AS:No worries! ThumperTalker’s are the best! I’m on there all the time; I am the suspension expert on their panel.

BE:So tell us how you a little about Stillwell Performance… How did you get started in the Dirt bike suspension business?

AS:I got tired of doing all my buddies suspension for free! No, I have always played with suspension, and over the years have had most of the leading companies do a bike here and there. Honestly, I always felt I could make the bikes work better doing them myself than what I was buying. So, that thought process turned into some serious testing time and people really liked the settings. From there it just took off!

BE:Is it true, Stillwell Performance is the Largest RACETECH Suspension Center in the US?

AS:Yes! I’m really stoked about that. Our customers gave us that privilege; we have some of the most die-hard loyal customers anywhere. I always love it when a guy/gal will call us after riding our setup and just rave about how the suspension gives them more confidence and control. Next thing you know their buddy calls and says “I just rode Dave’s bike and it’s like cheating” then sends his stuff in! We use a combination of Race Tech parts and our own valving for off road. I test every setting before we finalize it; I just can’t go as fast as these young guys anymore!

BE:Stillwell Performance holds a strong reputation when it comes to off road racing… How did you get involved in racing?

AS:If you want your settings and products to be the best, then you have to compete and prove it. We started by sponsoring Shane Watts, ex World and GNCC Champ. He has been very helpful in both testing and giving real world feedback from a top level pro perspective. Shane has that uncanny ability to connect his throttle hand, his brain and the tires and that has helped us a bunch-not just for the Expert guys, his input has helped our setups for all riders from the Pro to the casual MX or trail rider.

We have since expanded the team and currently compete in GNCC, WORCS, National Enduro, EnduroCross and a number of regional MX and off road series across the US. Two of our sponsored riders will represent the United States at the 2010 ISDE in Mexico as well. Nicole Bradford is on the Women’s Cup Team and In Blythe is riding for the Junior Trophy Team. I’m really, really proud of our team!

BE:I heard a rumor that you might be bringing a couple of KTM350’s to the race… is this true?

AS:It is! A 2011 KTM 350SX-F and a 250SX-F, actually. KTM Racing and Fay Myers Motorcycle World in Denver really stepped their support to us this year and it has been a blast tuning on the new chassis. We have it working really well already-and we are just getting started. We have been testing every day at the MX track and racing the bike. Then, next week we will be taking the KTM’s to the Colorado High Country for 4 days working on settings for pure off road. Ian Blythe is our rider for EX and he will have his choice of bike to ride for the EX races.

BE:What bikes do you tend to do the most suspension for?

AS:We work on all brands. We started with tuning on KTM’s so I would say that represents the biggest percentage of our business. But we do a ton of Kawasaki/Yamaha/Honda/Suzuki bikes as well, for both MX and off road. We are also known as a Husaberg specialist.

BE:Obviously new bike sales are down in today’s economy. Do you guys offer suspension work for the common rider whose 5-year-old bike needs an affordable re-valve or custom set up?

AS:Yes, we really understand that. There are a lot of guys right now that are looking at that new bike price tag and really thinking “maybe I’ll keep my current scoot another year. We offer multiple options and price points for all our customers. If it’s 10 years old or a few years old we make them work great!

BEo you spend much time riding? If so what kind of riding do you enjoy? What bike do you ride?

AS:I do. If I get a spare moment we are loading up to go riding! Last year I rode over 2000 miles off road, mostly in the Colorado High Country. I ride everything; I love to tune suspension so it’s not hard to get me on most any bike. But a perfect riding weekend for me is the Colorado Rockies on the horizon, a crisp two stroke, 30 gallons of gas, a bunch of my longtime riding buddies and 100 miles of gnarly single track a day. Last year in August we rode 10 days straight and did almost 1000 miles of single track! It does not get any better than that!

BE:What’s your favorite thing about EnduroCross?

