Join us as we follow sponsored rider, Brycen Neal as he takes on each round of the 2022 GNCC. Hear from him directly about his experiences, see photos, and watch videos as Brycen progresses from round to round.
Big Buck Farm, Union, South Carolina
February 19, 2022
1st Place - 30 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:Hey guys! Here's a little recap from this past week's GNCC Big Buck race in South Carolina. After 8 ½ months off from racing, we lined up this past weekend for the first time after recovering from ACL/Lateral meniscus surgery. The conditions were absolutely perfect, the track was fast, but very one-lined and tough to pass which is out of the ordinary. Nonetheless, we got a mid-pack start and started marching forward. We caught up to the front two leaders toward the end of the second lap and it was an all out battle from there! On the last lap we were able to overtake both positions and get into the lead with about a mile and a half to go. My brand new blacked out Barker's Exhaust system was singing through the entire race course and I was able to bring home the win! Words are beyond what I could describe I was feeling, but it was so awesome to grab the win at the first race back. My Barker's Exhaust performed flawlessly all day long. It’s been such a great addition to my program and I couldn’t be more proud than to bring home a win in our first race together. Looking forward to the next one in FL in 2 weeks!
Hog Waller - Palatka, Florida
March 5, 2022
2nd Place - 25 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:Hey guys what’s going on? Round 2 of GNCC racing went absolutely great, I finished 2nd overall right behind 1st place after 2 hours of the toughest, roughest, and most physically demanding race on our schedule. I spent all winter training in OH and the warmest day got to 45 degrees. Down in FL, on race day it was in the 80s and it was hot, but we battled back and forth for the lead all day long and all the way down to the finish. We left with great points and results.
Aonia Pass MX - Washington, GA
March 12, 2022
Results:
3rd Place - 21 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:
Round 3 in GA was super cold with high winds. The rain from the night before made for a very deep rutted and muddy race. It was crazy with all the position changes back and forth all day long. We were in each position from 1st-6th in the last 2 laps. The track broke down on the last lap and all hell broke loose with lines and passing. We were in 2nd with about a mile and a half to go, and Hunter Hart and myself got passed at the same time by Walker on a really good line he had. We tried everything in the last mile to get around Hunter, but it didn't happen. We ended the day in 3rd place.
I'm feeling great heading into round 4 in Union, SC. I’ve had good workouts and seat time, and we really like the track down there. With beautiful weather in the forecast it looks like it’s gonna be a fast pace, straight up race and we’re ready to roll!
Big Buck Farm - Union, SC
March 26, 2022
Results:
1st Place - 30 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:
Hey y’all! This past weekend’s race went absolutely awesome. We were able to grab a good start and make quick passes. Not before long, it became a private battle yet again between Walker and I for the race win.
At the end of lap 2 I was able to make the pass, I put my head down and started to ride really hard to try and create a gap. He pitted the very next lap (we both had to pit twice this race due to the length of the race and our fuel mileage), and I kept going to try and increase the gap. I was able to have an awesome lap and gain about 10-15sec of cushion to pit the next lap and remain in the lead.
From there I got the white flag and had to maintain that distance of 10-15sec, navigate a very rough track, and multiple lapped riders as well. I was able to keep racing hard all the way to the finish and maintain the gap and grab the W! My second of the season, and now we are separated by 4 points in the championship! Ready for the next one!
Moree's Sportsman's Preserve - Society Hill, SC
April 9, 2022
Results:
1st Place - 30 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:
Hello to my Barkers family, we had a great showing at the previous GNCC round 5 at camp Coker in Society Hill, South Carolina! We got pin-balled off the start and didn’t go into the woods anywhere near where we wanted to be. But by the end of the lap we had passed our way up to 4th place on the heels of the next two positions in front!
We were able to pass both before we left the motocross track and I got a couple pit boards saying that Walker was +30sec ahead. I put my head down and charged as hard as I could the next lap and was able to close that gap by the end of the lap to a few seconds. We caught up to the rear wheels of Fowler and would continue to follow throughout the next couple laps.
On the final lap we both had to make a splash for gas, I was able to make the pass on him during the pit stop! After leading for a couple miles, he made a good pass and got me back at the end of the moto.
Throughout the rest of the final lap I was stalking him as tightly as I could trying to make the pass at every opportunity. With about 2 miles to go I was able to make the pass when we took a split line and then I put my head down and sprinted until the end of the race to take my 3rd win of the season and take back control of the points lead!
Ironman Raceway - Crawfordsville, IN
May 7, 2022
Results:
1st Place - 30 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:
What’s up my Barkers Family? This past weekend of GNCC racing treated us great! We were able to grab the win and make it 3 in a row!
Driving out to the track on Friday it didn’t look very good for racing at all, water was sitting in the corn fields and the ground was saturated. I put on my mud boots and walked the track and got a look and thought to myself if it doesn’t rain anymore and the sun comes out it could get really good! I did my rain dance and it paid off!
The next day it amazed everyone how much things dried up. There was deep ruts and creek crossings scattered across the track, but the top of ridges and fields dried out perfect. We got a top 6 start and quickly got to second place behind Fowler. On lap 2 I made the pass and started putting down a good pace. At the end of lap 4, I had a 18 second gap and on the last lap Walker made a mistake and I was able to win by 46 seconds! The next race is in my backyard in Athens OH, so we’re gonna try our best to make it 4 in a row!
Sunday Creek Raceway - Millfield, OH
May 21, 2022
Results:
1st Place - 30 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:
Round 7 of the GNCC championship came as close to my home as it gets! The Penton is only an hour away from my house and it’s also the race that took me out of the championship last year with an injury. So this year I really wanted to grab the W and conquer the place for last years injury. We got off to a top 5 start and it was a bit tough to pass on a one lined race track, but we marched our way forward and was able to get to the rear wheels of Fowler at the half way point of the race. We battled for a lap and a half until he broke a chain just before the white flag! From there we stayed smooth and rode it in for the win and made it 4 wins in a row!
Matthews Farm - Mount Morris, PA
June 4, 2022
Results:
1st Place - 30 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:
I’ve never done that great at the Mason Dixon race track in the past, it had always fought me hard and I always left the place feeling like it got the better of me. But this time we was able to come out on top and grab another win making it 5 in a row! The track was absolutely amazing and I was having a blast out there. Walker and I had a back and forth battle going all day long, on the last lap he spun out in a corner and caught traction and flipped the bike. So from there I sprinted to make a gap and held it until the finish!
Summit Bechtel Reserve - Beckley, WV
September 10, 2022
Results:
3rd Place - 21 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:
Hey everyone! Long time no talk! I’ve been enjoying a bit of summer and mostly working toward the end of the season championship. Round 10 of GNCC racing did not go as planned for us. We worked our butts off this summer and made big strides of improvement with the machine and it rained all day long at this one. We got off to a slow start and tried to make passes quickly but the track was not good with multiple passing lines. I found myself in 4th place at the halfway mark after the pit stop with my championship competitor out in front getting away. The rain continued to fall a bit harder and the track got slicker the last couple laps. I ended the day in 3rd place and was super disappointed with not being able to showcase the package I worked hard on all summer. The next race is this weekend in our backyard in Athens, OH. We’re ready for redemption!
Sunday Creek Raceway - Millfield, OH
September 24, 2022
Results:
1st Place - 30 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:
Hey Barkers family! Writing to you on the Thursday before this weekends big race. Our last race 2 weekends ago in southern Ohio treated us great. We grabbed a great start and quickly got into the lead and held the lead all day long to the finish and brought home the win! The conditions were absolutely perfect and my Barker's Exhaust was singing loudly and proudly all day long! 2 more races to go now, time to focus up and try out best to close out this championship!
CJ Raceway - Newburg, WV
October 8, 2022
Results:
1st Place - 30 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV
Brycen Comments:
Hello, Barker's racing family! This past weekends race in WV at the Buckwheat 100 GNCC went absolutely awesome. The track and conditions were amazing, we jumped out to a fair start and started picking our way to the front of the pack. We got to the rear wheels of Fowler towards the end of lap 2 and started applying pressure.
I went for a pass in a line that I had taken the lap before but a log had got kicked out just right and it caught my a-arm and wrecked me! I picked myself back up in 5th place and started charging forward. With only 2 laps to go and a tight track for passing I was stressing real bad about my position. I put my head down and started marching forward!
I made a couple passes right before the white flag. I went into the last lap in 3rd place behind Hart and Fowler who was starting to get away. I passed Hart right before the 5 mile marker and had a 10+ sec gap to reach Fowler with only half a lap to the finish. I charged hard and caught him just before the last big field section on the track at the 10 mile marker and it took me the entire field to inch my way to his rear wheels.
With 2 corners to go before the end of the field section I set up an outside inside pass and shot out of the corner with everything I had with that Barker's Exhaust just a singing! We touched tires and I edged him out going into the next corner and he ran into me from the inside and we came together to almost a complete stop. But I had the lead and was able to march forward in the closing minutes and hold out to capture my 8th win of the season and put myself one race away from closing out this championship chase. We have a gap going into the last race of the year at the Ironman! One more to go, let’s go!
Ironman Raceway - Crawfordsville, IN
October 22, 2022
Results:
2022 XC1 Pro GNCC National Champion
Brycen Comments:
Hello, Barkers family! We headed into the final round of GNCC racing at Ironman Raceway with a 12 point lead looking to close out the championship. It was the driest Ironman race we’ve had in over a decade, powdered silt berms everywhere in the corn fields and woods and the dust covered the woods like huge forest fire smog. We had a big time error on the start and went into the woods worse than mid pack. I tried to keep my cool and just focused on being safe and picking people off one by one, I marched my way forward through the pack and got into 3rd position.
I settled in as I needed a 4th place or better to secure the championship and I was focused on doing what I needed to do to close this thing out. It was the most stressful and nerve racking race of my life, I was micro managing the entire race and every right tree section and rocky creek crossing I was giving myself just that little extra second to get through it all smoothly. The last lap was the longest lap of my life, I counted down the mile markers and just kept trying to ride smooth! We crossed the finish and claimed the 2022 XC1 Pro GNCC National Championship!
I’ve worked a life time to get to this point, my father and I have gave it our all to try and accomplish our dream. I would like to give the biggest thank you to the Barker's Family. They provided with me with nothing less then a grade A fast, durable and high quality exhaust system to tackle this season's GNCC schedule each and every round. I’m so proud to win this title for us and to bring it home and make all the hard work and sacrifices worth it for everyone involved in this program. The love and support was overwhelming, thank you guys!
When we say it's been a pleasure, it almost feels like an understatement. It has really been and honor and a privilege to have worked with so many dedicated, hard-working, and truly talented riders over the years. We have not only watched these young riders improve their skills on and off the track, but also become true professionals in racing and in life. Each one of our sponsored riders have positively impacted our team and company for the better.
It has been incredible working with sponsored riders from all walks of life and from all across North America! We've been able to support riders who have raced in many different types of competitions. From extreme dessert racing competitions like the SCORE International racing series to the extremely exciting ATV MX National Championship, we have had the opportunity to support dedicated individuals and race teams as they planned, prepared, practiced, and fought to get to the finish line for each race.
This year we will be shifting from desert and closed course race competitions, to support an accomplished racer as he takes on the GNCC (Grand National Cross Country), an AMA national sanctioned series which consists of 13 off-road rounds at various sites ranging from Florida to New York.
Brycen is 26 and hails from Bidwell, Ohio. He's been riding for most of his life, and has been an active competitor in the GNCC since he was 9 years old. Over the years he has won the major steps leading to the XC1 Pro class and has finished runner up in the XC1 Class for multiple seasons, chasing the prestigious championship title. Brycen's main race machine is a Yamaha YFZ450R fitted with a Barker's Exhaust System.
We reached out to Brycen to ask him a few questions about himself and this upcoming season.
What do you enjoy most about racing?
"The thing I enjoy most about racing is the zone-out-feeling you get on the bike, where you hit all your marks and do whatever you want on the machine freely and effortlessly, at the highest level. It’s such a special place to reach and the feeling is unlike anything else!"
What do you think will be the greatest challenge this season?
