Andrew Carlson to Make His TORC Pro-Lite Truck Debut
Andrew Carlson to Make His TORC Pro-Lite Truck Debut
Elk River, Minnesota (September 5, 2014) – It was complete “baptism by fire” for the rookie debut of Andrew Carlson in The Off-Road Championship (TORC) series race in Crandon, Wisconsin, August 30-31, in front of 35,000 fans. Racing in his first ever Pro-Lite event aboard the AMSOIL, FXR, Best Western adorned truck, Andrew faced a final field of 27 trucks on a rain marred track with barely one-full practice lap under his belt…all from the very last spot on the grid.
BlueRibbon Coalition Seeks Executive Director
POCATELLO, ID (September 4, 2014) — The BlueRibbon Coalition is seeking an Executive Director to lead the organization which champions responsible use of public lands and land access for outdoor recreation.
The Executive Director is hired by the BlueRibbon Coalition Board of Directors and serves as a full time, salaried BlueRibbon Coalition employee to execute the business of the BRC, excepting for those functions reserved for the Board in its by-laws.
The Executive Director will be responsible to manage BRC staff, to develop and execute a plan to achieve BRC’s goals, and to properly present the “public face” of BRC through various communication formats, including social and print media, oral and written presentations and other forms of outreach.
The Executive Director also will be responsible for providing leadership for membership development and fund raising while maintaining financial stability and insuring compliance with applicable laws.
The Executive Director position requires excellent communication skills. The Executive Director shall provide the board of directors with on-going information regarding the health and direction of the BRC, the status of operational and financial plans, the synergy of the BlueRibbon Team and is the primary representative of the coalition.
The person applying for this position must demonstrate a successful record of fundraising and organizational leadership. It will be considered a plus if the applicant has a history of effective advocacy in the field of public recreation.
Serious individuals should submit resumes to:
Glen Zumwalt, Chair, Executive Director Search Committee
c/o BlueRibbon Coalition
4555 Burley Drive, Suite A
Pocatello, ID 83202
208-237-1008 ext 105
brc.exdir.apply@sharetrails.org
NEAR Announces 2014 Hall of Fame Class
Drivers Deke Astle, Jim Martel, Mike Rowe, Fred Schulz, Ron Wyckoff, drag racing icon Bob Tasca, historian R.A. Silvia and car builder/mechanic Dave Tourigny make up the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame’s class of 2014.
They, along with the still to be announced pioneer class, will be inducted at NEAR’s 16th Hall of Fame banquet Sunday, Nov. 16th, at The Lodge at Maneeley’s in South Windsor, CT. Banquet ticket information will be announced shortly and will be posted on the New England Antique Racers’ website (www.NEAR1.org) in the near future.
Part of one of New England’s foremost racing families, Astle, a Westport, MA resident, was a champion at both Seekonk and Lakeville Speedways. Noted for his adaptability, “The Little Man with the Big Cigar” was also a major force throughout Eastern New England, most notably at Westboro and Thompson Speedways in addition to Seekonk and Lakeville.
Martel, of Ipswich, MA, won in cars ranging from Cutdowns to Supermodifieds over four-plus decades of competition. A two-time NESMRA Late Model champion, his resume includes a Late Model win at Fredrickson in the Canadian Maritimes and a Supermodified win at Thompson Speedway in Connecticut. He has victories at over a dozen tracks.
Turner, ME resident Mike Rowe continues to compete, adding to a list of accomplishments that includes over 200 victories and 13 championships. Starting in 1968, Rowe, a three-time Oxford 250 winner, has won, in addition to seven Oxford crowns, NEPSA (1999), ACT (1994), PASS (2006), BRMS (2013) championships and has ruled at Wiscasset (1991) and Beech Ridge (2009).
Noted for an intense competitive zeal, Schultz’s championships at Norwood (1969) and Westboro (1978) figure among a list of accomplishments over a career that began in the post-World War II “cutdown” era. Also part of a racing family, Schulz, who passed away in 1999, and car owner Jim Susi won 14 straight at three different tracks in 1959.
Wyckoff, a Southington, CT resident, was a major winner at Plainville Stadium and Riverside Park Speedway and a force everywhere else in the 1960s and ’70s. A winner of three-straight Riverside 500s, the Florida native rarely sat idle, testimony to both his ability to take care of equipment and his standing among his fellow competitors and the fans.
Working with the Koszela family, Tourigny designed, built and maintained an impressive list of Modifieds. They included the legendary Woodchopper coupes and Vegas, the Logroller Corvair and a revolutionary Ford-powered Pinto that the likes of Fred DeSarro, Bugs Stevens and Mike Stefanik drove to a host of victories and to a half-dozen championships.
A Providence-area Ford dealer for 55 years, Tasca came to drag racing in the late 1960s, seeing it as a boom to his business. He quickly became a major power. Starting with a ’64 Ford Fairlane, Tasca moved to Funny Cars and full-blown “fuelers,” bringing New England into the national spotlight. Tasca died in 2010.
