Moorhead, Minn. (February 6, 2012) – Bunke Racing riders Gabe Bunke, Aaron Christensen and Bobby Menne won the Soo I-500 this past Saturday, February 4, 2012. It was Bunke’s third win at the prestigious 500-mile enduro race and his first since winning the race back in 2005. Held on a 1-mile ice oval in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., the Soo I-500 is the only race of its kind in snowmobiling and one of the crown jewels of snowmobile racing. The Bunke Racing No. 74 sled set the pace at this year’s event, leading over 269-laps of the 500-lap race including the last 53-laps as the team put a stamp on its race win.
The Soo I-500 is much like a NASCAR Sprint Cup race - it takes place on a 1-mile oval and includes pit stops for fuel and sled service and features the same caution flags and a pace vehicle just like Sprint Cup. This year’s race began on an ice oval that had steadily deteriorated in the days leading up to Saturday’s 500-mile race. Warm temperatures combined with qualifying, a Pro Am race and other events in the days before the race left the already soft ice on the track thin and rough. On race day the track was down to dirt in more than few places just 100-laps into the race. Many wondered if the race would be called as the track continued to get worse throughout what is typically an 8-hour event. Officials kept the race going though, and riders fought the challenges of dirt and mud as well as the few icy and snow spots that managed to hold up over the course of the day.
As the race wore on, the No. 74 Autolite Polaris with riders Bunke and Christensen was able to stay on or within a lap of the lead lap the entire race. The team was often setting the pace, laying down fast laps and forcing the teams behind them to push their equipment. When it came time to make the final drive for the win the No. 74 sled was in the lead. With just 50-laps to go and ready to make a run at victory, yellow flags kept the only other sled on the lead lap within striking distance of them, forcing the Bunke sled to continue to push until the final lap. As Yogi Berra once said, “It ain’t over til it’s over,” and no one was able to relax until Christensen, who was aboard the No. 74 in the closing laps, had actually taken the checkered flag on lap 500 with a winning time of 9 hours, 24 minutes and 36 seconds.
“I think about winning this race every day of the year,” said Gabe Bunke. “To actually hold this checkered flag is about the sweetest thing I can imagine.”
Bunke last won the race in 2005 with co-riders Josh Davis and Corey Davidson, and before that he won as part of a team with Mike Gentz, Jr., in 2002. Now, Gabe is a team owner and fields two machines in the race – his own sled No. 74 and the No. 537 piloted by Ryan and Travis Faust and Scott Maciag. That sled finished in 7th place, a respectable finishing spot in such a grueling race. Bunke and Menne also brought home third place in Thursday’s Pro Am race, a 40-mile event held to give new riders to the Soo some valuable seat time. Menne, a Rookie Soo rider, started 21st and rode his way into 4th placewithin 20 laps. Bunke got aboard the sled for the final 20 laps and picked up one more spot to put the sled on the podium.
“You could say this is what we planned for and we did,” said Bunke. “However, there is a lot of luck that comes into play in this race as well. But sometimes you make your own luck, and our team has worked really hard the past few years trying to get this win.”
Bunke continued: “This team isn’t just me; there are a lot of hard-working, knowledgeable people behind us that are key players that make it all happen like my co-riders, my crew and all of our sponsors. This is a victory for all of us.”