"The greatest challenge this season is the same one we face every year, making sure the machine finishes all 13 races. You get no drops, every race counts for points and to be a championship contender at the end you must finish every race."
What are you most looking forward to for this racing season? Do you have any goals?
"Win. I have no other goals at this point in my career other then go and do my job! I’ve been able to finish and accomplish every other step up to this point. All that’s left is to try our best to go win this thing!"
What do you think about racing as a sponsored rider with Barker’s Exhaust, and do you have any thoughts on your exhaust setup?
"Confidence sums it up. I’ve put many many hard hours on my Barker's Exhaust and it’s taken every bit of the abuse I’ve put it through. Not only does it have longevity, but it also increases the total Horsepower and Torque on my machines as well and it's super easy to put on and install. The Barkers Exhaust company has been nothing short of great to work with and it has a friendly family feeling every time I talk to the crew. I’m very happy to have their trust and support headed into 2022, they’ve made my program stronger and we’re looking to have a great year!
Look for #241, Brycen Neal on the leader boards this year at the 2022 GNCC! We know it's going to be an outstanding competition and we can't wait to see what the future has in store for our new partnership.
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Performance
Bryan Bigelow is well known in the flat track racing industry and encouraged us to develop a pipe for the new KTM motor. Working with Bryan’s invaluable feedback Barker’s focused on creating a pipe that kept the header super tight away from the front tires, allowing for riders with oversized tires and ice picks to install and run the pipe with no problems. Additionally, our pipe design eliminates the need to drop the rear shock to install the header.
With their background mostly in MX applications, Barker’s also completed testing with dyno professional Alex Galeczka at LaBaron’s Powersports. Alex did his testing on a stock KTM vs a fully tuned Pro-Circuit Pipe vs a fully tuned Barker’s Performance pipe. The dyno results can be found here on our website showing the Barker’s pipe picking up a full 5 horsepower, producing more power than both the stock and tuned Pro-Circuit exhaust.
In addition to the exhaust system, Barker’s is also offering a pre-mapped Power Commander V. For riders who prefer to do their own tuning or run autotune products, an O2 bung can also be installed at the time of purchase.
The Barker’s Performance KTM 450 SX-F Full Single Exhaust System for 2016+ models include a full exhaust system, a billet clamp to secure the exhaust to the bike’s frame, optional O2 bung, and the choice of brushed aluminum or black powder coated muffler. Customers also choose a black, blue, red, or yellow Barker’s badge for the muffler. As with all our exhaust systems, the new KTM 450 SX-F full exhaust system is hand tig welded in Michigan.
Pricing & Availability
The brand new Barker’s Performance exhaust for the KTM 450 SX-F is available for immediate shipping from our website starting at $610. Alternatively, your local Barker’s Performance authorized dealer can order the pipe for you and assist in proper installation and tuning.
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This years team consists of Dan Nickol, Wendelin Bittner and myself behind the handlebars. Kylie Tonita, Devon Wood and Nick Dietrich are behind the wheel of the chase trucks.
Dan Nickol – Dan is a mechanic that focuses on restorations and diesel modifications. He is also a philanthropist and pastor and spends much of his time building churches, women’s shelters and orphanages in developing countries. He has helped rehabilitate and provide shelter for many women in Ensenada in particular. Africa is another place he spends time providing aid. Dan is one of our racers and returning from last year. I met Dan last year for the first time at the Tijuana airport a week before the Baja 1000. Dan was a youth pastor for a good friend of mine Cody Robertson that owns the Yamaha/Correct Craft dealer in Swift Current Saskatchewan. When I was down to no racers besides myself last year, Cody recommended Dan to me. I sent Dan a quick text to see if there would be any interest in the Baja 1000 before I called him to give him my spiel, he said yes without knowing anything. I was not aware that he had always dreamt of competing in the 50th Baja 1000 and had started building a vehicle that he eventually gave up on as he could not find anyone to share his passion. So when I got a hold of him it was an immediate yes. He honestly thought it was a cruel prank people were playing on him, especially since we were half a day late picking him up.Wendelin Bittner – Wendelin is a heavy duty mechanic for a Kenworth dealer. Wendelin is a dear friend of mine that equally shares my passion for riding quads and Yamaha in general. He actually owns more Yamaha products than I do, and that is not easy to do. He appreciates quality, dependability, and reliability… hence Yamaha. He is my right-hand man for modifying our quads and snowmobiles to make them do what we need them to do. I normally come up with a crazy idea, Wendelin tells me I am crazy, looks at me like I have two heads and then makes it happen. Wendelin is a skilled rider and very at home on the Yamaha Grizzly. Despite him not being able to make the race last here, he put many hours in helping me get ready for the race. I am really looking forward to him getting behind the bars this year. He will be a huge part of our success.
Tristan Dietrich – I am the Driver of Record for the race. I am a consultant for a water technology firm.
Kylie Tonita – Kylie is our team manager. We call her Baja Deb. Baja Deb was born sometime in the 36 hours of mayhem in the race last year. We started the race with Kylie and by the end, she was Baja Deborah. She owned the Baja. She kept us organized, focused, and if we needed anything she got it done. She is a huge asset to the team. Kylie is another member that I knew for 5 minutes and she was fully committed… actually, she was the first one to sign up and get the ball rolling. If it was not for her, we would not have raced last year.
Devon Wood – Devon is a local ATV rider that we know. I have had fun riding with him in the past but just recently learned of his interest in this race. He is a very good fabricator and was eager to get in on our build and help in any way he could. Very rare to see, so we asked him if he wanted to come. It did not take long to get a yes. I just have to guarantee some Trophy Truck visuals. He has no idea how up close and personal he is about to get with Trophy Trucks. Devon is our team mechanic for this race. Devon is an insurance adjuster by day.
Nick Dietrich – Nick is my youngest brother. Nick owns and operates Community Creative, a digital media company that makes materials for customers and marketing firms to use for their customers. Nick is our lead chase driver and media specialist. My whole life I have been making Nick do the things I was always scared to do. I lived vicariously through him as he did the things I was not skilled to do. I feel in this case, Nick is getting a kick out of me actually doing something, even though he has no interest in racing. Nick has been a huge support and encourages me to get after it instead of letting something I am passionate for slip through my fingers. I love having him on the team as I do not get to spend much time with my brothers these days and for the short while, it is really nice to reconnect.
Last year we learned a lot. We learned that air filtration is overrated as we ran over 520 miles with no airbox in the dustiest terrain I have ever witnessed. We learned that our a-arms are not as strong as we thought. We learned that a Yamaha Grizzly will pull a trophy truck out of the silt. We also learned that we can sustain speeds required to win the race. Our machine is best suited for 75% of the terrain of this race and still does really well on the other 25%. I am most looking forward to putting our best foot forward this year. We have fixed the things that slowed us down and took us out of the race last year and I am confident that we have a shot at being on top when the dust settles. This year’s race looks to be a gnarly one with lots of rocky, mountainous terrain… right up the Grizzly’s wheelhouse. The big tires, four-wheel drive, and independent suspension fitted with Elka shocks will eat it up. We also ride this type of terrain frequently in the Rocky Mountains.
Getting prepared for this year’s race has been comprised of physical training, mental preparedness as well as getting our machine ready. We have lots of fabrication going on with new a-arm designs, repairs, and engine building.
We are racing a Yamaha Grizzly 700. Our machine has custom arms, gusseted frame, 734cc race motor, Elka shocks, Rox Speed FX ergos, Maxxis tires, Hyper wheels, bazzaz FI, JBS clutching, slime products, and Barkers Dual exhaust setup.
We learned a lot last year. Although we only made it 900 miles, we feel it was a success. We were doomed for failure from the time we said we were doing this and found a way to make it until the machine could not go any further. The treatment process we did on the engine internals proved to have huge dividends as the motor held up despite being dusted for the first 520 miles. The rest of the machine held up really well and no modifications needed for this year besides the a-arms. The a-arms were our weak link and we have that addressed. We’re really looking forward to this race as I am confident to what we are bringing to the table.
People can follow us on Instagram and Facebook @teamdietrichracing. We will also have live tracking available through SPOT GPS. We will post a link will be posted on Facebook prior to the start of the race.
Barker's Performance will also be keeping up with Team Dietrich Racing as they continue to prepare for the race and we will stay current with all details of the race as they come across the wire. Follow along with Barker's Exhaust on Facebook and our blog for more information.
When each season comes to a close, the entire team takes a required break from racing where they’re “not even supposed to think about racing,” says Travis, the team’s coach, and pack leader. After a few weeks, the team can unwind and it gives them a chance to miss it. Typically around November, they begin to gather one by one and with a renewed hunger begin rebuilding bikes and strategizing for the upcoming season.
While training in Florida, or wherever mother nature takes them for more favorable riding conditions, the team does more than just ride bikes. It takes mental and physical preparation to build endurance and lay a proper foundation even before the season begins, and for this Team Nine6Nine does not skimp. You will find them anywhere from the weight room to the back roads riding bikes (the non-motorized kind). All training programs including weight and high-intensity training are customized for each individual racer.
When it comes to training and mental preparation, these players do not fall short, but a wise man once said, “just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition - such as lifting weights - we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity.” - Steven Covey
The 2018 season was a season of growth for the Nine6Nine boys, the kind of growth that lasts a lifetime and that which cannot be displayed neatly on a shelf. It’s the kind of growth that produces champions from the inside out, and that is what we want to highlight most of all about these boys, their coach, and those who had a hand in their journey this season.
You are about to encounter a summary of Nine6Nine’s 2018 ATV National Championship run. Know that between the lines is where the true growth and success of this team took place, and this is what we believe will wholeheartedly play a tremendous role in their record-breaking success in the year to come.
Heading into the 2018 season, Daytona proved itself to be an exciting start with each racer securing a win.
Alan Myers, less formally known as Junior and who has been with Moore since the team’s inception in 2015, snagged the lead taking first in both motos in the Open Pro Sport Class and finishing fourth in Pro-Am.
Logan proved his former back-injury was fully healed as he recovered from a crash in the Open Pro Sport by taking first in the 450A main event.
Cole won the main event in Open C establishing his first win at a national event.
The second round of the ATV National Championship proved to be both fruitful and challenging. Alan and Logan secured three victories between the two of them.
With a few motos under their belt, the team looked forward to taking on the track at Underground MX, a track with a consistency much like the dirt track they had practiced on throughout the preseason. Unfortunately, adversity struck the team during the third round that would keep three team members from fully competing.
Zack Decker, the team’s youngest member, experienced a serious rib and back injury prior to the third round that would ultimately keep him from competing until the final two rounds of the ATV MX National Championship.
Alan had his first brush with injury when he cased a triple in the Pro Sport race. Fortunately, the injury turned out to only be a bone bruise and he would return after a short stint with physical therapy.
Logan secured his first victory in the Pro Sport class, after putting on an exciting display of endurance to earn himself a third-place finish in the first moto and a second place finish in the second. Logan, however, was unable to race in the 450A race due to mechanical issues on his quad.
Cole continued to pad his points with a second overall finish in the Open C class with a 1-2 run. Despite their recent struggle, the team and all their family and friends banded together to help each other through this difficult patch of luck.
The team proved it’s resilience in the fourth round of the ATV MX National Championship at Ironman ATVMX, where both Logan and Cole had a strong comeback.
Logan ran third in the first moto in the Pro Sport class, and launched ahead in the second moto taking the holeshot and leading every lap to earn a first-place finish. This handed him the overall victory, his second win in a row. In 450A, he pulled the holeshot in both motos and led every lap sweeping the class.
In Open C, Cole won his first moto leading every lap and finished second in the second race to earn himself first place overall. Stepping Cole into the 450C class proved to be fruitful as he went 2-1 to net an overall victory. This win took the overall total wins for the weekend to four.
Even Alan, still healing from the injury he obtained in round 3, was able to ride for points.
Heading into round 5, team Nine6Nine was thrilled to have Alan back on the bike. He earned a third-place finish in the first moto and 7th in the second moto to secure 5th place finish overall.
Cole went 1-2 in the 450 C to secure a first place overall finish. With a little more difficulty in Open C, Cole went 6-4 for a 5th place overall finish for the weekend.
