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Sport UTVs:
DuneFest 2011 at Winchester Bay
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area
Monster Energy Kawasaki Teryx at DuneFest 2011
DuneFest takes place at Winchester Bay in the
Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. This year's event took place
August 3 - 7, 2011. If you have never been to DuneFest, put it on your
calendar. There is so much going on that you could spend your
whole time in the vendor area and checking out events and racing without
ever getting out into the dunes to ride. Reedsport/Winchester Bay
Chamber of Commerce puts on DuneFest, and I have got to say they do a
great job keeping everything organized and making it an enjoyable
experience.
There were four ATV/UTV Manufacturers on location near
the main stage. Yamaha, Kawasaki, Arctic Cat and Can-Am were giving demo
rides of the Teryx, Commander, Rhino and select ATVs.
UTV Manufacturers at DuneFest - Arctic Cat, Can-Am, Kawasaki and
Yamaha
For this trip I brought along my
2011 Kawasaki Teryx with a new
916cc Muzzys engine and a set of paddle tires from Fullerton Sand
Sports. When not out riding in the dunes, it was displayed on Vendor Row
in the Got Sand? booth and also at the Kawasaki demo trailer.
This was the first time in the dunes with our 2011
Kawasaki Teryx and I was very impressed. After rock crawling in
Moab and on the Rubicon, the dunes are a completely different animal,
and it performed well. The extra power from the Muzzys 916cc v-twin
added just enough to get me through the dunes at a good pace. With the
extra power, I was even more excited about the
LoneStar Racing +5" XTR-F
suspension with Fox shocks. Stable, plush, but firm when I needed it. I
even went on a night ride and put my
Rigid Industries Dually LED lights
to the test. They turned night into day. Enough said!
I arrived on Tuesday and unloaded quickly as this was my
first trip to the dunes with my new
916cc Muzzys engine. I hooked
up with friends that all had RZRs and had a blast with the beautiful
weather and expansive coastal dunes. We even found a jumping spot and
some of the guys aired it out a bit.
Wednesday's competition included the Tug-of-war.
The Tug-of-war replaced last year's tractor pull and I am not quite sure
why this was changed. Tug-of-war just doesn't work with UTVs.
They turn into roto-tillers and bury themselves without making much of
any forward movement. Check out the video below and you will see.
I hope they switch back to the tractor pull for next year.
Later in the day, I hooked up with Elka Suspension as they installed
and tuned a set of Stage 4 shocks on Dave's Polaris RZR XP. It is
very cool when aftermarket manufacturers and vendors are on location to
sell, install, tune and answer questions.
Dave from Fullerton Sand Sports got some new Stage 4 Elka shocks
installed on his Polaris RZR XP, then took it out and jumped it big!
Dave talks very highly of this setup, and he likes to dune hard.
Thursday came and I joined up with JC and Shane from
MotorcycleUSA.com for a ride.
They had brought out their demo Polaris RZR XP that had some aftermarket
dirt tires that really spun up in the sand. Not the greatest choice for
performance in the sand, but they threw up a nice roost! After
some riding, JC decided it was time to get some air as well.
I joined up with a Bill Lanphier as he went out for a
sand car photo shoot, and Dave, Seth and Jay came along. Much to
my liking, this group doesn't like to sit around much. So while
Bill was busy shooting photos of the sand car, we played around in the
dunes. I jumped out to snap some photos after Seth Fargher from
DWT decided to go big on a Suzuki Z400. While that was going on, I
tossed my Teryx keys to Dave from Fullerton Sand Sports and he took a
quick spin.
Seth Fargher from DWT on his Dad's Suzuki Z400
Dave from Fullerton Sand Sports taking our Monster Energy Kawasaki
Teryx for a spin
Later in the day, it was back to the main event area to
check out the UTV Barrel Racing. Three barrels were setup in a standard
Western Barrel pattern that looks like a triangle. Riders had to
negotiate some very tight corners.
DuneFest 2011 Barrel Racing
Later in the afternoon, it was time for the Show &
Shine. Just a handful of UTVs competed in the event, but there were some
nice paint jobs on display.
