plus 3, VerticalScope Acquires Off-Road.com - Off-Road.com

VerticalScope Acquires Off-Road.com - Off-Road.com
SCORE Announces MasterCraft Safety as New Sponsor of MasterCraft ... - Who Won
AMA News and Notes March 2010 - Motorcycle USA
Company Profile for QCSA Auto Auctions / CrashedToys.com - StreetInsider.com

VerticalScope Acquires Off-Road.com - Off-Road.com

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 09:44 AM PST

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Untitled Document

Off-Road.com is proud to announce some exciting news today, as VerticalScope Inc. has just acquired the off-road enthusiast Web site from Advanstar Communications Inc. VerticalScope Inc., which owns and operates the Internet's largest network of automotive and powersports web sites, plans to continue providing off-roaders with the same great content, event coverage, forums and social media sections that off-roaders have come to expect for last 15 years.

"Off-Road.com is a great fit with our portfolio of premier auto and powersports web sites, which include brands such as Motrocycle.com, ATV.com and AutoGuide.com," said Rob Laidlaw, CEO of VerticalScope.

Off-Road.com was originally launched in 1995 and has grown to become one of the most respected online authorities in the off-road market. Since its inception, the site has covered the wide range of off-road activities with interactive forums and an archive of more than 100,000 pages of searchable content on trucks, Jeeps, ATVs, dirt bikes and the off-roading lifestyle.

"This is a great situation for Off-Road.com and its visitors, and I am excited to help take the site to the next level with VerticalScope," said Josh Burns, Off-Road.com editor. "VerticalScope is a company committed to the Web, and the tools and resources at our disposal will only help provide an even better experience for site users."

Advanstar's CEO Joe Loggia said, "We are pleased to have found such a well-qualified strategic buyer for Off-Road.com. VerticalScope is a valued partner of ours and I am confident the site's community and advertisers are being passed on to very capable hands."

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SCORE Announces MasterCraft Safety as New Sponsor of MasterCraft ... - Who Won

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 08:25 AM PST

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Friday, February 12, 2010
SCORE Announces MasterCraft Safety as New Sponsor of MasterCraft Safety SCORE Rookie of the Year Award

by Dominic Clark

LOS ANGELES -- On the eve of this weekend's computerized start draw for next month's 24th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, SCORE International has announced that prominent Southern California manufacturing company MasterCraft Safety has signed a three-year contract to be the sponsor of the prestigious SCORE Rookie of the Year award.

With the World's Foremost Desert Racing Series having launched its 37th season in January at the 16th Annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge in Laughlin, Nev., SCORE CEO/President Sal Fish in association with MasterCraft Safety owner and SCORE racer Robbie Pierce made a joint announcement regarding one of the most significant of SCORE's annual Off-Roadsman of the Year awards.

"SCORE is extremely enthusiastic regarding this extension of our strategic alliance with Robbie Pierce and his MasterCraft Safety organization," said Sal Fish, SCORE CEO/President of SCORE International since soon after it was founded in 1973. "Robbie and MasterCraft Safety are becoming increasingly pro-active in the desert racing community and SCORE is honored to have them bring additional support of this stature to our annual SCORE Rookie of the Year award."

Among the prominent previous winners of the SCORE Rookie of the Year award are Jimmie Johnson (1995), Ricky Johnson (1993), Robby Gordon (1987), Brian Ickler (2003), Alan Pflueger (2002), Andy McMillin (2004) and one of only two female winners in SCORE history--Bekki Freeman-Wik (1998).

Recent winners of the SCORE Rookie of the Year award, who are entered in this year's MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 field are: Eric Chase (2007, Class 1), Lee Banning (2008, SCORE Lite) and Brian Wilson (2009, Class 1-2/1600).

"Even though I've been around the sport for a while now, I can appreciate both as a racer and as a manufacturer the commitment and courage it takes to be a rookie in our sport and MasterCraft Safety is grateful to SCORE for allowing us to be a part of the SCORE Rookie of the Year award program," said Robbie Pierce, CEO of MasterCraft Safety and driver of the No. 30 Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck. "Rookies are the future of our sport in so many ways and MasterCraft Safety is honored to be able to help recognize their accomplishments. And, there is no other series in the world where it means more to be the rookie of the year than the SCORE Desert Series."

Under terms of this agreement, the SCORE Rookie of the Year will receive a $2,000 cash bonus as well as a fully-embroidered MasterCraft Safety signature custom race suit which will include a special logo honoring their award. A unique perpetual trophy is being developed for the award which will be on display at the MasterCraft Safety headquarters and the winner will receive a replica of that trophy.

The MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 is SCORE's annual 'spring break' desert race, the first of three SCORE Baja races held annually, and is once again expected to feature nearly 250 entries competing in 28 Pro and 6 Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs.

The computerized drawing for starting positions, by class, for the 232-mile race is Saturday at the SCORE headquarters in Los Angeles. The popular event will be held March 12-14 in San Felipe, the picturesque fishing village located along the Sea of Cortez on the Northeastern side of Mexico's majestic Baja California peninsula.

Based near San Diego in Santee, Calif., MasterCraft Safety is the leading manufacturer of performance off-road suspension seating, five-point restraints, window nets, and limit straps. In addition to its three-year agreement as co-title sponsor for the San Felipe race with SCORE International, MasterCraft Safety will also be providing an added $10,000 cash contingency purse to the event.

At the 24th MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250, MasterCraft Racing has entered not only Pierce's No. 30 SCORE Trophy-Truck, but also the No. 20 Chevy Silverado SCORE Trophy-Truck to be driven by eight-time SCORE season class point champion Rob MacCachren of Las Vegas and the No. 42 Chevy Silverado driven by Will Staats, Valencia, Calif. All three trucks were built by prominent chassis builder Mike Julson's Jimco Racing Products of Santee, Calif. Julson is listed as a co-driver for both Pierce and MacCachren for this race, if needed.

The MasterCraft racers will not be eligible to win any part of the special $10,000 MasterCraft Safety cash contingency bonus purse MasterCraft Safety has offered for this year's San Felipe race.

In San Felipe, the green flag will drop at 6 a.m. on Saturday, March 13, for the motorcycle and ATV classes, followed three hours later by the car and truck classes at approximately 10 a.m. The start line for the race will once again be the landmark San Felipe Arches on Highway 5 on the outskirts of San Felipe. The race will finish just south of the Arches, directly behind the Tecate building.

The pre-race Manufacturer's Midway and tech inspection of the vehicles in the race will be held on Friday, March 12 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the picturesque Malecon, flanked by the Sea of Cortez on one side and the popular restaurants and night clubs of San Felipe on the other.

MasterCraft Safety's full-line of performance seating offers both comfort and protection in high "G" load situations and provides an 84% reduction of energy in a 50 G load impact. Featuring nine different seat designs and a variety of material options, MasterCraft Safety offers a suspension seat to fit any off-roader's lifestyle. Whether it is the deep-sided, race-proven design of the 3G or the Jeep enthusiasts favorite, the fully-reclining Baja RS model, MasterCraft Safety has the ideal seat perfectly suited for any off-road conditions or terrain.

MasterCraft Safety has also recently expanded the product offering to include a full-line of performance driving suits, fuel and pit crew fire suits, neck braces, helmet skirts, and elbow and knee pads for pit crew safety. Available in SFI 3.2A/1 and SFI 3.2A/5, the performance driving suits meet and exceed all stated fire protection requirements while providing a comfortable fit and design. Optional hidden-pockets and sewn-in elbow and knee pads make this the first racesuit specifically tailored to the unique environmental conditions of desert racing.

More information on MasterCraft Safety's full-line of products can be found by visiting www.mastercraftsafety.com.

Following his dominating season-opening victory at the 16th SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge, third-generation desert racer Andy McMillin, who was recently honored as the 2009 Dirt Sports Magazine Driver of the Year, finds himself at the top of a very crowded Overall leaderboard in the 2010 SCORE Desert Series point standings. With 63 points, McMillin, who will split driving the rest of the season with his father Scott McMillin, also leads the marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck class for high-tech, 800-horsepower, unlimited production trucks in his No. 31 McMillin Realty Ford F-150.

With just 22 points separating the top 21 in 2010 SCORE Overall points after Laughlin's season-opener, SCORE racers are now preparing to begin official pre-running which opens on Saturday, Feb. 27. A new attraction this year during the pre-running window will be the San Felipe Tequila Festival March 5-7.

In addition to season class point championships, drivers in the Pro car and truck classes are also racing for part of the nearly $400,000 in cash purse and contingency postings as well as earn prestigious SCORE Toyota Milestone Awards given to all car and truck class drivers who complete every required mile of the five-race season. Being presented by Toyota Motorsports for the 25th consecutive year, a total of 59 drivers remain eligible after Round 1 of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series. Racers are also competing for the annual SCORE Off-Roadsman of the Year awards, including the MasterCraft Safety SCORE Rookie of the Year award.