Logan had a killer weekend of racing going 1-1 in the 450 A and 1-2 in the Open Pro Sport class, securing him a first place finish in 450A and a second place finish overall in Open Pro Sport earning him not one but two podiums!
Sunset Ridge, round 7 of the ATV MX National Championship, proved to be fruitful for the team even in 100+ degree heat. Commitment and determination took this team through even the most challenging of circumstances.
Alan came back even stronger in round 6 as he conquered Open Pro Sport earning 1st overall, and then 2nd overall in Pro-Am.
Logan earned 1st place overall in 450A and 5th in Pro-Am/A, and Cole Wullenweber crushed Open C to take 1st overall, and 2nd in 450C.
With such an awesome weekend of racing in the previous round, spirits were high going into round 7. One thing Travis, the team’s leader and coach, preaches though is that one success does not guarantee another. You have to fight for every lap and position you get despite previous successes. This teaching was put to the test and they were humbled to clinch not one, but two championships with two races left in the game.
Both Logan and Cole scored overall victories in their respective classes. Logan swept the 450A class by winning both motos, and in the Open Pro Sport class, he went 1-3 for a runner-up finish. That position lined him up for another championship going into round 8.
Cole, racing what could be considered his home track, also won both his motos in the Open C class clinching the championship. In 450C, he finished second and also positioned himself to possibly grab that title even despite missing the first three races.
Decker made further steps in his recovery with a practice run and eyes on returning at Redbud.
Round 7 would not be complete without acknowledging Alan Myers, who despite having a bad get off in the first Pro Sport moto on Saturday and incurring a back injury returned from the hospital to ride for points the very next day. This complete warrior earned 15 points that ultimately positioned him at 4th in points for the Pro-Am heading into final two rounds. The Nine6Nine boys certainly earned their success in round 7.
With adrenaline at an all-time high, the team took on round 8 at Redbud with fierce composure, landing them five podium finishes and undeterred by the rain.
Logan, who was able to secure a national title in the 450C in the previous race, stepped up to try his hand in the Pro-Am. Not only did he make his debut in the class, he went 3-3 finishing 3rd overall earning a podium finish! Not only did Logan earn a podium in the Pro-Am, he snagged another podium with a second place finish overall in the Open Pro Sport Class.
Cole, fresh off clinching the Open C title, set his sights on the 450C championship. Finishing third overall, Cole was able to position himself in second heading into the final round.
Alan, who is just a complete overcomer, lost his seat after snagging the holeshot at the start of the Pro-Am, pushed through and stood the entire race despite having recently recovered from a back injury in the last round to finish in first! In the second moto, he recovered from a difficult first lap to finish second, earning him a spot on the podium.
Decker made his triumphant return and made a statement by finishing on the podium in the Youth All-Stars class, even despite a crash earlier in the weekend.
The final round is perhaps the freshest on our minds. This race had its fair share of challenges with bike malfunctions and a crash, but this didn’t stop the team from finishing strong.
Cole was gunning for another title in the 450 C class, and was able to clinch it with a second place overall finish going 1-2. This finish earned him not one but two national titles!
Logan had a few issues with his machine that hindered his run in the Pro-Am, but he was still able to net a 5-8 run giving him a 7th place overall finish. With a second championship within reach, the biggest race of the final round for Logan was the Open Pro Sport class. He focused and accomplished what he needed to do and earned his second championship!
Alan experienced another unfortunate event in the series during the Pro-Am when a rider out in front caused a crash in the first moto. He was able to rebound in the second moto with a second place finish, however, earning him a 6th place finish overall.
Zack Decker was unable to start either race due to motor problems.
]]>In summary, one thing is certain. Barker’s Performance is incredibly proud and blessed to call Team Nine6Nine not only sponsored riders but friends. They are first class people with a first class attitude not only toward racing but life. We look forward to what’s to come in 2019 and feel very strongly that the Nine6Nine boys will return with a swagger that’s never been seen before. You better keep these boys on your lineup to watch next year.
]]>What was once a pipe dream became a reality in the early morning hours on November 16th, 2017. Team Dietrich Racing was sitting at the starting line, ready for the flag to drop at the 50th Score International Baja 1000. The Baja 1000 has been a dream of mine for nearly 11 years. Over the years I have been building and modifying a Yamaha Grizzly 700 to what I felt would be able to conquer the Baja 1000. I focused on building up the chassis, finding the correct motor modifications, and researched what aftermarket parts would hold up to the task. One of those important parts would come from Barker’s Performance. The dual exhaust system from Barker’s for the Grizzly 700 was key for letting our race engine breath and achieve peak performance, lowest head temps, and most importantly, reliability.
Building my team proved to be challenging, but I was extremely fortunate to find great support in the process. The team I had come up with originally backed out almost at the last second, but I was so focused on completing this race that not going was never in the cards. I pressed on to find more team members. Fellow racers of the event introduced me to many people that may be interested in racing as well as kept me focused on just getting down there to compete. The support for this race was phenomenal.
Our team consisted of Dan Nickol and myself (Tristan Dietrich) as the racers, and my brother Nick Dietrich, and acquaintances, Kylie Tonita and Dakota Radcliffe, as our support team. Our chase team, Kylie and Dakota, had never been involved in motorsports, racing, or anything to do with an event such as this. Many people thought we were nuts; a team of misfits without a clue going to tackle the world’s longest, continuous, most grueling race.
Before we knew it, it was time to make the trek from Canada to Mexico. We had terrible roads through Montana, Idaho and Utah, almost losing control in Utah when the trailer started to pass the truck. We also suffered some tire damage into the second day of travel and required replacement of all tires on the trailer. After we had finally got our team together and arrived in Mexico we could begin preparing for pre-running the course.
Planning our prerunning and final tuning of the bike consumed our first day on location. Then we set off to pre run and get a feel for the course. After 120 miles of pre-running we bent an a-arm nosing into some of the gnarly whoops on this section of the course. We considered it a minor setback as we had an extra, or so we thought. This repair ended up preventing us from running any more of the course for the remainder of the time we were in Ensenada. Our time was filled with repairs and tuning, however, the bike turned out great in the end. The shocks were spot on, fueling was tight, our JBS clutching was nailed, and our bike was strong.
Finally, race day was upon us. We left the gates just after 2:00 am on Thursday. It is well known that you do not win the race in the first 100 miles but you can lose it. Despite knowing that the first 100 miles is make or break, I knew that this section was a good one for me. It was rutted out, lots of turns, climbs and everything in my wheelhouse. I drove to my ability quickly passing other sport ATV’s and even dirt bikes. I felt that I could get ahead here to make time for the straight sections where the sport machines would be better suited with the whoops and top end. We were limited to 72 mph with how the bike was setup to handle middle ground elevations. Then it happened, 30 miles in I came around a corner and smoked a rock that was placed in between a gate opening. I didn’t think much of it as the impact didn’t feel substantial, and I had hit worse. It turned out that I had broke another a arm and it was the same side that I had broke before so we had no spares. I pressed on at a slow pace. I thought we were done, but Dan Nickol is a mentally tough man. This race was not going to stop at mile 78. The Baja Pits were to have welders at some locations. Dan said, “it’s not over”, jumped on, and kept on driving on three wheels.
Dan pressed on carefully to race mile 130 where BFGoodrich pits had a team of fabricators on hand. They repaired our a arm and got us on our way. From then on the a arm held up the entirety of the race. At this point, we were far behind. We had to go so slow to this point and the repair took a couple hours as well. We were 5 hours behind the pack in total. It was 10:00 p.m. and the Trophy trucks were just being released. The BFGoodrich pit manager pulled us to the side and said, “You are in the death zone now. Be careful and watch your back.” Dan hopped on and our faith was restored. We were good to go. Dan hammered his way to San Felipe where we would exchange again.
It was hot, 40*C if I recall. The San Felipe stretch was gruelling. The whoops seemed to be never ending and were not synced so it was hard to get rhythm. Fans were lining the course waiting for the trophy trucks to pass. It would be quite the sight to watch the suspension of those trucks dance through these whoops. I drove the machine as fast as I’ve ever driven it, far exceeding my “ride 70%” target. The Grizzly took the whoops surprisingly well as the Elka shocks softened the blows. When I’d hit our target to switch, Dan hopped on the machine and took off. Within 5 minutes the first helicopter came through. A truck was right on Dan’s tail. We radioed to Dan that one was running him down. Dan will tell you that trophy trucks are just flat out scary. You cannot hear them coming, they blast the sirens but you can only hear them when it’s already too late. You must pull over at speed because if you slow, you’re a bug on the grill. Dan was officially in the “Death Zone” now at dusk. We did good getting this far before they caught us, but this was likely the worst time to be getting passed by the trucks. Once again we had to slow down to let the trucks pass even though there were no good sections to pull over at this part of the course. Finally, Dan made it to checkpoint 2, road marker 520 at 11:00 pm. that evening, roughly 2 hrs behind schedule.
At this point we knew we had to service our bike. Dan had went through some silt beds prior, but to our surprise the filters were not dirty. I pulled side panels off to find the airbox lost its clamp on the throttle body. We were sucking in dust and silt for God knows how long. It was not a good sight, but despite this the bike was still running and not burning oil. We fixed it and I jumped on the bike and headed off into the fog of the night.
The fog was terrible. You could not wear your goggles because it was so thick water was running off the lens as if it was raining. Still, the silt beds were intense and a ton of fun. The 4wd of the Grizzly really helped in this department. I kept the wheel speed up and it floated over the silt without care. Although where I had success, many others got stuck. I did my best to help out as many other racers as possible as I felt it was the right thing to do. Things were going great at this point in the course... until I broke an axle.
After this happened I was just trying to finish the race. I realized we were not going to be able to podium. Despite this, I was still pushing as hard as possible. The goal was to finish regardless.
I got to the truck with our broken axle, exhausted, and with a big smile on my face. I literally had to be carried off the machine but I was jacked. That night was the most fun I have ever had behind handlebars. Dan and Dakota fixed the bike as I was useless. Dan jumped on and carried on. The terrain was gnarly as the boulders on the course were the size of our tires. The trucks kept coming and even drove Dan off the course a few times. Dan dug deep and kept pushing on. At 3:30 that day the machine lost power and turned off. Race mile 897 was as far as we made it. We lost compression and could not repair.
Since the race we’ve teared down the bike and it appears that the dust we took in early on was our demise. Dust had caked the rings and oiling was an issue. The crank bearing eventually failed as well. It was impressive to see the abuse a motor can take. We did use WPC treatment on all moving parts and cannot help to think this helped prolong the inevitable.There was no way that taking in dust for 500 miles unfiltered wasn’t going to take its toll.
Sometimes when you don’t know how to do something, the best thing to do is just do it. Everyone has to do it for the first time. This race is truly life changing. It’s a battle from start to finish and just to finish is an accomplishment. Our team is more hungry than ever to get after the next one.
Baja 2018 is in our sites!
We got up with Juan to get the scoop on his team's journey to the finish line at the 2017 50th Baja 1000. Here's what we learned.
]]>After putting together our Baja 1000 in less than a month, Pirruñas Racing and Team 109A finished the 50th anniversary Baja 1000 in 2nd place, after battling the Baja peninsula from Ensenada to La Paz in 27 hours and 22 minutes, along with a 20-minute penalty. This 2nd place finish allowed us to clinch our 3rd World Desert Championship! The team's journey started by heading to Baja 1000 race headquarters on Tuesday, November 14 with all the adrenaline pumping for the green flag to drop. 109A rolled through tech and contingency festivities that evening with no issues and was ready for 1,134 miles of the most demanding terrain on earth.
The start of the Baja 1000 started at 2 am on Thursday for us, as I began navigating through the streets of Ensenada and into the dark night of Baja battling dust, fog, and booby traps for the first 40 miles. Since we were 9th quad off the line out of 17 entries, our plan was to was to ride smooth and not make any mistakes through the night, since it was very hard to push through dust and fog in pure darkness. By mile marker 110, we were leading the Sportsman ATV class until Baja Pits #2 chose to sleep in that night and not provide a fuel stop for us at mile marker 89. An unplanned gas stop at rm110 allowed 100A to get by and left us battling through the thick dust once again. As we came into Baja Pits #3, we were able to make a much quicker fuel stop and rider change and left the pit before 100A and into clean air. As we left the pit, our rival 103A came hot into the pit in hopes of taking over the lead. As the sun became to rise, we decided to remove our Baja Design dual racer lights, in order to pound the whoops of puertecitos with less weight on our front end. We were able to hold onto the lead until rm341 where the dust of the two pro quads held us back from moving away from the rest of the competition.