RJ Anderson Kicks off 2012 Race Season- 151ft Long Jump Record, WINS Soboba GP, Takes 2nd at WORCS RD1
Riverside, CA 1/30/2012- 2012 is here, but for RJ Anderson it still looks a lot like 2011 as the wins and accomplishments just keep on coming. For the entire Walker Evans Racing team there was not a lot of down time between the final round of racing in 2011 and the first rounds of racing in 2012. Just barely enough time to slightly prep the now #1 Lucas Oil OffRoadRacingSeries(LOORRS)Walker Evans Racing / Polaris RZR XP900 Unlimited UTV and have it ready for its next date with dirt. Ironically, its next competition wouldn't be on a track, nor would it be banging doors and going for a checkered flag win. No, instead it would be to lineup at the end of a 150ft + runway to attempt a world record jump at the 2012 Soboba GP Long Jump Contest. Just under 10 competitors would line up their UTV's to take their crack at who could go the farthest in what is now being dubbed the UTVUnderground Soboba Leap competition. Each UTV would get 3 runs at the jump with all 3 jumps being measured for distance. The winner would take home a nice little payday of $1000.00 with the runner up taking home $500.00. Not bad for a couple hours play under the lights and in front of a hyped up crowd. All of this was being held at the Soboba Indian Reservation where the weekends main draw was the Soboba GP UTV race taking place the following day. RJ and his good friend Doug Mittag would go to work, battling each other for the money and the glory. Having raced each other for many years this was just another opportunity for bragging rights and neither young star was going to back down. Both would let it all hang out and on RJ's final jump he would hurl his freshly #1 plated Championship Polaris RZR XP900 off the lip of the jump and send it 151ft setting a new UTV long jump world record! A few jumps later Mittag would beat that jump and put his ZX-10 street bike powered Teryx into the record books with a 163ft leap that would bring the Walker Evans Race team to their feet. These kids pushed the sports envelope and their vehicles to the absolute limits and the crowd responded. Despite being runner up, RJ still held onto the record for the longest jump in a factory powered UTV at 151ft! While Mittag's jump was over 10ft further, he was in a street bike powered UTV giving him a healthy advantage in getting that run. Not to take anything away from Mittag, he is a Walker Evans Racing supported racer and we were proud to watch him go big! In the end the 2 friends laughed at how much fun they had, already smack talking each other in hopes they will both be back for next years leap.
Still high on the excitement from the jump contest the night before, RJ and the Walker Evans Racing team arrived back at Soboba ready to take care of business in the big show. The Soboba GP is a historic Southern California race event, held on the private Soboba Indian Reservation and known for its glorious dirt, the Soboba GP was famed for its once a year MX event. While the MX racing at the GP still draws pro's from around the world of factory MX racing, it is apparent that today the main draw is the UTV race. Its a "run what ya' brung" style race with 1 open class. Racers are lined up in a single row based upon the orde they registered in and its a land rush start once the green flag drops. From there the race is a 2 hour long moto through the hills and MX styled infield. The track totals just over 6 miles long and causes for some serious attrition. This is not a race that you try to win in the first lap. Patience is key, consistency is even more important, and knowing how to keep your vehicle alive is the trick! On this day RJ followed his game plan to a "T". While others took on the task of trying to race the first lap like its the last, RJ chose to get the best start he could, settle into a good pace, and start to pick off the slower traffic one by one. Within an hour, RJ would be the first UTV on course. 33 UTV's would thunder into turn 1 yet only 14 would make it to the checkered flag. Fortunately for RJ and the Walker Evans Racing team, RJ would cross that line #1! He took his newly completed Walker Evans Racing / Holz Racing Products Polaris RZR XP900 up and over the hills like a man on a mission. The UTV built specifically for the 2012 WORCS racing season was easily the fastest UTV on the track that day and despite what some may have believed to be different, won the race with a stock Polaris XP900 power plant! The advantage was the driver and RJ was on his game. The team picked right up where they left off last season, taking home a huge win at the opening race of 2012 and $3500.00 cash! That put RJ at $4000.00 in winnings for the weekend leaving the team to ask RJ where he was taking them all to dinner?
