Thackers Summer Update

Thacker’s Summer Update

SLDNX: What’s going on in the world of Paul Thacker ?    PT: Well, I am back up in AK taking a little time off. This past season was one of my busiest by far and it’s been great to get home for a bit, heal up all the seasons’ bumps and bruises and enjoy the house that I never see!   SLDNX: How did your 08-09 season end up?   PT: Overall I had a great season. I stayed fairly healthy and accomplished some big things. The most obvious being the 300 footer, pretty stoked on that. It’s been a goal since I started jumping… to jump a football field… and it was awesome to make it happen for Monster Energy, Slednecks , and all of my great sponsors and supporters.   It was really good to go to X Games again as well. I was pretty confident coming in that I could medal this year, especially in Speed N Style, but it just wasn’t meant to be. I had some bad luck or really good luck considering I walked away from a couple bad get offs. It’s just more motivation to come back stronger this year. We also had the Monster Energy Slednecks Invasion Tour that found much success, big crowds and great entertainment. I’m definitely looking to get that rolling again next year and hopefully on a bigger scale.   SLDNX: Your Slednecks family, so it should be no surprise that you inked a contract extension with us recently and have some cool stuff rolling out.  Why don’t you tell everyone what’s up…   PT: Yeah, I am pretty stoked on the whole thing really. The most exciting part is we are looking to expand my signature line and start adding some other pieces to it. I’m stoked to get to work with the designers and put my own personal spin on a few items like hoodies and such. I am pretty confident that we can come up with something that the folks out there will dig.   SLDNX: Slednecks 12 is coming out in August, what’s the word on your segment?   PT: Well, I have been talking with Clay a bit and he seems pretty stoked on my part in the new flick. There will be a lot of lifestyle and behind the scenes this year as well as some solid freestyle and backcountry. I am stoked for folks to get a chance to get to know us as riders with this film. All the film guys rip but I like it when you actually get to see what makes them tick in addition to the hucking.  It should be a really good film this year.   SLDNX: It’s June, is it finally summer yet in Alaska ? Are you riding and racing moto?   PT: Man, I have been treated to an epic summer already. We have had a bunch of 80 degree weather. I actually have a full AK tan right now! Haha. Summer solstice was this past weekend and we had over 22 hours of daylight. It’s crazy really. You go out at night and the suns up and you come out at closing time and the sun is up. It takes a bit to get used to, but overall it’s pretty cool.   I have been riding some, just getting into the groove on the bike again. I hadn’t ridden much since last summer so it takes a minute to get back up to speed. It’s coming and so is the fitness. I will ride pretty much everyday for the next month or so.     SLDNX: What does a professional snowmobiler do in the summer months?    PT: To be honest, I am not used to being at home this much at one time. But I had a good enough year that I am fortunate to be able to take a little time and enjoy this amazing place I live in. I have been doing some fishing and a little jet skiing. Basically, I’ve been just relaxing a bit. But that time is just about up, I am starting with a trainer here in the next couple weeks and its going to be 100 mph till the snow flies. This upcoming season I have a feeling is going to be a break out year for snowmobiling in general. We have some amazing stuff in the mix and it sounds like a lot of things are going to really happen. Its only June and I’m already looking forward to snow again.   Thanks all and keep it rubber side down!   PT11

Hibbert Heads North of the Border for First MX Race of the Season

Hibbert Heads North of the Border for First MX Race of the Season

Goodridge, Minn. (June 24, 2009) – Monster Energy’s Tucker Hibbert heads to Canada this weekend to kick off his motocross season at the Monster Energy Motocross National in Modern, Manitoba. Shadow Valley Raceway will host the fourth round of the series and is only a short drive from Hibbert’s hometown of Goodridge, Minn. Last year, Hibbert convincingly won the event after dominating both motos in the MX2 class. Similar to last year, Hibbert is competing as a privateer and after this weekend,
he’ll return to the United States to see where he stacks up against the 250 class in the AMA Lucas Oil Motocross Championship. He plans on racing five of the remaining seven events and hopes to break the coveted top-ten for the first time.

Hibbert is known worldwide for his unparalleled snocross performances at ESPN’s Winter X Games but actually started racing motorcycles before snowmobiles. Now the 25-year-old, duel-sport athlete spends his year balancing a career racing both motorcycles and snowmobiles professionally.
This summer marks his tenth year as a pro in both sports and he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

Racing action at Shadow Valley Raceway begins Sunday, June 28 at noon. For more information on Hibbert and this weekend’s event, check out
www.tucker-hibbert.com and www.cmrcracing.com.

