|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BETA MOTORCYCLE WINS THE BAJA 500
PASO ROBLES, Calif. (June 30, 2009) – When the dust settled on
the 41st annual SCORE International Baja 500, a Beta Motorcycles
dealer-sponsored team won the series’ premier Open Pro Motorcycle class
on a Beta 450 RR.
In Baja’s extreme terrain and weather conditions, where the temperature
reached more than 100 degrees, Threat Racing’s near-stock 450 RR ran
flawlessly. In 432 grueling miles, the bike needed just an air filter
and a rear tire throughout nine hours and 33 minutes of punishment.
With this victory, the ultra-versatile Beta 450 RR has now gained
international acclaim from the Baja Peninsula to the woods of Finland,
where Mirko Gritti recently rode to a podium finish in the FIM World
Enduro Championship series.
The Threat Racing team consisted of Baja veteran Craig Smith, 35, and
teenage brothers Cameron, 18, and Kyle Corfman, who is just 16 years
old. Kyle was flabbergasted with the trio’s results. “At first,” he
said, “I didn’t believe that we won. Then, a billion text messages came
in and my phone started ringing.”
Smith, who started racing long before either of his teammates was born,
also won the Baja 500 in 1995. His latest south-of-the-border adventure
went according to plan. “Other than staring down a cow in the middle of
a fireroad at 50 mph, things went real smooth,” said the alfalfa farmer
from Brawley, Calif.
American Beta’s 2008 Dealer of the Year, Threat Racing is a family-owned
shop doing business for more than a decade in the desert community of El
Centro, Calif., just 10 miles from the Mexican border. Shop owner Chip
Corfman took on Beta last year as the dealership’s first motorcycle
franchise. His rationale was simple: “We used to compete on other bikes,
but I didn’t like it when we’d race on Sunday, do well and prospective
customers would go buy a bike somewhere else on Monday.”
|
 | | | |
Tim Pilg, American Beta’s founder, stressed that it was Beta dealers’
personalized, old-school service that sets the company apart from other
brands: “My experience in motorcycle dealerships taught me that American
distributors focused on how many units they could sell instead of ways
to improve customer service. While we also concentrate on sales, we are
ultimately focused on giving our customers the personalized attention
that keeps them coming back.
“We’re proud of Threat Racing’s Baja 500 performance and look forward to
more success in competition and on the showroom floor.”
ABOUT AMERICAN BETA MOTORCYCLES
In the United States, American Beta is the exclusive U.S.
distributor of Beta’s California Green Sticker-approved off-road bikes
and 50-state-legal dual-sport motorcycles.
Founded in 1904, Beta is one of the world’s oldest family-run motorcycle
businesses. Based near Florence, Italy, the company holds seven FIM
World Trials championships and six Indoor World Trials titles in
international competition. It employs 111 people and produces 17,000
vehicles annually. Beta’s 40-model 2009 domestic lineup covers the
motorcycling universe with everything from 50cc trials bikes and
scooters to 525cc Supermoto racers.
For more information, log on to
AmericanBeta.com.
Home
|
