Podium Finish for Husqvarna

Glenn Kearney finishes third in Round 3 of AMA Eastern National Hare-Scramble Series

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – June 18, 2008…With the dirt barely removed from their fingernails and bikes, the Husqvarna Team took a detour between rounds of the 2008 Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) Racing Series and traveled to Elkland, PA, where it earned its second podium finish in two weeks – this time, in the third round of the AMA Eastern National Hare-Scramble series.  The event, held at the Miles Mountain Motocross facility June 14-15, was the first National Hare Scramble the Husqvarna team has attended this year.

Husqvarna Team Rider Glenn Kearney finished third overall in the Pro Class, while teammate Gordon Crockard and guest rider Heath Voss finished eighth and ninth on Husqvarna TXC 450 bikes.  Voss’s performance was especially significant, considering it was the first national off-road race for the veteran Supercross/Motocross rider and he had only ridden the Husqvarna for the first time the day before the race.

“I was extremely impressed with many of the features on the bike, and I am confident that I can improve upon my results when I personalize those features for my riding style,” said Voss.

Team Manager and five-time GNCC Champion Scott Summers posted his sixth straight win in a row on a Husqvarna TXC 510 in the Vet A (30+) Class.

Mark Brady, the recently appointed general manager of Husqvarna Motorcycles North America, LLC, was a helpful and enthusiastic member of the weekend’s pit crew.  Brady, an 18-year veteran of the motorcycle industry, owns a Husqvarna TC 450 and is an avid dirt bike rider. 

“Once again, the Husqvarna team showcased the performance and durability of the bikes after competing 12 hours and 280 miles without any mechanical problems in extremely dry, dusty rocky conditions,” observed Brady, who is making strides toward reestablishing the Husqvarna brand as a leader in the North American off-road market. 

Next weekend, June 21–22, Team Husqvarna travels to Yadkinville, North Carolina for the Elka Yadkin Valley Stomp, the eighth round of the GNCC Racing Series.

Husqvarna Motorcycles NA, LLC -- part of BMW (US) Holding Corp. – announced a return to off-road racing competition earlier this year, after reaching an agreement with Scott Summers, Inc. to provide a two-man professional race team to compete in the GNCC Racing Series.  The riders pilot 2008 Husqvarna TXC 450 off-road models in the GNCC’s XC1 class.

Crockard, of Burlington, KY, is enjoys doing battle against the best GNCC riders in the world.  The 29-year-old former World Motocross Champion contender participated with Jean-Francois Goblet and Anders Erickson in an Öhlins suspension test in southern Spain, prior to arriving in America for the start of his debut season in the GNCC series, which attracts riders from the United States, Europe, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Kearney, of Hickory, NC, rose to prominence as an off-road racer in Australia, riding for the factory Yamaha team and earning top spots on the WR250F in several series.  In the U.S., the 26-year-old Australian Enduro Champion, has proven to be one of the hardest working riders in the GNCC series, adhering to a grueling training program and possessing considerable heart and determination on the track.

 Scott Summers, one of the most celebrated off-road racers of our time, is partnering with Husqvarna after racing very successfully for American Honda for nearly two decades.

During his time with Honda, he earned nearly 100 overall national off-road event wins as well as 9 AMA Championships (five in the brutally competitive GNCC series and four in the far-reaching National Hare Scrambles Series.  During his career, Summers did much more than win races and titles.  He successfully transitioned from his role as a professional athlete to that of a businessman and the owner of his own race team.  Since then, Summers has mentored other young up-and-coming racers, helping them understand what it takes to win at the highest level of the sport.  During the 2007 GNCC Series, the most competitive Off-Road Championship in the world, Summers Racing earned podium finishes in 25% of the championship rounds.

Team Husqvarna sponsors include Axo, Spectro, Pirelli, Wiseco, Tireballs, Arai, Scott USA, EK Chain, Twin Air, UFO, Tag, Mechanix Wear, Holeshot Motorsports, Powersports Grafx, CTI, LeoVince, DP Brakes, and Cycra.

The AMA/ATVA-sanctioned Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series is America's premier off-road racing series and one of the most physically demanding sports in the world. The riders must navigate rugged terrain such as woods, mud, dirt, rocks and jumps for nearly three hours, while racing against the best talent in the world. The 13-round race series stretches through the eastern US, starting with the season-opener in Melbourne, FL in March and concluding with the season-finale in Crawfordsville, IN in October. Upwards of 1,500 racers compete at each GNCC round and the race action draws several thousand fans each weekend as well as a loyal following on television.  

For more information about the Grand National Cross Country Series, visit http://www.gnccracing.com/.

Information about Scott Summers or Summers racing can be obtained by contacting OMS Sports LLC 714-538-1803 and asking for Sharon Richards.

Husqvarna Motorcycles NA, LLC
Husqvarna Motorcycles NA, LLC is part of BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, which is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.