In past years, Staples Center has provided elevator access for skateboarders pushing off from to the top of the 80-foot-5-inch-tall Mega Ramp. The Coliseum has no such vertical convenience, which left X Games organizers scrambling for a solution to their high-rise transportation problem.

Enter DragonFire Racing, which was approached by ESPN and CA Ramp Works and asked to build custom shuttle vehicles that could transport athletes up a 26-degree transport ramp. That’s a steep order — literally — for anyone to fill, especially on short notice.

With the games fast approaching, DFR consulted on the design of the 26-degree shuttle ramp, then we got busy designing two custom shuttle vehicles. We named these specialty vehicles “X Games Mega Ramp Shuttles,” and you’ll be able to see them at the event, on ESPN and in the pits all next week. The 16^th edition of X Games gets underway Wednesday, July 28, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 1.

The two X Games Mega Ramp Shuttles are designed to carry two athletes at a time back up the steep ramp, and they can do it in a hurry. Because of the fast-paced nature of this event, it’s imperative that athletes are able to return to the top quickly.

We designed these two climbers as custom personnel haulers, each with a custom canopy cage, a custom rear-facing seat with a footrest and wheelie bar, a DFR Long Travel suspension system and a bicycle rack on the front. DFR engineers began work on the two custom vehicles on July 12, and put the finishing touches on the shuttles last Friday.

Just in time for X Games 16, which will again focus on extreme-action sports that will be telecast live to more than 382 million homes in 175 countries. Where’s the director? These two DFR shuttles are ready for their close up.

This July’s event was made possible with factory support from Yamaha, Warn Industries, Triple S Polaris, MTA, ITP and of course, DragonFire Racing. These sponsors’ efforts resulted in a memorable four days for all the riders who participated in sky-high adventures seated in their side-by-side. We had Larry Roeseler, 12-time SCORE International Baja 1000 overall winner from Team Green Kawasaki with us all weekend. We also had Cam McQueen from Nitro Circus. Both of these racers lead our groups on some of the best single-track and two-track rides the Uinta National Forest had to offer.

And the romping and stomping didn’t stop at sundown. Some of the most exciting events occurred after darkness fell, when a mass of off-road vehicles – equipped with DragonFire LED light bars — lit up the forest on the high ridge on beautiful moonlight excursions. From start to finish, “Madness in the Mountains” was an enormous success.

Most of all, we’d like to thank Daniels Summit Lodge and its friendly and helpful staff for providing hospitality and superb support to our staff and customers. Also, a shout out for the Uinta National Forest crew for preparing and maintaining such an amazing riding area, and for keeping the trails safe and marked. And thanks for those who attended, bringing along their ATVs, UTVs and two-wheel bikes to scoot around this mountain-high paradise. “Madness in the Mountains” brought new friends and new trails together, thanks to all that supported and attended the event.

Stay tuned to our blog for upcoming posts on the possibility of next July’s event.

Madness in the Mountains is already an affordable event (registration costs just $60 and includes the Saturday night BBQ and all sorts of other goodies), but with Yamaha’s offer, you’d be hard-pressed to find any other event like ours for just $50!

If you’re still not convinced that you should make it out for Madness in the Mountains, check out these photos of the trails at Daniels Summit at Strawberry Reservoir (as you can see, it’s beautiful country):

Daniels Summit at Strawberry Reservoir

Another shot of Daniels Summit at Strawberry Reservoir

For more information about Madness in the Mountains, visit the Madness in the Mountains page on DragonFireRacing.com

• Friday, July 2: Open from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PT)
• Saturday, July 3: Closed
• Sunday, July 4: Closed
• Monday, July 5: Closed (Federal holiday here in the U.S.)
• Tuesday, July 6: Back open from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (PT)

We hope everyone reading this post has a safe and fun Independence Day holiday; especially those of you who plan to use your ATVs, UTVs, and other powersport vehicles as part of your celebrations.

In the meantime, if you’d like to extend the holiday celebration for a few extra days, check out the following blog posts about DragonFire Racing’s own Madness in the Mountains event, which takes place next Thursday through Sunday near Park City, Utah:

• Off-roaders: We’re Just a Week Away from ‘Madness in the Mountains’
• DragonFire Madness in the Mountains: The Fun Begins at 8,000 Feet
• Madness in the Mountain page on DragonFireRacing.com

Hosted by us — DragonFire Racing — along with Yamaha and other event sponsors, “Madness in the Mountains” is scheduled from noon Thursday, July 8, through noon Sunday, July 11, and promises the best single-track, two-track and mountain roads in North America. Located at Daniels Summit at Strawberry Reservoir, just 11 miles north of Heber, UT, on Highway 40, this event promises a satisfying riding experience for every rider in every skill level.

Among the highlights is a Chuck Wagon BBQ on Saturday night that is included with the $60 registration fee. In addition, the latest off-road products will be on display Friday through Sunday in the DragonFire Racing Hot Pits, a vendor midway where company and factory rigs will circle up, creating a giant outdoor mall. Known in the off-road industry as the Pits, this is where participants gather to see new products on display.

Among the planned activities from Yamaha are free demo rides of their entire 2011 line up. Yamaha is also offering discounted admission tickets, free air filter checks and select service, raffle items and more.

Admission includes the Saturday night barbecue and a trail map that shows all OHV roads to and from the event, including roads from Strawberry Reservoir. Kids under 10 are admitted free. Hotel rooms are available in Park City and Heber and camping can be reserved at the event, with hook-ups offered at Strawberry Reservoir.

For more information, visit Madness in the Mountain page on DragonfireRacing.com, or call (800) 708-9803.

