ITP has been showing its competitive side in the rapidly growing SxS racing scene this year, running at the front of several prominent UTV events.
For example, Kyle Melville used a set of ITP’s brand new Black Water Evolution tires on his Polaris RZR to score a third-place podium finish among 19 competitors in the Production 850 class at Round 3 of the World Off-Road Championship Series. It was his third straight third-place finish in WORCS racing in 2012, despite a rollover and getting stuck on a hill, which cost him a position.
Melville was enthusiastic about the performance of the new ITP tires on the diverse terrain of the Lake Havasu, Arizona, course. “My new Black Water Evolutions hooked up all over the track as it was filled with sand, mud and rocks,” he reported. “I was very impressed with the new tire and its ability to handle a rough WORCS race.” This driver from Acton, California, now holds second place in the class standings for the series.
Just a week later, ITP enjoyed a big win at the hands of Derek and Jason Murray. For the first time, a UTV class was included at the legendary Mint 400 outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. A total of 30 side-by-sides took the start, and in the end it was the Can-Am Commander 1000 of Murray Motorsports taking the win. It was a come-from-behind victory, as the team grabbed the overall lead with just 10 miles remaining, and won by just five minutes in a total time of 4:38.58.
As the team described its race, “The course was extremely rough. Miles on end of two- to three- foot whoops, rock areas, and soft sand mixed with fine powder dust and no wind made for plenty of carnage. Many other class vehicles were scattered along the course like obstacles to dodge. At the end of the first 93-mile lap, the team was sitting in third place physically and fourth on time. Five miles into the second lap we moved up into second, and began the hunt for the lead, which was held by our teammate, the Desert Toyz Can-Am Commander. The two teams were less than 40 seconds apart for nearly 45 miles, making some great racing and battling for the win. When the dust settled it would be Murray Motorsports pulling ahead for the win and Desert Toyz with an amazing second.”
The winning team used ITP’s 28x10R14 BajaCross tires mounted on ITP 14×7 T-9 Pro Mod spun aluminum wheels for this historic victory. “We’d like to thank ITP for producing the toughest tire on the market and rims to hold up to the most grueling conditions—not one flat in the entire race, which is amazing,” said Murray.
ITP is proud to celebrate its 30th anniversary this year. Since 1982, ITP has grown into the world’s #1 ATV/UTV aftermarket tire and wheel source, and continues to provide a complete line of innovative tires and wheels for virtually all ATVs and UTVs. For a copy of ITP’s full-color product catalog, call toll-free: 1-800-859-4740. For other inquiries or technical advice, contact ITP at 1990 S. Vintage Ave., Ontario, CA 91761; (909) 390-1905. Or visit ITP’s website at www.itptires.com.
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