Austin and Circuit of The Americas on list of finalists for ESPN X Games

New world-class sports and entertainment venue among those in running to host 2014 games

AUSTIN, TX – May 1, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Circuit of The Americas today confirmed that its world-class sports and entertainment venue, along with the Circuit’s hometown of Austin, Texas, has made the final four list of North American host sites in contention to hold the prestigious summer version of the ESPN X Games for a three-year period beginning in 2014.

After months of competition via site visits by representatives of the X Games and an intensive application process, Austin has advanced to the final round of cities under consideration.

Austin’s proposal included utilizing the 1500-acre Circuit of The Americas facility, located in southeast Austin near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, as the primary site for the competition. With the on-site infrastructure for hosting tens of thousands of fans, entertainment amenities such as the Austin360 Amphitheater and park-like Grand Plaza, and lots of space to stage a variety of competitions, X Games officials determined the site is well suited for the massive event.

“This is fantastic news for Austin and Circuit of The Americas,” said Paul Thornton, leader of the effort on behalf of Austin extreme sports fans and the Circuit. “ESPN’s X Games are hugely popular, large-scale sports and entertainment events that have become an important part of the annual major events calendar. Bringing the X Games to Austin would mean a significant economic impact for our community, bringing fans, competitors and media representatives from around the world to our hometown while once again putting Austin in the international spotlight.”

“We are thrilled that Austin is on the short list,” said Matthew Payne, executive director of the Austin Sports Commission. “We feel that the world-class venue at Circuit of The Americas is the perfect location for the ESPN X Games. If we are selected, the exposure for the city of Austin would be great on all fronts.”

“The X Games have grown significantly and has been enjoyed by millions of fans over the past 10 years in Los Angeles,” said Scott Guglielmino, senior vice president, programming and X Games. “Our partners AEG and the city of Los Angeles have been instrumental in our success. As we embark on a year of significant global expansion and transformation for X Games in 2013, we are excited about the potential each of these cities bring, and look forward to identifying our next host city for the X Games.”

ESPN will next schedule site visits to the four cities on the list of finalists, with a visit to Austin anticipated the week of June 3-7. ESPN will announce the new host city for the summer version of the X Games later this summer.

Fans and community members can do their part to help Austin land the ESPN X Games by visiting the dedicated Facebook fan site, www.facebook.com/xgamesaustin, clicking “Like” and sharing messages of support that will be read by ESPN officials and X Games fans worldwide. There is also a dedicated Twitter account, www.twitter.com/xgamesaustin, for supporters that want to keep tabs on progress and participate in the discussion.

About Circuit of The Americas

Circuit of The Americas is a world-class destination for premium sports and entertainment. It is the first purpose-built Grand Prix facility in the United States designed for any and all classes of racing, from motor power to human power, and is home to the FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX while also hosting MotoGP™, V8 Supercars™, GRAND-AM Road Racing™, American Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championships. The Circuit of The Americas’ master plan features a variety of permanent structures designed for business, education, entertainment and race use. Its signature element is a 3.4-mile circuit track. Other support buildings include the Austin360 Amphitheater, an expansive outdoor live music space; an iconic 251-foot, 25-story tower with observation deck; an events and conference center; a banquet hall; and a state-of-the-art medical facility. For more information and downloadable video, audio and photos, visit: www.CircuitofTheAmericas.com, or the Circuit’s dedicated FTP site, media.circuitoftheamericas.com.

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2013 High Lifter ATV Mud Nationals Events, Concert Series Announced

SHREVEPORT, LA – January 23, 2013 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – The 11^th annual High Lifter ATV Mud Nationals is set to kick off March 20-24 at Mud Creek Off-Road Park in Jacksonville, Texas. This year marks the 9^th year the event has been at Mud Creek, drawing thousands of off-road enthusiasts from the United States, Canada, and Sweden.

During the five-day event, the High Lifter ATV Mud Nationals will feature eight events for ATV and UTV riders to participate in, including: the Mud Jam Stereo Competition, Bad 2 ‘da Bone Show and Shine, Outlaw BBQ Contest, Outlaw Obstacle Course, Poker Run, Endurance Challenge, as well as the Championship Mud Racing Series Mud Bog and Mudda Cross. Of note this year is the addition of the Outlaw Obstacle Course – designed for riders of all abilities. The Obstacle Course will feature fun obstacles such as pallets, tires, logs, and more for riders to conquer with the winner scoring the fastest time.

Riders will cap off their days of dirt-filled fun with the Extreme Outlaw Concert Series at the Oasis. Southern Ground Artists’ own Blackberry Smoke will take the stage Saturday night along with Drake White. On Friday night, Texas favorite Frank Foster will headline the evening’s entertainment.

In addition to the events and open riding, the High Lifter ATV Mud Nationals will play host to more than 100 industry vendors and major ATV manufacturers including Polaris, Can-Am, Arctic Cat, and Bennche. During the show, many vendors will feature special pricing on products along with distributing freebies.

“It’s hard to believe that in 11 years our little group ride has turned into the biggest mud-riding event in the world,” said High Lifter Products’ President Scott Smith. “Each year we grow this event and bring something new to the table – and this year is no exception! I’m especially looking forward to seeing the Outlaw Obstacle Course challenge make its debut at the High Lifter ATV Mud Nationals. The course is designed to create an even playing field for riders with stock ATVs/UTVs and tricked out ATVs/UTVs. It’s going to be one exciting event to watch!”

Tickets to the five-day High Lifter ATV Mud Nationals are $60 and can be purchased at the gate upon entry. For more information on the High Lifter ATV Mud Nationals, go to www.atvmudnationals.com.

