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Cobra In The News
3/27/2008
Cobra Riders Take Eight in Texas
A tribute to the kids who rode a little faster, dug a little deeper, and prepared a little better...
2008 Texas Champions:
Michael Young
Lance Kobusch
Sean Cantrell (3)
Tanner Stack
Kyle Lucas (2)
3/26/2008
MotoPlayground Today
Cut and past the following link into your brouser to catch the latest Motoplaygound Today video:
http://shopthep.com/main/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=241
3/25/2008
Historic Week For Cobra CX65 @ Lake Whitney, Texas, Amateur National MX Competition
Cobra’s Michael Young wins the first ever national MX championship on the new CX65 while Cobras also sweep all the major 50cc class titles
Photo: Cobra CX65s are 1-2-3 out of the gate in a Lake Whitney 7-9 65cc Stock class moto. From left to right on their Cobra CX65s are #89 Michael Young, #214 Austin Forkner and #27 Bradley Esper. Photo courtesy of Cobra.
HILLSDALE, Mich., (March 18, 2008) – HUGE news out of Texas this weekend as Factory Cobra’s Michael Young (Concord, N.C.) became the first racer in American motocross racing history to win a major 65cc class amateur motocross championship on an American-made motorcycle - this past weekend winning the 65cc 7-9 Modified class at Lake Whitney.
And if that wasn’t enough, Cobra-mounted racers swept 1st place in all three major 50cc class classes, giving Cobra four outright titles at Lake Whitney.
“I can’t begin to tell you how pleased we are here at Cobra,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “The work associated with the CX65 project the last couple years bordered on obsession for us. And when word came back that Michael had won 65cc 7-9 Modified class – with only a couple modifications to be honest – we couldn’t contain ourselves.
“In fact, I was so pumped I drove down to Texas today to watch this week’s racing at Oak Hill (32nd annual GNC International Motocross Final). Part of me still can’t believe the bike we designed from the ground up won its first national competition after debuting in Texas this time last year. Unreal.”
Also making the podium on the CX65 in the 65cc 7-9 Stock class was Austin Forkner (Richards, Mo.) who placed 3rd. All totaled, every rider on both the 65cc 7-9 Stock and Modified class podiums were either on a Cobra or raced one in the past.
In the 51cc Open class at Lake Whitney Cobra’s Tanner Stack (Oak Grove, Mo.) was victorious, as was Sean Cantrell (Newbury Park, Calif.) in the 51cc 7-8 Stock class and Lance Kobush (New Florence, Mo.) in the 51cc 4-6 Stock class.
“Again, congratulations to all the Cobra racers who stepped up and made the trek to Lake Whitney to race,” said Hilbert. “And to Michael Young and his dad – an ice cream on me this week at Oak Hill! Man, what a great feeling.”
3/12/2008
Cobra Kids Roll Into Texas’ Amateur National Openers
Cobra’s amazing reign on the 50cc class’ expected to continue at Lake Whitney and Oak Hill to start the 2008 competition season
HILLSDALE, Mich., (March 12, 2008) – Cobras opening two rounds of the 2008 amateur national competition season get underway in Texas this week with annual running of the Lake Whitney AMA/Parts Unlimited Spring Classic and carrying on into next week with Oak Hill’s 32nd annual GNC International Motocross Final.
And once again Cobra enters the two Texas rounds with some future Cobra Generation kids who’ll no doubt be the marquee names in supercross a little over a decade from now.
“The Texas amateur national openers are always a fun time for the sport,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “Not only are Lake Whitney and Oak Hill a great way for Cobra racers to showcase their talents and hopefully carry momentum that can last them the rest of the summer, they’re also great venues for us to further shake down the ’08 Cobras and monitor the valuable input from all the dads spinning wrenches.”
Before we get into the rider list, Cobra would like to extend its heartfelt wishes on a speedy recovery to Cobra factory racer Hayden Justice, along with his father, Jay. The entire staff at Cobra, along with the motocross industry, is pulling together with positive thoughts for the Justice family.
Here’s a scouting report on some of the top Cobra racers competing in Texas the next couple weeks. Stay tuned to www.cobramotorcycle.com throughout the month of March for updates on both events.
Michael Young: This North Carolina kid is RED HOT. The top eight-year-old last year in the 50cc class at the Mini O’s, Young will step up to the new CX65 and should for sure gain Cobra engineers some valuable race input given the CX65's limited national competition experience this past year.
Sean Cantrell: On the short list of favorites to win the 7-8 50cc class this year, Cantrell’s the former AMA No. 1 plate holder in the 4-6 50cc class.
Jordan Bailey: One of Cobra’s newest factory riders after he won the 4-6 50cc title at Loretta’s last summer, Bailey moves up to the 7-8 class and should factor in the top scoring right out of the gate at Lake Whitney. He will also make his debut in the 7-9 65cc class on the Cobra CX 65.
Clay Woeste: One of the few kids to ever finish on the 7-8 50cc podium as a seven-year-old, Woeste won’t make Lake Whitney due to a wreck that totaled their family's truck and trailer in an ice storm on the way down to Texas. Everyone made it back home safe, and the family is going to do their best to make it to Oak Hill.
Brandon Smith: The New Mexico racer possesses lots of raw speed and drive. A podium at Loretta’s last year will give him all the confidence he needs to rank highly in the 7-8 50cc class this year.
Austin Forkner: Forkner completely dominated the 7-9 65cc class during the recent Texas Winter Series on his CX65. Cobra’s expecting some good results from him in this the first full competition season for the CX65.
Bradley Esper: Making his debut on the PR2 CX65, Michigan’s Esper showed great promise last year before an injury at the Sunday Creek Loretta’s regional put him on the sidelines for a few months. Word is Esper’s back up to speed now and is pumped to return to racing this week.
Tanner Stack: The experienced eight-year-old has the raw speed and talent to succeed. And as a senior in the 7-8 50cc class Cobra’s confident that he’s going to put up some great results this summer.
Gavin Hultman: Anther fast kid from the state of Arizona, Gavin has some very strong finishes last year in the 4-6 class. He will make his 7-8 50cc national debut this week at Lake Whitney.
Tristan Lewis: Lewis showed great speed last year and maturity at the Mini O’s when he and fellow Cobra racer Jordan Bailey battled it out for the 4-6 50cc class title. Lewis will make his debut on the Cobra King 50 at Lake Whitney.
Logan Lietzel: Hailing from PA, Logan starts his first year in the 7-8 50cc class after a very impressive finish to his 4-6 50cc class career last year. Logan rides with a lot of drive, so look for some good finishes from him this season.
Dawson Evitts: Dawson has spent the winter training hard down south at the Bell Compound. He is set in 2008 for a full attack on the nationals.
For more information, including results, from Lake Whitney this week keep an eye on Cobra’s website. You can also check out www.lakewhitneymx.com
2/26/2008
“The Cobra Generation” Has Arrived!
Davi Millsaps and Trey Canard – both former factory Cobra racers – sweep the SX and SX Lites podium at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Feb. 26, 2008) – A number of the boys who grew up racing the legendary Cobra King 50 mini cycles have recently graduated to the top of the podium on the world’s premier competition motocross stage – Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship.
Dubbed the “Cobra generation,” Atlanta Supercross SX and SX Lites class winners David Millsaps (Honda) and Trey Canard (Torco/Honda), along with Houston SX Lites class winner Austin Stroupe (Monster/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki) are all graduates of the Cobra King 50 program. Millsaps won Loretta Lynn’s AMA National Amateur Championship in 1996 and ’97 on Cobras, Stroupe won Loretta’s on his Cobra in ’99 and Canard was always a solid top five kid on his Cobra before really taking off once he got to the big bikes.
In fact, the recent success by former Cobra champions spawned this classic line from rookie ESX Lites class racer Tyler Bowers – himself a former Cobra pilot – on supercrossonline.com:
“I think the Cobra generation is finally getting in here,” said Bowers. “We grew up riding bikes other than the PWs. And from a young age we were able to jump stuff right off the bat.”
Bowers’ spot-on sentiment was echoed loudly by Monster Energy Supercross announcers Jason Weigandt and Jim Holly, both of whom agreed in full and expanded upon this “Cobra generation” phenomenon:
“That’s a different breed of motorcycle,” said Holly of the Cobras. “Cobra came out with a 50cc motorcycle with suspension that had the ability to do the double jumps out there. All these guys raced each other growing up and now they’re 16 and rookies and have moved up to the supercross show. They’re gonna shine!”
* Former Cobra racer Tyler Bowers’ comment resonates throughout the industry. Hear it for yourself at http://www.supercrossonline.com/webcasts/Article.2008-02-21.3124 at the 20:52 mark of his interview with Jim Holly and Jason Weigandt!*
2/25/2008
Another Cobra Demo Day
After great success with the last demo day, Cobra motorcycles is pleased to announce another ride scheduled for March 1st, 2008 at Waterman International Raceway in Waterman, IL. Cobra will be on hand to provide factory support and the opportunity to ride the full line of 2008 motocross models. Riding is scheduled from 10 AM-9 PM, with the last 2 hours (7PM-9PM) being reserved just for mini riders! For directions and pricing please visit http://www.wirmx.com We hope to see you there!
1/17/2008
Cobra Demo Day
Mark your calendars for February 16, 2008. Cobra, in conjunction with Xtreme Sports, is hosting a demo day at the Sandbox Arena in New Richmond, WI. Cobra will be on hand to provide factory support and offer a chance to ride the 2008 motocross models. Riding will be from 8am-10pm and will be offered at a discounted rate of $30.00. All dealers are welcome to join. This is something Cobra wants to do more with dealers in the future. If you have a favorite track in mind and would like to do something similar please let us know. Log onto xtremesportscr.com for more details.
12/5/2007
GNCC Champ Interview
For a great interview with Dylan Bradford, check out Tuesday Toolbox here:
http://www.racerpress.com/newsmanager/templates/?a=120&z=5
11/29/2007
Cobra ECX Mini Quads Take Australia!
Cobra ECX 50 and 90cc mini quads sweep the ’07 Australian ATV Championships
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Nov. 29, 2007) – The Cobra ECX mini quad line continues to make and impressive mark on international ATV competition as it recently swept the Junior 50cc, Junior 90cc Production and Junior 90cc Modified classes in the 2007 Yamaha Australian ATV Championships in Newry, Victoria, Australia.
Bringing home ATV titles for Cobra were:
• Lachlan Stone (N.T. Aus) 1st place, 9 -13 90cc Modified.
• Aston Oliver (W.A. Aus) 1st place, 9 – 13 90cc Production
• Jake Gartside (VIC, Aus.), 1st place, 6-9 50cc Production
Also racing well on his Cobra ECX mini quad was Chris Bosnakis (2nd 90cc Production and 3rd 90cc Modified.)
Lachlan Stone completely dominated in the modified class with five-for-five race wins. Chris Bosnakis put on a spirited pursuit, but a DNF in race four ended his challenge.
“Nice going to our friends and Cobra mini quad racers in Australia,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “Cobra looks forward to continued international success with these and the ever-growing list of Cobra ECX mini quad riders around the world.”
