Barker's Official Blog / sponsored riders

There are few things more exciting than following your favorite racers as they take to the starting line week after week in a series like the GNCC or ATV MX National Championship.

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. 

Round 1 - VP RACING FUELS BIG BUCK

Big Buck Farm, Union, South Carolina
February 19, 2022

1st Place - 30 Points - XC1 Pro - ATV

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!  

Photos/Videos:

Barker's Performance has had the pleasure of working with some incredibly talented individuals over the years, and this year will be no different as we announce our new partnership with sponsored rider and GNCC competitor, Brycen Neal.

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. 

With the 51st SCORE International Baja 1000 right around the corner, we reached out to our sponsored rider, Tristan Dietrich, to learn more about how Team Dietrich Racing is coming together and preparing for the big race. 

Who is on your team this year? Can you tell us a little more about them? 

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.

What experience did you gain from last year's race that you think will help this time around?

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.

What are you doing to prepare for the race?

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.   

What machine are you racing? 

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.

What are you most looking forward to? 

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. 

How can we follow along with you?

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. 

Team Nine6Nine had a successful run through the 2018 ATV MX National Championship, but that statement alone doesn’t seem to speak to the magnitude of what this team really achieved this season. With the securing of 4 national titles, a tremendous accomplishment, visible growth with this team was plain to see. Still, the real growth went on behind the scenes, from within, and where it matters most. Having endured their share of adversities, this team; the individuals, their families, and their coach, Mr. Travis Moore, banded together to put on a spectacularly exciting display of grit and resilience. With the season now over and still fresh in our minds, we can’t help but replay the climactic journey to the final flag.

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.

Round 1 - Daytona ATV SX at  Daytona International Speedway, Florida

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.

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: 4th Overall; net 18 points
• Open Pro Sport: 1st Overall; net 25 points

Logan Stanfield

• 450A: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• Open Pro Sport: DNS

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• College (16-24) Sportsman: 5th Overall; net 16 points

Round 2 - South of the Border MX in Hamer, South Carolina

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.

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• Open Pro Sport: 1st Overall; net 25 points

Logan Stanfield

• 450A: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• Open Pro Sport: 4th Overall; net 18 points

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: 13 Overall; net 8 points
• College (16-24) Sportsman: 7th Overall; net 14 points

Zack Decker

• Youth All-Star (13-15): 4th Overall
• Schoolboy Sr. (14-17): 3rd Overall

Round 3 - Underground MX in Kemp, Texas

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.  

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: DNS
• Open Pro Sport: DNF

Logan Stanfield

• 450A: DNF
• Open Pro Sport: 1st Overall; net 25 points

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: 2nd Overall; net 22 points
• College (16-24) Sportsman: 11th Overall; net 10 points

Round 4 - Ironman ATVMX in Crawfordsville, Indiana

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.

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: 8th Overall; net 13 points

Logan Stanfield

• 450A: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• Open Pro Sport: 1st Overall; net 25 points

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• 450 C: 1st Overall; net 25 points

Round 5 - High Point ATVMX in Mount Morris, Pennsylvania

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!  

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: 5th Overall; net 16 points

Logan Stanfield

• 450A: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• Open Pro Sport: 2nd Overall; net 22 points

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: 5th Overall; net 16 points
• 450 C: 1st Overall; net 25 points

Round 6 - Sunset Ridge MX ATVMX

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.

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: 2nd Overall; net 22 points
• Open Pro Sport: 1st Overall; net 25 points

Logan Stanfield

• 450A: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• Open Pro Sport: 5th Overall; net 16 points

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• 450 C: 2nd Overall; net 22 points

Round 7 - Unadilla MX in New Berlin, New York

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.  

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: 6th Overall; net 15 points
• Open Pro Sport: DNS

Logan Stanfield

• 450A: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• Open Pro Sport: 2nd Overall; net 22 points

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• 450 C: 2nd Overall; net 22 points

Round 8 - RedBud ATV National in Buchanan, MI

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.

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: 2nd Overall; net 22 points

Logan Stanfield

• Pro-Am: 3rd Overall; net 20 points
• Open Pro Sport: 2nd Overall; net 22 points

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: DNS
• 450 C: 3rd Overall; net 20 points

Zack Decker

• Youth All-Star (13-15): 3rd Overall

Round 9 - Dirt Days at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee

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.  

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: 6th Overall; net 15 points

Logan Stanfield

• Pro-Am: 7th Overall; net 14 points
• Open Pro Sport: 2nd Overall; net 22 points

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: 1st Overall; net 25 points
• 450 C: 2nd Overall; net 22 points

Zack Decker

• Youth All-Star (13-15): DNS
• Schoolboy Sr. (14-17): DNS

2018 ATV MX NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Alan Myers

• Pro-Am: 3rd; 146 total points (only 15 points behind the leader)
• Open Pro Sport: 8th; 75 points overall

Logan Stanfield

• 450A: 1st Overall; 150 total points
• Open Pro Sport: 1st Overall; 138 total points
• Pro-Am: 10th Overall

Cole Wullenweber

• Open C: 1st Overall; 147 total points
• 450 C: 1st Overall; 136 total points

Zack Decker

• Youth All-Star (13-15): 9th
• Schoolboy Sr. (14-17): 8th

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.

There’s something to be said about someone going the distance to take their wildest dreams head on. For Barker’s sponsored rider, Tristan Dietrich and Team 102A, this dream became a reality in November for the 50th Baja 1000. We reached out to Tristan to get the low down on their crazy journey, and what we learned about the Baja 1000 was a real eye-opener. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to race an ATV in one of the most brutal desert races on the planet for the first time, then this one’s for you.

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!

Barker's Performance could not be more proud of our sponsored rider Juan Pirruñas Dominguez and Team 109A! Finishing 2nd place in one of the most brutal off-road races on the planet is no small feat. Honestly, just being able to cross the finish line in this race is a big deal.

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!

 

For Juan and his team, the journey to this year's 50th Baja 1000 is in full swing. They're ready for the green flag to drop in about 2 weeks which is when the SCORE International's 50th Baja 1000 is set to begin. We got up with Juan to learn more about his thoughts, team, and their machine going into this brutal race.

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.

Good luck to all our riders and their teams at the 50th Baja 1000! 

Juan and his team run our Full Single Exhaust System for the Honda TRX450. Learn more about this exhaust below. 

• Honda TRX450 Full Single Exhaust for 2004-2005 Models
• Honda TRX450 Full Single Exhaust for 2006-Current Models

Barker's Sponsored Rider, Juan Pirrunas Dominguez, and his skilled team took first place in the competitive sportsman quad class at the 2017 Baja 500. Words simply cannot express how excited and proud we are. We thank our lucky stars for having such a dedicated and skilled racer on our team, who pushes himself, his machine, and our exhausts to the limit, and time and time again excels. Of course, this race didn't play out without its own set of unique challenges and mishaps. Check out how Juan and Team 109A took down the competition and made it to the finish line, below.

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 5^th 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 50^th 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. 

• Barker's Full Single Exhaust System for a Honda TRX450 (04-05 Models)
• Barker's Full Single Exhaust System for a Honda TRX450 (06-Current Models)

Even hotter and even more brutal than the San Felipe 250, the 2017 Baja 500 is fixing to be one of the greatest challenges yet for racers. This includes our sponsored rider, Juan Pirrunas Dominguez, but we're confident this man, his team, and their winning Honda TRX450R are prepped and ready to conquer. 

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.

• Barker's Full Single Exhaust System for a Honda TRX450 (04-05 Models)
• Barker's Full Single Exhaust System for a Honda TRX450 (06-Current Models)