RJ crosses the line #1 at Soboba
The Soboba GP was a fun race and an overall great weekend. But for Walker Evans Racing it was more of a test and shake down for their new Holz Racing Products built Polaris. With UTV racing on the rocks at LOORRS, Walker Evans Racing has shifted their UTV race focus to the WORCS racing series. WORCS is the premier UTV racing series on the west coast, hosting events that are drawing upwards of 40 + UTV's and multiple manufacturer supported teams. For RJ and Walker Evans Racing, this is exactly the UTV competition they desire and thrive on. So late last year the decision was made to compete in this series where UTV racing is quickly rising to become the biggest draw. With the help of their factory sponsor Polaris, they partnered up with Holz Racing Products once again to build a new race car specifically for this series. They ran it 2 times at WORCS at the end of last year which resulted in a win at the final round in Surprise, AZ. From their the UTV went to Soboba where it would WIN that 2 hour race. Its next challenge would be 1 week later at RD1 of the WORCS series held at Glen Helen MX Park in San Bernardino, CA. Everything leading up to the race was perfect, until the night before when rain began to fall all over Southern California. The rain didn't let up until a couple hours before the green flag was scheduled to drop, by then it had done its damage.
RJ Takes 2nd at WORCS "Mud Bath"
49 UTV's staged for RD1, the largest UTV car count for any racing series on the west coast. That kind of car count despite the weather was a sure sign that this 2012 season will be the biggest and best yet for WORCS. RJ was staged on row 1 of the Production 1000 class which is the premier class at WORCS. Once the cars would leave the line RJ would never find himself too far back despite losing the mud bog down to turn 1 otherwise known as Talladega due to its high banked turn. Always chomping at the heels of the leaders RJ continued to put pressure on those in front of him while remaining consistent and calm. As the mud flew and the track got slicker and nastier the Walker Evans Racing / Holz Racing Products Polaris RZR XP900 just got stronger. The biggest hurdle for RJ and the leaders at WORCS is lap traffic. The format is as such that all 4 classes of UTV's will be on the track at the same time so it is not uncommon for the faster class vehicles to be slowed by a lower class UTV in front of them. This would hinder RJ in the end, giving the leader just enough room to finish the 45 minute race in 1st and keeping RJ in 2nd. While winning is always the goal for RJ and his team, winning a championship is still the #1 focus and a 2nd place finish in this mud bath race left them with plenty to be happy about. The RZR XP900 ran flawlessly with its stock power plant and it was apparent by RJ's table top jumps that the Walker Evans Racing shocks were dialed to his liking. Round 2 of WORCS will be held the second weekend in February in Primm, NV better known as "Stateline". The team, like everyone else in the series, is hoping for a dry weekend where they can eliminate the weather as a factor. RJ and team are ready to go for their first win of the 2012 WORCS season, and knowing how they compete, we wouldn't expect anything less.
Jan 22, 2012 - WORCS Glen Helen Round #1
UTVUnderground.com - Well, where do I start? Rain, mud, fire suits, mud, technical inspection, 49 UTV's, mud, major competition, fast UTV's, mud, hang time, blown tires, roll overs, and MUD!
The 2012 WORCS racing season kicked off in some serious MUD! The sky's opened up in the middle of the night on Friday night / Saturday morning turning the groomed dirt at the Glen Helen Motocross Park into a huge mud pit. Rivers flowed through the pits while crews scrambled to adjust their strategy's to compensate for the drastically changed track conditions. Many teams were looking for last minute tire changes to get an edge up in the traction department. Others were making windshields and mud guards at of cardboard and rolls of duct tape. By 4:00PM Saturday all were ready to do battle, not just with one another, but with mother nature and the MUD she left in her wake.
49 UTV's lined up at the starting gate, a record for WORCS and a record for a west coast UTV racing series. Never have we seen so many UTV's lined up and to think, last year when talks of the ISA emerged and safety rules were introduced so many thought that mandatory fire-suits and window nets would kill competition. Instead, in our opinion here at UTVUnderground, all it did was legitimize the UTV classes and turn what has maybe appeared to some as a weekend warriors series into a full blown professional race series for UTV's. It also appeared that many may have felt a little prouder climbing in and out of their race UTV's in professional looking suits! A huge thanks goes out to Mike Lasher and Jeff Knoll of the ISA (www.ISXSA.com) for coming out and performing tech inspection all while answering questions in regards to the ISA!