11/28/2007
50cc Sweep @ Mini Os
Cobra Motorcycles Wrap Up A Banner 2007 Competition Season With 50cc Sweep @ Mini Os
Cobra kids sweep every podium of every age class in both the Mini Os’ Supercross and Motocross competitions
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Nov. 28, 2007) – Backing up their historic sweep of Loretta’s this past summer, Cobra kids were equally as impressive at the 36th annual Thor Winter National Olympics, presented by Pro Circuit in Florida this past week. All totaled, Cobra kids swept the podium of every class (Jr./4-6 & Sr./7-8) in both the Motocross and Supercross portions of the season’s last major national amateur motocross competition.
“Simply put, this has been the greatest competition year ever in the history of Cobra,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles. “The performance put forth by these kids at the Mini Os this past week was truly remarkable. To win every overall of every class was great. To sweep every podium of every class was amazing. And to take 36 out of the top 40 overall positions is unbelievable.
“A big round of applause here at Cobra headquarters to all the kids racing Cobras this year. You guys and your parents were part of history here at Cobra.”
Beginning with the SX class at Gatorback MX Park in Gainesville, Fla., Cobra’s Jordan Bailey kept true to his Loretta’s title by coming out on top in the 4-6 class at the Mini Os. Bailey and the top four junior Cobra pilots – including Logan Leitzel, Brandon Hariston and Tristan Lewis – were all very close in each moto. But in the end it was Bailey who rode a smooth and smart race to take the 4-6 Jr. SX title.
In the 7-8 Sr. SX class it was Austin Forkner and Ty Pantley who were able to put in the consistent rides, and in doing so topped some big names in the Sr. SX class. Both had some good motos at major events earlier in the year, but had yet to put together two of them – until the Mini Os! Joining Forkner (1st) and Pantley (2nd) on the overall 7-8 Sr. SX class podium was Michael Young.
In the 4-6 Jr. MX class it was again Bailey who proved to be the best little dude in the nation on a JR 50cc bike. Bailey was the only rider in the class that could jump the entire “Dinner Table” section – which is quite a feat given his age and being a Jr. class motorcycle. Lewis was able to run right there with Bailey for the entire race, but couldn’t get an advantage over the mistake-free riding of Bailey. Joining those two on the 4-6 Jr. MX podium was Cobra rider Jonathan Lee.
In the 7-8 Sr. MX class Joey Crown got the best of the competition – namely Pantley – in a lapper-splitting photo finish that was arguably the best moto of the week-long competition. The two were separated by only a couple of inches, with the top four finishers (Young, 3rd and Trevor Windgassen, 4th) all finishing within a couple seconds of each other.
Also noteworthy was the effort of Austin Forkner and Michael Young on their Cobra CX65s. Both kids rode strong all week long, and Young rounded out the MX program as the top finishing 8 year-old in both the Stock and Mod classes – putting a stake in the ground as one of the kids to beat in that class next year.
For all the Cobra results from the Mini Os, link to: www.unlimitedsportsmx.com
11/8/2007
Cobra Mini Quads – Led By Dylan Bradford - Sweep GNCC Series’ 90cc 11-15 Modified Class O/A Podium!
Cobra ECX70 racers Josh Merritt (2nd) and Kyle Riley (3rd) join Bradford on overall box in the GNCC Series’ 90cc 11-15 Modified class
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Nov. 8, 2007) – Cobra’s ECX70 mini quads picked up in the finals of the Can-Am Grand National Cross Country Series, aka the “GNCCs,” right where they left off in Moose Racing ATVA Motocross Series, sweeping the overall podium in the premier 90cc 11-15 Modified class.
Leading the charge on the little red rippin’ Cobra ECX70s was Canton, Ohio’s Dylan Bradford. With five wins, three 2nd place finishes and a 3rd in the 11 GNCC youth ATV races Bradford topped the field with 157 points. Rounding out the 90cc 11-15 Modified class podium on their Cobra ECX70s were Josh Merritt (Akron, Ohio) and Kyle Riley (Elkins, W.Va.) in 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
“We couldn’t have planned it any better on paper to start the season,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles. “Cobra’s mini quads are in their second full year of competition and, as we stated to the press when we first released the mini quads (“showroom floor directly to the podium”), they’ve backed up our claim in both the quick-sprinting ATVA Motocross Series and now in the demanding endurance test of the GNCCs.”
Bradford, much like Cobra’s Walker Fowler last year, was the 90cc 11-15 Modified class’ elite racer. Case-in-point: At one race this summer Bradford was run into a tree as soon as the mini quads hit the woods following the start. He was able to re-fire his wounded ECX70 and came back out of the woods in dead last place. After the next 5.5 mile lap he’d worked his way up to 3rd place and by the end of the next lap he’d put two minutes between himself and the 2nd place quad!
“And he did that on a box stock Cobra 70cc motor, no porting or any other modifications,” added Gary Bradford, Dylan’s father and chief mechanic. “The Cobra ECX70 is the fastest mini quad on the planet. And it stood up in the most horrible conditions you could imagine that these kids race in. Wide open for an hour through mud, sand, dust, rocks and water and we didn’t have a single pit stop or mechanical issue all season long.”
Rounding out the top five in overall points in the GNCC 90cc 11-15 Modified class were Cobra ECX70 racers Jerry Welch (Oakland, Md.) in 4th and Seth Mumford (Crooksville, Ohio) in 5th.
For all the Cobra results from the GNCCs, link to: www.gnccracing.com
10/16/2007
Cobra Motorcycles Once Again Dominant @ Annual Branson, Mo., National MX Championships
Cobra’s success rate in the 50cc classes at Branson is staggering as the little yellow bikes out of Michigan again take nearly all of the podium spots
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Oct. 16, 2007) – Cobra Motorcycles – led by the legendary CX 50 Sr., aka the “King 50” and the CX 50 Jr. – laid claim to nearly the entire 50cc class podiums at the recent Branson National MX Championships this past weekend in Missouri.
“The performance by our young guys caps off probably the best competition summer on record for Cobra,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “I can count on one hand the titles we didn’t win this summer. Congrats to the kids that did well on Cobras at Branson. Hit the school work hard and we’ll see you in a few short weeks at the Mini O’s in Gainesville (Fla.) for the final event of the season.”
Leading Cobra charge in the 7-8 Pee Wee Modified and Stock classes were North Carolina’s Austin McKee (1st place, 7-8 PW Mod) and Ohio’s Hayden Justice (1st place 7-8 PW Stk). Cobra would have swept the entire class had former Cobra racer Carter Stephenson now been wooed away by another 50cc factory. But no worries from Cobra as they wish Carter and his family the best of luck.
Rounding out the podium and top five in the 7-8 50cc Mod class for Cobra were: Justice (2nd), Arizona’s Connor Giardina (3rd), Pennsylvania’s Dawson Evitts (4th) and Texas’ Challen Tennant (5th). Overall in the 7-8 50cc Mod class Cobra swept the top five spots, took eight of the top ten and 12 of the top 15!
In the 7-8 50cc Stock class North Carolina’s Justin Dunn (2nd) and McKee (3rd) joined Justice on the box with their Cobras. New York’s David Milana (4th) and Missouri’s Tanner Stack (6th) also raced real well for Cobra in the 7-8 Stock class. Overall Cobra-mounted racers took 1st through 4th in the 7-8 stock class, eight of the top ten positions and 12 of the top 15 positions.
The 4-6 Pee Wee 50cc classes were ALL Cobras as the little yellow bikes swept the podiums in every class. Led by Pennsylvania’s Logan Leitzel – who had the best weekend out of any Cobra racer – Cobra took 1st through 14th place in the Pee Wee Stock class and swept the entire Pee Wee Modified class (1st through 16th). Leitzel was unstoppable in both classes, going 1-1-1-1. Joining Leitzel on the podium in the 4-6 Pee Wee Stock class for Cobra was Kentucky’s Tanner Craddock (2nd) and Missouri’s Lance Kobusch (3rd). In the 4-6 Pee Wee Modified class is was Cobra’s Kobusch (2nd) and Louisiana’s James Shockey (3rd) that put their Cobras up on the box with Leitzel.
Next up for Cobra racers is the 36th annual Thor Winter National Olympics, presented by Pro Circuit, aka the “Mini O’s,” at Gainesville’s Gatorback Park, Nov. 19-24.
9/19/2007
Now shipping…The 2008 CX50 JR!
Every 2007 4-6, 50cc amateur national motocross event was won by a rider piloting a Cobra CX50JR. In fact 90% of all of the top 5 finishers were riding this little screamer. Capping off the best season in the history of the 4-6 50cc class, Cobra riders swept the top fifteen spots at the prestigious US Amateur National Championships at Loretta Lynn’s. With a record like that, how can a racer go wrong choosing the 2008 Cobra CX50 Junior!
Improvements for 2008:
• Cobra Friction Drive (CFD) features more robust, longer wearing components for increased reliability and performance.
• All new wheel design with straight spoke pattern (Like the CX50 Senior) resulting in increased strength and reduced weight.
• Larger, long-life wheel bearings featuring captured wheel spacers for easier wheel installation and removal.
• New throttle cover keeps the throttle mechanism protected from the elements.
• All new graphics featuring updated Cobra Logo
8/7/2007
Cobra Loretta's Final Report
Cobra Motorcycles Complete Historic Top 15 Sweep Of Both 50cc Junior And 50cc Senior Classes @ Loretta’s
Arizona’s Mark Worth wins the Senior class in epic battle with Missouri’s Carter Stephenson; Florida’s Jordan Bailey wins Junior class
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Aug. 7, 2007) – This past week American-made Cobra Motorcycles did something they’ve never done since 2004 when new ownership took company; sweep the top 15 spots – including the podiums – in both the 50cc Junior and Senior classes at the Ski Nautique AMA National Motocross Championships at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.
Virtually unprecedented in a multi-bike class, Cobras represented 85-percent of the field that qualified for Loretta’s, then proceeded to so thoroughly dominate the competition it’s no wonder that riders from Davi Millsaps to soon-to-be pros like Nico Izzi, Austin Stroupe and Trey Cannard all cut their racing teeth as kids on the American-made Cobras.
“Of course, sweeping the top 15 is certainly a testament to the brand’s performance and reliability,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles. “But the thing that really stands out with me this week is what a good time we all had with the great group of Cobra kids and parents that all worked so hard to make it to Loretta’s this past week.”
The sportsmanship instilled by the Cobra parents in these kids was never more evident than in the final moto of the 50cc Senior class. With the lead and having only to negotiate the infamous Loretta’s “Ten Commandments,” Missouri’s Carter Stephenson cross-rutted and went down – and was passed by Arizona’s Mark Worth. The eight-year-old Stephenson was crushed, same as a guy in the 30-plus B class would be.
But in the spirit of competition and sportsmanship that’s stressed at Cobra, Worth said on the podium “I’ll take it, but I wish Carter hadn’t have fallen and I had a shot to beat him straight up.”
Stephenson’s 2nd-1st-21st three-moto performance would open up the door for another rider to make the podium along with Worth (1st) and Michigan’s Joey Crown (2nd) as Kentucky’s Clay Woeste brought his Cobra home in 3rd with a consistent effort on the weekend.