Current SCORE official annual sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Volkswagen of America-official vehicle, Sunoco Race Fuels-official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, Slime-official tire sealant and Red Bull-official energy drink. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, MasterCraft Safety, Blue C Advertising, Off-Road, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

Associate sponsors for the MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 are the Tourism and Convention Bureau of Mexicali/San Felipe and Cotuco.

Additional sponsors in Baja are the Secretary of Tourism of Baja California and ProTurismo de Ensenada.

The race annually provides a greater economic impact to San Felipe than the popular month-long 'Spring Break'.

For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.

MasterCraft Safety SCORE Rookie of the Year Award Winners

(1974 thru 2009, voted by SCORE membership)

1974—Frank Vessels

1975—Carroll Ditson

1976—Jackie Thomison

1977—Jerry Boone

1978—Jim Jacobus

1979—Dixie Hawkins

1980—Ray Encabo

1981—Malcolm Vinje

1982—Roger Mortenson

1983—Mike Falkosky

1984—John Clark Gable

1985—Rob Tolleson

1986—Brian Stewart

1987—Robby Gordon

1988—Doug Fortin

1989—Scott Reams

1990—Charlie Townsley

1991—Dan Smith

1992—Brian Goodrich

1993—Ricky Johnson

1994—Tom Rusich

1995—Jimmie Johnson

1996—TIE-Chuck Harris

& Tom Dittfield

1997—John Herder

1998—Bekki Freeman

1999—Jared Hardin

2000—Jeremy Spirkoff

2001—Jason Hunter

2002—Alan Pflueger

2003—Brian Ickler

2004—Andy McMillin

2005—Caleb Gaddis

2006—Garron Cadiente

2007—Eric Chase

2008—Lee Banning

2009—Brian Wilson

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AMA News and Notes March 2010 - Motorcycle USA

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 08:04 AM PST

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AMA News & Notes is a monthly publication compiled and edited by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Government Relations Department. Designed to inform motorcyclists of rights-related issues and events around the world, News & Notes welcomes your input. Suggestions and editorial contributions can be sent to AMA Legislative Assistant Sheila Andrews by e-mail at sandrews@ama-cycle.org.

Protect your right to ride! Volunteering is easier than you think. Visit us at AmericanMotorcyclist.com > Rights > Get Involved to learn how you can help.

Sign up and stay informed: AMA's electronic Action Alerts and News & Notes keep you informed on hot topics, news affecting the motorcycling community and opportunities to communicate with your elected officials. By signing up to receive AMA Action Alerts, you will be notified by e-mail when and how you can make a difference on important issues. Click here to see the most recent AMA Action Alerts, and click here to sign up.

In addition to signing up for AMA Action Alerts, you can sign up to receive AMA's monthly electronic edition of News & Notes. AMA News & Notes keeps motorcyclists informed of rights-related issues and events around the world. Click here and check the "Sign me up for AMA's Government Relations News & Notes" box at the bottom of the page.

Washington, D.C.: President's Budget Proposal Would Slash Trail Funding. President Obama's newly submitted proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2011 could be disastrous for motorized trail users. Buried in the nearly 200-page document is one paragraph dealing with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Capital Improvement and Maintenance (CIM) program. The CIM program funds improvements, maintenance and operations of U.S. Forest Service roads, trails and recreation infrastructure. Under the budget proposal, the CIM program would be cut by $100 million -- from a $538 million appropriation in FY 2010 to a proposed $438 million in FY 2011.

The proposed cut is particularly disturbing in light of the Forest Service's recent work on off-highway vehicle (OHV) travel management. Many National Forests have only recently completed their travel management plans and will need funding for implementation. As these plans were developed, local Forest Service staff repeatedly told OHV enthusiasts that they lacked sufficient funding to maintain existing trails, provide trailhead facilities or to adequately inventory existing trails. Furthermore, funding for good trail design, construction and maintenance is essential to meeting the Administration's stated goals of erosion control, watershed health and forest restoration.

The AMA urges its members to contact their federal elected officials and request that they oppose any cut in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's CIM budget.
Visit www.amadirectlink.com/legisltn/rapidresponse.asp for more information.

Washington, D.C.: A report released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) shows a continuation in the decline of fatalities and injuries associated with all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use. According to the CPSC, total ATV-related injuries in 2008 decreased 10 percent from 2007, with injuries to children under 16 declining six percent.