It was obvious that the Polaris RZR XP900 is the UTV of choice for Production 1000 competition but it was also obvious that the field has changed since last season in terms of manufacturer competition. With the cancelation of racing at the Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series (LOORRS) we are now seeing an emergence of former LOORRS race cars now showing up to compete in the ranks at WORCS. This has shifted the look of the field a bit by now introducing a rather familiar GREEN look amongst the lineup. Yes, Kawasaki is here now, and here in a major way. Robert Vanbeekum in his Monster Energy Kawasaki / Muzzys Teryx will be a season competitor now at WORCS. Taylor George in her Monster Energy Kawasaki / Funco Teryx is also set to compete a full season in the former Chad George (cousin) LOORRS Unlimited UTV championship winning UTV. Tyler Winbury in his Wagon Burners Kawasaki Teryx has also shifted focus from LOORRS to WORCS along with Dan "Bronco Dan" Kelly in his Muzzys Kawasaki Teryx. Rounding out the former LOORRS competitors who are now chasing down a WORCS UTV championship is 2011 LOORRS Unlimited UTV champion RJ Anderson who is set to compete the full season in his Walker Evans Racing / Holz Racing Products Polaris RZR XP900. These racers add another level of competition to an already highly competitive series and group of racers.
While I will let the results tell the story of who won and who didn't, I will say this, there are some FAST UTV's out there this year. However, as fast as some may be, as is the case in most forms of racing you still have to finish to win and this would prove to be true as a couple of the fastest UTV's would not make it across the finish line first, or in some cases, at all! We did get a taste of what we will see this year although I will say that I hope this was the only mud race of the year. I am sure most everyone else would agree. But the mud did not scare away racers or fans from showing up and participating in this fun and exciting race event and that too me as a positive sign of where things are heading. If we can keep car counts above 30 for the season then this would end up being the most successful season of UTV racing ever on the west coast.
At any rate, we had a blast. I am very thankful to see so many teams and racers supporting UTVUnderground.com by running our colors. It really is all the motivation we need to keep showing up race after race to cover and support all of you in return. The UTVUnderground is in full effect! I can't wait to see where this season takes us!
Bunke Racing Kicks Off USCC Season With Podium Finishes
Bunke, Fuller Grab Podiums At Pine Lake
Moorhead, Minn. (January 17, 2012) – The Bunke Racing team kicked off its season at the USCC National Guard Cross-Country Snowmobile Championship race held on Pine Lake near Gonvick. Minn., this past Sunday, January 15. Not only was the race the first on the Bunke Racing team’s schedule, it was also the first cross-country lake race in over a decade. It posed a challenge for the team to come up with a competitive race setup for the twisty course set up on the icy surface of Pine Lake, but the team put in over a week of testing and was able to get their Polaris snowmobiles more than ready for the event.
Gabe Bunke put his sled on podium with a third place finish to start the day in Pro Open. Bobby Menne had a good day in that class as well with both riders feeling more than comfortable on the 10-mile ice course that consisted of right- and left-hand turns and featured two, 1-mile straightaways. Pro Women rider Jen Fuller was totally new to ice racing but took third place in the Womens class, less than a minute behind the winner.
Spencer Kadlec, Jeff Klein and Matt Burkhardt finished 5-6-7 in the five-lap Semi-Pro 600 race. The Top 5 riders in the class were so close that Kadlec was only 12-seconds out of a podium podium spot in the class. This season is only Kadlec’s second racing snowmobiles and it’s his first season on Polaris.
“This was my first lake race and it was definitely a challenge,” Kadlec said. “I learned a lot though and I’ll be looking for a Top 3 finish at the next event for sure.”