AS:3 things-first, it’s the great equalizer of all dirt bike racing. You have off road, trials, WORCS, GNCC, desert and MX guys lined up together. There’s no other series that does that. Second, it’s unpredictable. You just don’t know what is going to happen. Third, the racing ALWAYS seems to be good-the fans get a lot for their money. Fans can come early and see all of the daytime qualifiers, the fast lap competition, etc. It’s a great value. I hope they expand the series I think it can do very well.

BE:Who do you think is going to win tomorrow night?

AS:Wow, that’s tough. Taddy is always good, but Geoff Aaron and Mike Brown are two of my favorite riders. I have a ton of respect for all of them, coming from totally different disciplines. The skill these guys have on the bike just floors me!

BE:Alan thanks for your time! Have a great afternoon!

AS:Thanks Brian, and Keep It Pinned!

Stillwell Performance Pro rider In Blythe and I were barreling down the interstate headed for Round 2 of the National EnduroCross Series in Guthrie, OK just outside of Oklahoma City.

I had been warned that Oklahoma in the late summer could be hot and humid, but we were just not ready for the blast furnace that hit us when the van doors were opened! Man it was hot, and the humidity had you feeling like you were living in a sauna.

We were stoked for Round 2, Ian had put in a very solid ride at the first round to take 3rd overall in the Open class in his very first National EnduroCross. We had learned a lot from the first race and were anxious to see what we could do to improve our finish.

Adding to the excitement were brand new KTM 350 & 250SX-F’s in the back of the boxvan. KTM Racing and Fay Myers Motorcycle World have stepped up to support the Stillwell Performance team for 2010 and 2011 and we had just taken delivery of the 250 on Thursday. Ian had picked the bike up, went straight to the track for break in then right to the shop to race prep the bike.

We had already tuned on the 350 suspension over the past 2 weeks, so we took the revalved forks and shock and swapped them over to the 250 for the race. The new SX-F’s are linkage bikes and this would be the first off road race for us with the new design. We had raced the 350 at a local MX race with our other Pro Eric Decker the weekend before and had been happy with the bikes development as Eric brought home a pair of 4th overall’s in the Pro class.

The Lazy E Arena is huge by EX standards, almost twice the size of the first round in Las Vegas. In addition to the normal minefield of off road obstacles, there were enough high speed MX jumps and whoops to make it interesting. The guys with motocross backgrounds could have a bit of an advantage here.

Ian rode both the Open and the Expert/Pro classes. The Open class has it’s own main event in the evening if you make it through the elimination qualifiers during the AM. The Expert/Pro races also whittle down the field in the AM-if you make it to the night program you get the chance to line up against the factory boys.

Practice went well, the 250SX-F is a perfect fit for his riding style and our suspension setup was good right from the start. We fiddled with shock adjustments during practice but in the end stayed with our original setup.

The open qualifier was his first race. The top two transfer straight to the main event in the evening. Ian got a great jump off the line and scored a perfect holeshot. He rode flawlessly and gapped second place by 5 seconds to take the win! The bike was working great and we went into the afternoon “hot lap” session feeling strong.

Hot laps are my favorite part of the schedule. All the riders (the morning qualified guys and the top 20 factory supported riders) get one lap by themselves as fast as they can go to see who can log the quickest time-which also determines starting pick for the night qualifiers. Ian had a relatively clean lap and ended up just inside the top 20 overall times-pretty good for a kid in his second event!

We worked on the bike during the break, my good riding buddy Tony Atkinson was there to help in the pits and that was a big plus. Aside from the super hot temps and the humidity all was good heading into the “Big Show”!

Ian’s Open Main Event was the race right after his first Expert/Qualifier, which had Factory KTM rider and current EX Champion Taddy Blaziuak and Factory Kawasaki rider Ricky Dietrich in it. Our strategy was to ride the EX/Pro race hard if he was in a position to transfer, if not then take it easy and find some good lines for the Open Main. Ian was running third for a bit behind the factory duo until a collision with another rider knocked them both down, and put us out of qualifying position. Ian wisely backed it down in preparation for the Open Main.

