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NEWS
April 26, 2008
Team 94, Rock Maple
Racing join forces
TURNER, Maine - One of Central
Maine's most talented and consistent race teams just got a whole lot
more intimidating. Team 94 Racing, which fields a Late Model stock
car driven by Shawn Martin at the famed Oxford Plains Speedway, has
signed an agreement with Rock Maple Racing (RMR) to become an
associate sponsor for the 2008 season.
RMR will display the
logo of its Can-Am Series for ATVs on the right rear fender of
Martin's car this year, along with its web address (www.rockmaple.com)
on the rear bumper cover.
Rock Maple is hoping to
show stock car fans the excitement of organized ATV racing. RMR will
run two ATV events in nearby Minot this summer at Hemond's MX. Race
fans from Oxford are urged to visit Hemond's on May 11 (Can-Am
Series points race) and Aug. 17 (RMR hosts the WPSA's Powersports
ATV Tour) to witness some great competition.
Martin is the 2004 Late
Model division champion at Oxford and finished third in points last
year. A native of Maine’s rural Aroostook County, Martin moved
south to advance his racing endeavors and has 27 wins overall in his
career.
"I'm excited about
having Rock Maple Racing on board this year," said Martin.
"Rock Maple has been known for its top-notch snocross circuit
for over 15 years, and now they're putting a big effort into
developing the Can-Am ATV series. This marketing partnership will
take me to new places, and allows for some exciting cross-promotion
between what we do and all that RMR does. This also gives us more
resources to go after the championship - our real goal."
Instrumental in putting
this deal together was Stan Fitts, marketing director for RMR. Fitts
has been involved with professional motorsports for decades,
specifically as a former president of the American Power Boat
Association (APBA), which sanctions all types of powerboat racing,
including the unlimited hydroplanes (like the Miss Budweiser) that
rule the water all year.
"This is our first
venture into stock car racing," said Fitts. "When we
looked at ways to promote our Can-Am ATV series, it was apparent a
high-profile Late Model team like Shawn's would be a good vehicle to
utilize. We're excited about having Shawn on an ATV in Minot, and
hope fans will come see him have a good time with us. We'll use this
in a number of ways to show race fans all we do on a year-round
basis. I think this will be a great opportunity for both RMR and
Team 94."
Rock Maple Racing, based
in Derry, N.H., is a sanctioning body for snocross and All Terrain
Vehicle (ATV) racing. The snocross season runs from early December
until early April, while the ATV season begins in early May and
concludes in the middle of October. RMR tested the waters of ATV
racing in the fall of 2006 with a six-race series at tracks in
Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
For 2007, a full 11-race
schedule was put in place with new venues in New York added to the
list of host tracks. This year, there are 11 events on the
schedule.
New this year for the
Can-Am series is a division between East and West points races, much
like RMR does with its snocross programs. This makes it easier for
teams to run for points titles without the added expense of extra
travel. Also new is the addition of a Five-round series for
"Pit Bikes," which have become so popular in the last few
years. There will be eight classes, broken down for Pro and Amateur
riders and for 10-inch or 12-inch wheel diameter.
RMR will partner with
the Pit Bike Racing Association (PBRA) to bring this exciting new
class into the mix. Riders compete in two separate classes; MX and
Utility. The MX class is for race-oriented machines, while the
Utility class provides a place for everyday ATV riders to compete in
their own style. RMR also has the QuadTerrain Challenge for the
popular 4-wheel-drive ATVs.
Rock Maple Racing,
Presented by the New England Dodge Dealers, is the eastern affiliate
of the World Powersports Association (WPSA), the national
sanctioning body for snocross and ATV racing. For more information,
log on to www.team94racing.com.
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