Tucker Hibbert – #69
“I’m excited to get back to the races. I won both motos at Morden last year and hope to do the same this weekend. Shadow Valley Raceway is a great track and when the conditions are right, multiple lines develop which makes for intense racing.

It’s been a while since I’ve raced a national caliber motocross event but I’ve been busy with snocross, local motocross races, riding and training. I switched up my riding and training schedule this year so I’m anxious to see how it will affect my results. I had another really successful snocross season and that gives me a lot of confidence going into motocross. I feel strong mentally and know how to handle pressure. That’s a skill I think few riders have.

My goals this summer are to win this weekend in Canada and to be in the top-ten in the United States. I’m trying to keep my schedule light so I don’t get strung out. I’m racing as a privateer again so by spacing out my races, I think I can perform better. Bottom line is, if I can learn something new and have fun doing it, it will be a successful summer.”

Noteworthy: Tucker’s 25 birthday is today, June 24.
Tucker just launched a blog that he’ll update during the week and while he’s at the races – www.tucker-hibbert.com/blog.

Resources: tucker-hibbert.com • monsterenergy.com • cmrcracing.com

Monster Energy’s BMX roster is STACKED for the upcoming Dew Tour opener in Chicago, June 26-27

Defending Dew Tour champs Jamie Bestwick (BMX Vert), Cameron White (BMX Dirt) & BMX Park runner-up Mike Spinner headline the ’09 Monster BMX crew!

CORONA, Calif., (June 17, 2009) – Monster Energy’s roster for the upcoming Dew Tour opener, Chicago’s Nike 6.0 BMX Open, reads like a Who’s Who? of legendary BMX talent, all of which would end up in the BMX Hall of Fame should they ever build one. Names like Mirra, Bestwick, Guettler, Spinner, White and Cranmer – which stand alone to a BMXer like “Renaldo” does to a soccer player – will all be running the iconic M-claw logo this summer, beginning with next weekend’s (June 26-27) huge send-off to start the competition season.

The Chicago/Nike opener is unique in that it is purely BMX. No skate, which is a first for the Dew Tour. So added to the usual Vert, Park and Dirt event will be Street – making the weekend of June 26-27 pretty much the biggest BMX event in the world outside the X Games this year.

“I definitely feel this is a defining moment for BMX to stand on its own,” said Bestwick, who last year won four out of five Dew Tour BMX Vert overalls to win the Dew Cup, an unprecedented fourth-straight Dew Cup (the most in AST Dew Tour history) for him. “New city. New format. New fans. And all-new tricks for ’09. It’s going to be awesome.”

Added defending tour BMX Dirt champ, Monster Energy’s newly-signed Cameron White: “Dude, it’s gonna go off! So many guys are looking forward to this.”

As with Bestwick on the Vert ramp, White is the man to beat on the dirt jumps spanning the U.S. coast-to-coast in five Dew Tour events over five months this summer/fall. He says he’s coming back with some new variations on some of the tricks that won him the ’08 overall Dirt title, stuff worked on throughout the winter at his home in Australia. “I’ve got a big dirt jump set up back at home, along with a foam pit,” said White. “I put a little bit of time into the foam, mixed up my game a bit and want to come out with some tricks that people wouldn’t usually expect from me. Change up the image a little bit, few different stunts. Feeling confident for the year.”

Both Bestwick and White’s arch rivals are comic book-like. Chad Kagy is good enough to beat Bestwick – and did last year at Portland, Ore., – and White’s nemesis’, TJ Ellis and Dennis Enarson, are high on the list of numerous athletes White says can drop in and win Dew Dirt.

Running the M-claw and fitting that nemesis role in BMX Park is Mike Spinner. The likeable easterner did everything he could to topple Park’s Superman, Daniel Dhers. The two combined on a rivalry similar to that of Bestwick and Kagy – elevating the BMX Park competition bar to incredible heights along the way. And Spinner’s pumped on ’09 and getting things rolling in Chicago.

“It’s crazy right now. Daniel Dhers is the best park rider in the world,” said Spinner. “He’s super, super consistent, has the tricks and knows how to put it all together. With me, when I’m riding, it’s about doing tricks that nobody else has done. I’ve done the 1080. I’ve done the quadruple tail whip – and I’ve put them in the same run. But I tend to slack on the little things. So this winter that’s all I worked on. Fill the gaps, come on a little bit stronger and, hopefully, take one down.”