In the 50cc Junior class, former Cobra champion Adam Cianciarulo’s protégée, Jordan Bailey (Fla.) took the overall win in some tight racing with fellow Cobra pilot Brandon Smith from New Mexico. Smith, who has shown great speed all year, but has struggled with consistency, pulled it all together late in the summer to keep it on two wheels and finish the year strong. Rounding out the Junior class podium at Loretta’s this year was Cobra mounted Logan Leitzel (Pa.) in 3rd.
“Again, thanks to all the Cobra kids and parents that competed at Loretta’s this summer,” added Hilbert. “Enjoy the rest of your summer, hit the school books hard and we’ll see you in a few short months at the Mini O’s!”
For all the Cobra results from Loretta’s, link to: www.mxsports.com
Cobra, founded in 1993, produces the most successful line of competition mini cycles and mini quads in the United States with more than 100 national titles in the last decade. Based out of Hillsdale, Mich., Cobra's mission is to build premium products for the serious racer. For more information on Cobra products, please visit our website at www.cobramotorcycle.com.
High Profile Public Relations (HPPR), LLC, is a multi-faceted communications agency specializing in strategic media relations – both industry and mainstream – for the powersports and action sports communities. Dialed in with all forms of power and action sports, its participants, manufacturers and live event promoters, HPPR’s Pat Schutte can be reached at (734) 369-2170 and pat@highprofilepr.com.
8/3/2007
Cobra Thurs. Loretta's Update
Cobra ’07 Loretta’s Update (Thurs.)
Great racing all day in the 50cc classes for Cobra.
In the Junior class, the top finisher in Moto 1, Jordan Bailey, got a bad start and fell two times while working his way through the pack. Brandon Smith, who found himself on the ground in the first moto, took advantage and raced off to a moto win. It will all come down to the third moto today (Fri.).
In the Senior class, Carter Stephenson passed early race leader Joey Crown on lap three and held a steady pace for four laps. Mark Worth slowly reeled Carter in until the second to last lap when Carter's rear tire went flat and the gap closed considerably. Mark made his pass at the mid-point of the last lap, but Carter fought back and went for a double jump on the back side of the track that no 50cc bike had made all week. Carter passed Mark in the air and fought him off for the rest of the lap to take the win. Behind those guys there was a great battle for third between Joey Crown and seven year-olds Clay Woeste and Sean Cantrell.
Here are the Cobra results after two motos. Stay tuned to cobramotorcycle.com for more results tonight.
Junior Class
#17 BRANDON SMITH - COB
AZTEC, NM 6th 1st
- #20 LOGAN LEITZEL - COB
DILLSBURG, PA 4th 2nd
- #25 GAVIN HULTMAN - COB
APACHE JCT, AZ 2nd 3rd
- #71 ZACHARY SMITH - COB
LAINGSBURG, MI 7th 4th
- #32 JORDAN BAILEY - COB
ORLANDO, FL 1st 5th
- #30 BROCK HANSON - COB
PEEBLES, OH 3rd 6th
- #28 BAILEY KROONE - COB
ANDOVER, MN 11th 7th
- #27 JETT JANOWSKI - COB
MIDDLEBURY, IN 18th 8th
- #37 TRISTAN LEWIS - COB
LOCUST GROVE, GA 5th 9th
- #74 BRANDON HAIRSTON - COB
WEATHERFORD, TX 8th 10th
Senior Class
#88 CARTER STEPHENSON - COB
ROLLA, MO 2nd 1st
- #36 MARK WORTH - COB
QUEEN CREEK, AZ 1st 2nd
- #26 CLAY WOESTE - COB
FLORENCE, KY 7th 3rd
- #35 JOEY CROWN - COB
METAMORA, MI 8th 4th
- #37 SEAN CANTRELL - COB
NEWBURY PARK, CA 14th 5th
- #43 TYLER PANTLEY - COB
BROOKSVILLE, FL 3rd 6th
- #38 TREVOR WINDGASSEN - COB
ALEXANDRIA, KY 10th 7th
- #96 JACOB EDISON - COB
TRENTON, MI 6th 8th
- #16 TRISTAN CHARBONEAU - COB
TENINO, WA 16th 9th
- #82 HAYDEN JUSTICE - COB
UTICA, OH 24th 10th
8/2/2007
Cobra Loretta's Update (Tues. & Wed.)
Cobra ’07 Loretta’s Update (Tues. & Wed.)
Cobra 50s, as expected, dominated the first day of competition at the Ski Nautique AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships, aka “Loretta Lynn’s,” in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.
Leading the way in the 50cc Junior class (4-6) – with a podium sweep - were Jordan Bailey (1st), Gavin Hultman (2nd), Brock Hanson (3rd). Cobra’s Logan Leitzel (4th) and Tristin Lewis (5th) rounded out the top five, which featured Cobras taking the top 15 spots.
Cobras again swept the 50cc Senior class (7-8) podium with Mark Worth (1st), Carter Stephenson (2nd) and Tyler Pantley (3rd) taking top honors. Cobra riders Michael Young (4th) and Austin Mckee (5th) rounded out the top five as Cobra took the top 12 spots to open the first day of competition (Tues.) in the premier 50cc class.
The only bump in the road for Cobra came in the 65cc class when Cobra CX65 racer Matt Burkeen swapped out at the start, which loosened the carb from the intake boot and the bike began to over-heat on the third lap. Fortunately Matt’s got two more shots at a solid top ten finish and he’s looking forward to those races here the rest of the week.
Wednesday night was the annual Cobra Family Dinner – cookout and pot luck. More than 300 people showed up! At the dinner Cobra’s President, Sean Hilbert, congratulated the kids that raced in Europe earlier this summer, along with the kids that won titles at Loretta’s last year – adding another “Win Sticker” to the door of the Cobra hauler. The kids also got a replica Cobra/Loretta’s Win Sticker to take home.
A full day of racing begins today at 12:30 EST for the Cobra Kids!
Stay tuned to cobramotorcycle.com for the results tonight.
7/30/2007
Loretta's Advance
Loretta Lynn’s Ranch Overrun By Cobras!
Multi-time champs of pretty much everything in the 50cc stock and modified classes, Cobras will make up 85-percent of field in Jr. & Sr. 50 classes
HILLSDALE, Mich., (July 30, 2007) – American-made Cobra Motorcycles again get their moment to shine on the national amateur motocross center stage beginning today as the legendary 50cc competition bikes – featuring the top young racers from every corner of the United States – roll into Tennessee for the 26th annual Ski Nautique AMA Amateur National Motocross Championships (aka “Loretta’s”) at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.
The “Little League World Series” equivalent to action sports, Loretta’s is the event that really put Cobra on the map more than a decade ago. Since then no other motorcycle company has enjoyed the overall success – and championships - that Cobra has in literally owning the Jr. & Sr. stock and modified 50cc classes since 1993.
“Almost nine out of ten bikes that qualified and are competing in the two main 50cc classes at Loretta’s will be Cobras,” said a proud company president, Sean Hilbert. “Loretta’s is really the time for our Cobra kids to shine.”
The three marquee names running for Cobra this year in the 7-8 50cc Sr. class will be eight-year-olds Mark Worth (Queens Creek, Ariz.), Carter Stephenson (Rolla, Mo.) and Michael Young (Concord, N.C.). And also expected to place well will be two Cobra factory racers who just moved up from the 4-6 class, seven-year-olds Sean Cantrell (Newbury Park, Calif.) and Hayden Justice (Utica, Ohio).
Recently, Stephenson and Young went 1-2, respectively, at the MX Master Kids International in Europe (with Cobra’s Jacob Edison, who completed the Cobra sweep with a 3rd in Europe). Prior to that Young finished a strong 2nd at the Winter Olympics last fall to cap his seven-year-old season and Stephenson has been in the top five of every National he’s entered the past two years – including winning two titles at last week’s Ponca City NMA Nationals. So look for all three Cobra factory riders – Stephenson, Young & Worth - to make a serious charge at the 7-8 podiums as last year’s Cobra front-runners, Green, Coleman Martin and Conner Mitchell, have graduated from the class.
The ‘sleeper’ in the 7-8 class could be Michigan’s Joey Crown. According to Hilbert, Crown, son of pro motocrosser Matt Crown, has really wicked it up as of late and has a very good shot at running with Cobra’s factory guys. Northeastern U.S. Cobra racer Tristan Charboneau should also figure close to the top of the overall 7-8 standings.
The 4-6 Jr. class at Loretta’s is always a hard one to call as kids on Cobras tend to come out of nowhere to make the podium. When pressed, Hilbert did make a point to say to keep an eye on Florida’s Jordan Bailey – a protégée’ of former Cobra factory racer and multi-time Loretta’s champion Adam Cianciarulo. Also running well is New Mexico’s Brandon Smith.
Finally, Cobra’s new CX65 will line up in the 65cc class for the first time at Loretta’s. North Carolina’s Matt Burkeen – son of Cobra’s National Sales Director, Mike Burkeen – will pilot the revolutionary bike in its first major U.S. competition versus the Japanese and Austrian 65cc class bikes that dominate the class.
Cobra, founded in 1993, produces the most successful line of competition mini cycles and mini quads in the United States with more than 100 national titles in the last decade. Based out of Hillsdale, Mich., Cobra's mission is to build premium products for the serious racer. For more information on Cobra products, please visit our website at www.cobramotorcycle.com.
High Profile Public Relations (HPPR), LLC, is a multi-faceted communications agency specializing in strategic media relations – both industry and mainstream – for the powersports and action sports communities. Dialed in with all forms of power and action sports, its participants, manufacturers and live event promoters, HPPR’s Pat Schutte can be reached at (734) 369-2170 and pat@highprofilepr.com.
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6/20/2007
Cobra Open House!
Come one and all!
We've got an action packed evening planned for everyone who wants to stop by the Cobra factory on June 28th. Some of the activities include:
• Demo Rides
• Plant Tours
• Huge Sandbox
• Pit Bike Supermoto Racing
• Door Prizes
• Bike displays
...and lots more!
Stop by on your way to Red Bud...Note the Cobra Rig will be heading over to Red Bud for amateur day on Friday the 29th.
4/19/2007
Cobra’s Cody Tittle & Bret Musick Capture Quad Race Titles @ ATVA GNC ITP Moose Series In Ga.
From top to bottom, Cobra ECX quads win in 50, 70 & 90cc classes
HILLSDALE, Mich., (April 19, 2007) – In just its second season of competition, Cobra ECX mini quads are taking the ATV racing scene by storm, this past weekend pulling off overall wins in all three classes (50cc, 70cc & 90cc) at Round Four of the ATVA GNC ITP Moose Racing Series in Lizella, Ga.
“Congrats from Cobra to all the kids that competed at the recent ATVA Series round in Georgia,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra. “Every week I look forward to coming into the office and hearing the great racing success stories from all the Cobra mini quad all across the nation. Nice going everybody!”
Bringing home ATVA titles this past weekend for Cobra were:
Cody Tittle (Florence, Ala.), 1st place, 12-15 90cc Production Sr.