We decided to do a maintenance pit at rm341 which allowed 103A to get by us and settle in for 2nd place. From this point, we played catch up with 103A and were within minutes all the way to mile marker 860 when bad luck struck for us. Our spark plug fouled from the numerous water crossing between San Javier and Insurgentes, where we lost more than an hour trying to troubleshoot the issue. We battled the next 200 miles of the gnarliest fog we have ever witnessed and finished about an hour and a half behind 103A. Other than the spark plug failure, 109A ran a flawless race with no other mechanical issues or flat tires. 103A ended up receiving a one-hour penalty and put us around 40 minutes from the top spot. If it wasn't for our spark plug failure, we would have won our 4th Baja 1000. Lessons are always learned in Baja and to win you must have a perfect race! Although we took all measures to protect our spark plug since we knew water crossings were going to be a factor after pre-running, we still had an issue.
Although we didn't take the top spot, I was very impressed with how are Baja 1000 effort worked out. We were not planning to compete in this year's Baja 1000 due to transitioning jobs, but the support from our sponsors, friends, and family, we were able to live our dream again. Our riders Javier Robles, Jose "Moño" Contreras, Rusty Repass, and Daniel Webb did a hell of a job navigating through the course! Hats off to Rusty and Daniel that pounded their sections without pre-running. It is like racing blind!
I want to personally thank Paul Hirth and Lee Larsen at Liberty Motorsports for building us a solid motor and carburator that ran without a beat for 1,134 miles in less than two weeks; My buddy Greg Fiddes for reinforcing our frame and not cracking after pounding it for over 27 hours; My buddy and competitor Felipe Velez at Baja ATV Riders Only for setting up our suspension and tire blocks; My close friend/mechanic Jose Nolasco for sponsoring us our tireblocks and allowed us to not worry about no flat tires the entire race; My Tio Mono at Master Exterminators for sponsoring us a set of rear tires; my cousin Raul Gutierrez at Marina's Tax Services for sponsoring us a set of front tires, Dave Nugent at Barker's Performance for setting us up with the most durable exhaust on the planet, Ruly at YaDije, my dad Vicente for helping me put together a bulletproof quad in less than 3 days and helping out with expenses, my cousin Jose for chasing us and helping out with fuel expenses, and my girlfriend Juanita for supporting me and giving me positive vibes that this race would be possible! Also huge thanks to My Tio Victor and Chibuya for chasing us while pre-running the beautiful Baja peninsula!
Words cannot express how happy I am for putting this effort together in a less than a month and having such a flawless run for 1,134 miles. This just proves that we have the best sponsors and supporters to be successful in Baja!
The team and I are stoked for this 1134.40-mile journey through the Baja peninsula from Ensenada to La Paz. As the race gets closer, the jitters get bigger as Pirruñas Racing is ready to be on top at the 50th Anniversary Baja 1000.
The team is getting ready to pre-run the course on November 3-7 in order to get a close look at the terrain we will be battling for over a thousand miles! The riders for this year's Baja 1000 includes me (Juan Dominguez) from Yuma, AZ, Javier Robles from Mexicali, Rusty Repass from Virginia, Dan Webb from Maryland, and Jose Contreras from Tecate.
Our team will be piloting a 2005 Honda Trx450r built by local Honda dealership, Liberty Motorsports. The quad has been completely torn down to the bare frame and reinforced by our best local fabricator Greg Fiddes, who is an awesome dirt bike rider himself. Our suspension is being handled by Felipe Velez at Baja ATV Rider's Only, who is known as the best individual to adjust the suspension on ATVs involved in desert racing. Barker's Performance is setting us up with the most durable exhaust on the planet to help get the power we need to pull out in front of the competition. Tire Blocks will be protecting all four tires from going flat for the 1134.40-mile journey. Pirruñas Racing has relied on these companies for all our wins in Baja and is a huge asset to our success south of the border.
With that being said, Juan and his team are ready to take on the most challenging race of the SCORE International series. We wanted to pick his brain on his thoughts going into this race and learn more about his team on the journey to the 50th Baja 1000. Here's what we learned.
How many Baja 1000's have you raced in?
The 50th anniversary Baja 1000 will be our 8th straight running in the legendary off-road race. We have been blessed enough to win 3 Baja 1000s and just falling short of winning last year after leading all race long, and having carb issues in the last 10 miles. Every Baja 1000 has been a learning experience and life long adventure.
What have you learned from these races that will help you in the race to come?
We have gained tons of knowledge in previous running's of the Baja 1000 and the biggest is to prepare for the worst. You can never prepare enough for a Baja 1000. We have been wrenching away for the past couple of months and will continue until the day before the green flag drops. To win you must first finish!
What do you think will be the greatest challenge?
The greatest challenge for this Baja 1000 will be starting at night. We are scheduled to leave the starting line in Ensenada at 12 am Thursday morning. That leaves us racing through the night Thursday, all day Thursday, all night Friday, and reaching the finish line in La Paz Friday at sunrise "if all goes well." This will make it very tiring for our support crew and riders so we will need to adjust our sleeping schedule quite a bit. Three of our riders will be racing through the night and the other two riders will be racing through the day.
What are you most excited about?
I am excited about racing for over 24 hours. Since this Baja 1000 is point to point, chase crews need to drive double the distance from pit to pit, and riders need to ride double the distance in hopes of being the first quad across the finish line.
Tell us a little bit more about your team...
We are pretty excited for this years Baja 1000 team of riders. Every rider has tons of ATV racing knowledge and has the dedication to win races. Javier Robles Jr. at 28 years of age, has been racing Baja since he was 16. He grew up watching his dad race ATVs in the Baja as well and was very successful at it. Javier is known as the ATV champion in Baja after winning first quad overall for 3 years straight. He decided to join us this year to keep his reigning championship going. Jose Contreras at 33 years of age, has been racing Baja since his early 20s. He was part of our 2015 Baja 1000 winning team and plenty of experience racing in such a demanding race. Rusty Repass and Dan Webb are fellow racing buddies from the east coast. The dual have been racing GNCC for many years now and enjoy the mystic of Baja. The racing buddies were part of our 2016 Baja 1000 team and falling short of winning their first baja race. We are excited to have everyone a part of our 2017 Baja 1000 effort!
The class we will be competing in is the sportsman ATV class. Our team has been strong enough to win both the San Felipe 250 and the Baja 500 this year. We hope to make it three next month!
Special Thanks
Juan Dominguez and Pirruñas Racing wants to give a special thanks to Lee and the rest of his service team at Liberty Motorsports, personal mechanic "Jose Nolasco" for helping us wrench on the quad and setting us up with Tire Blocks, Dave at Barkers Exhaust for allowing us to run the most durable exhaust in the racing industry, my girlfriend Juanita Cabrera for supporting my dream in winning another Baja 1000, and to my Tio Victor, Primo Jose, and my dad Vicente who will be chasing us all over the Baja peninsula for over 24 hours. Without such a determined team, winning Baja races would be impossible.
Thanks to all our sponsors, supporters, fans, friends, and family who made the 50th Anniversary Baja 1000 a reality! Look for Pirruñas Racing and Team 109A to be the first ATV across the finish line in La Paz!
We can't wait for the Baja 1000 to begin on November 19th! We'll be keeping up with Juan and his team, as well as our other sponsored rider, Tristan Dietrich and his team leading up to and throughout the race so be sure to follow along with us on our Facebook page.
Juan and his team run our Full Single Exhaust System for the Honda TRX450. Learn more about this exhaust below.
]]>You may already be familiar with our sponsored rider, Juan Pirrunas Dominguez who races in the SCORE International race series and will compete in the upcoming 50th Baja 1000 in November. Working with Juan has given us the opportunity to research and test how our exhaust performs in some of the toughest, most brutal conditions: off-road desert racing. Working with Juan has given us the chance to test our exhaust’s quality, durability, and performance over tremendous distances and under extreme changes in both temperature and terrain.
Recently, we’ve had the chance to add a few more sponsored riders to our team. These partnerships will provides us with an even greater opportunity to not only test our systems but to support the sport we love and the riders who make it possible. We thought we’d introduce them to you as we’ll be keeping up with them on social media and our website as time goes on.
Camdon joins us from New Lebanon, Ohio, where he lives and runs his own business called LOL Fast Speed Shop. At 26 years old, Camdon has a beautiful wife, two beautiful children, and another on the way. We look forward to his upcoming season racing in the GNCC!
Blake is a bright 17-year-old from Algonac, Michigan. When he’s not keeping up his 4.0 GPA, you can find him wrenching on his machine or rubbing tires with the competition. Blake races in the Michigan ATV State Championship for AMA District 14. Can’t wait to see you in the winner’s circle, Blake!
Tristan hails from Manitoba, Canada where he’s a consultant by day and motorsports enthusiast by night. He has a lovely family with his beautiful wife and two kids. Tristan has a knack for pushing the limits of his Yamaha Grizzly and enjoys the challenge of design to make the machine capable of handling various racing environments. Tristan will be racing in the 50th Score International Baja 1000 in November, a race that trails from Ensenada, California to La Paz, Mexico. The brutal terrain and racing conditions are sure to be a true test for his Grizzly 700. We know this man and his machine will do great things in the races to come!
Kenny has grown up in a military family and was born in Germany. He now resides in Texas, which has been their home for a while now. Kenny races in a number of different series, but his main focus this year will be in arenacross. We're excited to have him on our team and know he will do great things!
We are thrilled to work with these new sponsored riders, and we can't wait to learn more about them and how our exhausts perform in the races to come. Follow along on social media and check our blog to keep up with all Barker's Sponsored Riders and Barker's news. Thanks for reading!
]]>Touted as, "the show that changed the powersports industry," the AIMExpo is the place to check out all the latest and greatest in the industry. From new product unveilings to gear, parts, and aftermarket upgrades galore, there is an endless amount to look at and learn about.
This year you will find Barker's Performance at booth #1251 in the Made in the USA section. We will have two rad machines, fitted with our exhausts on display in addition to three full stand-alone systems for you look at and learn more about. One of the machines is a super sexy 2018 Yamaha Raptor 700 featuring our Barker's Full Dual Exhaust. We will also have a stand-alone full dual exhaust system for the Yamaha Wolverine and a full single exhaust for the Yamaha YFZ450R on display, in addition to a new surprise system for a mystery machine we've been working on you won't want to miss.
You will also find our brand experts, Dave and Samantha, present to speak to dealers and consumers about our products. One of the highlights for our dealers will be officially launching our new dealer price books. The new price books will replace our current single price sheet and includes a number of new products and pricing. We're really excited to get face to face with dealers and consumers and learn about all the new and exciting things going on in our industry. We hope to see you there!
For more show updates and news from Barker's Performance visit our Facebook page.
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With more than half of the 2017 ATV MX National Championship completed, Team Nine6Nine gives us a run down of the last few races. Excitement is building as they enter the last stretch of this challenging competition.
The second half of the ATVMX National Series has been full of excitement for Team Nine6Nine. Round 5 of the ATVMX National Series did not disappoint at Sunset Ridge MX in Walnut, Illinois. There were a variety of firsts for Team Nine6Nine. That Friday's practice was the first time Logan Stanfield #55 was able to ride in the 2017 season. Although he hasn't been cleared to race yet, he's been training locally to prepare for strong finishes in the 2018 season.
Zack Decker #23 earned 1st place overall in both Super-Mini and 250 Mod at Sunset Ridge. He also competed for a 2nd place overall in Youth All-Star. Phil Oppen #121 rode aggressively at Sunset Ridge to earn a 2nd place overall in Junior 25+. He had a good weekend as a rider but an even better weekend as a mechanic. Sunday was the first time one of his machines made it to the Pro-Am podium in 2017. In Pro-Am moto one at Sunset Ridge, Alan Myers #24 proved his place in the class charging early for a 1st place finish, winning by 24.6 seconds. In Pro-Am moto two, he knew who to beat and rode a comfortable 3rd place which landed him in the center of the box. Winning his first Pro-Am podium in the 1st place position was a sweet end to Father's Day weekend.