We were pumped for this main-out of ALL of the Open riders Ian had turned in the fastest qualifier time, which gave us first pick on the gate for the final. We lined up far inside, he got a so-so jump and came around the first couple of turns in 5th. Ian made some really quick passes and moved into 2nd before the soon-to-be infamous rock turn, CARNAGE CORNER! Before carnage corner there was a long straightway with a 9ft. tire jump and a loose firewood section that was giving everybody fits all night. Ian got alongside the leader and went to cut inside of him in the rock corner. The leader tipped over, dropped his bike on Ian’s front wheel just as the pack plowed into him from the rear. What ended up was a 5 bike pileup that would make a NASCAR driver cringe. Ian ended up on the bottom of the pile with almost everyone getting away. First to last in less than a lap! Major bummer! Ian caught a few guys by the finish but was out of the fight.

The night went downhill from there. Ian had eaten something before the night races that didn’t quite agree with him and spent the time after the open main getting rid of it at the corner of the pits, if you know what I mean. He crashed a few times in the Expert/Pro semi, finishing out of a transfer position and our night was over.

All in all it was a successful race. A qualifier win, and the overall fastest Open time is a great accomplishment in just two tries.

Ian has a chance to ride and train with National #2 Geoff Aaron (who lives close by) leading up to the next round in Indy and is pretty excited about that.

We’ll be back!

Keep It Pinned,

Alan

After the track walk and riders meeting early Saturday I lined up for the first practice.  I was entered in two classes, Open and Expert/Pro.  I would need to qualify through the elimination rounds in the morning in order to make it to the main event(s) Saturday evening-the Big Show!

Open practice went well, I was clean through all of the obstacles and I was confident that I could improve my speed. First Expert/Pro Class practice I tried pushing a little harder but crashed and backed things down a little. We shot video of practice and Alan & I made some minor suspension changes that really made a big difference. The second practices were timed to determine gate pick and I ended up with the second fastest Open time and the third fastest Expert/Pro class time in my groups.  We were stoked!

From start to finish, every time I went onto the EnduroCross track it was a learning experience. In the Open race I was trying to go fast, but in the wrong places. I am learning that, for me time is gained on the small obstacles and the corners and whereas I was focusing on coming into and through the large obstacles faster, that just resulted in me getting the worst arm pump of my life! I like to think I am in pretty good shape and at the end of an 8-minute qualifier I couldn’t even pull in the clutch!  I finished 3^rd, one spot out of a direct transfer so I would have to do the Last Chance Qualifier.  I ended up winning the LCQ, which put me into the main event for that class.  In the Expert/Pro Class qualifier I got a good start and ran near the front the entire race. I finished third which sent me directly into the night program but it was obvious that I needed to find some sprint speed.

The night program for me now seems like a blur! I finished 22^nd fastest in the Expert/Pro hot lap competition, you ride one lap as fast as you can and your time is compared to all the top factory guys to determine gate pick.  My Open main event was the very next race after my Expert/Pro class qualifier so while running 7th in that I decided it might be a good idea to relax a little and save myself for the Open final. The Open main was so much fun and for sure the best race of the night for me. I got a decent start and was running 3^rd battling with 2^nd and 4^th.  The guy in first place had a few seconds on us early in the race.  I was a little slower than the guys I was battling with but I didn’t make any mistakes and it seemed like they were crashing left and right. On the final lap the leader crashed in the matrix section with only a quarter of a lap to go, this gave me an opportunity for the win after I had passed for second a lap earlier! However where he crashed balled me up and I lost a couple seconds. Just enough time for second place to come in and slam me in the rock turn! I had made a poor line choice and you can bet I won’t do that again. So I fell in the rock turn last lap giving up first and second and finishing in 3^rd place!  Classic EnduroCross.  I think I almost gave Alan a heart attack, but the whole team was really excited to finish on the box!

The Expert/Pro class semi was a few minutes after the Open main so I had some time to catch my breath. I had a bad starting position and a bad jump off the line. They took the top 3 to the main and I believe I was running 5^th for a portion of the race, battling with Factory Husaberg rider Nathan Woods. I don’t remember exactly what happened through the race but Woods had a spectacular crash in the matrix right in front of me! I finished 7^th and failed to transfer to the LCQ so my night was over.