As you’ll see by clicking on the image to the left or visiting the DragonFire Racing website, the new site is cleaner, more functional, and takes all the guesswork out of finding performance accessories for your next ATV or UTV excursion, expedition, or race. Perhaps the most dramatic change to the site is the addition of Shop By Make, a great new feature that allows you find performance parts for Polaris, Yamaha, Kawasaki and other makes with just a click of your mouse.

DragonFireRacing.com will continue to evolve over the weeks and months that follow. Current plans include adding an online education center featuring how-to and instructional videos, as well as an extended photo gallery and more. And like we said at the outset of this blog entry, in celebration of the new website, anyone placing an order totaling $500 or more will receive a complimentary set of DragonFire Racing Tie Downs.

DragonFire Racing +4 Long Travel Suspension Kit (front view)

Have you heard about our new state-of-the-art suspension system that features the ultimate in off-road technology?

Called the DragonFire Racing Ranger XP and Crew +4 Long Travel Suspension Kit, this system is now available for the Polaris Ranger XP and Crew. This advanced suspension system features lightweight chromoly tube plated (high carbon steel) A-arms, 300M axles and Fox coilover shocks.

The suspension kit is a direct replacement package, with suspension travel in excess of 10 inches. The kit uses stock shock pick up points and specially tuned Fox 2.0 shocks, offering the correct shock ratios and the structural support needed for the increased suspension travel.

DragonFire Racing +4 Long Travel Suspension Kit (rear view)

Among the features are Tig welding, chrome alloy metal, a ride height that is 3 to 5 inches taller than stock, and specially tuned Fox 2.0 shocks. The DragonFire Racing Ranger XP and Crew +4 Long Travel Suspension Kit can be ordered raw or powder coated, and the kit fits 2009 and 2010 model Polaris Ranger XP and Crew UTVs.

For additional information, visit DragonFireRacing.com. For pricing, call Chris Moore in the DFR Sales Department (toll-free: 1-800-708-9803; direct: 1-480-834-4595).

Chris joined our team in January of 2009, and while his official title is Internet Sales Rep, he does so much more for us than his title suggests. On any given day, you can find Chris monitoring online forums and answering questions, managing DragonFireRacing.com, processing orders, assisting with inside sales, and playing a major role in our media-related efforts. And even that doesn’t tell the full story of how much Chris does and – just as important – how much we appreciate all that he does to help the rest of us keep DragonFire Racing moving forward and in the right direction.

If you’d like to get to know Chris a little better, check out his answers to the following questions:

Q. What’s the best part of your job?

A. I eat, sleep and drink motorsports (always have and always will). Working at DragonFire has given me the chance to come to a job where I get to be myself all the time and do what I love.

Q. What did you do for work prior to coming to DragonFire Racing?

A. I worked for Helix Electric; I was a commercial high volt electrician (they called me “Sparky”).

Q. What do you drive?

A. Well, I grew up racing motocross, so I’m partial to my Kawasaki KX250F and my Pit Bike CRF50. That said, I also drive any DFR-outfitted UTV I can get my hands on!

Q. What’s your favorite DFR product?

A. No such thing as one “favorite.” My Top 3 DragonFire Racing products are (in no particular order) the 4-Point Harness with sternum strap, our Black Magic Long Travel Suspension kit for the Kawasaki Teryx 750, and the DFR Teryx 840 Race Kit.

Q. If you couldn’t ride your bikes or take a DFR-equipped UTV out for a spin, what would you choose to read or watch on television?

A. That’s easy… I’d read UTV Off-Road Magazine or watch just about any show on the Speed Chanel a

Q. If you could take a week or so off from work and ride UTVs anywhere in the world, where would you go and who would you take with you?

A. I would have to go back to my roots and see some old friends at Washougal MX Park in Washington. I would like to take all the boys from DragonFire and show them how the Great Northwest gets down! Who knows, maybe these Arizona guys could learn what a real ‘woop’ section looks like.

Great stuff, Chris. If you’d like to ask Chris Moore a question of your own, click the Comment link below and ask away (for example, someone may want to press Chris for more info on what a “real” woop section is supposed to look like!).

Among the DragonFire products to be distributed by MTA are our light bars, seat belts, windshields, long travel suspension, exhaust pipes and wheels. MTA will also distribute DFR’s new product line for 2010, including our rugged off-road gauges and gauge pods, hood scoops, youth seat belts and several new DFR engine components.

MTA has distribution centers in four states and has one of the power sports industry’s premier sales forces. As a result, the DragonFire product line will complement MTA’s sales focus and expand access to our premier products throughout the country.

Ask your local retailer to contact MTA about carrying DragonFire products if they don’t already do so. MTA’s website is www.MTADistributing.com.

DragonFire Racing Billet Gauge Pod

The thing about the new Dragonfire Billet Gauge Pod and Mount is that once you’ve followed the simple instructions and mounted this gem on your UTV, it looks like it was installed at the factory. You’re not going to be cutting up the stock plastics on your interior or slapping down something that just screams “Add On!”

Nope. This solid billet CNC aluminum pod will give your UTV a professional, high-performance look, and the modular pieces make it easy to install with just a few tools and a few minutes of your time. The housing features a black anodized surface and is post-CNC machined to remove weight and give the unit a contrasting look.

The DFR Billet Gauge Pod and Mount is custom made for DragonFire’s handsome, rugged and easy-to-read gauges, featuring a tough Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) case that was designed to withstand all the abuse a UTV (and driver) go through day in and day out.

Dragonfire Billet Gauge Mount

This combination plate of pod, mount and gauge is guaranteed to put up with all the bumping, bouncing, heat, cold and off-road torture you can toss its way. Gauges available from DragonFire include a water temperature gauge, voltmeter and fuel gauge, and an oil temperature gauge.

For more information, visit http://www.dragonfireracing.com/rzr-billet-gauge-pod-and-mount.aspx.