo.co.uk” andy@votwo.co.uk or call Andy on +44 (0)1425 674955

For information on the Muc-Off brand and its products email James Cramp HYPERLINK “mailto:jc@muc-off.com” jc@muc-off.com or call James on + 44 (0)1202 307790

Note to Editors:

For images please contact Lindsay Chant.

Dorset based cleaning expert Muc-Off has partnered with top events company Votwo, and Cycle marketing specialists Cyclevox to stage the Muc-Off 8.

The venue is the impressive Pippingford Park Estate in East Sussex; a proven mountain bike

Race Report for Lake Havasu WORCS Race Round 3

Riders

Robby Bell KX450F Pro 6th
JP Davis KX450F Pro 15th
Justin Seeds KX450F Pro-2 5th
Jack Achey KX250F A 7th
Mark Harstine KX450F B 15th

Lake Havasu is always one of the biggest races of the year. It’s an awesome setting on the island in the middle of the lake. The course is very demanding with a moto section up on top, and deep sand whoops for the rest. There’s even a lagoon jump over the water. It’s tight, technical, and with lap times in the 6 minute range, you get double the amount of laps compared to other races.

In the Pros, Robby and JP were both looking for their best finishes of the year. In qualifying, Robby took sixth, his personal best. JP was looking good in practice, but got a flat front tire in qualifying and took a disappointing 16th.

In the race, Robby got off in sixth. He put on a great charge and moved into second on lap two. From here he ran up front until deep into the race when the flu he has been fighting caught up with him and he dropped back to sixth. I’m sending Robby’s race report for a more in depth story.

JP got off to a top ten start, but then had problems with his steering and needed a long pit stop for repairs. This killed any chance to challenge for a front spot. He salvaged fifteenth.

Justin rode hard all weekend, and his results continue to improve. He took 5th in the Pro-2s 5th in the 450A, and 9th in the Open A.

Jack rode well, but a smoked clutch slowed him and he took 7th in the ultra competitive 250F A class.

Mark Harstine started his weekend getting run over. Beat up and bloody, he raced on and came from 40th to 15th in the 450 B class.

Next Worcs race is at 395 Cycle Park near Victorville, CA. Robby will be over his bout with the flu, and is super motivated by his early run at Havasu. JP will have the bike problems handled, and looks to better his 6th place Primm finish. All of our guys will be testing at 395 and getting plenty of time on the track before the race so we will be more prepared than ever.

Thanks for all the support, in tough times, it’s great to have the best sponsors in the business. I Will send pictures as soon.

Bob Bell

Team Coordinator

Since the venue doesn’t have a starting gate we we’re forced to have a dead engine start.  I felt confident in my dead engine starting ability but when the flag waved it took four or five kicks for me to get going.  So with my bad start I knew that I had my work cut out for me.  I came around the first lap in eighteenth place, dang it!  After the couple first laps I was sitting just outside the top ten but was still determined to move up farther.  On the tenth lap I finally broke into the top ten and could see a few guys just up in front of me.  I was able to catch up and pass a couple guys and on the last lap I knew I had to give it all I had.  I ran my fastest lap on the final lap passing one more guy and coming within eight seconds of fifth place.  I was a bit frustrated with my sixth place finish because I knew that I should be up in the top three.

Thanks to all for your continued support!

Brad Goolsby

Justin Seeds
Precision Concepts Team
450 Kawasaki

The year of 2010 the goals for riding this season will consist of finishing top five in every race attending, but personal goal would be to place on the podium at every Worcs race. With switching of bikes for the New Year, I am feeling comfortable riding Kawasaki, and confident with myself riding for the Precision Concepts Kal-Gard Kawasaki Team. The new team’s atmosphere I am riding for is comfortable, and organized. I am pushing myself to place better in my racing, but also to make my body stronger, and durable to remain strong for every race. Realizing that my appetite, my health, my body’s strength, and confidence in myself will make me stronger this season, allowing myself to exceed to my goal. I will retain all these goals with the help of my sponsors; Precision Concepts, Kal-Gard, AP Brakes, Fast Lane Motor Fuels, Pirelli, Muc-Off, QTM, Vicious Industries Clothing, Wossner Pistons, BRP, IMS, Scott Stabilizers, AME Grips, O’Neal, John Burr, Renthal, LA Sleeve, Townsend Knee Braces, RK Chains, and Hinson Clutches. Hopefully this year will end the way I am setting myself up for.

WORCS 2010 Preview Video from Wiley: Red Tide Pictures on Vimeo.

NICK BURSON & HUSQVARNA WIN ELSINORE GP ON WAY TO USDR TITLE
First ever win for Burson and a first Elsinore win for Husky in decades.