Add to the Bestwick/White/Spinner mix the greatest freestyle BMXer ever, Dave Mirra, and multi-event Dew Tour winners Ryan Guettler and new M-claw runner Scotty Cranmer, and the Monster Energy BMX crew looks to have an unreal shot at some serious hardware next weekend in Chicago!

For more on the Dew Tour hit up:  http://www.allisports.com/tour/4450/overview

Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it BMX, skate, MX, rally, insane distance jumping, SX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Monster Energy’s BMX guys runnin’ the Dew Tour dig ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com

Check out some sick videos of Monster’s Paul Thacker!

Browsing through YouTube and found SledHead27’s channel and a few videos of our very own rider Paul Thacker. Check ‘em out!

Chris devoured the competition at rounds 5 and 6 of the National APBA Tour in Myrtle Beach SC

Chris devoured the competition at rounds 5 and 6 of the National APBA Tour in  Myrtle Beach SC

Chris raced his Monster Energy ,Yamaha FZR to its fullest potential in the rough ocean waves taking 6 First Places in the Pro Am stock Runabout & Pro-Am Runabout Open class.

Chris Won all 4 of his Moto’s in Pro Am Stock Runabout races round 5 & 6. Chris has Won every Pro-Am Stock Runabout race he has entered so far this year, lapping up to 2nd place in round 6.

Chris wanted a challenge, so decided to take out his Stock Class Yamaha FZR in the Pro-Am Runabout Open Class in Round 6 against some of the World’s top riders. In true Chris MacClugage fashion he arose to the challenge and won both Moto 1 & 2 in Pro Am Runabout Open taking the overall win.

Round 5

Moto 1     Pro-Am Stock Runabout class  1st

Moto2      Pro-Am Stock Runabout class  1st

Round 6

Moto 1    Pro-Am Stock Runabout class  1st

Moto 2    Pro-Am Stock Runabout class  1st

Moto 1   Pro-Am Open Runabout class  1st

Moto 2   Pro-Am Open Runabout class  1st

3 Overall  1st Places

Rachel MacClugage also won all four of her races giving her the overall points lead in the APBA National Tour.

We look forward to Round 7 & 8 which will be held in Harbor Beach Michigan .

A big thank you to Monster Energy, Yamaha, MoTec (Pete), R&D (Bill Chapin) ,Macc Racing, Maxima Race oils, Quakysense, JE Pistons, HT Moto, Thor, Oakley, Carrillo, Race Deck.

http://www.apbaracing.com/2009/results/090606_results_nattour_rd5.pdf Round 5

http://www.apbaracing.com/2009/results/090607_results_nattour_rd6.pdf Round 6

Burandt Update!

What’s up to all my Monster Army peeps!  Just when I thought winter was over, this weekend it’s supposed to snow!  C’mon man…I want to dirt bike!  LOL  I really don’t have any cool stories like my sled team mate Paul (I think my side burns are cool) Thacker from the Gumball 3000, but I do have some pretty exciting  news.  Slednecks and I just finished up on Volume 2 of Burandt’s Back Country Adventure the video.  I am super stoked on how it turned out and it’s so cool to be the only snowmobile athlete out there with his own video line.  I’m so thankful for all the fans for their support and demand for this awesome project.  Stay tuned as here shortly I will have a teaser for the vid posted on www.Monster energy.com.  Also, only 2 ½ more months before there’s going to be a little “Big Air” running around.  I am so pumped to be a dad!  Well, the wife and I are heading to Ohio to visit some family for a little vacation.  Catch up with you all soon!

By the way, check out these cool pics from a photo shoot I did a couple weeks ago.  Some of these shots will be used in a feature article on Burandt’s Back country Adventure in an upcoming Sno-X magazine.  Stay tuned!

Burandt

Monster Energy Motocross Results: Hangtown

Monster Energy Motocross Results: Hangtown

Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Pourcel
wins 250 class @ Hangtown; Monster/Kawi’s Villopoto, who won the 450s
last week, is out with an injury

 

CORONA, Calif., (June 1, 2009) – Monster
Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Christophe Pourcel put up a powerful
statement this past weekend at round two of the ’09 Lucas Oil AMA MX
Nationals, winning the first 250 class moto in the closing laps, then posted
another excellent performance in the second moto to land on the podium again (3^rd)
– securing his first overall pro motocross win here in the States.

  “I am pleased to win here at Hangtown, but there is
still a lot of racing left this season and our goal as a team is the overall
championship,” said Pourcel. “I will look forward to seeing all the
fans of motocross this weekend in Texas and, hopefully, we can do well
again.”

