MDK/Warthog Racing Thrives in Houston
Once again, the backbone of the Warthog Nation, Mastercraft’s Heath Voss put in an outstanding race. He finished a strong 3rd in his Heat race and backed it up with a 12th in the main, making him the first non-factory rider across the line. He now trails Paul Carpenter for Privateer of the Year honors by 7 points after skipping Phoenix to win 'The Überman of Dortmund' title in Germany.
All seven MDK/Warthog Racing Academy riders easily qualified for the night show. Manu Rivas led the way in Supercross qualifying followed by Antonio Balbi, Eric Sorby, and Clayton Miller. In Lites action, both Vince Friese and Jacob Saylor qualified very strongly followed by young Logan Martin.
The Supercross Heat races saw Manu Rivas qualify for the first time this year. Manu has been nursing a separated shoulder as well as a dislocated finger and needed this momentum builder. Balbi had an unfortunate crash while in fourth place, putting a significant damper on his evening. Eric Sorby, after driving day and night from North Carolina to make the race, barely missed qualifying in his heat so it was off to the LCQ for Eric. In the LCQ, Eric gated well then fought very hard for a qualifying position. Alas, the endurance sapping road trip had just taken too much energy out of the one they call “Soreballs”, though he put in an epic run in his LCQ that was talked about for days on the Internet!! Look for Eric to be fighting his way forward in San Francisco, damn the torpedoes!!
Both Vince Friese and Jacob Saylor qualified easily for the main from their Heat races. In the main, Vince ran as high as 4th before dropping back to a still stellar 6th place, where he stayed until two laps before the finish. A crash ruined his night but it was clear to everyone that Vince has a ton of potential. Jacob Saylor really came through; after less than one day on the bike, Jacob continued to find speed all day and night, improving every time he hit the track. He ran as high as 9th in the main before a bobble left him back in 11th, still the best finish of the day by a Hog
MotoConcepts Racing (MCRMX) a primary member of the 2009 Warthog Nation, had a very good night. Cole Siebler and Ben Coisy both made the Supercross main, finishing 14th and 16th respectively on their MDK Speed Equipment Honda race bikes.
Joining the Warthog Nation movement as the series swings East is the Privateers’ Privateer Daniel Blair and his little buddy Jacob Locks. Daniel has been a symbol of the privateer lifestyle for now going on a decade. He is definitely a soldier to be honored, especially after tearing off a 9th place finish in the Lites main, the best finish of his career.
Needless to say, the Warthog Nation movement is growing rapidly. Philosophically, the Warthog Nation is really just the embodiment of a fundamental Warthog Racing principle -- Warthog Racing has always been about the “big tent” philosophy. We welcome partnerships with all like minded teams and organizations that want to work together to make the sport of Supercross and Motocross a grand sport for the Privateer racers. Said Scott Kandel, Warthog Racing’s Chief Altruistic Officer, “Our philosophies have always been about racers helping racers; in today’s economy, this approach is more important than ever.”
This season would not be possible without our committed and actively engaged sponsor/partner group. For 2009, we have teamed up with the following entities: MDK Motorsports, MDK Speed, DeCal Works, Smooth Industries, Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI), P-LoK, MotoConcepts, Transworld Motocross, Vanquish MX, DT1 Air Filters, MXResultz.com, Devol Engineering, Liquid Performance, LongShot Racing, CP Pistons, VP Fuel, Dunlop, The Plumber Inc., MB2 Raceway, Edgile Consulting, MX Sports, Vortex, MotionPro, Dana K Business Parks, The Whitaker Wellness Institute, Atlantic Promotions, NXTAgency, Relentless Media, MotoTees, RacerX Illustrated, Dirt Rider Magazine, MartialMoto, Honolulu Hills Raceway, L&M Racing, and Fire and Police MX.
With this fine group, anything is possible. And special thanks to Feld Motor Sports. Because of their full support, dozens of privateers get the opportunity to live their dreams.
Take care and we’ll see you at the races!!
About Warthog Racing:
Warthog Racing (WR) is a unique company formed to better the sport of motocross. WR is comprised of two distinct entities: the not for profit Warthog Racing Academy, created to conceptualize, fund, and execute meaningful programs aimed directly at supporting the privateers; and Warthog Enterprises (WE), which focuses on merchandise and entertainment products. The WR website is at www.WarthogRacing.com
About MDK Motorsports and MDK Speed Equipment:
MDK Motorsports, LLC and MDK Speed Equipment, LLC are privately held companies and part of the MDK brand family of motocross related products and services. With 30 years of experience in Aerospace Engineering and a passion for high performance 4-stroke motocross bikes, MDK Speed Equipment delivers technology and products that have not been previously available to the general public.
AS 9003 aerospace manufacturing protocols are used, along with countless hours of dyno, flow bench, and track testing to enable MDK SE to provide products and services that deliver great performance and durability. MDK Motorsports and MDK Speed Equipment are located in San Jose, California. For more information go to www.MDKMoto.com or www.MDKSpeed.com
About DeCal Works:
Founded in 1989 by Ron and Janeen Joynt, DeCal Works has been the industry leader in pre-printed backgrounds and custom graphics for over 19 years. With a passion for racing, DeCal Works has since its early days, focused all its attention in supporting amateur and privateers riders.
“DeCal Works, The Original” www.decalmx.com
About Smooth Industries:
Smooth Industries LLC is the leader in Officially Licensed Motocross apparel and accessories using images and the likeness of the sports biggest names including Jeremy McGrath, Travis Pastrana, Chad Reed, Ryan Villopoto, Kevin Windham, Monster Pro Circuit Kawasaki, Rockstar Makita Suzuki and more. It is our goal to provide quality motocross themed products for fans of all ages, giving them fresh and innovative designs to express their passion for not only their favorite riders and teams but the sport itself in hopes of continuing to aid in the overall growth of the sport of motocross. For more information, please visit our website at www.SmoothIndustries.com
About Synergy Racing Technologies:
Synergy Racing Technologies is a group of sponsors and individuals whose mission is to: conceptualize, fund, and execute meaningful programs aimed directly at supporting the Privateers thus helping to progress the sport we love. SRT is focused on providing their riders with the best platform to succeed while making optimal use of race team resources to maximize sponsorship value.
About MotoConcepts:
MotoConcepts is a Pacific Northwest Manufacturer of innovative and unique Motorsports accessories designed for the professional and recreational rider. MotoConcepts is proud to partner with top motocross companies like MDK Speed, Warthog Racing, Smooth Industries, and DeCal Works to help support the MCRMX team. For more information visit www.MotoConcepts.com