I am definitely pumped for the next round in Oklahoma and I plan on being well prepared.  3^rd overall in my first EnduroCross race ever is not too bad and I think I have some potential at this type of racing. We headed home on Sunday morning and I am spending the next two weeks preparing for WORCS week in Washington!  I won the 450A class championship there last year and I would sure like to do it again. I will to let you know how it goes!

Ian #107

Thanks to my sponsors:

StillwellPerformance.com, ThumperTalk.com, KTM, Fay Myers Motorcycle World, TheORC.com, OffroadChampions.com, Motorex, Rhino Stand, Fly, AXO, Bell, Easton, Topar, Rekluse, Race Tech, Carbon Raptor DLC Coatings, Enduro Engineering, Steve Hatch Racing, Mapleton Hills Orthopedics, Harris Used Parts, OrangeJuice.com, IMS, FMF, ZLT, Rampart Drywall, Aactive Satellite

Franktown, CO – Stillwell Performance is proud to announce that its team riders Ian Blythe and Nicole Bradford have been selected to represent the USA at the 2010 ISDE in Morelia, Mexico as parts of the USA Junior Trophy and Women’s teams respectively. Blythe and Bradford both put in sensational rides at the Idaho City 100 ISDE Qualifier on June 5th and 6th, and due to those performances as well as their stellar seasons thus far were invited by the AMA to represent the USA in Mexico this coming November 1-6.

Stillwell Performance’s Ian Blythe had a hot start to the 2-day qualifier in Idaho, trailing Brian Garrahan by a mere 10 points and finishing second overall, and second in the E2 class for the day. Day 2 was another solid ride for Blythe as he finished with another podium spot in 3rd behind Garrahan and Ryan Powell. Blythe’s combined performance for the 2 days put him in 2nd overall in the E2 class. Ian is incredibly honored to be a part of the USA Junior Trophy Team and can not wait to represent his country in his first trip to the ISDE.

Nicole Bradford dominated the Women’s class in Idaho, winning every check in both days of racing to take the win and secure herself a spot on the 2010 USA Women’s Team. Bradford is an ISDE veteran–having won a bronze medal at the 2001 ISDE, the ISDE Women’s World Cup Champion in 2007, and a silver medal at the 2008 ISDE–and is looking forward to using her six days experience to help the Women’s team to a podium finish in Mexico.

“When you have two extremely talented and hardworking riders like Ian and Nicole, it’s not surprising the type of performances they put in at the qualifier and that the AMA has recognized their talents and dedication to the sport by selecting them for the 2010 ISDE team. I’m really looking forward to working with both riders and getting them dialed in for Mexico, as well as making the journey South of the border to support them throughout the six-day event in Mexico,” said an ecstatic Stillwell Performance President, Alan Stillwell.

Stillwell Performance was represented as well by its support riders at Idaho City as Bryce Bingham took home a 4th-overall finish in the AA class, and Ron Schmelze finished day 1 in 2nd in the AA class but was unable to start day 2 due to a lingering injury.

Ian Blythe is supported by the following companies:
Valcom Motorsports, KTM, TheORC.com, OffroadChampions.com, Motorex, Fly, AXO, Bell, Easton, Topar, Rekluse, Racetech, Carbon Raptor DLC, Enduro Engineering, Steve Hatch Racing, Mapleton Hills Orthopaedics, Harris Used Parts, OrangeJuice.com, IMS, FMF, ZLT, Rampart Drywall, Aactive Sattelite

Nicole Bradford is supported by the following companies:
Moose Racing, KTM of Aspen, Sidi Boots, Smith Optics, and Rekluse

I love them but couldn’t ride them to save my life until about 1 hour 10 minutes into the WORCS Pro/Pro 2 main in Northern California this weekend. It was at that point when I finally started looking ahead, picking good lines, and flowing for the first time of the weekend.

