Zac Zakowski secured the 2014 Open UTV Championship in his Can-Am Maverick 1000R X xc at the Iowa ATV Hare Scramble Series (IATVHSS) finale in Carlisle, Iowa. Maverick 1000R racers also competed at the Best In The Desert (BITD) BlueWater Desert Challenge in Arizona, and the Texhoma Quad Racing Association (TQRA) ATV Pro Challenge in Texas.
“Zac Zakowski fought hard all season, battling back from a knee injury, to capture the UTV championship with his Zakowski Motorsports-backed Can-Am Maverick 1000R. Zac, his team and family showcase unmatched passion for off-road racing, their fellow racers and the Can-Am brand, and we’re so pleased to have such a devoted driver bring home a championship,” said Jeff Leclerc, Racing Project Leader, Can-Am.
IATVHSS – FInale
Zac Zakowski piloted his colorful, No. 990 Zakowski Motorsports / Turnkey UTV / Can-Am Maverick 1000R to the 2014 IATVHSS Open UTV Championship with a solid top-five finish at the series finale held at Blue Ridge Run in central Iowa. Zakowski only needed to finish the race in order win the title. While leading the race on lap four, Zakowski made the decision to pull over and finish the race under his terms. He ended up fourth, but easily earned enough points for the season title.
“This was one of the hardest races I have done. We had to be smart and let competitors go by so that we could run our own pace and focus on finishing the race and winning the championship. I have to thank my co-pilot/co-driver Eric von Sprecken for all his help. This marks our first big cross-country championship in a UTV with more to come,” said Zakowski.
TQRA – ATV Pro Challenge
The TQRA ATV Pro Challenge in Memory of Caleb Moore was held at Underground MX in Kemp, Texas. The event, which was doused by heavy rains on Friday evening, featured both ATV and side-by-side vehicle racing.
Cody and Hunter Miller (Louis Powersports / Turnkey UTV / Can-Am) competed at the event with their Maverick 1000R vehicles. Despite a last-minute change that forced the side-by-side competitors to race only on the MX track, Cody followed up his solid fourth-place qualifying time with a second-place podium finish.
“We were able to hit every jump all the way to the downside with our Maverick,” said Cody. “I came out third off the start and after a six-lap battle I ended up second. A big thanks to Can-Am, Elka, Turnkey UTV, DWT, SSI, Beard and HMF.”
BITD – BlueWater Desert Challenge
The Can-Am / Murray Racing / ITP team finished the two-day Best In The Desert BlueWater Desert Challenge fourth in its class and fifth overall. More than 20 side-by-side vehicles competed in the UTV Pro ranks, with only 11 finishing the race.
For brothers Derek and Jason Murray, the top-five run kept their BITD finishing streak alive. It also kept the No. 1917 Can-Am Maverick 1000R race team in third place in the Class 19 (UTV Pro) standings with one race remaining on the season. Cory Sappington (Desert Toyz / Can-Am) also tallied a top-10 finish in his Maverick 1000R at the event held in Parker, Ariz.
“It was a rough course. We are very proud of this race being our team’s 30th consecutive BITD finish,” said the Murrays. “We could not have the success without the help from our entire crew and the best sponsors and companies in the industry.”
For more information on 2014 Can-Am racing, the contingency program and all amateur racer support programs, please visit can-amxteam.com.