About High Lifter Products

High Lifter Products, Inc. has been leading the industry in the development and marketing of unique, after-market accessories for UTVs and ATVs since 1996. Originally a one-man, hobby, High Lifter has since grown into a multi-million dollar corporation, operating a 27,700 square foot facility housing a retail showroom, warehouse, and performance shop.  Based in Shreveport, Louisiana High Lifter has earned a reputation for product development and collaborations with several OEMs that greatly enhance utility and performance for customers in the ATV market.

High Lifter is well known within its niche market for the creation of the largest outdoor, mud-riding venue in the country. High Lifter plays host to tens of thousands of ATV riders from all over the globe each year at its annual Mud Nationals event in Jacksonville, Texas.

High Lifter fans and customers know where to go for the best information, products and value.  A comprehensive product catalog can be found at the company website, www.highlifter.com where visitors can also get the latest information, browse photo galleries, and participate in High Lifter’s popular online forum. Or, visit High Lifter on Facebook at www.facebook.com/highlifteratv.

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National Motorcycle Thefts Down 6 Percent

Despite Decline, One Stolen Every 11 Minutes

DES PLAINES, IL – October 8, 2012 -(Motor Sports Newswire) -  The National Insurance Crime Bureau today reported that in 2011, motorcycle thefts were down 6 percent from their 2010 total. There were 46,667 motorcycles reported stolen in 2011 compared with 49,791 in 2010—a decline of 6 percent. The theft rate averages out to one theft every 11 minutes. All data is from theft reports contained in the National Crime Information Center.

The top five makes stolen last year were: (1) Honda, 11,014; (2) Yamaha, 8,880; (3) Suzuki, 7,281; (4) Kawasaki, 5,009; and (5) Harley-Davidson, 3,120. Combined, these five brands accounted for 35,304 thefts in 2011, or 75.6 percent of the total.

For 2011, the top five states with the most motorcycle thefts were: (1) California, 5,927; (2) Texas, 3,950; (3) Florida, 3,927; (4) North Carolina, 2,466; and (5) Indiana, 2,114. These five states accounted for 18,384 thefts, or 39.3 percent of the total.

Of some significance is the fact that thefts were down in 2011 while motorcycle sales increased slightly from 2010. According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, motorcycle sales increased in 2011 to 440,899 units—up 0.3 percent from 2010’s sales figure of 439,678 units.

As expected, the warm months of July and August logged the most thefts in 2011 at 5,544 and 5,397, respectively. On the other end of the scale, the cooler months of February and December saw the fewest thefts with 2,147 and 2,475, respectively.

While the most active day for thefts was Monday with 6,962, there was a relatively even spread across the week with the least active day, Sunday, posting 6,422 thefts.

The complete motorcycle theft report is available here.

Consumers can visit the NICB website and review our library of valuable theft and fraud awareness information, including tips on preventing motorcycle theft and fraud. It’s free, and it just might help prevent you from falling victim to theft or fraud scams.

About the National Insurance Crime Bureau:
Headquartered in Des Plaines, Ill., the NICB is the nation’s leading not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through data analytics, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness. The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 property and casualty insurance companies and self-insured organizations. NICB member companies wrote over $339 billion in insurance premiums in 2011, or approximately 80 percent of the nation’s property/casualty insurance. That includes more than 94 percent ($156 billion) of the nation’s personal auto insurance. To learn more visit www.nicb.org.

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Betsey Johnson Makes Her Exit from Her New San Francisco Boutique on a Can Am Spyder Provided by Spyder-Rentals.com

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – September 19, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Betsey Johnson had a warm welcoming to San Francisco on a beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon with an overwhelming crowd at her new boutique on 33 Grant Avenue.  Hundreds of people lined up early in front of her boutique to be a part of the history of her grand opening.

The designer relocated her San Francisco store to one twice the size Saturday. Johnson jetted out to the West Coast to personally hand-paint, airbrush, and glitter one of her many signature boutiques.

The pinnacle of the evening was when Betsey said farewell to her fans and friends and departed in style from her boutique on a custom Can Am Spyder complete with the Betsey Johnson logo provided by Spyder-Rentals.com.

David Chu, the owner/ CEO of Spyder-Rentals.com personally drove Betsey to an undisclosed location escaping a throng of people chasing her and the paparazzi.

The Can Am Spyder that Betsey was riding on was personally signed by her and reads “SAN FRAN! You Rock! RIDE ON! + ON! XoX BETSEY.” During Betsey’s ride, Spyder-Rentals.com also discussed the idea of raffling off the Can Am Spyder at a future date in which part of the proceeds from the Spyder would go towards a charity of her choice.

Spyder-Rentals.com would like to thank Joshua Lopez, Director of Retail Systems, from Betsey Johnson IT in letting Spyder-Rentals.com be a part of this memorable event.

About Spyder-Rentals.com

Spyder-Rentals.com is a company that started 3 1/2 years ago and has been catering to corporate clients, celebrities, movie production studios, as well as tourists from around the world who come to experience the Can Am Spyder. No motorcycle is needed in the state of California.  This unique vehicle has appeared in: Transformers 2, CSI Miami, Super Dave Osborne’s Spike-Tacular, the sitcom Friends With Benefits, & Operation Repo.

Spyder-Rentals.com has three locations: San Francisco, Irvine, and Las Vegas as well as affiliates in Fort Lauderdale, Utah, Texas, Chicago, Washington DC, Australia, and Canada.

For more information on Spyder-Rentals.com, direct all inquiries to info@spyder-rentals.com or call 877-518-1444 Ext 3 to reach corporate & promotional events division.

Contact:
Kylie Taylor
877-518-1444, Ext 3
info@spyder-rentals.com

SOURCE: Spyder-Rentals.com

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