The CPSC also reported that the risk of injury per 10,000 four-wheel ATVs in use declined by 15 percent from 2007 to 2008. This is the seventh straight year that injury risk for ATV riders has decreased, and it is now lower than at any time since CPSC began calculating this injury risk in 1985. Four-wheel ATVs have become increasingly popular, with the number of vehicles in use increasing more than 300 percent since 1998.
Source: http://www.amadirectlink.com/news/story.asp?id=1706

Washington, DC: Transportation Department bans texting for commercial truck drivers. Following up on last year's distracted driving summit, in which the AMA was an invited guest, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced new federal guidance to expressly prohibit texting by drivers of commercial vehicles. The prohibition is effective immediately and is the latest in an ongoing series of actions taken since the national summit was held.

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) research shows that drivers who send and receive text messages take their eyes off the road for an average of 4.6 seconds out of every 6 seconds while texting. At 55 miles per hour, this means that the driver is traveling the length of a football field, including the end zones, without looking at the road. Drivers who text while driving are more than 20 times more likely to be involved in a crash than non-distracted drivers. Because of the safety risks associated with the use of electronic devices while driving, FMCSA is all working on additional regulatory measures that will be in the near future.

To read the AMA's position statement on distracted and inattentive driving, please go to www.AmericanMotorcyclist.com/legisltn/positions/distracted.asp.

Boston, Mass.: Attorney General recovers $11.1 million in motorcycle insurance overcharges for consumers. The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has entered into settlements with Safety Insurance Company ("Safety"), Liberty Mutual Insurance Company ("Liberty") and Quincy Mutual Fire Insurance Company ("Quincy") resolving allegations that they overcharged consumers for motorcycle insurance by using incorrect motorcycle values to calculate premiums. The settlements, which return $11.1 million to consumers, stem from an investigation that the Attorney General's Office began over a year ago, after a consumer filed a complaint with the office's Insurance & Financial Services Division.

The Massachusetts Motorcycle Association (MMA) is spearheading the effort to ensure that all motorcyclists entitled to refunds get them.

"The AGO has reached out to the motorcycling community, through the MMA, out of concern that the insurance companies might not be able to identify and locate the riders," said MMA Chairman Dave Condon. "All riders are encouraged to contact the MMA directly for assistance in expediting your refund."

To qualify for a refund, you must answer "yes" to the following questions:
o Did you buy motorcycle insurance from the Safety, Liberty or Quincy insurance company?
o Did your motorcycle insurance policy contain the collision or comprehensive options?
o Did you buy this optional motorcycle insurance at any time during the years 2002 to the present?

If you answered "yes" to all three questions, then you may be due a refund and are urged to send your contact information via e-mail to: MyRefund@MassMotorcycle.org. Or by mail to the following address: Attn: MA AGO Insurance Settlement, P.O. Box 378, Brimfield, MA 01010.

The contact information will be shared only with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office Insurance and Financial Services Division and the named insurance carrier, Condon said. The information should include your name, address (past and present), telephone number, e-mail, and the year, make, model and VIN number of the motorcycle or motorcycles that were insured.

Alternately, the AGO has worked with the three insurance companies to establish the following hotlines: Liberty (800) 569-5411, Quincy (800) 899-1116, and Safety (877) 951-6416.

Auto insurance companies are required to calculate premiums by following the rules in their rating manuals. The settling insurers' rating manuals required the insurers to use current motorcycle book values to calculate the collision and comprehensive premiums charged to consumers. However, rather than using current book values to calculate premiums, the settling insurers in many cases allegedly used motorcycle values that were inflated and out-of-date.
Under the terms of the settlements filed in Suffolk Superior Court, it is anticipated that Safety will return $7.2 million to policyholders; Liberty will return $3.1 million to policyholders; and Quincy will return $800,000 to policyholders. The three insurance companies will also make payments to the state totaling $510,000. The settlements cover alleged overcharges going back to 2002 and require the insurers to pay six percent interest to consumers on the alleged overcharges. Average refunds to consumers are anticipated to be approximately $300 with some consumers receiving thousands of dollars. Tens of thousands of policies are believed to have been affected.

Source: http://www.massmotorcycle.org/content.aspx?page_id=5&club_id=769540&item_id=11858

Lake Elsinore, Calif.: Roadracing World Magazine interviews AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. Roadracing World Magazine's David Swarts talked with Dingman about professional racing, vintage racing and the current state of the AMA. Broken into three parts, the interview addressed many questions about the AMA's past and present activities, including how the Association benefits from the sale of AMA Pro Racing assets, the new direction of vintage racing in America, and how the AMA will grow membership moving forward.

