ESPN Great Outdoor Games 2005
- Updated: July 9, 2005
That’s Marty Hart on a Kawasaki. Strange site isn’t it? Marty won the GNC pro championship in ’84, ’85 and ’86 for Team Honda. He was also a Mickey Thompson champion back in the day. He can now add “Great Outdoor Games Terracross Champion” to his impressive list of accomplishments.
Terracross
Organizers worked until 3am then again at 7am to change the motocross track into a Utility ATV “Terracross”. Sunday’s Terracross was slightly delayed and a few last minute things were changed. After two heat races, eight hand picked riders would line up behind a motocross starting gate. When the gate dropped they would blast through a mud pit, and make their way through a gnarly rock pile, then dismount their ATVs and shoot three archery arrows at a target. Three seconds would be deducted for misses. After that they would put a 60-pound bag on the rear rack of their stock utility ATV. The weight would have to be carried for the remaining half of the lap, which included a sand pit, a wooden obstacle course and a few jumps, including the finish line table top.
Wes Miller on the “TX2” machine was aggressive and on the gas!
Wes Miller, Great Outdoor Games committee member and owner of H Bomb Films, teamed up with former factory Honda ATV legend Marty Hart and headed to Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex. The two showed up on identical Kawasaki Prairies. Seeing Hart on a bright green Kawie ATV was strange to say the least. “I’m definitely a Honda guy, but I have to admit this thing really handles well. I think I can win this event. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t”, said Hart before the event. After Miller decorated the two quads with Division Four and Bomb Squad paraphernalia the two went to the line as serious as as the competitors the night prior.
Six other competitors were invited mainly for their role in the ATV and motorcycle industry. Jorge Cuartas, maker of the GNC and GNCC event programs and team coordinator for the FMF Media All Star team was originally selected to ride. Since Jorge broke his leg, Regis Harrington got the call to replace him. Harrington is an established stunt man. He recently completed many of the motorcycle stunts in the Charlie’s Angels movie. His only stunt this time out was pulling off a runer- up overall in Terracross. Cameron Steel, the voice of many televised high-energy programs including Supercross pulled to the line on a red Suzuki King Quad. Motocross bike racing legend Larry Ward rode a Kawasaki, as did most of the other competitors. Chuck Carothers was also invited. He was nominated for an ESPY Award for Best Play for completing a Carolla during the freestyle motocross X Games best trick competition last year. X Games SnoCross champion Trevor John also made the cut. The lone female rider was Heather Williams, a Pro Freestyle Motocross rider and Pro WMA rider.
Left to right is the Terracross Podium of Regis Harrington, Marty Hart and Wes Miller.
Wes Miller and Regis Harrington won the two heat races. Miller rode aggressively to say the least. He was the first to clear the big table top on the heavy utility. It looked like he would be the guy to beat in the first ever Terracross event at year six of the GOGs (Great Outdoor Games). When the gate dropped Marty Hart pulled the trigger fastest and took off in the lead. Meanwhile Miller blasted through the mud bog and approached turn one like a bat out of hell. In the process he collided with Harrington. “Someone was going to have to let off. It certainly wasn’t going to be me”, said Miller of the contact. As the lap progressed Miller chased Hart, his Bomb Squad teammate, while Harrington recovered quickly from the t-bone collision he took from Miller.
Eventually Harrington would have the last laugh when he passed Miller for second place after Miller’s quad jammed into neutral while charging through the log section of the track.
In the end, Hart won the inaugural event with a time of just under three minutes. Regis Harrington of El Cajon, CA finished second, 32 seconds behind. Wes Miller of Fallbrook, CA rounded out the last spot on the podium, 35 seconds off the pace. “Being an avid bow hunter and a pretty good rider, I thought I might have an advantage today, but the other riders picked it up pretty quickly”, said Hart after the race. “This was a lot of fun. I think the sport can really grow with ESPN’s help. My hat’s off to them for what they’re doing for the sport. You know it’s pretty cool all in all. I got to compete again at something I was really good at back in the day, and I got to bring my family to Disney World. We had a blast. Plus, since I won, the prize money paid all of our expenses. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Terracross Official Results
1. Marty Hart, Columbia, LA
2. Regis Harrington, El Cajon, CA
3. Wes Miller, Fallbrook, CA
4. Cameron Steele, San Clemente, CA
5. Larry Ward, Murrells Inlet, SC
6. Trevor John, Crosslake, MN
7. Heather Williams, Cartersville, GA
8. Chuck Carothers, Cleveland, TX
Dodge is the main sponsor for the Great Outdoor Games. Kawasaki ATVs are the main sponsor for the Four Wheel Frenzy and the Terracross ATV events. Our hat’s are off to Kawie for helping make this extraordinary event happen.
Summing it up
When it was all over on Sunday several organizers agreed the event was a complete success. An outstanding group of riders represented the sport masterfully. In fact, ESPN organizers were floored at how respectable and thankful the entire field was. “I think we’ve got a winner in ATV racing”, said Tes Sewell. “ATV racers are very genuine. They’re an excellent bunch of people and they deserve a lot more credit than they are currently getting. I think we’re going to make heroes out of some riders next week when it airs on nationwide television.”
The ATV crowd loved all the attractions and fun that was readily available at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex. Here Dustin Wimmer and his mom check out the “Big Air” Dog Jumping Competition.
Unfortunately, the average television viewer has no idea who Bill Ballance or John Natalie is, not yet anyway. Thanks to ESPN’s commitment to include ATV racing as a major part of their sixth year of the ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge, that just might instantly change. The future of the sport of ATV racing looks extremely well. Thanks ESPN and to all 500 staff members behind the scenes for doing so much for the sport of ATV racing!
Click the next page for several pre and post race video interviews and a photo gallery from the 2005 Great Outdoor Games.
