"I want to thank Chuck for his dedication and support of the team all these years. He's been a great partner and a big part of the success of the team. I wish him well and look forward to seeing him at a race or two in the future," said Toby Henderson, VSI's founding partner. Donovan Long will continue in his role as team manager of the amateur riders while VSI will take care of pros David Herman and Arielle Martin, who will represent Intense, and new Speed racer Marc Willers.
"I'm very excited to be working with VSI to help continue the legacy of the IPOT team. The new addition of the Speed Factory Team will bring a whole new level to the Factory Title hunt for 2011. We put together some of the fastest riders in the world and they will all be ready to help take VSI and BMX to the next level," Long said. "And, I can't thank Chuck and Terry Colton enough for the support that they have given to the riders and family's over the years. I know that they will keep on giving back to the kids in this sport and others as their grand kids grow and play sports themselves," he added.
The team has won multiple national titles and is stacked with NAG riders. It narrowly lost the Factory Team title at this year's ABA Grands, but with two beefed-up rosters it could reclaim the number-one spot and take number-two, as well, next November in Tulsa.
The Intense Factory Team will ride Podium frames with SINZ Elite forks, XXX cranks, bolt-on grips and wheels, Sinz brakes, handlebars, stems and seatposts, THE saddles and number plates and ITS MK2 and Hustler tyres. The Speed Factory riders will race in similarly spec'd Speed M-Series bikes. Look for a few of them to breakout the new 20-millimeter bikes this spring.
"We're really looking forward to having a closer working relationship with the team. I think it will benefit VSI as we develop and introduce new products and it will help the riders since we'll be more attentive to their needs. I want this program to be as professional as the factory race teams of the past-like the GT, Hutch, Diamondback and JMC teams of the 1980s," Henderson said.
New members of the team include Nick Koehler, Shelby Stacy and Brodie Spot.
Factory Intense Team:
Dane Gilbert, 7X
Brodie Spot 9X
Bryant White 11X
Madison Martinez 11 Girls
Christopher Blevins 13X
Christopher Abernathy 14X
Sean Gaian 15X
Kristen Long 15X
Rusty Nesvig 17-18X
Chad Street Vet Pro
Pro Factory Intense Team
David Herman
Arielle Martin
Factory Speed Team Roster
Wyatt Bell 9X
Brock Heffron 14X
Cole Tesar 15X
Derik Bergh 16X
Felicia Stancil 16 Girls
Nick Koehler 17-18X
Bryce Hocking 17-18X
Shelby Stacy 17 Girls
Fernie Jaquez 19-27X
Jake Peebles AA Pro
Pro Factory Speed Team
Marc Willers
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.