Brett Musick (Verdunville, W.Va.), 1st place, 6-11 70cc Shifter
Bradley Rose (Ripley, Tenn.), 1st place, 6-11 Production Single Speed
Alexander Hammond (Palm Bay, Fla.), 1st place, 6-8 50cc Production Auto
Also racing well on their Cobra ECX mini quads were: Chase Horton (2nd 90cc Production Jr.), Cole Tittle (4th 90cc Production Jr.), Alex Szymborski (4th 70cc Shifter), Cole Sepesi (5th 70cc Shifter), Ty Peres (5th 70cc Shifter), Alec Miller (7th 70cc Shifter), Shawn Gilliand (9th 70cc Shifter), Todd Baber (3rd 70cc Single Speed), Zachary Gyolia (4th 70cc Single Speed), Troy Smoot (5th 70cc Single Speed), Jeffery Dodson (2nd 50cc Production), Dakota Deller (5th 50cc Production), Mike Gleason (6th 50cc Production) and Bryce Alig (9th 50cc Production.)
The little four-wheel Cobra rippers have this weekend off before returning to action April 28-29 for the ATVA tour stop at Birch Creek in Danville, Va.
4/16/2007
Cobras Sweep 50cc Stock & Modified Classes At Las Vegas Mini GP!
Cobra Factory racer Mark Worth tops ‘em all with three titles; Matt Burkeen debuts the new Cobra CX65 with a solid 4th place effort
HILLSDALE, Mich., (April 17, 2007) – To no one’s surprise the 50cc class at the 36th annual World Mini GP at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was again dominated kids on Cobra Motorcycles with Cobra Kids taking 21 out of 25 of the top five spots for an 84-percent top five success ratio.
Cobra was led by factory rider Mark Worth (Queens Creek, Ariz.) on his King Cobra. Worth won three classes on the week, including the 50cc 7-8 Stock class, 50cc 7-8 Modified class and the 6-9 Super Peewee class.
“Mark had an outstanding weekend and everybody at Cobra Headquarters here in Michigan was pumped to hear about it this morning,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles. “And congrats to all the Cobra kids that raced at Vegas this past weekend. I hope they and their families had a great time, raced well, and we look forward to seeing them here at Ponca City in July.”
Also putting up multiple top five finishes at the Vegas Mini GP were a trio of California racers. Sean Cantrell, Cobe Lehnertz and Tristan Miller all put up excellent results in the 50cc 7-8 classes.
In the 4-6 50cc Stock class, newly signed factory rider Jordan Bailey (Orlando) won the overall championship, while Arizona’s Gavin Hultman (Apache Junction) won the 4-6 50cc Modified class.
Finally, one of the biggest highlights for Cobra Motorcycles was the maiden voyage of the new CX65. Raced by North Carolina’s Matt Burkeen, the box stock CX65 arrived in Vegas this past Monday – in a crate – and was assembled that night and raced Tuesday morning. Matt managed a 4th place finish in the 6-11 65cc Open Modified class (on a stock bike) and a 9th place finish in the 65cc 9-11 Modified class (again on a pure stock bike).
“We’re very pleased with the results and input we received on the CX65 from its first national level race,” said Hilbert. “Our goal this year is to post some solid top five and top ten finishes and Matt gave us a great start. We are all eager to see if an American-made minicycle, born from a motocross heritage that is second-to-none in American production motocross motorcycle competition, can continue to impress through out the summer and, hopefully, bring yet another title back to Cobra.”
4/2/2007
New Product - 'Dirt Cycle' Tee
Nothing will show your true inner character better than Cobra's new "Dirt Cycle" tee. Available in sizes YS through XL.
Price: $11.98
3/21/2007
Cobras Flat Out Dominate Texas MX Amateur National Openers @ Oak Hill & Lake Whitney
Wrapping up second week of competition in Texas at Oak Hill, Cobras sweep every 50cc class title and make up 85-percent of top ten in all classes
HILLSDALE, Mich., (March 20, 2007) – Looks like it’s going to be another year of chasing the American-made Cobra motorcycles for all the manufacturers eager to get in or already involved with championship-level 50cc class amateur motocross racing.
This past weekend Cobra-mounted kids walked all over the competition at Texas’ Oak Hill Motocross Park, winning the 7-8 50cc Stock and Modified classes, the 4-6 Stock and Modified classes and the 4-9 Open class.
And if that wasn’t enough, Cobra unveiled its new CX65 motocrosser to the national media – a bike that’s sure to have an instant impact on the 65cc class.
“It was quite a week for Cobra to open the 2007 competition season,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles. “Each year our competition is producing cooler-looking bikes, but when it comes down to racing them they just can’t seem to keep up with the Cobra CX50 Senior (aka the King 50) and CX50 Junior. Big congrats from the Cobra factory to all the Cobra kids who competed these past two weeks in Texas. Now get back to school!” (laughter)
Leading Cobra at Oak Hill this past weekend were factory-backed riders Michael Young (Concord, N.C.), who won the 50cc 7-8 Stock class and Mark Worth (Queens Creek, Ariz.), who won the 50cc 7-8 Modified class. Worth would back up his Modified class win by capturing the 50cc 4-9 Open class as well at Oak Hill.
Also noteworthy for Cobra @ Oak Hill:
• Tanner Stack (Oak Grove, Mo.) made the 7-8 Stock podium (3rd) in his first year in the class.
• Joey Crown (Metamora, Mich.) in 2nd and Ramyiller Alves (Coconut Creek, Fla.) in 3rd were both on the podium in the 7-8 Modified class.
• Gavin Hultman (Apache Junction, Ariz.) and Jordan Bailey (Orlando) went 1-2 in the 4-6 Modified class. Bailey then won the 4-6 Stock class with Hultsman 3rd.
• Cobra placed nine out of the top ten in the 50cc 7-8 Stock class, including four out of the top five.
• Cobra placed eight out of the top ten in the 50cc 7-8 Modified class.
• Cobra place 15 out of the top 16 in the 4-6 Stock class.
The week prior to Oak Hill, in Lake Whitney, Texas, Bailey won the 4-6 class with Tristan Lewis (Locust Grove, Ga.) in 2nd and Cobra National Team rider Brandon Smith (Azetc, Ariz.) in 3rd. In all, Cobra riders took four of the top five 4-6 50cc class spots, nine of the top ten and 15 of the top 20!
In the 50cc 7-8 class Cobra placed six out the top seven Lake Whitney spots, including Crown (2nd) and Tanner Morris (Orting, Wash., 3rd) on the podium. Cobra riders went on to capture eight out of the top ten 50cc 7-8 class spots and 17 out of the top 20!
The grand finale 4-8 Open class, featuring all the best riders from both classes was won by Cobra’s Worth – but not without a heated battle from Young (3rd o/a) in the second moto. Cobra wound up taking ten out of the top 11 50cc 4-8 Open class positions!
Next up for Team Cobra is the 36th annual World Mini GP at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, April 9-15. For more information on the event, link to the NMA’s website at: www.nmamx.com
Photo by Chris Hultner of Amateur MX magazine
12/30/2006
Cobra’s ECX Series ATVs Complete Successful Nation-Wide Competition Season For 2006
Cobra ECX50, 70 & 90 ATVs capture ‘06 titles in ATVA motocross, ATVA GNCCs, ATVA Extreme Dirt Track and WPSA motocross
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Dec. 29, 2006) – In only it’s second year of production, Cobra ATV’s competition line of ATVs have taken the competition scene by storm, bringing home multiple overall titles from race series’ across the United States.
“We knew we’d built what we felt was going to be a very competitive ATV, specifically right off the showroom floor. But we had no idea the Cobra ECX ATV line up would meet with such competition success at such an early stage in the product’s history,” said Sean Hilbert, president of Cobra Motorcycles.
In the ATVA (All-Terrain Vehicle Association) series’ motocross (GNC) class,
Cobra ATVs swept overall titles in the 90cc Production Class (Bren Marra, Sr. 12-15), 70cc Production Class (Brandon Tittle, 6-11) and 50cc Production Auto Class (Alex Symborski (6-8).
“A true test of a product is how well it performs without the advantage of costly add-on aftermarket features,” said Phil McDowell, Cobra’s Chief Engineer. “With this in mind we chose first to pursue the production class categories to prove the strength of the ECX ATV line. And by sweeping the overall ATVA motocross classes we were able to prove the ‘race ready’ worthiness of the ECX50 and ECX70 (in 70cc trim and larger 90cc cousin).”
One of the best stories emanating from Cobra’s Michigan headquarters in 2006 was that of Cobra ATV racer Walker Fowler. The 13-year-old honor student from Columbiana (Ohio) Middle School and his revolutionary new Cobra ECX70 mini quad swept the first six of seven GNCC rounds – and it would have been seven-for-seven had a rock not got lodged between his rim and brake caliper at the GNCC round in Missouri. With the effort Fowler wrapped up the Youth ATV title on the Grand National Cross Country Series (GNCCs) at the halfway point of the season!
“This is a heck of a reliable little ATV,” said Walker’s father and mechanic, Danny Fowler. “Because it’s so new there was some question as to how it’d run and if it’d make it in the tough GNCC conditions for one hour straight through the woods and mud. But let me tell you this, Walker couldn’t be any happier with it and, to be honest, we haven’t really done anything to it other than narrow it up a bit so it gets through the woods easier. Outside that we ran it box stock through the first five races – and won all five!”
Cobra also met great success on the ATVA’s Extreme Dirt Track competition series, winning both the 50cc Production Auto Class (Ryan Harness, 6-8) and 90cc Production Jr. Class (Seth Gann, 8-11).
And on the WPSA PowerSports ATV Championship Tour, Cobra ECX ATVs swept the 50cc Jr. (Corey Heath) and 50cc Sr. (Dylan Parker) classes, as well as winning the 70cc and 90cc classes (Tyler Pittman).
“Overall I think the Cobra ECX ATV line enjoyed similar success to our CM and King 50 mini cycle line,” said Hilbert. “The Cobra factory strives for success with both production vehicles and the results this year prove that our efforts have paid off.”
12/20/2006
Another ‘Banner Year’ For Cobra Motorcycles
Cobra-mounted kids dominate podium @ nearly every major motocross National event again this year
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Dec. 20, 2006) – Cobra Motorcycles had a big year in 2006. Not only did the legendary little yellow motorcycles again win nearly every major 50cc competition from Florida to Vegas, but they did so despite the distraction of the entire Cobra factory moving from Ohio to its new home in Michigan – along with developing two new competition production platforms.
“Between the move, attending every major mini National MX competition and launching the new Cobra ECX50 ATV and preparing to launch the new CX65 dirt bike, we seemed to be burning the candle at all three ends this year,” said an elated Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “Given all the ancillary projects going on – and the fact we were still able to win pretty much every major 50cc title we set out to win this year – 2006 goes down in the record books as one very exciting year.”