Round 6 at Millville MX helped Team Nine6Nine gain even more momentum leading into the last few rounds of the series. Alan Myers #24 went 1-1 in Pro-Sport sweeping his first Pro-Sport 1st place podium finish. He's felt more like himself since Sunset Ridge MX, where he won Pro-Am for the first time in his rookie season. Zack Decker #23 was able to lock in his 250 Mod National Title and hopeful to lock in his Super-Mini title in the following rounds. As the season comes closer to the end, Phil Oppen #121 was pushing to earn a 1st place podium finish in hopes to close the gap between himself and the points leader in the Junior 25+ class. The team has had high motivation since MN with the return of Logan Stanfield #55 to the 969 Compound. His return is still uncertain in the 2017 season, but when it happens, it will be quite the comeback!
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The weather for Round 7 at Unadilla MX wasn't the best, but Team Nine6Nine was happy that it didn't affect any motos. In fact, the track was a favorite one in the series so far for the 969 Boys. It was also a local race for Myers and Decker, so they were hoping to give their local fans some fun racing to watch. Alan Myers #24 put on a show on Sunday with a 3rd in Pro-Am for the first moto and a 1st place in the second moto. He ended up with a 2nd overall podium position. He also battled hard in both Pro-Sport motos to earn of 4th overall on the weekend in that class. Zack Decker #23 had some trouble on starts for the weekend in his Youth All-Star class but was able to battle through the pack to earn 3rd place in both motos with a 3rd place overall. Since he locked in his 250 Mod class last round, he wanted to focus on locking in his Super-Mini title. Unfortunately, bike issues plagued his lead in both motos. He was still able to earn a 5th place overall on the weekend. Phil Oppen #121 had some tough competition in his Junior 25+ for the weekend. He pushed hard to earn a 3rd overall. Logan Stanfield #55 stayed in Indiana to do some practicing throughout the weekend. He says he is feeling stronger every day and is anxious to return as a competitor in the series.
We are thrilled to have teamed up with Nine6Nine MX School this year as they take on the 2017 ATV MX National Championship. With so many talented riders racing the season has been very exciting. We hooked up with Travis Moore the team manager to learn more about the first half of the season. You can read all about it below!
Nine6Nine team leader, Travis Moore, give us a rundown of the first half of the 2017 ATV MX National for the team and its riders.
]]>The first half of the ATVMX National Series had it's ups and downs along with a cancellation of Round 3 at High Point MX in Pennsylvania. Team Nine6Nine rider Logan Stanfield #55 never started the season with his fellow teammates due to an injury that occurred during pre-season training in Florida. Successful back surgery and physical therapy have allowed Stanfield to work his way back to riding an ATV. He says, "I had big things to accomplish this year in the A-class. This was just a minor setback for my major comeback. You will see me on the box again in the 2018 series."
The loss of training with Stanfield wasn't an easy adjustment for his New Jersey brother, Alan Myers #24. Entering his rookie year in the competitive classes of Pro-Sport and Pro-Am, Myers knew his training had to go next level. After training for months in Florida, he started the season strong in Daytona with a 4th place overall in Pro-Am and a 2nd place overall in Pro-Sport. Heading to Texas with confidence, the two classes proved their level of competition would be tough. Myers ended the weekend with a 6th in Pro-Am and a 4th in Pro-Sport. He was ready to step up to the challenge.
At Monster Mountain, he was pushing for a second place finish when he got caught up with a fellow competitor causing mechanical issues that would affect his riding pace. Pushing through, he ended the weekend just outside the top 10 in both classes. High Point MX being canceled allowed more training time than usual. He felt good going into Ironman and proved it by running a strong 3rd place on Saturday in Pro-Sport and a 5th place overall in Pro-Am on Sunday. Mechanical issues forced a bike change before Muddy Creek. One that proved to be a good move. Myers had his best starts of the season in Pro-Am coming out top 3 in each holeshot. He ran 2nd for most of both motos while dropping a few spots by the end due to a health issue. He fought for a 3 way tie for 2nd that landed him a 4th place overall on the weekend in Pro-Am. He says, "Because I have ridden a Walsh Hybrid before, I decided to go back to my roots. I knew coming into these classes that'd I'd be racing some of the toughest competition in the sport. I'm ready to prove my spot on the box."
While dealing with all of Team Nine6Nine's mechanical issues, Phil Oppen #121 manages to find time to run at the front of his Junior 25+ class. He ran strong 2nd place finishes at Underground MX and Monster Mountain MX. He was ready to step it up and ran 1st place for some of the moto at Ironman. Unfortunately, at the last turn of the track, a competitor passed him to land him 2nd place overall. He came to Muddy Creek with confidence as he had allotted more time to training. Oppen pulled the holeshot in moto one. While running first on the last lap, a mistake before the uphill triple caused a drop in position earning him a 5th place overall. He says, "Although I don't get to train as much as I'd like, I am able to live my dream of building motors with this team. I am happy that at my age, I can still competitively race and have a career in the racing industry. These people have become my family."
The newcomer of the Nine6Nine boys is Pennsylvania native, Zack Decker #23. He may be 13, but he has proven he has the work ethic of his older teammates. His consistent training has earned him first place finishes overall every round in his Super-Mini class and 250 Mod class. Youth All-Star is always a fun class to watch where all the fast youth riders compete. Decker earned first place overall finishes in the class at Underground MX and Monster Mountain. His competition stepped it up for Ironman MX. After a bad start in moto one, he fought his way to 3rd place. He was running out front the second moto, but a mishap with a wrecked rider pushed him back to a 7th place position. He ended the weekend with a 5th overall. He worked hard during the off weekend and came to Muddy Creek seeking more first place finishes. He made a skilled pass in moto one to earn 1st place. While running in second and charging for first in moto two, he and a fellow rider got tied up in a corner on the last lap. A mistake the would cause him to drop to a 3rd place overall on the weekend. He says, "I have never worked so hard for anything in my life. I am working on fixing some of my rookie mistakes and plan to be out front from here on out."
Team owner Travis Moore is very happy with the roster of guys for this year's team. Each family of the rider plays a huge role in making the Nine6Nine team run smoothly. From cooking and traveling to track maintenance and endless support, Moore is very appreciative of the opportunity to work with such great people. He says, "I have really liked to see my guys go through adversity and push through with toughness this season. From Logan getting hurt to Alan having mechanical issues, this year has not run as smoothly as last year. It's a good life lesson that with work and determination you can progress and succeed." Speaking on behalf of Team Nine6Nine, we cannot thank you enough for your support and effort to help make this race team successful.
Thank you so much! The whole team is thrilled about our Baja 500 win but this one is even more special because we were the first quad across the finish line which is our first overall finish ever!
I don’t know if you noticed but the whole right side of my jersey was torn due to a small crash around race mile 12! The fog was so thick that I ran a turn while I had 5th gear tapped! I was unable to make the full turn so I turned into a barbed wire fence. Thanks to some of the locals and police, I was able to get going again after about a minute. Just some bruises and some scratches and I was off again! Nothing happened to the quad thank God. [OR YOU, JUAN!!! WAY TO RECOVER!]
The silt in the first half of the course was so gnarly that our white quad turned into a pile of silt after a couple hundred miles. Our new Barker’s Exhaust allowed us to power through that stuff with no problem and made going through silt beds really fun! The whoops near San Felipe are always physically tough. Not only do they take a toll on the rider but they were mixed with 100+ degree weather that got our motor and shocks really hot. However, Baja ATV Rider’s Only set us up with plush Elka Suspension that made it easier to power through them for 200 miles!
We were the last quad off the line out of the 12 total quads that were registered for this Baja 500. At race mile 80, we were the second quad on the road and first overall on time. However, the top 4 quads in our class were less than 5 minutes apart which made for some serious racing for almost 300 miles until we started pulling away from the competition. We took over the physical overall lead around San Felipe and held it all the way to the finish line! It was nerve-racking because we did not want to blow our overall position so we held a smooth fast pace for the last half of the race.
The craziest thing I saw was coming up on a huge cow that was torn to pieces with guts laying all over the race course. The smell was so horrible that I gagged inside my helmet! Looked like a truck hit it at full speed during pre-running. It is actually kind of scary when rounding corners at over 80 mph and just praying to God you don’t run into a horse or cow. You will get killed instantly on a quad.
Well after my first crash in the morning, I rode a little more careful. Although my adrenaline was at full blast, I didn’t want to ruin our race for riding over my head. You can’t win a Baja 500 in the first 70 miles but you sure can end it! So our plan was to ride smooth and fast through the thick morning dust and that’s what we did. After starting last in our class, we came in first in class at race mile 80 and pushed through some of the gnarliest fog and dust I have ever seen!
The new round can looks awesome and gave the finishing touch to our race quad. We also noticed the clamp was easier to put on with the round can when compared to the oval design. It also gave the quad a sharper sound and felt more torque at the touch of the throttle. This gave us a huge advantage through the rocks and the sandy whoops around the San Felipe loop. The installation of the exhaust went smoothly and everything bolted right up. We just love the way the new round design looks, especially with the two-tone anodized exhaust cap. We could distinguish the sound of our quad through mountains and the wide open desert when it was coming hot into the pits. It just sounds much more powerful than any other exhausts the competition was running. It still looks brand new after 515 miles of racing Baja!
The team wants to give huge thanks to Barker’s Exhaust for their support in our 2017 Baja 500 effort. The whole team was really happy with the response the new design gave us compared to the oval exhaust we ran at the San Felipe 250 in April. Our sights are set for the Baja 1000 in November. The 50th running of the Baja 1000 will be a peninsula run this year that will start in Ensenada and finish in La Paz. We are expecting a 1300+ mile Baja 1000 course and the preparation for this adventure started right after we crossed the Baja 500 finish line first overall!
Pirruñas Racing Sponsors: Liberty Motorsports, Barker’s Performance, Baja ATV Rider’s Only, Fox Racing, YaDije Apparel, Master Exterminators, Yuma Mortuary, Elka Suspension, Motul Lubricants, JR Racing, Menudo Michoacan, Marcos Cousiño, RK Chains, UNI Air Filters, IMS Products, and My Big Brother.
Barker's Performance is looking forward to the Baja 1000 in November, the next race in the SCORE International series on November 14th-18th. Stay tuned for more awesome practice and race updates!
Want to learn more about our winning exhaust system for the Honda TRX450? Click on the links below.
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We just wouldn't be doing our job if we didn't keep fans up to date on this incredible race and racer. So we reached out to Juan to learn more about his thoughts and plans going into the 2017 Baja 500. Here's what we learned.
]]>This year’s Baja 500 is going to be a real challenge due to the very demanding course that SCORE International has put together. This year’s race course has all the obstacles that Baja has to offer. From running along the Pacific Ocean to pounding San Felipe whoops in 100+ degree weather. As always, Pirruñas Racing is preparing for the worst and expecting the unexpected.
I got the chance to get down there and pre run my section known as the “crossover” from race mile 170 to 240 this past weekend. This is one of the most critical sections of the course due to its remote areas that can leave you stranded for help overnight if you do not prepare for it. The course gets very rocky and technical going over the mountains coming into Rancho El Coyote at race mile 207. The course then heads up the mountains toward the famous “Mike’s Sky Rancho” for more rocky and technical terrain before it drops down to San Matias at race mile 240.
Our plan for this year’s Baja 500 is to navigate through all the obstacles with ease and conserve our Barker’s Exhaust powered Honda Trx450r for 515 miles. In order to win, you must first finish and the team with no issues will take the checkered flag. Not only will this 12+ hour off road race put a true test to man and machine, but will prove that we run the best products in off-road racing. There is no better test than conquering a Baja 500!
One of the biggest challenges Pirruñas Racing will face is racing through temperatures over 100 degrees. Not only will this put a toll on our race quad, but riders will have to make sure they are hydrated while pounding through the 4 feet deep whoops in San Felipe. SCORE is planning to set hydration stations where racers can stop and hydrate if needed without adding to our total race time. Overcoming this challenge will get us to finish line but also prove the athletic capability that racing in Baja takes.