I have spent the last few weeks practicing a ton of motocross and I went into this racing feeling better than ever on my 450, but on Thursday at noon I was facing the 16 hour drive solo. Luckily my good friend Colt Jones called me up and announced that he wanted to come to the race and help me drive and the trip was immediately looking up. Colt and I arrived around 10 Friday night. Practice in the morning went well, but the 450 A race was another story. I ended up a disappointing 8th. We walked the pro only sections that consisted of a gnarly rocky climb, a tight steep canyon and an uphill waterfall section. Off the start I had a really good jump but got pushed wide in the first corner and came out around 5th. I was definitely riding stiff and wasn’t flowing until around 1 hour 10, but then it was like something clicked in my head and I was confident and smooth again and I was starting to make up some ground. Then I got a little too confident and maybe a little too loose. One of the Pro only sections had a 10 foot face on it and the run up to it was getting pretty torn up. Instead of timing the bumps I kind of just skimmed them and hit the waterfall face way too hard. I got sketchy and my feet came off the pegs when I landed my front wheel came down on top of a rock and my body was hanging off the back. The front wheel bounced and my extended right arm got cranked up by the handlebars and dislocated. I landed on my feet but I knew my shoulder was out. Took a deep breath and rolled my shoulder forward and felt the satisfying clunk of my shoulder going back into place. I got back on and kept pulling on 3rd and 4th but ran out of time still 15 or so seconds back, finishing 5th overall. My shoulder doesn’t feel so good today, it’s back to rehab. Should be fine for the next round though so no big deal! All things considered I think I had a solid race, definitely room for improvement but I am pumped for the next few rounds!

A lot of people have come through for me this season and I want to thank all of them. Valcom Motorsports, KTM, Stillwell Performance.com, TheORC.com, OffroadChampions.com, Motorex, Fly, AXO, Bell, Easton, Topar, Rekluse, Racetech, Carbon Raptor DLC, Enduro Engineering, Steve Hatch Racing, Mapleton Hills Orthopaedics, Harris Used Parts, OrangeJuice.com, IMS, FMF, ZLT, Rampart Drywall, Aactive Sattelite, and most of all my Mom and Dad. Special Thanks on this one to Scott Bright and Colt Jones.

YouTube.com

This is how the trip started out!

Stillwell Performance rider Ian Blythe walked into the shop Wednesday morning with a look that told me our upcoming trip to Lake Havasu might be off to a rocky start.

Uh, I had a little problem with my van-it’s kind of stuck in the driveway. Well, not stuck exactly, more like wedged into the pine trees that lined the drive up to the shop.

In typical March Colorado weather we had received 10 inches of snow the night before, and the snow plow guy was nowhere in sight. Ian and I jumped in the truck and for the next 45 minutes proceeded to pull, tug, and drag the Blythe mobile back down to the road for another run, this time at the end of a tow rope.

Pitted next to the Factory semi

We finished some last minute bike prep and loaded the KTM into the van, packed the remaining stuff for the weekend and set the alarm for 5AM.

After 14 hours of some of the most boring interstate the west has to offer we pulled into Lake Havasu, AZ site of Round 3 of the WORCS Series. We pitted next to the KTM factory semi and went to check out the track.

Ian was stoked to race Havasu; he liked the course a bunch last year. We had spent much of the past two weeks testing suspension in preparation for this event. The course could best be described as sand, sand and more sand!

2nd on Saturday!

Friday was a practice day and we spent most of it chasing a clutch problem that had the clutch working great to start, but slowly fading away. We changed the master cylinder and hose and during the last practice it seemed to hold up.

Saturday was qualifier day, the bike was running well and our suspension setup was spot on for the huge sand whoops that made up much of the course. Ian was entered in the 450A and Open A classes. The top 12 riders from each race would transfer to the Pro2 main event on Sunday. The strategy was to qualify in the first race, finish prepping the bike and then soak up some AZ sunshine.