Silvia has emerged as one of New England’s premier auto racing historians and preservationists. “The man to go to” for those seeking historical clarification or a photograph, he has served promoters, competitors, media and fans alike for over three decades out of his home in Warwick, RI. From a historical standpoint, his impact on New England racing is immeasurable.
Polaris Industries Honors New Hall of Fame Inductees As Company Celebrates its 60th Anniversary Year
Retired Employees, Leading Dealers & Key Supplier-Partner Are Inducted
MEDINA, Minn. (July 29, 2014) – Polaris Industries Inc. today inducted three retired employees, including two executives, three premier dealerships, and a key supplier into the Polaris Hall of Fame. They were honored for their significant contributions to the company’s success – along with the community of Roseau, Minnesota, and the company’s Roseau workforce – during a ceremony at the Polaris National Sales Meeting held in Minneapolis.
The Polaris Hall of Fame was established during the company’s 50th anniversary in 2004. Retired employees, Polaris dealers, and key material and technology suppliers have been recognized annually for their roles in the company’s growth and success.
“As Polaris celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, it’s an honor to recognize these special individuals, dealers, and key supplier-partner for their tremendous contributions,” said Polaris CEO Scott Wine. “It’s also fitting that we pay tribute to Roseau, where Polaris was founded, along with the outstanding workforce at our Roseau production facility.”
The 2014 Polaris Hall of Fame inductees are:
• John Corness, who served as Vice President Human Resources from 1999 to 2011, a period of tremendous growth for Polaris. John and his HR team contributed greatly to that growth and to the company’s ongoing success by hiring outstanding personnel to expand and elevate programs and processes, by implementing effective employee evaluation practices, and by establishing programs such as the Engineering Development Program.
• Mark Blackwell, who joined Polaris in 2000 as General Manager of the Victory Motorcycles division, and later served as VP of the Victory division and Polaris VP of International Operations. Mark joined Polaris after a hall of fame motocross racing career and two decades of successfully directing powersports businesses, and he guided Victory through a decade of tremendous improvement in product innovation, quality, performance, and sales. He helped to energize the company’s commitment to product quality, and helped create the product development process Polaris still uses today.
• Les Olson, who started as a Polaris snowmobile dealer in 1975, became a District Sales Manager for Polaris in several Rocky Mountain states, and closed his Polaris career as an extremely valuable member of the Polaris Way Out Training Team. The WOTT group Les was part of toured the country and provided sales personnel from Polaris dealerships with effective product and sales training. Now retired and living in northern Minnesota, Les contributed greatly to the success of dealerships coast to coast.
• Lube-Tech (aka Lubrication Technologies, Inc.) in the early 1990s created for Polaris its first brand-exclusive, specially blended motor oil for Polaris 2-stroke snowmobile engines. Lube-Tech has since provided the company with specially formulated oils for engines in all Polaris vehicles, with each oil specially engineered for optimal performance and engine longevity. Lube-Tech has provided Polaris with exceptional customer service and breakthrough technology, including the first synthetic oil for a 4-stroke ATV engine, the first synthetic for 2-stroke engines, and the first smokeless 2-stroke oil.
• Arlen Ness Motorcycles, a leading Victory Motorcycles and Indian Motorcycle dealership in Dublin, California. Its principals, legendary custom bike builder Arlen Ness and his son, fellow custom builder Cory Ness, have long served as styling consultants and accessories suppliers for Victory. They have also created a series of limited-edition Ness Signature Series Victory models. The Nesses became Victory dealers in 1999, providing the new brand with invaluable credibility because of Arlen’s legendary stature in the motorcycle world. Today, three generations of Ness custom builders lead the business, as Cory’s son Zach is also a high-profile team member.
• M & M Lawn & Leisure operates Polaris snowmobile and off-road vehicle (ORV) dealerships in Rushford and Pine Island, Minnesota. The dealerships owned by Mike Burns and his wife Christie have enjoyed long-term success through a company-wide commitment to unsurpassed customer service, support of community activities and rider groups, and by utilizing the dealer resources Polaris provides to maximum effect. When torrential rains flooded the city of Rushford in 2007, M & M, with Polaris support, provided vehicles and dealership resources, including full use of the building itself, to emergency operations teams.
• Reno Cycles & Gear, a Polaris dealership owned and operated by Bill Hermant, his wife Donna, and their daughter Kimberly in Reno, Nevada. When Bill became a Victory Motorcycles dealer in 2000, the business was located in a rundown building in a rough part of town. Passionate about powersports and committed to providing premium customer service, he successfully grew the business. Reno Cycles & Gear features a factory trained service staff that delivers superior vehicle service and maintenance. In 2007, the dealership moved into a large, modern, high-profile facility, and it continues to grow as it sells and services all Polaris product lines.
• Roseau Community & Roseau Polaris Employees are receiving special recognition in this, the company’s 60th anniversary year. Polaris was incorporated in Roseau in the 1954, and six decades of Roseau employees – with the support of the city and entire community – have maintained the company’s commitment to product innovation and quality. The Polaris engineering and production facility in Roseau has grown rapidly over the years, as has the outstanding, dedicated workforce that creates world-class products in the company’s hometown.