The team and I want to give a special thanks to Barker’s Performance for giving us the confidence in allowing us to put their bulletproof exhaust to the ultimate test. This Baja 500 wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our friends, family, and sponsors who have helped us along our Baja Racing career.
Pirruñas Racing sponsors: Liberty Motorsports, Barker’s Performance, Baja ATV Rider’s Only, Fox Racing, YaDije Apparel, Master Exterminators, Yuma Mortuary, Elka Suspension, Motul Lubricants, JR Racing, Menudo Michoacan, Marcos Cousiño, RK Chains, UNI Air Filters, IMS Products, and Juan's big brother.
The 2017 Baja 500 will take place on June 1st through the 4th in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
Want to learn more about a Barker's Exhaust for a Honda TRX450? Click one of the links below.
When Yamaha released the 2014 Grizzly 700 with a single exhaust port, we got to work on a single exhaust. At the time this seemed like a natural fit, so we developed, tested, and felt satisfied enough to launch the 2014/2015 Grizzly single exhaust system.
Then when the 2016 Grizzly came out and it struggled on the Dyno a bit, we thought back to the incredible success we had with the 2015+ Raptor 700. This dual exhaust system, which splits into two cans from the single port head, quickly became one of our leading exhaust systems for horsepower gains and overall performance. When we attempted the same style design with the 2016 Grizzly, we were blown away by the gains! At this point we began thinking about the single for the 2014/2015 Grizzly, thinking that maybe we left some ponies on the table with the previous design. We got back to work on the 2014-2015 Grizzly, and sure enough, a powerful dual exhaust for this machine was born.
In our research, we found that these 14/15 Grizzly's run extremely hot from the factory floor. With our single exhaust on this machine, we just did not see the packing life or performance we wanted. After doing some rigorous testing, we found that the AIS system on the Yamaha creates a ton of excess heat. The AIS system adds additional oxygen to the exhaust, causing the exhaust temps on the Grizzly's to get extremely hot. This resulted in the muffler depleting it's packing much quicker than we'd like. In addition to the AIS system, we found that the CVT transmission made the machine run at a higher standard RPM than a geared quad, so the machine coming from the factory already ran lean. Because our duals spread the heat and exhaust flow out and into two separate mufflers, dropping the heat and pressure basically in half, we knew this design would greatly benefit the 14/15 Grizzly.
With our dual exhaust system for the 14/15 Grizzly 700, we also supply 2 pieces of DEI's extreme heat barrier to protect two areas that could be prone to melting plastics. You might also consider greater heat protection to enhance long-term heat protection. For this machine, We highly recommend DEI's Bodywork Protection Kit. To further combat any exhaust heat under your plastics, wrapping the area where the pipes split from 1 to 2 with Exhaust Heat Wrap can further help. We do not recommend wrapping an entire exhaust in heat wrap, though, as this can cause all of the heat to go into the mufflers.
We also do not recommend running this system without properly tuning your machine or adding a fuel controller that is pre-mapped with the ideal settings for this exhaust system upgrade. Blocking off your AIS system can further help to keep the heat down and will prolong the life of your packing.
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We followed up with Juan after his big win at the San Felipe 250 to learn more about the race and how our exhaust performed under such intense pressure. Here's what we learned.
It was another intense San Felipe 250 for Pirruñas Racing. We were very busy the past couple of months in getting physically/mentally ready and in prepping a winning quad. My big brother Alonzo Dominguez and Mechanic Jose Nolasco can take all that credit in prepping us a winning racer! We had no mechanical issues at all. Our Motul Lubricants kept the same oil capacity level all race long and we used the same UNI Air Filter all day. Our Elka Suspension prepped and set up by Felipe Velez at Baja ATV Riders Only never faded away, even after over 250 miles of whoops, rocks, and more whoops! Our Barker’s Exhaust put the power to the ground and kept us in front of the pack all the way to the checkered flag! Like I said before, to be the best you have to run the best and we proved that at the 2017 San Felipe 250.
We drew first off the line out of 8 sportsman ATVs and our goal was to put time on the rest of the competition. So our game plan going into the race was to hold the throttle wide open for as long as we could. The whole team did a fantastic job in following the game plan by finishing over an hour ahead of the next sportsman ATV. However, Sunday we found out that SCORE International provided us with a heartbreaking 1-hour penalty due to missing 6 VCPs that we still don’t know which ones we missed. That gave us a finishing time of 7 hours and 25 minutes and only 7 minutes ahead of 2nd place. Thank god for our Barkers Exhaust!
Pirruñas Racing had a smooth race overall and the course got super rough as we pounded down the 271-mile course. One of our riders was enjoying his ride so much that he missed the first Baja Pits at race mile 41 and handed the quad off to me with an empty tank. We were lucky enough to get some fuel from the 2A team of Don Higbe and Chris Robinson which allowed us to make it to our next fuel stop. I owe you guys some cold Tecates and some tacos! Other than that, we had a flawless 2017 San Felipe 250 and already looking forward to the Baja 500 in June!
The team and I want to give special thanks to Barker’s Performance for giving us the confidence in putting their exhaust on top of the podium. This win wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our friends, family, and sponsors who have helped us along our Baja career.
Pirruñas Racing sponsors: Liberty Motorsports, Barker’s Performance, Baja ATV Rider’s Only, Fox Racing, YaDije Apparel, Master Exterminators, Yuma Mortuary, Elka Suspension, Motul Lubricants, JR Racing, Menudo Michoacan, Marcos Cousiño, RK Chains, UNI Air Filters, IMS Products, and My Big Brother.
Barker's Performance is looking forward to the Baja 500, the next race in the SCORE International series on June 4th-5th. Stay tuned for more awesome race updates!
Want to learn more about our winning exhaust system for the Honda TRX450? Click on the links below.
]]>Now, imagine conquering all of this in less than 12 hours on the top of a quad. The Score International San Felipe 250 may be the shortest of SCORE's race series, with the Baja 1000 boasting 850 miles of similar off-road conditions, but it is certainly a challenge for many a man and his machine. Attempting to race any machine over 250 miles in under 12 hours with some of the craziest rocky, sandy whoops, and extreme conditions around is no joke. We don't know about you, but it seems like you would have to be one dedicated and skilled individual to take on such a race.
Barker's Performance is proud to have a man such as this on our Sponsored Riders roster. For Juan Dominguez, this will be his 8th time racing the San Felipe 250. We reached out to him to learn more about this year's race and a little more about him and his team. Here's what we learned.
The team and I are getting ready for our 8th San Felipe 250 in a row. The San Felipe 250 is the shortest race of the SCORE International series however, it is the roughest due to its never-ending rocky/sandy whoops. I was down there pre-running this past weekend and the course is already chewed up and temperatures were over 100 degrees! The course will only get rougher in these two weeks leading up to the race.
We will be competing in the competitive sportsman quad class since I had to put a last minute team together. I will be teaming up with a couple guys from our Baja 1000 rival team, Oskar Espinoza and Osman Arce from Ensenada, Baja California. The San Felipe 250 will be starting Saturday, April 1st at sunrise and will have 12 hours to navigate through the rough, 272-mile race course SCORE has put together.
The San Felipe 250 is not new for Pirruñas Racing since it will be our 8th time running it. We have been lucky enough to podium this race about 4 times with one of them being a 1st place finish. We are going to rely on our Barker’s Exhaust to power us through the deep sandy whoops and the never sandy washes San Felipe has to offer. We will be racing a Liberty Motorsports/ Baja ATV Rider’s Only prepped Honda TRX450r.
The team is hungry to win this year’s San Felipe 250. We have been getting ourselves ready mentally and physically the past couple of months and are going for the top spot. We are confident heading into this race since we have a strong group of riders, reliable support crew, and the best sponsors in off-road racing to get us to the finish line on top. But this is Baja, anything can happen at any given time. We are preparing for the worst and expecting the unexpected!
Thanks for all the support Barker's Exhaust!
So there you have it! Stay tuned for more updates on the 2017 San Felipe 250 and the Pirruñas Racing Team! We will add photos and commentary to our blog and social media as it comes across the wire.
We love desert racing!
What is more exciting than dedicated and skilled ATV racers going head to head race after race for a big win and recognition? Aside from life's greatest milestones, nothing! The ATV MX National Championship is a true test of man and machine, will and skill. We love to see which machines pull ahead of the pack, and how racers handle their machines under tough race conditions.
This year we are especially excited because we have the great pleasure of having two teams running our exhaust this year.
Team Nine6Nine is ready to wage a war this year at the MX National Championship and we are thrilled to have a rider on their team racing with a Barker's Exhaust. Team Nine6Nine member, Alan Myers, #24, will be competing in the Pro Sport/Pro-Am classes on his Suzuki LTR 450. Last year, Myers won the National MX Championship in the 450A class and has since moved up to compete in the Pro-Sport and Pro-Am classes. With Travis Moore to help lead the team to another victory, we are sure Alan and all Team Nine6Nine racers will have a very exciting and fruitful season.
The Harris Motorsports Team is another team participating in the ATV MX National Championship that will be riding with a Barker's Exhaust. Zack Harris will be racing a YFZ 450 in the Pro-Am class.
Be sure to stay tuned and follow along with us throughout the championship. We will be regularly updating our blog and social media with race results and other exciting information. We can't wait to see what's in store for this year's ATV MX National Championship!
]]>Barker's Performance is extremely excited for November 16, 2016. This date marks the start of the 49th Bud Light SCORE Baja 1000 in Ensenada, Baja California, and Mexico. One of the toughest desert challenges out there, the Baja 1000 encompasses more than 850 miles of extreme desert conditions and obstacles. We are super lucky to have one of our very own sponsored rider's participating in the race, Juan Dominguez.
This race will not only be a true test of sheer might and skill for Juan Dominguez and his team, it will also brutally test our exhaust system in extreme desert conditions over a significant amount of time. We look forward to this race and the awesome results we expect both to achieve.
We wanted to reach out to Juan to get his thoughts gearing up for the big race. Here's what we've learned.
How have you been preparing to get ready for this race?
The team and I are very stoked for this years Baja 1000! This year's team consists of myself Juan Dominguez, Julio Banda from Mexicali, Rusty Repass from Maryland, Dan Webb from Virginia, and Alberto Jimenez from Mexicali.
We have been prepping mentally and physically for this race for the last couple of months. Our race quad (100A) was torn down and built from the frame and up. Liberty Motorsports rebuilt our entire motor and of course Barker's Exhaust will keep it running strong for the entire 854 miles! We start our pre-running this weekend so each rider can get to know their sections for when the green flag drops in a couple of weeks.
What are your thoughts heading into the race?
This year's Baja 1000 should be a faster race course then the past years but anything can go wrong in 854 miles of off-road racing. To win you must first finish so preparation is key to get 100A across the finish line. SCORE has set up a very demanding race course with plenty of Baja obstacles to overcome.
What do you think will be your biggest challenge?
I think the biggest challenge in racing Baja is to not have any issues. Since we are racing against time, the less problems you run into the more of a chance you have to win. Our race plan needs to be executed perfectly in order for us to be on the top of the podium. We need to prepare for the worst and expect the best!
We will be posting updates from the big race on the Barker's Exhaust Facebook page so be sure to follow along if you don't already! You might also like to check out the 2016 SCORE Baja 1000 course map.
Want to learn more about Juan Dominguez?
Check out this awesome video interview from SCORE International.
]]>Your ATV needs love all year round, but what you do now to prepare and maintain your ATV will affect it’s performance throughout the entire riding season. Spring is an excellent time to perform a full inspection of your machine to make sure it is in top riding condition and reduce the risk of running into an issue down the road. To help you get the most out of your machine, we’ve put together a list of ATV maintenance tips to help you fully inspect your machine after getting it out of storage.
Spring is an excellent time to refresh the fluids in your machine and inspect some of those essential ATV parts affecting the performance of your machine. To get started, drain the existing fluids and inspect it for anything out of the ordinary. Below are a few things you should look for and consider. If you don’t notice anything, replace the fluids and continue on with the rest of your maintenance.