That idea lasted less than one lap when the clutch went south. Ian wisely pulled out, unsure what had happened and once again we went to work, not knowing at that point exactly what the extent of the damage was.

10AM Sunday morning...

The factory KTM guys were a BIG help to us, WORCS #1 plate holder Mike Brown’s mechanic Andrew Langston (Grant’s uncle) came through with some parts and assistance that got the job finished in time for Ian to line up for his second (and last) chance to qualify. The slave cylinder seal had gone out and it was the one part we did not have in our truck. Thanks Andrew!

Ian once again got a good jump, made a couple of passes and had a good, solid race, finishing 2nd overall! All right, that’s how it’s supposed to work! We were stoked and loaded up the van for a quick trip to the car wash.

Saturday evening we cleaned up the bike and decided to check the clutch one last time. Pulling the cover off revealed more broken clutch plates! AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

Not what you want to see on race morning...

We buttoned it back up and decided to get to the pits early and diagnose the problem.

Sunday AM I headed back over to the KTM semi with the broken parts in hand. We diagnosed the problem as a bad clutch basket, which means tearing down the clutch and primary cover completely. Ian was a bit worried, as we did not have a alot of time before he needed to go to staging. Andrew and Donny from KTM reworked our parts in record time and we once again bolted everything back together. Those guys were just plain awesome and helped us a bunch!

Ian again got a great start in the final, rounding the first turn in 8th and quickly moving up to 4th halfway through the first lap. He went to make a pass for 3rd, hit a hole and crashed. When he got up the only part that was broken was (get this) the clutch hose!!!! $#@*&! Air got into the system and the clutch was gone-again! We had decided that unless the wheels would not turn we were going to finish. Ian ran the entire 2-hour race with no clutch and brought it home in 10th overall.

Ready to go PIN IT!

A good finish considering all of the ups and downs we had been through. He rode well and has the pace needed to be on the box, we just need some luck!

So, it’s back to riding and training in preparation for the next race in Adelanto, CA next month.

Once again huge thanks to Andrew Langston and Donny from the Factory KTM crew, they were a big help and a class bunch of guys!

See you next month!!!

Photo: Andrew Campo / www.theorc.com

Watts had conducted one of his hugely popular DirtWise Riding schools in New Jersey on the two days previous to the race, thus he spent most of Saturday night driving the 10 hours back home, with the race then a further one hour drive from there. The lack of sleep was not going to deny him the victory though. After taking the checkers Watts enthusiastically said, “What a great ride out there today. Conditions were perfect and I rode strong but well within my comfort zone. Literally I had such a smooth ride out there thanks to the killer suspension settings that Stillwell Performance provided me. Combined with the Carbon Raptor Factory fork tube coatings I got such a plush ride over the usual nasty bumps found at a GNCC race.”

“Today was my first time using the “db snorkel”, which is a significant noise reducing component that mounts onto the end of my FMF Qstealth silencer. The db snorkel (www.thedbsnorkel.com) was awesome in performance, really helping to keep the exhaust noise to a complete minimum, yet it didn’t affect the performance of the engine at all. It was magnificent as evidenced by the fact that I was only
beaten off the start and to the first corner by a CR500!!! By far I had the quietest bike out there today. Land closure through noise is a huge issue for dirtbike riders, so I want to make a statement with this result and show leadership to all off-road enthusiasts that it is truly possible to have great engine performance but have a hugely decreased noise impact on the rest of society. I want to have somewhere to
ride my KTM for many years to come so that’s why I’ll continue to use the “db snorkel” at all times in the future.”

Shane Watts and his DirtWise Academy of Offroad Riding schools and Instructional DVDs are supported by www.ktmhutt.com , DirtBaby, Dirt Tricks Sprockets and rotors, Fun Mart Cycles, Stillwell Performance Suspension, Extremeion/Carbon Raptor Factory fork tube coatings, dB Snorkel, GPR Stabilizers, Domino Grips from Offroadchampions.com, IMS fuel tanks and footpegs, Fasst Co. Flexx Handlebars, Maxxis, and DeCal Works.

