GNCC Racer Sponsorship Polaris signed Matt Smiley, a 13-year veteran and a top five GNCC racer the last eight consecutive years, to a sponsorship contract whereby Smiley will be Polaris’ first GNCC factory sponsored racer. The sponsorship includes marketing and promotions, but most importantly, Smiley will provide critical engineering feedback and future product development assistance. Having a consistent and tough GNCC racer on board will help Polaris create stronger trail racing products in the future.

“We’re thrilled to have Matt representing Polaris on the racing front,” said Bennett Morgan, vice president and general manager for the ATV Division at Polaris. “This move signals our commitment to the high performance end of the market and our partnership is in keeping with our trail tough, track ready strategy. GNCC racing is much more true to what the majority of our consumers experience, as compared to track racing and therefore it’s a better alignment for Polaris.”

Smiley will race on a modified 2005 Predator 500 Troy Lee Edition machine. The stock model recently was awarded the “Sport ATV of the Year” by The ATV Guide.

“One of my goals for 2005 is to dedicate more of my time and effort to pro GNCC racing and working with Polaris will help me do that,” said Matt Smiley, GNCC pro class racer. “The Predator is a killer machine with a ton of potential. I’m looking forward to influencing future product modifications and components to make it an even stronger trail threat.”

Smiley will be managed by Safari Motorsports under the direction of Jay Gobel. Details of the contract are not disclosed.

Contingency Program
A first for Polaris and the largest ATV GNCC contingency to date, the company will have a contingency program for all GNCC ATV classes including youth racing in 2005. The potential pay out for GNCC is $250,000 and across all GNCC ATV classes, including the class champion. The maximum per race pay out is $2000 for the pro class. Polaris is currently the only manufacturer offering a contingency program for the new youth circuit. The potential pay out for youth is $10,000 and is available to all three classes, with a maximum per race pay out of $150. Details on both contingency programs will be posted on the GNCC Racing web site as well as the Polaris Industries’ web site – www.polarisindustries.com.

Racing Graphics
In conjunction with the sponsorship and contingency program, Polaris will unveil its new high-performance identity with tough Black and Silver colors. The graphics are featured on Smiley’s Predator – a one-of-a-kind machine. Racing gear and accessories are expected to follow in the striking black and silver combination to compliment the machine.

The first race of the 2005 GNCC series is The Lone Star race, February 12th in Gilmer, Texas. Matt Smiley will be hard to miss a top his Polaris Predator 500 Troy Lee.