Beginning last March in Texas, Cobra opened the mini motocross National competition season by sweeping the Lake Whitney & Oak Hill Nationals. Cobra’s Blake Green (Riverside, Calif.) and Conner Mitchell (Oregon City, Ore.) were the big winners in Texas. Also starting the season on a high note for Cobra were several newcomers to the Cobra program. Jacob Williamson (Swartz Creek, Mich.), Tanner Stack (Overland Park, Kan.) and Sean Cantrell (Newbury Park, Calif.) all cranked out wins and/or podium finishes at Lake Whitney and Oak Hill.
Next up on the competition docket for Cobra was the World Mini GPs in Las Vegas. And again it was Green and Mitchell who’d shine the brightest for the two young King Cobra-mounted speedsters taking top honors. Green won the 7-8 50cc Stock class, with his teammate Mitchell winning the 7-8 50cc Modified class (Green being second). Then in the Super Pee Wee competition it was Green taking home the gold and Mitchell the Silver to complete an entire sweep for Cobra of the top spots in the 7-8 50cc class at Vegas.
“Blake and Conner got the momentum rolling for Cobra and nobody would be able to stop it – even though both those guys would end up racing injured later in the season,” said Hilbert.
The next major event of the year would be the 25th annual Ski Nautique/AMA Amateur National MX Championships this past week and weekend at Loretta Lynn’s ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., aka “Loretta Lynn’s. And with Green and Mitchell on the mend, two other Cobra riders stepped up and took top honors. Led by overall 51cc class championships from Cantrell (4-6 class) and Coleman Martin (7-8 class), racers on Cobras were victorious in all six combined motos in the two class, three moto format.
A trip overseas for Cobra would continue the excellent results as Cobra Team racers Martin, Hunter Hilton and Ashton Hayes would sweep the top three spots in this year’s Moto Kids Masters in Blenod le Pont-a-Mousson, France. And speaking of Cobra’s in France (other than David Vuillemin), up-and-coming French MX phenom Jimmy Cossu. The seven-year-old clinched his first FFM (Federation French Motorcycle) 50cc title on his Cobra King 50. Coincidently, Cossu races for the same club that produced Vuillemin!
Wrapping up the 2006 competition season, as always, was the annual running of the Thor National Winter Mini O’s at Gatorback MX Park in Gainesville, Fla.
Coming up big at Gainesville for Cobra in the senior motocross and supercross classes were Mitchell and Stephen Gretchen. Mitchell, who raced Loretta’s with a cast on his arm and didn’t make that podium, took it out on the 50cc senior motocross class at the Mini O’s – taking the overall motocross class win. Mitchell then finished 2nd overall in the 50cc senior supercross class to Gretchen. Joining Mitchell on the podium in the senior motocross class was seven-year-old Michael Young.
“Again, I can’t say enough about the kids and families across the nation racing Cobras,” said Hilbert. “And we hope next year shapes up to be a great one as well. There is a very promising group of seven and eight-year-olds out there that will make the 7-8 50cc class very exciting, not to mention the great anticipation as to who emerges at the top of the 4-6 class.
“Add to that the new challenges with the Cobra CX65 class on top of that and I honestly don’t think 2007 will be any easier!”
8/25/2006
Cobra Getting Ready To Debut Its Highly Anticipated CX65cc Mini Cycle
Here’s a sneak peek at the bike everybody’s expecting to take the 65cc class by storm in 2007
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Aug. 25, 2006) – News today out of Cobra’s Michigan headquarters is big: The highly anticipated Cobra CX65cc bike is set to hit the competition scene by storm in February of 2007. And, for the first time, Cobra is providing an artist’s rendition of the bike that is sure to be an instant podium competitor in its class.
Without getting to technically in-depth (yet), the CX65 is designed to advance the heritage of America’s most successful competition mini cycle line. With more than 100 National MX championships – including sweeping Loretta’s again this year – Cobra’s name is synonymous with success and the CX65 will no doubt carry on that legacy in the USA-based company’s first move to the larger mini cycle class.
“With the move of Cobra from Ohio to Michigan, the launch of the ECX70 ATV in 2005 and the ECX50 in ’06, along with keeping our Cobra-backed athletes at National competitions across the country happy, we’ve had a busy year to say the least at Cobra,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “That said, we never shelved the CX65 project, instead painstakingly working on it through evening hours and weekends to make sure the bike received all of the R & D time it deserved.
“And the result, we feel, will be a competition mini cycle that extends the success of our 50cc bikes into the 65cc class.”
Notable features on the new CX65 include:
• All new oval tube twin spar chassis
• Championship-winning engine platform, which is already stacking up National ATV GNCC & motocross titles
• All new bodywork and ergonomics
“We’ve taken our time and consulted with experts from all areas of the motorsports community in designing a bike that will leave the Cobra dealer’s showroom floor and instantly give the rider legitimate shot at the podium – just like our King 50 does,” added Hilbert. “This American-made bike is going to make a direct impact on the 65cc class in 2007.”
Stay tuned to www.cobramotorcycle.com for more information on the months to come regarding the exciting new Cobra CX65.
8/18/2006
Cobra Quads Clean Up At Loretta’s ATVA Tour Stop
Cobra’s winning heritage continues on quad cycles at Loretta’s – capture wins in every event they enter and wrapping up three o/a ATVA titles early
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Aug. 18, 2006) – Cobra Motorcycles’ mini quad cycles cleaned up big time on the competition at the recent Loretta Lynn’s round of the ATVA Moose Racing National Motocross Series, presented by Parts Unlimited, winning every 50cc, 70cc and 90cc production class they entered and wrapping up three overall class championships before season’s end.
“It’s was a good weekend for Cobra’s quads,” said Cobra Chief Engineer Phil McDowell. “Kids on Cobras won every class they entered and you can’t ask for much more than that.”
Cobra quad mounted champions at the Loretta’s ATVA round included:
Place Name/Hometown Class/Age
1st Alex Szymborski (Holt, Mich.) 50cc Production 6-8*
1st Brett Musick (Verdunville, W.Va.) 70cc Production 6-11
1st Dillon Starks (Murray, Ky.) 70cc Shifter 6-11
1st Tyler Pittman (Murray, Ky.) 90cc Production Jr. (8-11)
1st Bren Marra (Bordentown, N.J.) 90cc Production Sr. (12-15)*
* In addition to sweeping all the classes it entered, three Cobra-mounted quad racers wrapped up their division titles prior to the final race of the ATVA Quad National Series season. Also wrapping up an overall title with Szymborski and Marra was Brandon Tittle (Florence, Ala.) in the 70cc Production 6-11 class.
Also noteworthy was that in the 50cc class, Cobra quad racers took the top 18 (out of 20) spots. “The racing was exciting, but we were actually a little bit bored,” said McDowell. “There were three of us there from the Cobra factory and had very little maintenance to do over the weekend.”
Next up for the Cobra quad racers is Bluegrass Fall National in Blountville, Tenn. (Sept. 2-3). For more information check out www.victory-sports.com
8/10/2006
Cobra Motorcycles Sweep Loretta’s – Again!
Cobra-mounted racers take 1st through 10th in 4-6 AMA 51cc class, clean 1-2-3 sweep of the 51cc 7-8 class podium as well
Photo: Cobra's Coleman Martin, 7-8 class 51cc National Champion. Credit: Tony Scavo (www.tonyscavo.com)
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Aug. 9, 2006) – American-made Cobra Motorcycles again stole the spotlight in the highly competitive 51cc classes of the 25th annual Ski Nautique/AMA Amateur National MX Championships this past week and weekend at Loretta Lynn’s ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn.
Led by overall 51cc class championships from Sean Cantrell (4-6 class) and Coleman Martin (7-8 class), racers on Cobras were victorious in all six combined motos in the two class, three moto format.
“We couldn’t be happier with the results,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “I’d like to extend a personal congratulation to both Sean and Coleman – and their families – for the overall Loretta’s championships they won this past weekend. And I’d also like to congratulate all of the Cobra-mounted racers that qualified for Loretta’s as well. Great going guys, good luck the rest of the summer with your regional races and we’ll see you in a few months at the Mini O’s!”
Joining Cantrell (Newbury Park, Calif.) on the podium in the 51cc 4-6 class were Hayden Justice (Utica, Ohio) in 2nd and Clay Woeste (Florence, Ky.) in 3rd. Highlighted by Cantrell going 1-1-1 and Justice 2-2-2, Cobra racers swept the top four positions in each of the three motos.
The podium in the 7-8 class was shuffled around a bit when moto 1 and 3 winner, Cobra’s Blake Green (Riverside, Calif.) crashed in the second moto and finished 32nd. Green’s 1-32-1 performance was good enough for 5th overall. Joining Martin (2-2-5) on the podium were Jared Jennings (Port Jervis, N.Y.) in 2nd and the UK’s Ben Watson in 3rd. Jennings went 5-4-2 on the week while Watson, racing in his first-ever Loretta’s, went 7-3-3. Cobra swept all but one of the podium spots (a 3rd in moto 1) in each of the 51cc 7-8 class motos.
Next up for the Cobra racers is the Winter National Olympics, aka the “Mini O’s,” November 20-25 in Gainesville, Fla.
For more information on the 25th annual Ski Nautique/AMA Amateur National MX Championships at Loretta Lynn’s, link to: www.mxsports.com.
7/31/2006
Watch Out! Here Comes The Famous American-Made Little Yellow 50cc Bikes @ Loretta’s!
World-famous Cobra Motorcycles enter Ski Nautique/AMA Amateur National MX Championships next week already owning nearly three-quarters of the entire field
NORTH LIMA, Ohio, (July 27, 2006) – Cobra Motorcycles, the little yellow American-made 50cc rippers and their equally talented “Futures Stars of Motocross” pilots, will descend upon Loretta Lynn’s ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., next week for the 25th annual Ski Nautique/AMA Amateur National MX Championships.
Led by the top 50cc racers in the nation – Riverside’s (Calif.) Blake Green and Connor Mitchell (Oregon City, Ore.) – Cobra enters Loretta’s as the all-time winning bike in the class, amassing more than 100 AMA National titles in the last decade, including five out of six possible podium spots at Loretta’s last year.
“Loretta’s is our company’s time to shine,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles.
“We’ve invested a great deal of time and effort into this product, backed who we feel are the future stars of motocross with the most decorated bike in its class and Loretta’s is the place where it all comes together.”