Pro riders ran a 1-lap qualifier for the 10-lap, 100-mile Pro 600 race. Bunke and Menne both ended up in the second of three rows to start the race. Bunke got a good start and settled into 8th place while Menne was a couple spots back. On the seventh lap Menne’s sled suffered a track problem that put him out of the race. Meanwhile, Bunke had moved up a spot into 7th, where he would ultimately finish.
“I think the team had a great weekend,” said Bunke. “We got two podium finishes and we were really competitive. Everyone is so fast, but we’re right there so I can’t see why we won’t be able to win some races this season.”
Next up for Bunke Racing is the USCC J&K Marine Beach Bar 100 in Detroit Lakes, Minn., January 28-29. For more info on Bunke Racing visit www.bunkeracing.com. You can also follow Bunke Racing on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BunkeRacing
Jan 19, 2012
We launched the new website and Modern Web Studios wants to make this website the best it can be so please feel free to send them any suggestions you have that could improve our new website. walkerideas@modernwebstudios.com Or just give them a call: 888-987-7771
Dec 26, 2011
Phoenix, AZ
Jagged-X Racing News
Jagged-X Set to Campaign 2 Polaris UTV's in 2012
Matt Parks Joins Jagged-X Racing for 2012 BITD Season #1919 Polaris RZR XP900 (Brandon Schueler)
With the 2011 Best In The Desert (BITD) season complete, Brandon Schueler and the Jagged-X desert off-road race team fell just a few points short of capturing their 5th Pro-UTV championship in as many years. Despite falling short, Brandon and the factory sponsored Polaris racing team Jagged-X, still viewed the season as a success. The team managed to win their 5th consecutive Vegas-to-Reno race, currently the longest race in North America and by far the most difficult in the BITD series. The team also managed to collect 2-1st place and 3-2nd place finishes on the season.
#1932 Polaris RZR-4 (Matt Parks)
With UTV racing growing at such an impressive rate, Jagged-X felt that the time was right to take their race program a step further for 2012. So for the upcoming 2012 season Jagged X / Polaris Racing will add a second car to the desert program. With that being said, Jagged-X / Polaris Racing is proud to announce that the 2011 BITD Pro UTV Champion Matt Parks is now a member of the Jagged-X race team. Matt will be piloting his #1932 Polaris RZR-4 at the 2012 BITD season opener at the Parker 250 with a whole new look and we here at Jagged-X could not be more excited to have Matt Parks on the team. In 2011 Matt Parks put his Polaris RZR-4 on the podium in every BITD race he competed in, completing the season championship and compiling 2-1st place wins, 2-2nd's, and 1-3rd place finish. Combined the #1919 and #1932 Polaris UTV's compiled 5 WINS and 5-2nd place finishes! The podium was crowded with Polaris' all season long with 14 of the 18 podium finishes being held by Polaris RZR, RZR-S, RZR-4, and RZR XP900 UTV's.
Needless to say, the Jagged-X race team is dedicated to winning more championships in the Pro-UTV class and we could not be more excited to be piloting Polaris UTV's in the Best In The Desert racing series. We could not field our race program without the generous support of our many product sponsors including BFGoodrich Tires who have pledged their support again this year and we thank them for joining us in looking to the future of UTV's and UTV racing. We have also struck an agreement with Kevin Kroyer and Kroyer Racing Engines (Las Vegas, NV). Kroyer is the formidable leader in Polaris UTV power prospecting, so to bring them on board only means more speed and reliability for an already fast and reliable group of UTV's! In addition to the Kroyer power plants we will also be adding the best UTV exhausts made to the Jagged-X program for 2012, Muzzys Performance (Bend, OR)! Our good friend and talented artist Chad Riccio of CR Designs (Phoenix, AZ) will remain on board to keep our UTV's and chase vehicles "Show Quality" for every race and continue their dedicated race support. OMF Performance (Riverside,Ca) will continue on as our custom wheel builder. Tim Orchard's, owner of OMF, knowledge and encouragement has been a big part of our success since day one of our racing program so we are thrilled to continue racing on OMF's fantastic race wheels this season. For 2012 Jagged-X racing will also team up with Walker Evans Racing (Riverside, CA) in outfitting our race UTV's with their industry leading shocks. Walker Evans continuing relationship with Polaris Industries promises to help us develop the best shocks for our race cars. Lube tech and Pure Polaris lubricants will continue providing all the fluids for our race program. To turn night into day the Jagged-X team will be using the high quality line of lighting products designed and developed by Vision-X Off-Road Lighting. Lastly, Joey DiGiovanni of UTVUnderground.com will remain on board to provide our sponsors, fans, and media outlets constant race coverage and pre/post race Press Releases!