DuneFest Show & Shine - UTVs
Show & Shine - ATVs
Friday morning started as usual in the vendor area, but
I was over at the
American Sand Association booth helping sell raffle tickets for the
2011 Buckshot sand car.
After the coastal fog had burned off it was time for a Helicopter Ride over
the Winchester Bay dunes! I hooked up with the official DuneFest 2011
photographer and went up with
Apex Helicopters. Apex is based up
in Florence, and run tours of the dunes on a regular basis.
Aerial view of the manufacturer area at DuneFest
GoPro video of the Winchester Bay Sand Dunes during DuneFest 2011
Bird's eye view of DuneFest 2011
After the helicopter ride, it was time to head back main
stage area for the Last Man Standing UTV Race. This event is on a pretty
tight track and has two drivers sent out at a time with a double
elimination. Once they've lost twice, they are out of the race. The
course is real tight and there is not much room to pass so typically
whoever got the holeshot, ended up winning the race. A Polaris RZR XP
won the race and was also the most popular entry, but there was also a
few Yamaha Rhinos a Kawasaki Teryx and a few RZR S.
Last Man Standing UTV Race
Saturday, I hooked up with Dave from Fullerton Sand
Sports and the guys from K&T Performance to get a closer look at what
they have done for turbo kits with the Polaris RZR XP. I got a chance to
drive K&T's white RZR XP that was sporting their pump gas turbo kit.
Although they still had some clutch tuning to do, the XP had some crazy
power! We cruised the dunes for a while then found a spot where we
could get some wheelie shots. Dave drove the white XP and Rayce
drove their race XP. The power to weight ratio that these cars put down
is very impressive.
Turbo Polaris RZR XP - white on pump gas and black on race gas.
In The Dunes
1600 HP Jeep Grand Cherokee
Ovation Award winner of "The Best Sporting Event in
Oregon". This five-day event is filled with exciting fun activities
including adult and kid activities, Moto Cross Racing, Sand Drags, Poker
Run, Treasure Hunt, Show N’ Shine, Drive-In Movie Night, Charity
Auction, Freestyle Shows, evening entertainment featuring Rock The Dunes
Friday and Saturday nights. Vendor Row offers ATV’s, clothing, crafts,
ATV accessories, and food booths.
DuneFest offers A Kid’s Safe ATV Riding Area, Exciting Activities for
all skill and age ranges, Non Ethanol Gasoline, premium fuel 92 octane,
available in Salmon Harbor at the fuel dock, and a free shuttle bus
service from Winchester Bay.
With the help of hundreds of volunteers, DuneFest is the premiere ATV
sand event in the country. DuneFest is a family-friendly atmosphere and
boasts the slogan: "THE MOST FUN A FAMILY CAN HAVE IN THE SAND"
Facilities under Special Use Permit with the Siuslaw National Forest &
Douglas County Parks.
Visit Vendor Row to find ATV accessories, clothing, and
food. Vendor Row will open daily from 9am to 6pm with food vendors
staying open later for you to enjoy fresh Dungeness crab or BBQ Ribs for
dinner.
DuneFest 2011 Schedule of Events:
TUESDAY, August 2nd
2:00pm - Camp Check-in and Pre-registration booth opens at
Fisherman’s Memorial on Salmon Harbor Drive
WEDNESDAY, August 3rd
8:00 am - Camp Check-in and registration all day.
8:00 am - Welcome to DuneFest Pancake Breakfast at Hospitality tent
Main Stage Area sponsored by Yamaha Motor Corporation USA. Presented
by The Military Order Of The Purple Heart.
9:00 am - Vendor Area opens.
9:00 am - DuneFest 2011 FAMILY FUN IN THE SUN ACTIVITY AREA OPENS
sign up AT THE PROMOTO PROMOTIONS MX TRACK AREA.
10:00 am - Treasure Hunt & Poker Run Registration opens ModQuad
booth on vendor row (DECIBEL CHECK REQUIRED testing available Main
Stage area).
