Chaplin Kawasaki Announced as Title Sponsor of Final Moto-X 338 National

2013-06-18 08:38
It was announced today that Moto-X 338, host of the sixth round of the 2013 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, has signed Chaplin Kawasaki to serve as title sponsor of the 35th annual Moto-X 338 National scheduled for Saturday, June 29th, in Southwick. Additionally, Crotty & Sons Body Works will serve as the event’s presenting sponsor.

Southwick has hosted a round of the Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship since 1976, making it the fourth-longest running event in American Motocross. Just a few weeks ago, it was announced that this season’s race at Moto-X 338 would be the final one at the iconic facility. As the only sand track in the championship, Southwick has established an unmatched legacy in the sport of motocross and will forever be remembered as one of the greatest track in the history of the sport. The Moto-X 338 National has not been hosted in the month of June since the 2007 season.

“We are very excited to welcome the support of Chaplin Kawasaki for our final event at Southwick,” said track president Diane Peebles Pittello. “They have always made their presence felt at our events and its only fitting that they receive top billing as we close out three decades of racing at Moto-X 338.”

Kenny Ives Jr., owner of the Connecticut-based Chaplin Kawasaki dealership, has spent his entire life around motorcycles thanks to his father, Kenny Ives Sr. Ives Jr. began racing motorcycles competitively in 1979 and after a stellar career that included many championships and race wins in several disciplines, he retired from racing in the late 1980’s. Since opening Chaplin Kawasaki, Ives Jr. has become one of the top-selling Kawasaki dealers in New England and has gained even more notoriety thanks to his sponsorship of local legend and record-setting pro motocross racer John Dowd.

“Since this will be the final year of the Moto-X 338 National, I figured the best way for me to show how much that track and this sport means to me is to give the event all the support I can,” said Ives Jr. “When you think of motocross in New England you think of Southwick and we want to do everything we can to make sure this year’s event is bigger than its ever been in over 30 years.”

Crotty & Sons Body Works, located in Charlestown, R.I., is one of the premier auto body shops on the Rhode Island coast.

The Chaplin Kawasaki Moto-X 338 National, presented by Crotty & Sons Body works, will be an action-packed day of racing at one of the most legendary and challenging tracks in the world, showcasing the fastest riders on the planet. Moto-X 338’s ever-changing sand racing surface forces competitors to constantly be in search of new lines, resulting in some of the most captivating action of the championship.

Racing for the 2013 Chaplin Kawasaki Moto-X 338 National begins at 1 p.m. EST on Saturday, June 29th, with competition in both the 250 Class and 450 Class, in addition to the third and final round of the Women’s Motocross Triple Crown.

Additional information about Moto-X 338 can be found at motocross338.org. Also “like” the Moto-X 338 Facebook page and follow @Southwicked on Twitter.

For media information about the Chaplin Kawasaki Moto-X 338 National, please contact Media Relations Manager Brandon Short via email at Brandon@nextlevelsportsinc.com.

Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship
The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, features the world’s fastest professional motocross racers competing aboard state-of-the-art motorcycles on the roughest, toughest racetracks on the planet. Motocross racing is the original extreme action sport; it’s where champions such as Ricky Carmichael, Jeremy McGrath, and Travis Pastrana made their mark on the sport of motocross.

The Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship is recognized as the world’s premier professional motocross championship. The 12-round series, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, begins in California with the Red Bull Hangtown Motocross Classic in mid-May. The championship includes stops at the premier motocross racing facilities in America, with events in Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah and Washington. Professional competition is divided into two classes: the 250 Class for 150-250cc machines, and the 450 Class for 251-450cc machines. Three of the Series championship rounds will feature the rapidly growing Women’s Pro Motocross Triple Crown (“WMX Class”).

Visit www.MXSportsProRacing.com or www.AlliSports.com/motocross

Moto-X 338
Moto-X 338 is the world’s fastest sandbox! In the summer of 1972, Moto-X 338 held the first motocross race in Southwick. The race was located off route 10 + 202 in Southwick. The collaboration of the local police and American legionaries raised $3,000 for the Jimmy Fund. The following July, the first Motocross 338 race was held at the American Legion Post 338. The New England Sports Committee followed with a schedule of events during summer and fall of that year. The first Southwick AMA National Motocross 125cc and 250cc event was held in 1976. Presently, Moto-X 338 has held 34 AMA national events.

Throughout the years Moto-X 338 track has become a favorite of some of American motocross racings’ toughest competitors. Bob Hannah, Jeff Stanton, and Ricky Carmichael all counted the Moto-X 338 among their favorite tracks, with Jeff Stanton winning four times in a row at Southwick between 1989 and 1992. Ricky Carmichael won nine consecutive races beginning in 1999.

The Southwick Motocross 338 track is approx. 1.3 mile in length on 28 acres owned by the American Legion Post 338. Over the years Moto-X 338 has also held Loretta Lynn qualifiers, AHRMA Vintage Nationals, AHRMA Northeastern Motocross Series, ACR events, and the Cowabunga Classic in 1993. The following organizations continue to hold racing events at Moto-X 338: ACR, Conn 4X4, NEMA, NEMX, and NESC. Moto-X 338 has been known for the local New England heroes it produces. Doug Henry and John Dowd were both fixtures on the Moto-X 338 podium throughout their careers.

More information can be found at motocross338.org.

Source: Next Level

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