- Part 1, AMA Pro Racing: http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=39217
- Part 2, Vintage Racing: http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=39219
- Part 3, The State of the AMA: http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=39218

Ocotillo, Calif: California State Parks recently kicked-off a comprehensive update of the General Plan for the popular Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. A General Plan is a broad-based policy document that establishes a long-range vision and goals. The plan also provides direction on future types of improvements, services, and programs. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The EIR will evaluate potential environmental effects associated with adoption of the General Plan.
A consulting firm is assisting Ocotillo Wells with this process and has a short questionnaire posted.

Visit PlanOcotilloWells.com to help identify key planning issues to be considered.

Washington State: The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has released its Draft Reiter Foothills Forest Recreation Plan. While approximately 4,000 acres of the 10,000-acre area being studied have seen off-highway motorcycle use in the past, the new DNR plan proposes limiting motorized use to 1,100 acres. That would represent a 72.5 percent reduction in available riding opportunities despite a DNR survey that showed motorcycling is the most popular use for the area (60 percent of user groups surveyed). The DNR admits that the 1,100 acres proposed is inadequate to accommodate existing use, and their own research has identified additional area suitable for OHV use. Furthermore, because the plan does not explicitly identify motorized single-track motorcycle trails, there is no guarantee that there will be any left open to motorized use.

A "Save Reiter" Facebook page has been created and the Northwest Motorcycle Associations website has the latest information.
Source: http://www.nmaoffroad.org/index.shtml

Hot Springs, Ark.: Members of Arkansas' congressional delegation say a U.S. Forest Service plan to close areas of the Ouachita National Forest to OHVs is misguided and have requested a halt to the implementation of the project.

Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and U.S. Representative Mike Ross say any such rule could hurt the economy in western Arkansas. Lincoln cites the Mena area in particular as one that would be hard-hit by any ban in the National Forest. Pryor and Ross also asked officials of the National Forest to "re-engage" with local and state officials to find a commonsense solution. "Reasonable access to our nation's public lands, for both jobs and recreation, is something many Arkansans depend upon," Lincoln said in a news release.
Source: http://www.baxterbulletin.com

Great Falls, Mont.: the National Off Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) is holding another round of Public Land Advocacy webinars soon. These webinars will complement the highly popular Public Land Advocacy DVD series. The webinar series will help participants understand and be effectively involved in OHV management and agency planning processes. Topics such as, writing effective comments, working with land managers, the agency process for designating routes, and so on are intended to help individuals promote and preserve OHV riding opportunities. There will also be information for land managers including getting to know the enthusiasts and how to provide excellent trail systems for riders.

Individuals will have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenter and to interact with other participants.

Visit www.nohvcc.org/education/webinars.asp for dates and sign up information.

Columbia, S.C.: South Carolina's highest court has heard arguments over whether a city can require motorcycle riders to wear helmets, despite the lack of a state law requiring them.

In September 2008, the Myrtle Beach City Council voted unanimously to pass 15 ordinances intended to crack down on rallies, including the helmet requirement. Violators of the helmet law face a $100 fine but no jail time. Justices questioned an attorney for the city over what they seemed to view as the intent of the ordinance: which was not to make Myrtle Beach's roads safer for riders, but instead to discourage attendance at two popular biker rallies.

State Rep. Thad Viers argued that a state law governing traffic ordinances specifically spells out what local governments are allowed to do regarding traffic laws. He also contended that allowing the municipal ordinance to trump existing state law would have serious consequences statewide.
Source: http://www.thestate.com/statewire/story/1139849.html

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Company Profile for QCSA Auto Auctions / CrashedToys.com - StreetInsider.com

Posted: 12 Feb 2010 07:35 AM PST

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February 12, 2010 10:40 AM EST

QCSA Auto Auctions is the nation's largest independent salvage auction with eight locations across the Midwest. Specializing in the sale and remarketing of insurance total loss, repossession and theft vehicles, QCSA has become the industry leader in innovation and customer service. All vehicles can be purchased at www.QCSA.com.

Crashed Toys LLC (www.CrashedToys.com) is a subsidiary of QCSA Auto Auctions. CrashedToys.com is the premier online specialty salvage auction, focused on the remarketing of motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, watercrafts and travel trailers. With locations in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Michigan, CrashedToys.com has quickly become the one-stop shop for total loss, repossession and theft specialty items.

 Company: QCSA Auto Auctions / CrashedToys.com Headquarters Address: 7300 N. Brady Street Suite B Davenport, IA 52806 Main Telephone: 866-355-7272 Website: www.qcsa.com Type of Organization: Private Industry: Automotive Key Executives: Exec. VP: Jerry Sullivan Public Relations Contact: Joe Woit Phone: 563-823-6554 Email: jwoit@qcsa.com