Here are the Cobra-backed favorites to vie for championships and podium spots in next week’s 50cc class national championship races at Loretta’s:
Athlete Class Hometown Notes
Sean Cantrell 4-6 Newbury Park, Calif. (Team Cobra, multiple national titles this year, should be considered the class’ frontrunner)
Justin Dunn 4-6 Raleigh, N.C. (Real fast, won the Southeast Regional in his first year competing)
Hayden Justice 4-6 Utica, Ohio (Team Cobra, multiple national titles this year, won his regional, considered a co-favorite with Cantrell)
Garrison Keane 4-6 Lewiston, Idaho (Multiple national podium finishes this year, could be the class’ sleeper)
Tanner Stack 4-6 Oak Grove, Mo. (Team Cobra, won his regional and has a national title this year from Lake Whitney, Texas)
Clay Woeste 4-6 Florence, Ky. (Hyper fast, but lacks the national-level experience, shot a the o/a podium for sure)
Tristan Charboneau 7-8 Terino, Wash. (Team Cobra, fast for a seven-year-old in a class dominated by eight-year-olds)
Jacob Edison 7-8 Woodhaven, Mich. (Team Cobra, again, fast for a seven-year-old in a field stacked with eight-year-olds, won a very tough North Central regional)
Blake Green 7-8 Riverside, Calif. (Factory Cobra, coming off a broken arm and decided to forego Ponca, has won every national race he’s entered this year, has to still be considered the 7-8 class favorite)
Hunter Hilton 7-8 Youngsville, La. (Has the speed to win, just finished 2nd in Blenod, France, in the Moto Kids Masters)
Coleman Martin 7-8 Macon, Ga. (Factory Cobra, is the co-favorite along with Green, Martin’s speed and experience helped him win the Moto Kids Masters race in France, also won a solid Southeast regional)
Conner Mitchell 7-8 Oregon City, Ore. (May or may not race due to an injury, won his regional, but his status for Loretta’s is “questionable”)
Ben Watson 7-8 Nittingham, England (This will be a fun kid to watch, races for Cobra UK, has a very real chance to podium, possible win, multiple-time European champion)
Jeremy Wilton 7-8 Eugene, Ore. (This is Cobra’s “sleeper,” the kid nobody’s talking about but definitely has the speed to win)
For more information on next week’s Ski Nautique/AMA Amateur National MX Championships at Loretta Lynn’s, link to: www.mxsports.com.
7/10/2006
NOTE - MOVING!
Cobra is moving to our new (bigger & better) facility during the week of July 10th, and the plant will be shut down. Starting July 17th, you will be able to contact us here:
Cobra Motorcycle Manufacturing, Inc.
240 Uran Street
Hillsdale, MI 49242
Phone: 517-437-9100
Fax: 517-437-9101
7/7/2006
Cobra Outgrows Current Facility
With all of our new products, and your success on the track, Cobra has outgrown our current facility. We are finishing up our new 50,000 square foot facility in Michigan and are excited to move in on July 17th.
Our new home address and phone number is listed below;
Cobra Motorcycles & Quads
240 Uran Street
Hillsdale, MI 49242
(517) 437-9100 Orders & Tech Support
(517) 437-9101 Fax
Remember to use our current phone number until July 17th (330-549-9600).
Stay tuned for future invitations and announcements of events at our new facility.
The Cobra Team.
6/28/2006
Finally...They're Here!
Trailer Stickers, that is. These things look great, and they're nice and big at 30" wide.
$29.98 through your dealer.
6/17/2006
Walker Fowler Wraps Up GNCC Youth ATV Title – Barely Halfway Through The Season!
Cobra ECX70 mini quad racer Fowler captures titles in first six of seven Grand National Cross Country series races and also clinches a motorcycle title as well!
NORTH LIMA, Ohio, (June 16, 2006) – One of the more amazing stories to surface on the Grand National Cross Country (GNCC) tour this year has been the success of Cobra ECX70 mini quad racer Walker Fowler.
The 13-year-old honor student from Columbiana (Ohio) Middle School and his revolutionary new Cobra ECX70 mini quad have swept the first six of seven GNCC rounds – and it would have been seven-for-seven had a rock not got lodged between his rim and brake caliper at the GNCC round in Missouri.
“This is a heck of a reliable little quad,” said Walker’s father and mechanic, Danny Fowler. “Because it’s so new there was some question as to how it’d run and if it’d make it in the tough GNCC conditions for one hour straight through the woods and mud. But let me tell you this, Walker couldn’t be any happier with it and, to be honest, we haven’t really done anything to it other than narrow it up a bit so it gets through the woods easier. Outside that we ran it box stock through the first five races – and won all five!”
Officials at Cobra are equally excited for Walker and the success he’s met racing the ECX70 this year.
“Walker’s immediate success on the GNCC tour has exceeded even our loftiest expectations with the ECX70,” said Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra. “We knew we’d come up with what we felt would be a very good quad cycle and Walker Fowler’s made it a great quad cycle.”
Fowler’s most impressive win of the year came at the John Penton race in Millfield, Ohio. In that event Fowler won the one hour overall race by a stunning 18 minutes.
Riding locally in Ohio with the likes of Dave Simmons (GNCC Sr. class racer), and Four-stroke A class racers Brandon Summers and Mark Notman, Fowler has improved his quad racing skills immensely this year. And with the help of the ECX70 he’s pretty much been unstoppable.
“When we got that Cobra in March we figured out right away that’d it’d be a pretty good combination with Walker,” said Danny Fowler. “Our goal was to win every race and wrap up the title before the summer break – so we got one of the two goals accomplished. And hey, even Bill Balance loses one once in a while!”
In addition to his quad skills, Fowler also has been racing – and winning – in the GNCC’s 12-13 Big Wheel (motorcycle) class. In fact last week Fowler became the first racer ever on the GNCC tour to win his quad race on Saturday and follow it up with a win on his motorcycle on Sunday!
Next up for Cobra’s Walker Fowler and the GNCC tour is the running of The Wisp in McHenry, Md. (June 24).
5/30/2006
Cover Boy!
Six year-old Travis Wotring of Pennsylvania has been tearing up the tracks out east this spring. His head-down, go for broke style has put him in the lead of two different 50cc quad classes, and these results helped to land him on the cover of the June issue of MRA. Way to go Travis!
4/7/2006
Cobra Motorcycles' Upcoming Vegas Mini GP Team Features England's/Europe's Top 50cc Racer
Keep an eye this coming week on eight-year-old Ben Watson - the British 50cc MX champ and son of off-road great Rob Meek will contest Vegas Minis on a Cobra
NORTH LIMA, Ohio, (April 6, 2006) – Unbeaten in Europe last year until Cobra’s Zac Commans and Adam Cianciarulo showed up and went 1-2 in the World Mini Trophy Championships in Belgium, England’s Ben Watson, eight, is a year older and according to those a Cobra – “A whole lot faster.”
Watson, who’s here in the States with his father, Rob Meek, and staying with Cobra National Team racer Zac Commans’ family in southern California, will chase his new buddy Zac at the Vegas World Minis this upcoming weekend/next week. And, since both boys raced well this past weekend at Hesperia’s Competition Park, Ben and his father, Rob Meek, plan on returning in June to Glen Helen in order to qualify for the granddaddy of all amateur MX races – the 2006 AMA Amateur National Championships, aka “Loretta Lynn’s” in August.
“Ben’s a year older and a year wiser and is really peaking on the 50cc bikes,” said Meek, a longtime pro motocross racer and five-time pro class winner of England’s massive Western Supermare Beach Race. “It’s a tall order to come over here to America and race the Yanks in their own backyard. But Ben’s been doing well and having a lot of fun.”
Undefeated in 50cc class European competition in 2004, Ben actually clocked the fastest time in qualifying for the World Mini Trophy finals. Topped only by Cobra’s Cianciarulo (who’s sinced moved on to Kawasaki) and Commans, Ben was only seven-years-old at the time and is excited about bringing his experience and what he’s learned riding with Zac Commans over here to the States to race the Vegas Mini GP and the opportunity in June to qualify for Loretta’s at Glen Helen.
“Since I did good last weekend my dad said we’ll be able to come back over in June to Glen Helen and try to qualify for Loretta’s,” said Ben Watson. “That’d be so cool to qualify for Loretta’s.” Noteworthy: Ben would be the very first Brit to qualify for the 50cc class at Loretta’s.
Young Ben continued: “I had one more year in the auto class (UK’s 50cc class), but my dad said we should move up to the 65s. I got third this year in the first British Championship round against kids that were 12. And after four races we’re in fourth overall. We’re missing one of the series races this weekend, but I’m not too worried about it.”
In fact, about the only thing that worried Ben was that when they got to California it looked as if the plane had turned around and landed back in the UK. Sunny southern California was in the midst of a rain spell that had both Ben and his dad hitting up the local mall for some warmer clothes. “The wife had packed us with shorts and T-shirts, so we had go to the mall and pick up the appropriate clothing that we’d left behind,” joked Meek.
Asked if he was excited for the World Minis in Vegas, Ben said “Yeah, for sure!” Added Ben’s father: “Ben’s been counting down the days for this trip. It’s been an amazing experience so far and we’d really like to thank Cobra and Glen Commans for having us over here.”
3/15/2006
Cobra National Team Sweeps Podium in 4-6 at Oak Hill
Cobra National Team riders Sean Cantrell, Hayden Justice and Tanner Stack sit atop the podium at Oak Hill at the GNC Finals last week!
3/9/2006
ATVs On a Roll
This weekend Bren Marra will attempt to keep his perfect moto streak alive in the 90cc Production class at the third round of the ATVA Grand National Motocross Series at Gatorback Cycle Park in Florida. Bren has so far made a perfect sweep of four motos during the first two rounds of the series at Glen Helen Raceway in southern California, and at Oak Hill raceway north of Dallas.
Bren will be joined this weekend by a host of other Cobra Kids not only in the 70cc classes and the 90cc classes, but in the 50cc classes as well. Yes, you read that correctly…Cobra has successfully homologated its ECX50, and those ATVs can be raced this weekend!
Congrats also go out to Walker Fowler who earned Cobra’s first GNCC national win at the Orange Crush GNCC in Florida last weekend. Walker won the heavily contested 90cc production class navigating his Cobra ECX70 big bore through the Florida sand.
Good luck to all this weekend!
3/8/2006
Cobra Motorcycles Announces ‘06 Team
NORTH LIMA, Ohio, (March 8, 2006) – Cobra Motorcycles, the makers of the world’s most successful line of competition racing mini cycles, is proud to announce its line up for the 2006 Amateur Nationals races, beginning with the Lake Whitney (Texas) MX Park Spring Classic March 7-12, aka “Lake Whitney.”
The newest member of the always powerful Cobra Factory Team will be 2005 Loretta Lynn’s 4-6 National Champion, Mark Worth (Queens Creek, Ariz.). Joining Worth will be Connor Mitchell (Oregon City, Ore.). Mitchell has won seven National titles and will be racing the 51cc 7-8 classes. Representing California on Cobra’s Factory Team be two rippers in ’04 Loretta Lynn’s 4-6 National Champion Blake Green (Riverside) and Zac Commans (Westlake Village), the runner up at Ponca and the World Mini Trophy in Belgium. And joining Commans in the super pee wee class will be North Carolina’s Matthew Burkeen – always a threat to podium at the National events.
The trophies don’t stop with the Cobra Factory Team by any means as many more returning Cobra riders are receiving factory assistance from Cobra in their pursuit of National mini cycle racing glory. Those National-caliber Cobra athletes include: Coleman Martin (Macon, Ga.), a member of the United States’ winning World Mini Trophy team from Belgium last year; Bradley Esper (Howell, Mich.) and Jacob Edison (Woodhaven, Mich.) – two of the new school “Michigan Mafia” racers; Top West Coast racers Jarred Flowers (Yucaipa, Calif.), Maxwell Tedder (Surfside, Calif.) and Thunder Ralston (Phoenix); upcoming North Carolina speedsters Austin McKee; Pacific Northwest hotshots Tristan Charboneau (Tenino, Wash.) and Jeremy Wilton (Eugene, Ore.); Midwest front runner Hayden Justice (Utica, Ohio) and southern U.S. rising stars in Carter Stephenson (Rolla, Mo.), Hunter Hilton (Youngsville, La.) and Alec Lopez (Ocala, Fla.).
