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>>>>>>\'; return true' target='new'>[race regulations]    >>>>>>\'; return true' target='new'>[circuit map]    >>>>>>\'; return true' target='new'>[Riders listing]


quad TV
On board. Everybody knows the &quad;cameras paluches" presents at the Bike Grands Prix with Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi. Several of them will be used during the race in PDV. So the TV channels will get spectacular images of quad riding. no doubt that thanks to the broadcasting of this subjet in early September, the fame of a riding quad will take a leap forward.

Pont de Vaux live on
AB Moteurs
 Since sometimes ago, a summary of the 12 Hours is broadcasted on the satellite by the channel AB Moteur. A new leap is taken forward this year with images on live exclusively. Video recorder have to be ready to record !

Since 1987, the first race of the 12 Hours, Pont de Vaux became the worldwide ATV capital : those funny machines with 4 wheels. It's an endurance race with the same regulations than at the 24 Hours of le Man or the Bol d'Or. The best pilots are coming from every corner of the world (USA, South Africa, Estonia, Holland, Belgium, Canada, Italia, Spain, Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Poland...) to fight the challenge.

The 3200m track, on a 40 hectares field, is very technical : large curves, tight bends, jumps and long straight line (120 machines at the start)

Two day rounds and one night round, when the squarred flag drops, machines are parked in the closed area in order to avoid any repairs.

Year after year, the worldwide fame of Pont de Vaux is growing with this year more than 15 nationalities.



The Polish team Last year it was a big surprise they ranked first in the category Bombardier. This year, the pilots coming from Eastern Europe are coming back (n°43, 44, 45) with new ambitions. Here are their feeling a few weeks before the great rendez-vous :

How long does it take to come from Poland ?
The journey lasted about 26 hours with little brak during the night

Excepted Jacek's team who raced last year, have the other pilots ever came in France ? If yes, to which races did they take part ?
Any other team from Polad nevr took place in any race in France

What did Jacek and his co pilots think about Pont de Vaux last year ?
They were very impressed. They still say that it was great race and show, and that they have never seen the thinks like that. That is why there is som many riders from Poland who want to take part in this race.

What are the pilots' professions ?
Only few of them have proffessional connection with motorcysles. Some of them are dealers, but another have their own bussiness.

How old is the Polish quad association ?
Polish Quad Assocciation - ATV Polska is 1,5 years old and have 200 members. We are the only one assocciation of ATV sport in Poland.The President of ATVPolska is Rafa3 Sonik, vice-president Jacek Bujañski, and second vice - president Sebastian Inglot.All Polish teams are the top riders of Polish Championship Enduro Class 2K or 4K.

A de luxe team manager for Audemar/Yamaha.
Joel Bontoux, the pilot, has turned into team manager, managing the team from the pits appeals to him. He was recently succcessful during the Jet Indoor in Bercy where his team was the winner. In PDV he will manage a strong team Axel Dutrie, "guidon jeune quad 2000", Jérome Gandelin and Jérome Fournier with a Yamaha raptor 660 (n°40)

South Africa will have a place of honour Last year they came to see. This year they will come to win.Christophe Kuhnl was contacted by them first as a pilot but also as a maker via Everset Bombardier importer. The 2001 South Africa champion will be with his French colleague (n°18). The second team (n°19) will ride on a DS 650 fitted by the French importer. The third one (n°20) with Johan Steenkamp, twice winner of Roof of Africa, Johan Van Lill and Vicus Van Deventer with an entirely original engine.

Suzuki France will take part in the race The importer will enter 2 LTZ400, the new model, very promising according the journalist who were lucky to test it. In the first team (n°11) there will be Marc Gobert, 3 times winner in PDV, Pascal de Palma and Christophe Estelle. In the second one : Fabien Calvet, several times champion of France and champion of Europe in truck race with Patrice Blech and Alfie Cox.

The victory at home, it's possible ! PSR, the local maker has appointed Gregory Lassaigne and Cyril Lamet, as riders they are respectively 2nd and 3rd of the France championship. PSR will put a 350 Banshee at their disposal (n°2) modified Laeger's and engine fitted by the Belgian "wizard" Thierry Verstappen. Pièces services Racing will enter a second machine (n°9) Brice Mazarico, Arnaud Monin and Raphael Pion, this last one is used to be rancked in the top 10 in PDV.