A portion of each student’s tuition fee to the DirtWise Academy of Offroad Riding schools is donated to the Blue Ribbon Coalition and the RiderDown Foundation. Visit www.shanewatts.com for more info on how to register for upcoming schools and to sign up for the periodical “Watts Happening” Newsletter, or to purchase Volume #1 (How to master Mud, Sand, and Rough
Ground technique) in the new DirtWise Advanced Instructional Riding DVD series, on sale now. Along with the original DirtWise Instructional DVD which covers over 25 different general Offroad riding skills and trail situations, there is also additional merchandise available to purchase on our website such as DirtBaby “track ready” baby apparel and more!

Ian Blythe ready for the WORCS Pro2 Main

Wow is it almost spring already? Time has been flying by! We are into full swing for 2010 and having a great time at the races thus far.
The first event of the year was the National Enduro opener in SC. Stillwell Performance speed merchant Shane Watts kicked off the season with a convincing win in the Vet A class. This was followed up by a second victory at round 2 in GA . A great start for a guy who six months ago was busy getting six verterbra fused together! Throw in a top 5 finish (behind 4 full factory riders) at the Sumter Hare Scrambles and
an 11th overall at the CA National Hare & Hound (on a freakin’ 150!!!) and you have, well-Wattsy being Wattsy. Good job dude! Look for Shane at select National Enduro’s during the remainder of the year and see if he can extend that winning streak!

The Rocky Mountain Enduro Circuit headed to AZ for the opening two rounds, and Stillwell Performance riders took home 6 class victories and 21 top ten class finishes!!! Standouts included Ray Barnard who locked up the 200 A win both days and Clay Lupear who dominated 4-Stroke B both Saturday and Sunday.

Team Pro rider Ian Blythe got off to a great start at the World Off Road Championship Series, also in AZ with a solid 4th overall in the Pro 2 class, just missing the podium after losing a rear brake. We have been testing extensively with Ian and have his 450XC-F dialed in for the incredibly fast terrain that makes up the WORCS Series. He has been putting in the long hours riding & training and we are stoked with his progress! Ian took a digger at Round 2, but will be a podium contender at the 3rd Round in Lake Havasu, Arizona.

We recently purchased Kurt Caselli’s KTM factory box van to help with testing, race and customer support. It has been fun getting the thing all dialed, and not a problem filling up all that space! Look for us at an event near you, come by and say Hi! Wattsy and I just completed the filming for the 2nd Volume of “DirtWise with Shane Watts Advanced Instructional DVD”. Look for some awesome riding techniques and
suspension tuning on this one. Release date will be in March, 2010. Visit www.shanewatts.com for details.

We have expanded our very successful 2010 Contingency Program to include the WEBE Series in the 4 corners region, check out www.weberacing.com for the scoop. Headed to Texas for the 3rd Round of the RMEC Series later this month, then on to Lake Havasu, AZ for Round 3 of the WORCS Series.
Keep It Pinned,
Alan

WORCS Race Photos

Here are some recent photos at the WORCS race in NV….you can see them all at our Facebook page.

Aspen, official shop puppy!

And Aspen…one of our official shop puppies with the first mule deer shed antler of the year! We have a canyon behind the shop and the pups will find about a dozen sheds a year-you really have to watch your step in the shop!

Wattsy is comin’ back to Colorado!

Shane & I will be at Leahy Farms MX in Milliken, CO for a Dirtwise School April 10th & 11th. Click on the link below to get school info and more information. We will have the support rig there to help you with suspension setup, as well as doing a tuning session during the school!
www.shanewatts.com/schools

Become a fan on Facebook!

Become a fan of Stillwell Performance on Facebook! Follow all of the latest news and photos! Click here to become a fan on Facebook

Follow Ian Blythe’s blog on The ORC

http://www.theorc.com/rider-blogs/40-latest-blog/472-ian-blythe-worcs-rnd-2-blog.html

WEBE Contingency Program

Great news for racers in the four corners region-Stillwell Performance is offering contingency for the entire WEBE Hare Scrambles Series!
Check the website for complete details!