“Cobra has once again assembled a team of what we strongly feel are the top young motocross talents in the world,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “Cobra is dedicated to making the best little bikes in the world and there is no better way to do it than having our engineers in daily contact with these kids and their parents. Supporting the best riders challenges us so that we can build the best bikes for everyone.”
Added National Sales, Marketing and Race Team Manager. Mike Burkeen: “This year the Cobra Factory and National outlook is real strong with seven returning members from the 2005 program. 2006 could very well be one of Cobra’s best years ever with several Cobra-backed racers having a chance of winning National titles in all of the 50cc classes. In addition, we always keep an eye out at these first two Amateur National races for any kids that might not have been on our radar last year. There are always a couple of surprises in Texas.
The Cobra Factory and National racers remain in Texas the week following Lake Whitney for the 30th annual FMF GNC International Motocross Final, aka “Oak Hill” at Oak Hill MX Park (March 14-19).
1/23/2006
Cobra Support at Quad Nationals 2006
Pittman Racing will be at all of the 2006 Quad Nationals, JMR will be at all of the Nationals with the esception of Unidilla and California, Big Country Motorsports will be supporting Cobra quad racers at the Texas National.
1/17/2006
Cobra Riders Dominate Big WinterRaces
California Gold Cup
7-8 Class
Division 1 - Blake Green 1st - Cob
Division 2 - Nathaniel Hamlin - 1st - Cob
Congrats on the wins
4-6 class - Total Domination - Top 8 all riding Cobras!
Sean Cantrell - 1st - Cob
Kyle Sullenbarger - 2nd - Cob
Brandon Harriston - 3rd - Cob
Weston Giem - 4th - Cob
Zay Solis - 5th - Cob
Cody Purcell - 6th - Cob
Johnny Crovetti - 7th - Cob
Ian Jones - 8th - Cob
Toledo Arenacross
Friday 7-8
Ashton Hayes - 1st - Cob
Jacob Edison - 2nd - Cob
Mitchell Harrison - 3rd - Cob
DJ Christie - 5th - Cob
Saturday 7-8
Mitchell Harrison - 1st - Cob
DJ Christie - 2nd - Cob
Ashton Hayes - 3rd - Cob
Jacob Edison - 4th - Cob
Sunday 4-6
Hayden Justice - 1st - Cob
DJ Smith - 2nd - Cob
Tait Morrisey - 3rd - Cob
Gunner Setterstrom - 5th - Cob
Sunday 7-8
Jacob Edison - 1st - Cob
Steve Gretchen - 2nd - Cob
Mitchell Harrison - 3rd - Cob
Baltimore Arenacross
4-6 Dawson Evitts - 1st - Cob
7-8 Scott Meshey - 5th - Cob
Golden State Nationals 7-8
Conner Mitchell - 1st - Cob
Florida Winter Ams
4-6
Brandon Jones - 1st - Cob
7-8
Kade Walker - 2nd - Cob
Devin Chester - 3rd - Cob
Hunter Chandler - 5th - Cob
1/9/2006
Cobra/Devils Ridge/ Open House
We are planning on expanding our open house this year. Tentatively the dates and events are as follows:
February 23rd and 24th - practice day at North Carolina Motorsports Park. I will negotiate fees with them. www.ncmotorsportspark.com
Gates will open at Devils Ridge on Feb 24th between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.. Riding will begin at 9:00 and go till 4:00 on Saturday and Sunday. We will provide lunch on Saturday for the group. www.devilsridgemotox.com
I will have more demo bikes to ride this year, at least two of each model and they will all be sold on Sunday. Kincaid Racing will be there both days to support all of the Cobra riders. Riders of all brands are welcome. We will be splitting practice up into the following groups:
50cc 4-6 and 50 beginner
50cc 7-8, advanced 4-6 and beginner 65s
85s and advanced 65s
Big bikes (parents and siblings) and advanced 85s.
The event will be geared for 85cc and under but there will be plenty of opportunities for parents to ride their big bikes.
Please direct all correspondence to
mikeb@cobramotorcycle.com
The tracks have no idea what is happening yet so don't call them, I still have to set up the Thursday and Friday practice days.
12/28/2005
HUEVOS 8 Released!
For those of you into the quad scene, you assuredly know about the Huevos series of extreme videos presented by H-Bomb Films. Well, HUEVOS 8 takes this genre to an all new level, and best of all, it features the Cobra ECX70 being ridden to its limits by some of the most talented kid and adult riders the world has to offer!
Here's part of what ATVScene.com had to say (to read the rest of the review go to www.atvscene.com):
"From there, the movie takes us to several more GNC events, Jason Luburgh’s track, the Great Outdoor Games in Orlando, FL and on to some insane action on a pair of Cobra ECX70 mini race quads. You won't believe what these little Cobras are capable of until you see it with your own eyes. It’s hard to believe just how capable these mini race machines are in the hands of pro level adults and expert level up and comer, Tyler Pittman. Whether you are into the minis or not, you’ll probably be considering coming up with eight grand to put one in your garage after you see these things in action."
12/14/2005
Cobra Says Good-Bye To Its Most Successful Racer Of All-Time
Legend-in-the-making Adam Cianciarulo caps off 2005 season with yet another championship on his 50cc King Cobra
NORTH LIMA, Ohio, (Dec. 12, 2005) – Years from now this nine-year-old’s name could very well be spoken in the same sentence as amateur greats Carmichael, Stewart and Alessi. And if you base it on his amateur career thus far, he already should be mentioned with those guys.
Cobra’s Adam Cianciarulo raced the final race of his storybook 50cc career at the Mini O’s recently, bringing home yet another major amateur national motocross title. Cianciarulo, who’s smashed every 50cc competition record going all the way back to MX legend Jeff Ward and the dawn of minicycle racing, joins a list of former Cobra racers that’s reading like a ‘Who’s Who?’ of new school factory and pro racers and up-and-coming young teenagers who all grew up winning on Cobras.
“Adam has a very special place here with Cobra,” said Cobra President Sean Hilbert. “Not only is he, by far, our all-time winningest racer, he and his family have been an absolute pleasure to work with over the years and we certainly wish him the best over at Kawasaki. It’s not often a racer like Adam comes along – one who literally has the pits buzzing and people lining the fence every time he sets out onto the track. Cobra has been honored to provide Adam with his winning bikes.”
Along with benefiting from Cianciarulo’s global dominance of the 50cc class, record-wise, Cobra also received valuable input on its Made in the USA products from both Adam and his father, Alan Cianciarulo.
“Getting feedback from the parents is one thing, we get that all the time,” said Bud Maimone, founder of Cobra Motorcycles. “But to have a young man like Adam, who can put the test to our bikes like no other, then come in and, along with his father, explain what we can do to improve the bike has been a huge benefit.
“I’m really looking forward to watching Adam’s career blossom over the next decade.”
For his part, Adam Cianciarulo was asked a few questions regarding his career on Cobras. Here’s what he had to say:
Adam, how long have you been racing on Cobra motorcycles?
“I've been racing a Cobra since I was five and now I am nine.”
What are some of the best experiences you've had on a Cobra?
I won my first National on a Cobra and my last National (on a 50) at the Winter Olympics, also riding a Cobra! Belgium (World Mini Trophy) was a really cool experience, too. I had a lot of fun winning there! Riding a Cobra has been a blast and full of awesome experiences.”
What's your most prized trophy you ever won on a Cobra?
Definitely Loretta's! I was so happy I could win for Bud and Sean and everyone else at Cobra who's helped me out a lot by keeping me on the best dirt bike ever!
What advice would you give a young, up-and-coming racer who wants to make it to the national level?
“Well, there's lots of stuff. Have heart, race the track, not your competition. Don't be scared. Practice how you race. Listen to your dad. Be smart and you just have to plain want it more than anybody else. And, oh yeah, ride a Cobra if you want to get the job done!”
Thanks, Adam! Good luck in ‘06
“Thank you, guys.”
For the record, here’s a list of 50cc amateur national titles, along with this year’s Mini Des Nations (Belgium), that Adam has won on a Cobra. Noteworthy: Adam took 2004 off and didn’t race any amateur nationals on a 50cc bike.
Branson 02 4-6 Stock
Branson 02 4-6 Mod
Whitney 03 4-6 Stock
Moshier 03 4-6 Stock
Vegas 03 4-6 Stock
Vegas 03 4-6 Mod
Ponca 03 4-6 Stock
Ponca 03 4-6 Mod
Winter O 03 4-6 Stock Supercross
Winter O 03 4-6 Stock Motocross
Whitney 05 7-8 Stock
Whitney 05 7-8 Mod
Oak Hill 05 7-8 Stock
Vegas 05 7-8 Stock
Vegas 05 7-8 Mod
Vegas 05 Super Pee Wee
Loretta's 05 7-8 Stock
Winter O 05 7-8 Stock Supercross
Winter O 05 7-8 Stock Motocross
Belgium 05 World Mini Trophy
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12/10/2005
Amateur Open of Motocross
Cobra would like to congratulate Conner Mitchell on his win in the 50cc 7-8 Stock class at last week’s Amateur Open of Motocross in Phoenix. Conner, aboard a 2006 King 50 and racing in his seven year old season, will be a major force to be reckoned with at all of the nationals next year. Congratulations also go out to Zay Solis and Sean Cantrell, winners of the 50cc 4-6 Stock and Mod classes respectively. Great going guys!
12/7/2005
Danni Williams - 2005 WMA Champ!
Congrats to Danni Williams who won the 50cc 7-8 WMA National Championship on her Cobra! Good going Danni! Below is a press release from the WMA.
Danni “Sweet Pea” Williams
2005 50cc 7-9 WMA National Champion
Danni Williams pulled the holeshot on her Cobra Kids sponsored Cobra King 50 and went wire to wire to win the first moto. After pulling the holeshot and subsequently falling on the first lap, Danni battled her way back to take the second moto win by a large gap and the overall with a 1-1 finish.
She also competed in the 65cc 7-9 class and 65cc open class were after a little bad luck finished 5th and 6th respectively. Danni looks forward to going back next year to compete for more WMA National Championships.
(Nov. 9, 2005) Bend, OR ¬ The 3rd Annual Z1R Helmets WMA Cup presented by Hitachi, was primed to once again be the largest women¹s race of the year.
The race was held in conjunction with the USA Team Championship at the Cycle Ranch MX Park, Floresville, Texas on Nov. 24 ¬ 28, 2005.
The Z1R Helmets WMA Cup is a unique women¹s event that includes the largest women¹s pro purse of the season (more than $ 10,000.00) and the most women¹s amateur classes offered at a motocross race (14 in all, starting at 50cc 4-6 years old) which gives girls and women the rare opportunity to race more than one class and to race other women their age, skill level and bike size.
