Four Wheeler

The ITP ATVA MX Nationals will make a stop in Tennessee this year. Round three of the series will be held at Muddy Creek Raceway on May 16 - 19. The event will be hosted by VIctory Sports, one of the America's largest off-road event producers.

The track at Muddy Creek will feature many improvements over past years. The track has been widened, a new safety fence has been installed, and an infield pond has lessened the effort required to bring water to and from the track. Also, a larger announcing tower has been erected.

Sam Gammon of Victory Sports said, "the track is wider, safer, and with our other improvements, this will be the finest four Wheeler race we have ever hosted. We are excited about the growth of the ATV racing market and are looking forward to our big event."

A business alliance between Bombardier and John Deere was announced today. Deere’s Worldwide Commercial & Consumer Equipment Division will join forces with Bombardier Recreational Products with plans to develop new utility vehicles.

The first product slated for development is a new John Deere branded utility vehicle derived from a Bombardier ATV. The vehicle will be released in Canada and the United States by the end of 2012. Bombardier will manufacture the product at its Valcourt, Quebec facility.

Both companies plan to release machines resulting from this alliance by the end of 2012.

Progressive Insurance recently opened a training center where claim representatives learn to write estimates and oversee repairs of ATVs, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles, and personal watercraft. The company is the largest insurer of motorcycles and personal watercraft and one of the largest providers of RV, boat, and ATV insurance in the country.

The new 30,000 square foot center is said to be the first dedicated to powersports insurance claims. More than 2,000 claim representatives a year can now be trained specifically in recreational vehicle insurance.

"Each of these products is unique and the claims training our representatives receive is extremely specialized," said Ben Sheridan, general manager of Progressive. "You just can't send even the most experienced auto cliams rep out to do an estimate on a 42-foot Chris Craft."

The hands-on training at Progressive's new facility uses vehicles that have been damaged in crashes and by severe weather. The claim representatives learn how to assess damage, prepare repair estimates, and how to repair the vehicles themselves so they know what goes into such a repair.