Quad Briel Last year, it was ranked 10th with a 660 R. This year the Team Quad-Briel started for the fifth times in PDV with 2 Teams the first Team started on a Briel-Walsh KTM 540 4-stroke riders are: Denny Seifner currenty ranked # 1 in the german quad national series on Briel-Walsh KTM, 2nd rider is Mike Walsh,USA the frame builder for the KTM, #11 finish in the Pro250 2001 he started racing in 1992, best finish in the 250Pro MX race is 5th at Red Bud, Michigan and 6th in Pro250 TT at Ashtabula, Ohio 2001, 3th rider is Jason Dunkelberger,USA #2 in the 250Pro-Am, #2 in the open Pro-Am. The second Team Quad-Briel race on a Yamaha YFM660R Raptor with riders Roland Mirsch # 12 currenty ranked in the german quad national series, 2nd rider is Shane Strunk, USA he won this year the the Baja 500 in the 250 class, 3th rider SkylerStewart,USA he won this year the Nevada 1000 together with Shane Strunk.

The Youth. The winners of the Touquet 2002, the team Quadyland Pinchon/Parent (N°14). They symbolize the new generation of ATV riders, among whom some are only 16 and show an incredible control.

VLS As Van der Laan Special. With 5 mahcines (n°4, 27, 50, 51 and 90) He is worthy to represent the old generation (see above) and builds an excellent machine. He will fight for a place on the podium.

Cosa nostra CT racing, Italian-American team (n°21, 22 and 23). Nic Granlund :Former GNC Pro and Open class rider. Lately he as been racing jet skiis. Lives in California. Greg Stuart :Former Mickey Thompson stadium champion and recently racing jet skiis. His family owns Skat Trak (in California), which makes jet ski parts and quad tires for sand dunes.Jimmy Stephenson, Mike Caffro :They are desert racers. Their endurance will be a major asset in PDV.

The Johnny Simons racing team have taken part to practically all the races in Pont de Vaux, ranking at the 2nd place in 2000. The team Johnny Simons, superquader pilot from Holland and Thierry Chevrot, ex enduro French pilot who has gone over into ATV race since 3 years, will ride a new quad : a laeger's frame equipped with a yamaha 426 engine 4 stroke At the 6 Hours of Bastogne in Belgium, this machine allows them to finish at the 2nd rank right from the first time it raced..


 In the
Pits

ATV World/Duncan Racing
Non content with being the winner of the last two races with Winrow and Eichner, the Anglo-American team will enter 4 teams this year. All are big names and they will try to be on the podium. Keep an eye on N°1 (Winrow - Eichner), 3 (Cole - Duke - Baldwin) 6 (Rowlands - Mitchell - Waggott) and 7 (Haywood - Hand - Davies)

the best
1987 Joël Bontoux - Jean-Pierre Tognetti - Christian Caillon [Sonauto/Yamaha] France
1988 Joël Bontoux - Christian Caillon - Esaie Guyon [Sonauto/Yamaha] France
1989 Joël Bontoux - Christian Caillon - Thierry Viardot [Sonauto/Yamaha] France
1990 Pierre-Yves Gaudillat - Marc Gobert - Gilles Abgrall France
1991 Joël Bontoux - Thierry Viardot - Pascal Rochereau [Yamaha Motor France] France
1992 Paul Winrow - Kevin Philips - Phil Bourne [Philips Racing] GB
1993 Mark Ehrhardt - Doug Eichner [PCR/Yamaha/Duncan Racing] USA
1994 Christophe Kuhnl - Marc Gobert - Georges De Castro [kuhnl Racing/Honda] France
1995 Mark Ehrhardt - Doug Eichner [PCR/Yamaha/Duncan Racing] USA
1996 Mark Ehrhardt - Doug Eichner [PCR/Yamaha/Duncan Racing] USA
1997 Marc Gobert - Benoît Bigault [Duncan Racing/Honda] France
1998 Tim Farr - Shane Hitt - Harold Goodman [Curtiss Sparks Racing/Honda] USA
1999 Gregory Lassaigne - Richard Cole - Jean-Michel Abfalter [PSR/Yamaha] France
2000 Paul Winrow - Doug Eichner [ATV World / Duncan Racing / Yamaha] GB/US
2001 Paul Winrow - Doug Eichner [ATV World / Duncan Racing / Yamaha] GB/US

the Banshee is
16 !
Will the banshee survive to a 17th 12 Hours of Pont de Vaux ? Will it be outclassed by the powerful USA Duncan raptors. In all cases, the machine has win everything and shows an exceptional long life in the world of mechanic sports.
Respect.