The event hosts a special women¹s awards ceremony with six-foot tall trophies guaranteed to 10th place. The women’s racing at this year’s event broke all attendance records with an impressive total of nearly 270 women entries in the 15 women’s classes..
Another highlight of the distinctive race is the participation of women racers from around the globe. The 2005 entry list so far includes; Elin Mann (Sweden), Natalie King (Ireland), Stephania Padrini (Italy), Jo Adlam (New Zealand), Elien De Winter (Belgium), Larissa Papenmeier (Germany), Gloria Declari (Italy), Alex Haupt (Germany), Silvia Santaga (Italy), and Galina Valueka (Russia) along with most of the top stars of WMA Pro Racing.
12/2/2005
Cobra Apparel for the Holidays!
Just in time for the holidays! Head to the 'Wearables' section of our site and check out the new MOTO line. Keep warm and look stylish. New for 2006 are caps, hoodies, fleeces (for adults), and blankets.
11/28/2005
Winter Mini Olympics - 2006
The 2006 Mini Winter Olympics was a resounding success for Cobra Motorcycles and their racers! Cobra 50s accounted for 51% of the total entries in the 50cc classes, up from 44% the previous year. Cobra mounted riders took 67% of the top 10 finishes and an amazing 80% of the top 5 finishes. Adam Cianciarulo and Rookie White led the way, sweeping all of their motos for 2 championships each. For Adam it was his 17th and 18th 50cc titles on his Cobras. Congrats to all of the families, riders and the Cobra employees who worked so hard to make Cobra Motorcycles number one at the 2005 Mini Os! Great job!
10/24/2005
Cobra Powers Land Speed Record @ Bonneville
Cobra 50cc engine sets class speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats
NORTH LIMA, Ohio, (October 18, 2005) – In a recent AMA-sanctioned competition that was a bit of a departure from winning everything imaginable in the world of mini cycle racing, Cobra engineers, in cooperation with Alabama-based Wagner Racing, mounted an American-built Cobra 50cc engine into a custom motorcycle and made two passes at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats – achieving a two run average speed of nearly 75 miles per hour and breaking the previous land speed record in its class by five mph.
The Cobra-powered bike broke the old AMA 50cc AG (Altered Gasoline) record of 69.633 mph by running a wind-aided 78.399 mph on the first pass, then coming back into a headwind at 71.106 mph – for an official combined time of 74.852.
“This was a project that Bud (Maimone) and Cobra engineer Alex Uspenski had worked on for several years with Wagner Racing’s Wiltz Wagner,” explained Sean Hilbert, President of Cobra Motorcycles. “Wiltz had approached us a while back after hearing of the success of our King 50 bike, featuring an engine that’s built right here in the States. And not that we were really worried about it, but now we can ‘officially’ say (Hilbert grins) that the Cobra 50cc engine is the fastest 50 on the planet. In all honesty, I think there’s quite a bit left in that thing.”
Wiltz Wagner of Wagner Racing began working on small displacement motorcycles in 1987. Combining on the project with his late wife, Wagner initially set out to break the record by modifying a Kawasaki KX 60 engine. When that project failed he (Wagner) went through a number of other engines, particularly ones produced in Japan, Italy and Spain. Not able to distance the gap on the record, Wagner approached Cobra and the two set out to power Wagner’s daughter, Belen, faster than anybody had ever gone on a 50cc bike.
“When Wiltz called over to the shop we though this would be something fun, a bit different,” said Maimone. “We did some dyno work, then tested with a stock motocross clutch. But we had some problems in that Bonneville’s at 4,200 feet and the clutch wouldn’t hook up properly. So we did some thinking and ended up fitting a 50cc top end on our six speed transmission. The end result broke the existing world record with ease.”
Keep in mind also that in order to race the AMA-sanctioned land speed record attempts at Bonneville one must possess a valid driver’s license. That being said, Maimone was asked what would happed if an eight-year-old Cobra factory racer got on the Wagner Racing bike – rather than a 34-year old woman.
“That scenario would be very interesting,” said Maimone. “And I think if the AMA allowed it we’d have a line of Cobra kids wanting to break the very land speed record we just set.”
10/16/2005
Remembering Twistin' Trysten
Please keep the Fortune family in your thoughts and prayers this month as it marks the passing of an outstanding kid. The Cobra Family had the wonderful opportunity of sharing Trysten's memory at Loretta Lynn's this summer, and many kids and their families (regardless of what color bike they rode) took the opportunity to sign Trysten's King 50 in his memory. Cobra will always reserve a spot on the Wall of Fame for Trysten’s sticker. The account below was submitted by the Fortune Family.
Beloved Son, Brother, and True Friend From The Word Go
This summer, my family and I traveled back to Hurricane Mills, Tennessee for a very special event. We were taking our 5 year old daughter to race in the Amateur National Championships. What made this more special was she qualified on her brother’s pw 50 that he rode there in 2002 and 2003. Unfortunately he was not there to ride with her, but I feel he was watching and cheering her on from a very special place.
You see, back in October of 2004, we lost our 8 year old son behind our house in a “FREAK” accident. A tree where he and his older brother Chandler were playing fell and struck Trysten in the temple and broke his C-2 vertebrae and he died instantly. He had played a football game earlier that day and was down behind our house working on their tree house with a friend and his brother. It was a place he loved and right next to their track. He died in a place he loved with a great brother and true friend that never left his side. Chandler, my older son is my hero. No one was touching the tree and there was no wind, it just fell. There was no real root structure on this Cottonwood tree.
My wife and I felt that racing was such a huge part of Trysten’s life that we needed to put some of his ashes there at the “Greatest Amateur Race” in the world. We thought that we would give our younger daughter two years to qualify on her brother’s motorbike and if she did not make it, we would just fly there and make a real vacation out of it. Not one consisting of driving forever! Well, Bless her little heart, she made it the first year and we had to drive all the way across the country to a special place that Trysten took us in 2002 and 2003. He broke and separated his left shoulder in 2004 and was not up to par when the Regionals came around. He still finished 7th overall as a 7 year old. His friend Chris Alldredge went for the first time that year. He was on Cobra’s and is fast. He took second this year in the 7 to 9 65cc class and dedicated his 1st place finish to Trysten his friend that he lost last year. This kid is all heart!
I got the pleasure to meet a lot of you this year at Loretta’s and would like to thank you all for letting your kids sign Trysten’s ‘04 Cobra that Cobra put on display at their trailer this year. They even put Trysten’s sticker on the “Wall of Fame” door for all of the past National Champions. He will never truly know how great that made me feel. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
It is hard to put your kids back on the track after losing one of them. It is a scary feeling. My wife decided when we had kids to live our life’s for them and support them in anything that they do. Motocross is something they love. I feel it keeps my daughter close to the memory of Trysten because he took such good care of her when she was riding. Trysten owed a lot of his riding speed to his brother Chandler because he did not want to be last.
Trysten was special from the day a child starts to get his or her own personality. He was all speed. He talked fast. He walked fast. He only slowed down to sleep and give you a hug. He had a lot of great qualities on and off of the track. He could go up to someone he didn’t even know and give them a hug. Whether they were the hugging type or not, they were going to get one anyway! That is the way he is remembered by a lot of people. “The boy that came up and gave me a hug.” He didn’t care if a kid was handicapped or the color of their skin. As a matter of fact, if he met a kid with green skin, he would have ran up to him and said “KOOL, how did you get that way?” He always felt like he belonged. In any situation, he was comfortable. He would walk up to large crowds and just fit in without any worries about being accepted. He was constantly talking and smiling and joking.
I believe he was a great racer for many reasons. He pushed the envelope, riding right on the edge of being out of control. His normal form on the Cobra’s was almost always one foot off the peg and holding on, giving it full throttle. (The bigger the bike the better he thought.) He was riding 65cc’s and 85cc’s at 7 years. He had an older brother who he chased and eventually had to chase him. He didn’t get sore if he lost, he just gave 110% and if someone beat him, he was the first to congratulate them. He didn’t like to lose, but he was a gracious loser. (That is, in my book, a true champion. You don’t have to like losing, (You are in the wrong sport if you do!) but you have to learn to lose graciously.) He also would get up as soon as he crashed. He wouldn’t lay there and milk it, he wanted to get up and go so he didn’t get passed! (He once raced 5 motos with a broken and separated shoulder.) I remember one time he went over a tabletop at the local race and I was standing there giving him our sign for get centered on the bike. He thought I meant to hit the jump where I was standing. Second place was two corners back. I was standing in a nice cross rut! He hit the two ruts, one with the front wheel and the other with the back. He was 5 feet in the air and no way to save it. He bailed off and was up and running after his bike before it was even stopped. Yellow plastic dollars $$$ were still flying off of it! The second place kid (Kaden Beutler) came over the jump just as I got the bike going. Now the race was on! It went to the finish line step up double where Kaden rolled it and Trysten jumped it. Trysten hit Kaden’s back wheel and ended up second in that moto, but won in dad’s opinion because he did a jump he never did before. Winning isn’t always the place you come in, but beating the track and your last ride.
If I can give any advice to you parents that may read this it would be, live your life for your kids, not through them. (Sometimes us dad’s need to get on a bike and try to keep up with our kids that we may be yelling at!) Support them in anything that they want to do. Make them young people you can be proud of as young adults, both on and off of the track. Be a good role model. Take a lot of pictures and videos, because sometimes they are what you have left, along with happy memories and heartache and emptiness. Don’t leave any regrets and fix any problems that you may encounter that day with your kids by kissing and hugging them and telling them you love them. Let them know you mean it every day and aren’t just saying it.
The advice for the kids is simple. Decide what you want and go for it! Listen to your parents! Be a good sport and a good friend. Have FUN! When something is no longer fun, it is a waste of time. Enjoy your life and be kind to all!.
GOD BLESS,
The Fortune Family
Mark, Shamaree, Michael, Tarynn, Chandler, Trysten, and Micha.
9/20/2005
It's a GO!
Stay tuned here for more details! The new ECX50 will be available soon!
9/14/2005
The 2006 Cobra CM50
Every single 4-6 50cc national event in 2005 has been won on a Cobra CM50. In fact, adding up the possible top 10 finishes at all of the amateur nationals this summer, Cobra took 66 of the 80 available spots (83%). These results prove that nothing else in its class comes close to the CM50’s handling, suspension, or power delivery.
Improvements for 2006
• Cobra Friction Drive (CFD) – Revolutionary new primary gear/slipper clutch will greatly eliminate shock to the drive train (all parts from crank to rear tire), and testing also shows improved life in clutch shoes, chains and sprockets
• Revolutionary reduced maintenance Phase II clutch with all new arbor, bolts, washers and shoes
• Improved engine cases featuring lighter weight, improved cooling, and improved fit and finish.
• Stronger swingarm
• Reduced friction transmission gears and bearings
• Stronger front and rear axles
• Improved clutch cover featuring lighter weight and easier transmission fluid filling
• All new clutch basket featuring reduced rolling resistance
• All new ‘gripper’ seat cover.
• Improved fit spark plug cap
• New high-flow gas petcock
9/12/2005 | | | | |
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