10:00 am - Tire Toss Registration opens Moto Gear booth on vendor
row.
10:00 am - Adult/ Kid Toilet Paper Tag Tighty Whitey Team Race.
2:00 pm - Mini Warriors Quadcross Grand Prix.
2:00 pm - 40 - 70CC Open Skill.
2:20 pm - 80 - 110CC Amateur/Expert.
3:00 pm -250 4Stroke Amateur/Expert – 400CC Amateur/Expert.
3:30 pm - 450CC Amateur/Expert.
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm UTV and SideXSide Tractor Pull
5:00 pm - Monster Truck Rides – Moto Cross Track
THURSDAY,
August 4th
8:00 am - Camp Check-in and registration all day.
8:00 am - DuneFest Pancake Breakfast at Hospitality Tent Main Stage
Area sponsored by can-am/BRP, presented by The Military Order Of The
Purple Heart.
9:00 am - 11:00 pm Free Shuttle bus service begins.
9:00 am - Vendor Area open.
9:00 am - DuneFest 2011 FAMILY FUN IN THE SUN ACTIVITY AREA OPENS
sign up AT THE PROMOTO PROMOTIONS MX TRACK AREA.
10:00 am - Treasure Hunt & Poker Run Registration opens ModQuad
booth on vendor row (DECIBEL CHECK REQUIRED testing available Main
Stage area).
10:00 am - Tire Toss Registration opens Moto Gear booth on vendor
row.
10:00 am - Barrel Racing Kids up to 12 years old
12:00 pm - Barrel Racing Women
1:00 pm - Barrel Racing Men
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Show & Shine Registration at Main Stage Area
sponsored by ModQuad
4:00 pm - 5:30 pm Show & Shine at Main Stage Area sponsored by
ModQuad
5:00 pm - Monster Truck Rides – Moto Cross Track
9:00 pm - Movie Night – Drive-In Movie at Main Stage Area Sponsored
by MotoUSA
MotoUSA Video Highlight Footage
Feature Presentation - TBD
(Refreshments available)
THURSDAY DRAGS
Oregon Off-Road Drag Association Sand Drag Racing
Sponsored by ModQuad DRAG STRIP - Be sure to REGISTER for all Sand Drag Races on
Friday and Saturday at Race Track.
9:00 am - 1:00 pm Drag Strip Opens Test & Tune.
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Side X Side Race.
2:00 pm - Test & Tune.
FRIDAY, August 6th
8:00 am - Camp Check-in and registration all day.
8:00 am - DuneFest Pancake Breakfast at Hospitality Tent Main Stage
Area sponsored by Arctic Cat, presented by The Military Order Of The
Purple Heart.
9:00 am - Midnight Free Shuttle bus service begins.
9:00 am - Vendor Area open.
Noon - Pre-Registration booth closes at Fisherman’s Memorial.
9:00 am - DuneFest 2011 FAMILY FUN IN THE SUN ACTIVITY AREA OPENS
sign up AT THE PROMOTO PROMOTIONS MX TRACK AREA.
10:00 am - Side X Side Last Man Standing Event
11:00 am - 11:30 am Freestyle Show by WGAS Motorsports at Main Stage
Area
1:00 pm - Team Grand Prix MX TRACK AREA
10:00 am - Treasure Hunt & Poker Run Registration opens ModQuad
booth on vendor row (DECIBEL CHECK REQUIRED testing available Main
Stage area).
10:30 am - 12:30 pm Treasure Hunt Main Stage Area sponsored by
ModQuad (DECIBLE CHECK REQUIRED).
1:45 pm - 2:15 pm - Freestyle Show by WGAS Motorsports at Main Stage
Area
3:30 pm - Tire Toss sponsored by MotoGear at Main Stage Area Men,
Women, & Kid Brutus win a set of paddle tires.
' 5:00 pm - Monster Truck Rides – Moto Cross Track
5:30 pm - 5:45 pm - Freestyle Show by WGAS Motorsports at Main Stage
Area sponsored by Geico Powersports.