Check the tire treads and pressure before hitting the trail. Inspect the tires for any signs of wear or weakness. ATV tires operate at a much lower pressure level than your vehicle’s tires. A tire that loses pressure is a lot more likely to have the bead come off the rim. This causes a lot of wasted time out on the trail or worse, a serious accident. Protect your machine and your life. Check your tires!
Maintaining your ATV’s battery should be addressed before and during the time your machine is in storage. To keep your battery going strong, here are few maintenance tips.
Spring is an excellent time to inspect your brakes. Do you have disc brakes? Take a look at your brake pads. If you cannot see the indicator marks, it’s time to replace the pads. If you also notice one brake pad having more wear than the others, it is likely your machine needs an alignment.
While you’re inspecting the brakes, be sure to check out the rotors. This would also be a good time to give them a nice scrub as this is a common site where dirt and debris build up. Heck, while you’re at it take a good look at your calipers and wheel bearings too. Check caliper seals and replace them when needed. Bad caliper seals will cause brake dragging or cause brake pressure loss. If you notice brake fluid build up in this area you’re already too late. Lubricating the caliper pins is also a good idea.
Remember all those gnarly jumps you landed (or didn’t land) last year? How about those darn trees? Did you run into any of those? Now’s the time to check your machine’s toe-in. Start by parking your ATV on a level surface. Check the distance between the center of your right front tire to the center of the front left tire using a tape measure. Then check that measurement at the rear of your machine. Do those numbers compare? Check your ATV’s shop manual to find out what the correct measurements should be, and if you’ve installed an aftermarket front end you will need to check that company’s manual. Check out your suspension. Look for any loose or worn parts - grease if necessary.
Getting your ATV out of storage is a great time to get your machine loosened up. Greasing the bearing and pivots is a must. Here is a quick list to help you get your grease on.
You might be surprised but little things like the nuts and bolts on your machine can cause bigger problems than you may think. Here is a list of nuts and bolts you should be checking after storage and regularly throughout the riding season.
]]>Alright! You did it! Your ATV is prepped and ready for your best riding season yet. Make sure your registration is up to date and LET HER RIP!
This year we watched as Juan and the Pirruñas Racing Team endured rigorous racing schedules and dominated extreme desert racing conditions. Because of Juan’s commitment to running our exhaust system on his machine, we have had the tremendous opportunity to learn more about desert racing and how our exhaust system performs under these conditions. We thank Juan and the Pirruñas Racing team for their continued dedication and support and we look forward to another year of outstanding performance!
We wanted to get to know Juan better and thought you might want to too, so we reached out to ask him a few questions about himself and the Pirruñas Racing Team. Here’s what he had to say:
Q. Juan, you seem to be incredibly dedicated to racing. Can you tell us a little about your roots and how you got started in desert racing?
I got my first quad when I was 14 years old and my whole family was always into off-road racing and going to the dunes on the weekends. Since we live in the Sonoran Desert, I started to love riding out in the beautiful desert scenery that Yuma has to offer. After watching the documentary of the Baja 1000 " Dust to Glory," I saw there were quads participating and that's where my dream begun. I decided to attend the Baja 500 when I was 16 years old and absolutely got hooked on the Baja racing atmosphere!
Q. Clearly the Pirruñas Racing Team plays a big role in your racing career, can you tell us a little more about your team?
Pirruñas Racing started back in 2008 when we did our first ever CODE Offroad race right across the border in San Luis, Sonora. We raced a stock Raptor 660r and placed 7th out about 25 quads. The team consists of my brother and I who are trying to follow the same dream in being champions and maybe one day pick up a Honda Factory ride. In Desert racing, without a support team you are nothing out there, so I am blessed enough to have family and friends come out and help us out in different sections of the course and help us get the quad to the finish. As a matter of fact, the name Pirruñas came from my nickname and it’s a pretty noticeable name in Mexico.
Q. In 2015 you raced some pretty intense courses, can you tell us a bit about your experiences riding in desert races like the SCORE international series?
2015 was a great year for us! We won every single race in the SCORE series and to be honest it is not an easy task to accomplish. Those races are hard enough just making it to the finish line. Preparation is the key to get to the checkered flag and running durable products on your race quad such as Barker’s Exhaust is another factor in getting to the finish. The terrain is tough enough on your machine and a bit worse on your body so you have to be in top physical shape to be competitive. In order to win you must first finish so you just have to trust in your other co-riders and ride at a smooth fast pace.
Q. We understand that a ton of thought, modification, and maintenance goes into making a machine, and a man, race ready. Can you share a little bit about how you get yourself and your machine ready for a race?
As we all know Desert Racing is a true test for man and machine so preparation is the difference between winning and losing. We start prepping for our next race as soon as we cross the finish line of our last race. After every race, we sit down and write notes on what went wrong and how we can improve. Being in top physical riding shape is a priority for every rider in the team so that means a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in the gym as well as getting as much seat time as we can before the next race. As for the race quad, we tear it down all the way to the frame as well as the motor. Although Honda is known for their reliability, we tear the motor down and replace everything that is necessary to get us to the finish line for the next race. The only part we re-use on our quads is our Barker’s Exhaust. We put thousands of miles on them and they still retain their race condition. Most durable exhaust on the market in my book!
Q. It looks like 2016 is shaping up to be another big year for you and the Pirruñas Racing Team! Can you tell us about what this year has in store for you and what you are most looking forward to for this year?
After winning a championship in the SCORE International Series and in the CODE Offroad Series in 2015, we are setting sights in winning the SCORE International Pro Open Quad Class for 2016 and make our dream come true in running the 1A plate for 2017. Tons of money, time, and sweat will go into this goal but we have the team and sponsors to make it happen! One change that we'll be doing this year is that my brother Alonzo Dominguez will be focusing on prepping our race quads and pre-run quads instead of riding and being a mechanic at the same time. This will allow me to focus on logistics for the races and be a more competitive rider for the Pro Class. We also have a new team of riders for 2016 and they consist of myself; Gilberto Ramirez from Phoenix, AZ; Julio Banda Jr. from Mexicali, Baja California; Jose “Moño” Contreras from Tecate, Baja California; and Jorge “Wero” Contreras from Tijuana, Baja California. All these guys have what it takes to accomplish our goal in being Open Quad Pro champs for 2016! The whole team can’t thank Barker’s Exhaust enough for their durable exhaust systems and allowing us to come out on top!
]]>To keep pace with Juan’s story as well as other sponsored riders, follow Barker's Exhaust on Facebook.
With all the variations and changes over the years to the YFZ 450 machines it can be confusing choosing the proper system for your machine. A lot of people were thrown for a loop when Yamaha went back to a carbureted system in 2012 and you'll find there isn't much information out there from exhaust companies. Luckily, Barker's customer Nate owns a 2012 Yamaha YFZ 450 carbureted model, and through working with him we've verified that our single exhaust for carbureted systems works with these newer carb'd models! Nate informed us that after installing the Barker's exhaust his 2012 Carb'd Yamaha YFZ 450 came to life. If you have this rare carb'd machine and want customize it, our exhaust system is the perfect upgrade.
Customers love these systems. Tim from Pennsylvania rides a 2014 YFZ 450R outfitted with our single exhaust. Tim says, "I just wanted to say that I am really happy with the power gains I received throughout the powerband. Also I really like the craftsmanship you guys put into your pipes." Tim sent us the photo below of his machine with his new Barker's Exhaust.
Local customer Doug Booms also sent some photos of his Yamaha YFZ 450 outfitted with the Barker's Exhaust:
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Sitting spotless and idle on our stock room shelves is an over-abundance of Barker's Rhino 660 exhaust systems. We know, it's a travesty! But why should our over-zealousness go to waste? We are certain that there must be a few Yamaha Rhino 660 fans out there in search of a stellar deal on a stellar exhaust system! That's why we are offering 30% off the Barker's Full Dual exhaust system for the Rhino 660 (only while supplies last).
There is more to the Barker's Rhino 660 exhaust system than its current price tag, though. The Barker's Full Dual Exhaust System has been specially designed to deliver a noticeable increase in power and performance to your Rhino 660. Whether it be for taking on tough tasks or trails loaded with mud, the Barker's Full Dual Exhaust System will not disappoint! But don't take our word for it, check out what others have to say about the Barker's Full Dual Exhaust System for the Rhino 660.
"Outperformed other dual exhaust systems I have tried that made more noise but didn't have the POWER and TORQUE of the BARKER DUAL SYSTEM. I ran the Barker's Dual Exhaust System with an after-market intake kit and it resulted in a great improvement in power from idle to redline. Power you can feel!! The Barker's dual exhaust is of very good quality and you can tell there has been great attention to detail."
- Joe Wenta, Former Purchasing Manager at Marshall's Distributing, Inc.
"High marks have got to be given to any company that builds an exhaust that is almost too pretty to want to get dirty, fits perfectly and gives you actual power gains that you can feel! Barker’s Performance Exhaust did their homework when developing this system and the results show it. So if you’re looking to give your Rhino an extra boost of power the Barker’s Performance dual exhaust system is for you!"
- Rex Ostrander of ATV-UTVTECH.COM
Visit Barker's Full Dual Exhaust System for the Rhino 660 page to learn more!
]]>When installing any exhaust system, it is usually necessary to make changes to the fuel settings in order to yield the best results, and ensure that your engine is not running dangerously lean. Stock fuel settings, whether, carbureted or EFI, are generally far from ideal. The engine’s fuel requirements are deeply affected by large changes in the exhaust system, intake setup, or internal mods. While some machines are still within the safe limits, even with an aftermarket exhaust system installed, others are dangerously lean, or woefully rich, and exhibit drivability problems. This is why understanding your fuel system is crucial regardless of whose exhaust system you choose to run.
Whether your machine is fuel injected, or carbureted, we at Barker’s Performance Exhaust will do everything we can to provide you with accurate PC5 fuel maps and jetting specifications where possible. Due to the unique requirements that sometimes are necessary from machine to machine in different environments, it is usually beneficial to have your machine custom tuned by a reputable tuning facility.
Fuel Injection 101: What you need to know before choosing a fuel controller
EFI has taken over our sport. It has afforded countless people peace of mind and ease of maintenance, but there are many misconceptions about modern EFI systems, and what you don’t know can cost you money and horsepower.
Modern EFI systems on most motocross bikes, street bikes, and atv’s are technically PGFM or programmed fuel management. The computer reads from a factory programmed “map” of fuel values, in which throttle position (TPS) and engine RPM are the coordinates from which the computer gets its fuel value. These fuel values are slightly altered by the MAP sensor which determines engine load, and the IAT sensor, which determines air temperature. These stock maps are often very simple, and inaccurate. In all but a few machines, there is no O2 sensor that tells the computer that the engine is rich or lean. The modern four stroke engines see such drastic changes in operating conditions (rpm, throttle position, engine load, gear selection), carefully metered fuel control is essential for optimal performance. This is why it’s important, when modifying your machine’s power plant, to select a fuel controller what has a very high level of adjustability.
There are 2 major types of fuel management hardware. The Dobek TFI, and the Dynojet Power commander. The Dobek TFI utilizes a push-button interface that allows the user to adjust fuel trim in large areas (low, mid, high, WOT, as well as some blending options). These areas are adjusted via the buttons on the front of the unit. The Dobek TFI can be adjusted on a dynamometer by a professional tuner, or in the field by a savvy powersports hobbyist. This type of tuner will save you money over the Power Commander, and is adequate to tune in a machine with mild bolt-on modifications.
If you plan on doing internal engine mods in the future, or just want to squeeze every ounce of power out of your exhaust/intake combo, you may go the route of the Dynojet Power Commander 5. The power-commander utilizes a high-resolution fuel control map that allows precise 3-dimensional tuning of hundreds of pinpoint areas, based on both throttle position, and engine RPM. It has an accelerator pump feature, and can be integrated with Dynojet’s Autotune module, quick-shift system, boost pressure sensor, and nitrous map switch. This adds limitless tuning and integration possibilities for anyone who wants to do an extreme engine build, or otherwise demands the most precise fuel tuning system available. The caveat here is cost. The power commander not only costs more money, but in the event you cannot find an accurate pcv fuel map for your exact setup, you will be forced to bring your machine to a dynamometer shop and have your unit custom mapped. Tuning the power-commander in the field without an advanced data-logging system is nearly impossible, for even the upper echelon of power sports gurus.