  Pourcel’s effort almost came up a bit short as he was
docked a position – along with five other MX 250 class racers – by
the AMA for passing under a yellow flag situation. His actual race results,
1-2, was changed to 1-3 and he still was able to take the overall.

  Rounding out the 250 class top placers for Monster
Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki were Tyla Rattray in 5^th place
(4-7), Jake Weimer in 8^th place (8-8) and Austin Stroupe
in 15^th (11-30).

  And while good fortune was prevalent with the Monster
Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team, Monster Energy/Kawasaki was deal a thunderous
blow when it’s star racer and winner of the opening MX Nationals’
Glen Helen round, Ryan Villopoto, was unable to contest the entire
Hangtown event – pulling out early with a knee injury he sustained
earlier in the week while practicing for Hangtown.

  “We know Ryan is a tough competitor,” said
Monster Energy/Kawasaki team manager Mike Fisher in a statement issued from the
Monster Energy/Kawasaki team on Saturday. “He (Villopoto) has been riding
great and it is a shame he can’t be out there on the track. We will
continue to evaluate his condition heading into the next event.”

  Representing Monster Energy in the premier 450 class at
Hangtown were Nick Wey (Boost Mobile/ampm/Monster/Troy-JLaw Racing), who
placed 12^th (12-15), and Josh Hill (Monster/Yamaha), who
placed 15^th (10-20).

  This weekend the Monster Energy-backed MX racers head to
Wortham, Texas, for round three of the series at Freestone Raceway. For more
information on the Lucas Oil AMA MX Nationals, link to their website at: www.mxnationals.com

 

Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it SX, rally, insane
distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate,
MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it –
the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days.
Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb,
Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed
“M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster
premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend,
along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. The Monster
Energy guys running the Lucas Oil AMA MX Nationals dig ‘em – so
will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com
and www.monsterenergy.com

Billabong XXL Awards tonight on ESPN2 !

Make it a late night or set your TIVO and catch the ‘09 Billabong XXL Awards Presented by Monster Energy tonight @ 10:30PM Pacific or 1:30 AM Eastern!

http://tinyurl.com/BBGXXL

Monster Energy’s Bobby Martinez Tops The World’s Best Surfers @ Billabong Pro Tahiti

Monster Energy’s Bobby Martinez Tops The World’s Best Surfers @ Billabong Pro Tahiti

American Martinez’ win at Teahupoo is the second Billabong Pro Tahiti win of his career, tops a field that includes Burrow, Slater, Fanning, Irons and the Hobgoods

CORONA, Calif., (May 20, 2009) – Monster Energy-backed surfer Bobby Martinez (Santa Barbara, Calif.) is on top of the pro surfing world after captured top honors at the recent Billabong Pro Tahiti, presented by Air Tahiti Nui, in Teahupoo. The 26-year-old Martinez bested a field of the world’s top touring pro surfers, including Taj Burrow, Kelly Slater, Mick Fanning, Andy Irons and the Hobgood brothers.

“I feel great and a bit emotional,” said Martinez in a press statement from the ASP World Tour. “I waited for the good ones (waves) out there and just got lucky. There weren’t too many waves and I was lucky enough to get a couple of good ones and not fall. Things just seemed to work out for me. I really don’t know what to say. It feels really special.”

Contesting the third of ten events on the ’09 ASP World Tour, Martinez opened with a strong heat, scoring an 8.73 out of a possible 10. The highly decorated Californian amateur surfer, who joined the World tour in ‘06, continued to pour it on in blazing to one of the year’s best finals’ run scores of the year – a 9.73 –  which was certainly the highest-scored run at the Billabong Pro Tahiti. And Martinez’ 9.73 couldn’t have come at a better time either as it increased his finals score versus Burrow to 18.46 out of 20, which sealed his fourth elite tour win of his young career.

And what makes this even more interesting? Martinez pulled it off on a borrowed  board after breaking a number of his own while ripping during the long waiting period leading up to the heat events.

“I actually borrowed a board from Alain Riou,” said Martinez of the local Tahitian surfer. “He rides Darren Handley shapes and the board was the same dimensions and pretty much the same shape I ride. It was great to find that as yesterday I was a bit skeptical about today in terms of the conditions and my equipment. But everything worked out perfectly.

About the best compliment an athlete can get is one that comes from another competitor, to which top European surfer and 3^rd place Billabong Pro Tahiti competitor, Aritz Aranburu – who topped surf great Kelly Slater in his draw – said: “Bobby (Martinez) is one of the best out there.”