5:00 pm - Monster Truck Rides – Moto Cross Track
5:45 pm - ATV Charity Auction at The Main Stage Area sponsored by
the Vendors and Sponsors of DuneFest 2011 Following Auction
Freestyle Show by WGAS Motorsports continued.
ROCK THE DUNES
At the Main Stage Area live performances (bring your own chair).
Music & Dancing
7:15 pm – 8:00 pm Kid’s Rock - Cloud Nine Band
8:15 pm – 9:30 pm Band - TBD
10:00 pm – Peter Giri Band
FRIDAY DRAGS
Oregon Off-Road Drag Association Sand Drag Racing
Sponsored by ModQuad
DRAG STRIP
9:00 am - 1:00 pm - Sportsman Time runs and elimination.
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm - Kids Time runs & elimination.
1:30 pm - 2:00 pm - High School Drags.
2:00 pm - 4:30 pm - Pro Bike Times runs and eliminations.
4:00 pm - Cars, Jeeps, Buggies, & Dragsters times and elimination.
SATURDAY, August 6th
8:00 am - Camp Check-in and registration all day.
8:00 am - DuneFest Pancake Breakfast at Hospitality Tent Main Stage
Area sponsored by Kawasaki, presented by The Military Order Of The
Purple Heart
9:00 am - Midnight Free Shuttle bus service begins.
9:00 am - Vendor Area open.
9:00 am - DUNEFEST 2011 FAMILY FUN IN THE SUN ACTIVITY AREA OPENS
sign up AT THE PROMOTO PROMOTIONS MX TRACK AREA.
10:00 am - Winchester Bay QuadCross Races Begin.
40 – 70CC Beginner Class.
70 – 125CC Amateur Class.
1:00 pm - 3:00pm - Pro Races 16 years old & older.
70 –125CC Amateur or Expert.
200 –400 4stroke Amateur or Expert.
Shifter Expert Women’s Only.
+30 Amateur or Expert.
450CC Beginner / Junior/ Expert / Pro.
Side X Side Classes co-sponsored by MCX-USA with added prizes of a
gift certificates for 1st Place $1,500 off a UTV Turbo Kit, 2nd
Place $1.250 off, 3rd Place $1,000 off. Remit to MCX-USA.
Pilot & Odyssey Class
Added classes as needed.
10:00 am - 2 pm - Poker Run Registration Opens Northwest Community
Credit Union Activity Information/Registration booth on vendor row.
10:00 am - 1:30pm - Can Food Drive Main Stage Area sponsored by
ModQuad.
11:00 am - 11:30 am Freestyle Show by WGAS Motorsports at Main Stage
Area
1:45 pm - 2:15 pm Freestyle Show by WGAS Motorsports at Main Stage
Area
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Poker Run Registration at Main Stage
3:00 pm - 4:30 pm Poker Run (DECIBEL CHECK REQUIRED)
5:00 - pm Monster Truck Rides – Moto Cross Track
5:00 - pm – 6:30 pm Presentation of Trophies and Prizes to Race
Winners and Stage Announcements
7:00 pm - 7:30 pm Freestyle Show by WGAS Motorsports at Main Stage
Area
ROCK THE DUNES
At the Main Stage Area live performances (bring your own chair).
Music & Dancing
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm Band - TBD
10:00 pm - Damaged Jim
SATURDAY DRAGS
Oregon Off-Road Drag Association Sand Drag Racing
Sponsored by ModQuad
DRAG STRIP
9:00 am - 10:30 am Thumper Wars
10:30 am - Noon Banshee Bash sponsored by Yamaha Corp. USA
Noon - 1:00 pm Honda Hoedown
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Suzuki Shootout
2:00pm - KING OF THE DUNES RACE Please Note: All Times are approximate: It is the racers
responsibility to be at the track at the right time.
SUNDAY, August 7th
Open Play Day.
9:00am - Noon - Vendor Area open.
Free Air Station located at the Pre-Registration Booth location
Provided by United Rentals and Mast Bros. Towing
Keep The Oregon Dunes Clean by leaving your area pristine Please
leave garbage at the dumpsters Drive Safely!