Luckily, there are reputable dynamometer shops across the country that support the dynojet power-commander. We at Barker’s Exhaust, work tirelessly, along with LaBaron’s PowerSports of Almont, MI, to develop precisely tuned power-commander maps for nearly every exhaust system we produce. In many applications, we build maps using several intake configurations that we find work very well with our systems. But even so, if you have other engine mods, you may seek out a custom built map for your specific application.
Whichever route you go, an engine that is running at the proper air fuel ratio at every RPM, every throttle position, and every engine load level, will produce more horsepower everywhere, respond more quickly, and ultimately be more reliable, than one with hit-and-miss tuning.
Carburetion:
Carburetors have between 3-7 tunable circuits that meter fuel delivery based on engine RPM and load (vacuum) and throttle position (throttle valve height). These circuits are adjusted via a series of fixed orifices (jets) and adjustment screws. Although much simpler than EFI, complex modern carbs such as the FCR can still be tricky to tune.
We will strive to supply jetting recommendations for carbureted machines using our exhaust systems. Keep in mind, carburetors are much more sensitive to atmospheric conditions, and your environment may not be the same as ours. This may constitute further tuning, and if you do not feel confident doing so, you may also wish to seek the services of a reputable dynamometer tuning center.
]]>"Very recently, we at LaBaron’s PowerSports have had the distinguished pleasure of testing the new Barkers exhaust system for the RMZ450. We had an opportunity to test the bike on our in-house chassis dynamometer. We were able to compare power output and air-fuel ratio back to back between the stock exhaust and Barkers’ full system to determine exactly how much power your dollar will buy you when installing a Barker’s system on new RMZ450. The following is a brief play-by-play commentary of what transpired in our dyno-cell.
The near brand spankin’ new 2014 RMZ450 was rolled onto our dyno, clad in fresh street tires so that our testing could be as accurate as possible. After a few warm-up runs, we discovered that the stock RMZ was making 46.87hp at 8750rpm and 30.46ft/lbs of peak torque at 7500rpm. The RMZ had smooth power delivery and crisp response, despite its excessively rich fuel ratios.
Once we had our data, we installed the Barker’s exhaust system on the yellow thumper. As always, the system installed cleanly, and just emanated quality from every square inch of beautifully crafted stainless steel tubing. The bike came to life with crisp exhaust tone that very obviously outclassed what we had experienced just moments before. The Barker’s exhaust increased power dramatically with a peak of 50.04hp at 8900rpm and 32.11ft/lbs of torque at 7500rpm. Not only were peak numbers increased substantially, but rear wheel horsepower was up over 2.5hp nearly everywhere! There was literally nowhere that the stock system could even come close to matching our new found power levels, save for a very small area just below the rev limiter. Thanks to the rich fuel mapping of the RMZ, there were no areas of the rev-range that experienced excessively lean air-fuel ratios. That being said, we have determined that the Barker’s system can be installed on the 2014 RMZ 450 without changing any fuel management settings. Even after installing the available quiet core insert, we continued to be impressed with what we saw. The quiet core yielded a noticeable drop in exhaust noise and delivered even more peak power! A 3/4hp increase for a total of 50.76hp at 8750rpm to be exact! This increase in the peak output did come at a small cost in the form of reduced mid-range power output that still trumped stock numbers everywhere.
Not being the type to rest on our laurels, we decided to install a Power Commander 5 and build a precision fuel map to see just how much better we could make the mighty RMZ. The tuning increased peak numbers by about a half horse-power, but gained as much as 2.5hp in the midrange and over-rev. Although it is not always necessary to re-map an EFI equipped bike to safely run an aftermarket exhaust, it will always yield increases in power, and is highly recommended.
In short, what we have seen out of Barker’s Exhaust is nothing short of amazing. If you are looking for a new exhaust system for your RMZ450, or any other motocross bike or ATV, look no further than Barkers."
-Alex Galeczka
Sr. Technician
LaBaron’s Powersports LLC
There is an event in mid-October that is particularly special to us adrenaline junkies. (Hint: it's not Colombus Day). It's the American International Motorcycle Expo, and it's one awesome, must-experience event, and we are totally psyched to announce that we are exhibiting again this year.
As the fastest growing event in the powersports industry, the AIMEXpo is changing the way this industry does business. It is the place for dealers, media, and consumers to satisfy their insatiable need for speed. The AIMExpo has the BEST and NEWEST products, services and technologies the powersports industry has to offer all in one place. Whether you're hunting for parts or inspiration for your next project, the AIMExpo is the event to indulge in your obsession with all things power.
What does it cost to attend the 2015 AIMExpo? Well, if you are ready to buy your tickets before June 30th, than you are in for a nice little surprise. The AIMExpo is offering a killer deal - buy one ticket and you will get one FREE - if you make your purchase by the end of June. So what are you waiting for? Click it and ticket!
Click here to go to the AIMExpo ticket page. Use code BOGO15.
]]>We are so excited to be finished with the construction phase and into the testing phase for our new 2015 Raptor Systems. Because we've heard from so many customers who wanted to pre-order the new system, we decided to make a pre-order form available to all our customers interested in placing their orders before the rush. We are happy to announce that you can pre-order your 2015 Yamaha Raptor Exhaust System at the link below.
Our 2015 Yamaha Raptor Exhaust System is available in 3 different variations:
We will contact you for billing and shipping information once the systems are in production and ready to ship. We anticipate this occurring in August.
]]>We couldn't wait to get our hands on this new Viper. Once we had the machine in our shop we knew that we had our work cut out for us. Instead of a rear exit as with the Nytro the new Viper had a bottom side exit with a sharp 180 in the header under the gas tank. We also had a lot of pressure from dealers and customers to go beyond a slip on and produce a full Barker's system for the Viper. We knew this would be a challenge.
The slip on design came easily and fit very nicely under the hood, drastically reducing the weight by removing the stock canister. The header we found really had no options that were going to be much different from the stock header due to how tight it fit under the gas tank. We made the decision and felt that the only real answer was to make a very similar header but Hand Made using our extremely skilled Tig guys instead of a production stock header. We could see that there was definitely some restriction and we knew ours would be cleaner and flow much better than stock.
After producing our 3 into 1 header that used a flat collector just before the 180 and turning the corner up to our reverse megaphone and muffler we were extremely excited to get it on the dyno. Pat Hauck from Hauck Powersports was so kind to do the runs for us and let us know how things went. What we found is that our Slip On did great and produced 4-6 horsepower after tuning. But we were extremely let down as the header honestly did nothing to that sled...
As we moved back to the drawing board with our tail between our legs we were a little nervous. We were starting to think that Yamaha has this motor running extremely efficient and we were unsure if there were going to be any other ponies left on the table for us to squeeze out of it without having to drastically change other components. Our engineers were not going to give up that easily though and it wasn't long before our R&D came up with something different. Instead of coming back together from the 3 into 1 prior to the 180 we wanted to get the exhaust a little more time to flow before it ran into the other cylinders. After some extensive fixturing due to the extremely tight tolerances we had to hold due to fit we were able to come up with a header that used a triangular collector way farther down closer to our can and megaphone.
Our sled was now headed back to Hauck for more testing. Fingers crossed and although we were very confident there was still concern on this new design. To our liking we got the call from Pat saying you nailed it this time! Thanks to our great staff and TOP NOTCH lead welder we had produced our first full Header System in the Snowmobile market. We think you'll find limitless possibilities with this new header after proper tuning and other mods.
Our goal is to always try to maximize what can be done with an exhaust and tuning alone. This way people are not forced to buy other mods just to make the exhaust work. Don't get us wrong though, we always have those "Big Build" guys in mind and in almost all cases riders find that after installing the Barker's other modifications have even more potential than before.
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We had a 23 hour haul to get to Orlando, and as luck would have it the rain poured down until we entered Florida. After crossing the border it was non-stop beautiful for the entire trip. Of course, now it was time to get to work setting up the booth and preparing to talk for four straight days about our exhaust systems.
At the Expo we featured our 2014 Polaris RZR XP 1000 with the full dual system we designed. This sexy machine was a hit and certainly a great talking piece. We were very honored to get the response we did and all the wonderful compliments. We also displayed different versions of our pipes for customers to see our superior build quality.
We would be completely remiss if we didn’t mention some of the awesome companies we connected with while at the 2014 AIMExpo. A few to note include Quake LED, KFI Products, Heat Demon, WOC-Wide Open Cabs, and the Snell Foundation.
We can’t wait for the 2015 AIMExpo; we hope you’ll join us for a great time!
]]>Well we are back home today following another tough weekend at the Mt Dew ATV National Motocross Series. Round 2 at Muddy Creek Raceway in Blountville, Tn. was however better than round one in Georgia. The bike was spot on this round and it showed during practice. Zack laid down blistering laptimes passing other racers at an alarming rate. I have to say the ZHR engine and Barkers Exhaust is a match made in heaven. That bike is a beast! The races themselves unfortunately were not that impressive. Motos found us with horrible starts again. Being caught up in first turn crashes and then being forced to pass our way through the pack was not going to get us on the podium. We finished with a 12th place finish in Open A. We made it to Sunday but could not make the main again. The same in 450A. A 9th advanced us to Sunday but not to the main. Not good. For some reason it seemed we had lost our ability to get a good start. We knew the bike had the horsepower but just couldn't manage a decent start. We left Tenn. early and made our way to a track in Richmond ,Va. to practice Sunday out. After repetitive starts we discovered the problem. It was all Mike's from Barker's fault. It seems that that we had to change our start procedure due to the change of the engine with the Barker's exhaust. As reported last race we simply had too much horsepower. With the gear ratio we were running we couldn't get the bike to hook up. We raised the gear ratio to accomodate. Zack reported incredible pull out the corners and clearing big doubles and triples with short runs. You could physically see it and he simply stated "Don't touch the bike". However what was the problem with the starts? The answer. Our routine of starting in 2nd gear was causing too much wheel spin with the added torque. We started launching in 3rd gear! From the gate to the holeshot line we shaved 8/10's a second! 8/10's = 10 bike length's. I don't think I need to explain anymore! We found the problem. I told you it was Mike's fault!
Some interesting things from the race. During practice Zack came up short on a double going end over. The Go Pro footage showed the bike flipping and the nerf bar hit Zack in the head HARD. The impact was right over his right eye in the EKS goggle and GMAX helmet. The footage also showed Zack on the ground with the bike on top of him. Other riders stopped to help him. They got the bike off him, he get's up, then you hear someone say "Are you alright?" Zack replies simply "Yea". A headache, a little gooseegg bump and abrasion, but no concussion. GMAX and EKS, you officially have a dad's endorsement. That crashed scared the heck out out of this dad.
Following the Open A 1st moto, Zack complained of a funny feel in the clutch. He said he had to tighten the clutch during the race. Upon further inspection, we found the fill level bolt had come out and blew the oil out of the tranny side of the engine. We removed the drain plug and got a whole ounce of oil to drain out. I went ahead and started taking the side cover off to replace the Marshall clutch plates figuring for sure they were smoked. Zack even got a new set out of the cabinet to start prepping the plates. When I removed the Marshall Racing plates they still looked new. I couldn't believe it. The oil even smelled burned. A micrometer measure showed the clutches at 2.98 mm and new they are 3.02. We left them in, put in new oil, kept getting down with no problems. Marshall Racing clutch plates, you officially have our endorsement. Marshall chains. Still no stretching, no cupping in the sprockets. Still like new.
We would like to thank everyone for everything you do. We could not do this without you. I am sorry but we don't have hardly any photos. The photographer and the glue that holds us together (Mom) could not attend for only the second time in Zack's career due to a major conflict in work schedules. However we are currently editing some awsome Go Pro and I Phone video for everyone. I think everyone will like it. One more thing. At the track we stopped at, Zack went ahead and set a new record. Check out Facebook from Southfork Competition Park. Zack was the first quad to ever clear the Lock Ness Monster double. It's pretty nasty and he made it look easy! About 90 ft!
God Bless,
Zack, Toni and Greg Harris
ZHR, Inc.
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