November 13, 2009 – Woodcliff Lake, NJ – With a championship almost in hand and the last race of the season just days away, most racers would be content to find a quiet place and hunker down before the final showdown. Not so for Zip-Ty Racing Husqvarna rider Nick Burson who’s zen was interrupted by a call from his boss Ty Davis, the owner and manager of Zip-Ty Racing.

Nick Burson”Ty suggested I race the Elsinore Grand Prix. I’d never entered the event before so I said ‘Why not?’ I hadn’t planned to race ’til the USDR final but Elsinore is close to home and it’d be good training if nothing else,” said Burson. “Now that it’s all over I’m glad that Ty called and proud to be able to list an Elsinore Grand Prix victory on my resume!”

Burson’s Elsinore race day began with a couple of Expert class laps that allowed he and Davis to prep Burson’s Husqvarna TXC 510 for the weekend’s main event The Harvey Mushman 100, which borrows its name from Steve McQueen who entered the 1970 Elsinore Grand Prix using the pseudonym. McQueen raced the event at the urging of then winner Malcolm Smith. The pair rode Husqvarna motorcycles and they both figured prominently in Bruce Brown’s 1970 epic film documentary “On Any Sunday”.

“I thought it’d be good for Nick to enter a special race like the Elsinore Grand Prix. Events like this are good publicity opportunities for our team and for Husqvarna. The course is a lot different than the desert races Nick rides with fans lining the entire course which he never sees at a desert race,” offered Davis. “The Elsinore Grand Prix has so much history and so many great riders have raced and won here. Not sure how long it’s been since a Husky rider won here but it’s been a lot of years and today was a good day for Nick Burson and Husqvarna to win it!”

Since joining Zip-Ty Racing, Burson has been a dominant desert racing force. His string of wins and top finishes have done a lot to shine a spotlight on the Husqvarna motorcycles he and the Zip-Ty Racing team compete on. Throughout the 1970s and ’80s Husqvarna was the bike of choice for desert and Baja racers and with the success of modern day riders like Burson, the brand is rekindling its past glory.

With Elsinore behind him Burson’s focus is back to the high desert and the USDR (U.S. Desert Racing) finale. He’ll enter the Nov. 15th event as both the defending 2008 Pro class #1 plate holder as well as the 2009 season points leader. Through 4 rounds Burson posted three overall wins and a runner up finish but by his own admission the 2009 title is not an absolute a slam-dunk until he suits up this weekend. “I still have to complete three laps on Sunday to clinch the title,” said Burson. “Once that’s done I’m hoping that I’ll be in a position to finish my season with another race win.”

Husqvarna Motorcycles. Tradition on two wheels since 1903.
Husqvarna Motorcycles, a part of the BMW Group since October 2007, are widely known and respected in the off-road world for a heritage of competition and numerous motocross and enduro world championships. Originally founded in Sweden in 1903, Husqvarna motorcycles have been designed and manufactured in Varese, Italy since 1987.

Husqvarna Motorcycles NA, LLC
Husqvarna Motorcycles NA, LLC is part of BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North, Central and South America is located in Woodcliff Lake, NJ. Husqvarna Motorcycles NA, LLC returned to off-road racing competition in 2008 and during 2009 Husqvarna will expand its professional race team to compete in AMA GNCC, Endurocross, National Hare & Hound, the AMA Hare Scrambles Series, and WORCS competition. Husqvarna team riders will compete in the premier classes of each series aboard 2009 Husqvarna TXC 450, TXC 510, and WR 300 off-road models.
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Press release – immediate release

Muc-Off press release: 05:11:2009 – Muc-Off sign the ‘world’s fastest racers’ for 2010

Since winning the world DH title in September Steve Peat and the Syndicate’s stock has risen yet further. Along with 3-time UCI World Cup winner Greg Minnaar, and super-fast Junior World champion Josh Bryceland, these guys are the must haves for any media conscious sponsor in mountain biking.

This fact has not escaped the notice of Muc-Off owner Alex Trimnell. ‘Peaty’ and the rest of the Syndicate have signed to Muc-Off for 2010 to endorse all cleaning products, lubes and brushes from both the rider and bike care ranges.

The deal re-unites Peat and the Poole-based cleaning experts, after they backed him in his younger years, and associates Muc-Off with world-leading DH brands Santa Cruz Bicycles and SRAM.

Speaking about the deal Trimnell said:

“It has always been our philosophy at Muc-Off to back the best riders. The brand new Syndicate deal rekindles our association with Steve Peat. He is now seen as the ambassador of downhill mountain biking, and he knows his product inside-out. For Steve and his Syndicate to be using Muc-Off products in 2010 is a great partnership for us.

We are really excited about this deal and know that our continued approach to product development will be further enhanced by the experience, and demand for great product, that the Syndicate guys will bring.”

The deal comes into effect on the 1st of Jan, 2010.