Jagged-X plans to campaign 2 Polaris RZR Xp's this season and we have set a goal to compete in the 2012 SCORE Tecate Baja 1000 in November. This years Baja 1000 will run to the tip of the Baja peninsula, always looking for a challenge, Jagged-X plans to conquer the "Baja Mil" and deliver Polaris their 1st of what we hope to be many UTV wins in the coveted SCORE Baja racing series. Our first race of 2012 will be at the BITD Parker 250 being held on January 6-7, 2012 in Parker, AZ.
Stay tuned to more news, updates, and race reports from Jagged-X all season long!
Dec 17-18, 2011 Burke Mtn Ski Resort E. Burke VT
After a difficult western trek out to the ISOC Duluth Nationals in November, the Hulten Speed Sports Polaris regionalteam sponsored by Bailey Motor Company got back on track for its primary focus of locking in Championship titles in the East Coast Snocross Racing Series at the Burke Mtn Ski Resort.
Pro-HSS
Veteran Pro driver Danny Poirier of St. Theodore d’acton, Quebec got back on track in a big way at Burke Mtn. by sweeping the Pro finals on Saturday and Sunday. “These are the best sleds I’ve driven in years,” stated Poirier after winning both Pro Stock qualifiers on Saturday, then dominating the Pro Stock field in the final with a flag-to-flag win. After a lap one red flag forced a restart, Poirier artfully paused at the start, squared up his Polaris IQ and shot straight up the inside line to grab the holeshot lead, a lead he would not relinquish.
In Sunday’s Pro Open qualifying action, Danny logged a Round 1 win, then came out of the gate in Round 2 in third place behind former teammate Matt Piche. For 13 laps Poirier stalked Piche then made his move at the top of the course on the final lap to pass Piche for the second place finish. Every point counts in the quest for a season championship and Danny Poirier never ceases to grab points when the opportunity presents itself.
Qualifying in the number 2 position for Sunday’s final, Poirier once again took advantage of the inside line and won the drag race up the hill for the holeshot and crossed the stripe for the lap 1 lead. In the 16 lap final round showcase,Poirier led every lap finishing with a “cushy” 5.7 margin over the second place rider. Special thanks go out to Dr. Joel Santy for his “magic touch” in this winning effort.
Pro-Lite Andrew Bailey qualified for the final in the ultra-competitive Pro-Lite Division on Saturday based on the strength of his 4th and 3rd place finishes. Andrew drew a front row start on Saturday’s Pro-Lite Super Stock final, but was left with the unenviable outside starting posi-tion. Fighting to stay from being pushed off the track at the start, Andrew stayed on course and fought to a 7th place finish in Saturday’s final round.
Sunday qualifying presented contact and mechanical issues in rounds 1 & 2 and forced Andrew to make the final field by running a last chance qualifier (LCQ). Needing to only finish in the top 4 in the LCQ, Andrew established a solid pace and pressed the 2nd and 3rd place drivers and scored a strong 2nd place finish to make Sunday’s final grid.
In the 10 lap final, Andrew fought hard up the course and crossed the stripe in lap 1 with a strong 3rd place position. Andrew lost the final podium position to the eventual runner-up, but held on to a solid 4th place finish. No small feat in this talent laden division.