Tuning Article’s on ThumperTalk.com

Check out our monthly suspension tuning column at www.thumpertalk.com
We will be posting a monthly article for the TT Newsletter

"Factory" Dave and Wattsy pose with his Sumter race bike

It is not everyday that an individual gets the opportunity to ride like a full factory Pro on the same minute as Shane Watts at a National Enduro series event.  As the winner of the “Ultimate Full Factory Off road Ride with Shane Watts”, I was given that opportunity at the 1st round of the National Enduro Series held near Sumter, SC on Jan. 31, 2010.

Wattsy and Alan Stillwell (Stillwell Performance Suspension) took care of all details of transporting the bike, setting it up for my size, weight and ability, paying the entry fee, and providing all pit support and much needed advise during the event.

While excited about this once in a lifetime experience, I was nervous about participating in my first Enduro event.  Two Stoney Lonesome MC club members (Jerry Stark and Ben Breedlove) and I arrived at the SERMA club grounds on Friday Jan. 29th in preparation for the factory ride tuning session planned for Saturday.  Unfortunately, a significant snow storm in Tennessee and North Carolina Friday evening delayed their arrival preventing any pre-ride tuning.  They arrived late Saturday afternoon with the Fun Mart Cycles supplied 2010 KTM 250XC decked out with incredible products from:

• Suspension tuned by Stillwell Performance
• KTMHutt.com supplied Hard Equipment products
• Maxxis tires and Extra Heavy Duty tubes
• Dirt Tricks sprockets and brake rotors
• DeCal Works custom graphics
• GPR stabilizer
• Fasst Co. Flexx handlebars
• No Toil pre-oiled air filter
• IMS fuel tank and foot pegs
• Domino grips from www.offroadchampions.com

While there would be no tuning ride, I was able to meet Shane Watts and Alan Stillwell, adjust the levers and set the sag on the new KTM and discuss the details of Sunday’s event.  Wattsy explained that we are going out to have fun and I would soon experience 80 miles of some of the most magnificent single track that the South East has to offer.

Sunday morning simply could not come fast enough.  I had studied the route sheet trying to memorize the distance for each section and associated reset pause prior to the next section.  After a quick warm-up in a nearby field with Wattsy and Stillwell, we headed to the starting line for what was sure to be and fun and exciting time.  I sat at the starting line anxiously waiting the flip to minute 118.  The engine fired and off I went into the Manchester State Forest following close behind Wattsy, for about 200 feet.  The next thing I knew, Wattsy was gone and Alan Stillwell was in hot pursuit.  I pushed hard through the first section keeping them behind me in anticipation of the upcoming 20 minute pause listed on the route sheet.  As I stated above, this was my first enduro event and I did not realize that the pause time was only guaranteed if you arrive within the defined time period.  My 20 minute pause was significantly reduced and the brutal reality started to set in.  Once again, Wattsy provided necessary advice to ease the tension and help ensure that I would have a pleasurable and memorable experience.

Alan Stillwell went out of his way to discuss the bikes handling and my perceptions during the reset pauses.  He made a few minor adjustments based on my descriptions of the handling which resulted in a setup that definitely suited my riding style.  It is not that often that a rider can stop and explain what does not feel right and have someone as knowledgeable as Alan Stillwell simply click here and there and fix it all.  Leaving the final fuel stop, I definitely was tired and questioning what I had gotten into, but once again, Wattsy’s encouragement and subtle hints along this his advice were critical in creating that fun and exciting atmosphere.

In the end, I returned the KTM 250XC to Wattsy and discussed what an incredibly rewarding and fun time I had just experienced.  These memories and this experience will stay with me for a lifetime.  I personally think it is an extraordinary thing that Shane Watts and Alan Stillwell are doing for dirt bike enthusiasts.  As stated above, it is not everyday that an individual gets the opportunity to ride like a full factory Pro on the same minute as Shane Watts at a National Enduro series event.

Regards,
David Dunnuck “Factory Dave”