In the end Martinez was humble and very honored with the win and congratulations from his fellow surfers, saying simply: “I didn’t start surfing to make money – I started for me, and to win today…you cannot put a price on the feelings I have. I’m really going to let it sink in and enjoy it.”

Overall, after three rounds of ASP World Tour surfing action, Monster Energy’s Martinez sits in 7^th place in the standings with 2,025 points – just 149 points out of the top five. The next stop on the ASP World Tour, Brazil ’s Hang Loose Santa Catarina Pro, is scheduled for June 27 to July 5^th.

Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it surfing, off road, SX, rally, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, road racing, supermoto, FMX, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Bobby Martinez digs ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com

Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki’s Hacking Makes A Dramatic Bid For Sat.’s Infineon SportBike Podium

Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki’s Hacking Makes A Dramatic Bid For Sat.’s Infineon SportBike Podium

Hacking podiums on Saturday, then gives up the overall SportBike class lead with a 13^th on Sunday; Monster’s Hayden & Davies top ten on Sat. as well

CORONA, Calif., (May 18, 2009) – A week after taking over the overall AMA SportBike class points lead with two podium finishes (3^rd & 2^nd) at Barber Motorsports Park’s AMA doubleheader in Birmingham, Ala., Monster Energy’s Jamie Hacking (Attack Kawasaki) opened this past weekend’s racing right were he left off – nailing a brilliant late-race pass to make the first of two possible SportBike podiums at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. – round five of the 2009 AMA Superbike Series.

Hacking, coming off a first-lap caution flag in the SportBike class main even on Saturday that had the pace car back out on the track for the next three laps, found himself back in 8^th place to start the contest. Gunning for his fifth podium finish of the season, Hacking made up the distance to catch all but race leader Martin Cardenas – placing 2^nd in a furious 17-lap push to the front.

“At the restart I wasn’t sure which line we were taking and I ended up inside,” said Hacking. “I knew I had to hold up a little to make a safe entry and fell back a handful of spots. I always seem to make it hard on myself, but the training really kicked in today since it was extremely hot. I’m really happy that I was able to make up the positions so I can keep the points tight.”

Hacking’s good fortune would suffer a bit of a hiccup at Sunday’s SportBike main event when the Brit crashed twice – yet still managed to make the top 15 (13^th). As it stands Cardenas now holds a 24-point lead (203-179) over Hacking after five rounds of SportBike racing in the books.

Also having good runs on Saturday were Hacking’s Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki  teammate Roger Lee Hayden and Monster Energy-backed Chaz Davies (Aprilia). Hayden made Saturday’s Superpole, qualifying 10^th, then raced back from 12^th place to finish 9^th on the day.

“I’m a little bummed with the result, but hopefully we can do better tomorrow,” said Hayden. “I felt good and didn’t think the heat was a factor, but I had a pretty big gap in between some riders and it was hard to move forward. I know we can change a few things so I can improve on my finish from today.”

Davies was on fire both days in the heat of Sonoma, matching his season-best finish with a 4^th on Saturday, then was in podium position early in Sunday’s race when a mechanical issue ended his day. “Ah, that was unfortunate on Sunday – we’d been running so well all weekend and were up front to challenge early,” said Davies. “Look forward to running it back here at Elkhart Lake.”

Davies still kept his top six position (6^th) in the SportBike standings with 108 points, while Hayden is just a click outside the top 15 having suffered a DNF as well on Sunday.

Sunday’s SuperSport race was about the best contest all weekend when Monster Energy Attack Kawasaki’s Leandro Mercado, who won the pole position for the race in Saturday’s qualifying, got into a great battle with Ricky Parker and ended up placing 2^nd. “It was a hard race,” said Mercado. “I tried to make a pass on Ricky but I knew I couldn’t do it so I settled back and just took second place. I want to congratulate Ricky; he did a great job.”

Next up for the Monster Energy-backed AMA Superbike Series racers is the June 5-7 round at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. For more information on the series check out www.amaproracing.com

Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it road racing, SX, rally, insane distance jumping, MX, MotoGP, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, rock crawling, wake, mini bikes, surf, snow, BMX – name it – the athletes are rockin’ Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types – Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, Monster’s fruit juice hybrid dubbed “M-80,” the party-friendly MIXXD, the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream drink line supercharged with our Monster Energy blend, along with the new Monster Energy “Hitman” energy shot. Hacking, Mercado, Hayden and Davies dig ‘em – so will you. On the ‘Net at www.monsterarmy.com and www.monsterenergy.com