Posted April 3, 2006

Five Minutes WITH…
Promoter Andy Kyner

Andy Kyner and his wife, Tracy, of Carlisle, Iowa, were among the first hare scrambles promoters to offer youth classes. The youth racing was so popular that they split up some of the youth classes by age to allow more racers to be winners.

Andy and Tracy were the first recipients of the newly created ATVA MVP award, presented to them late last year.

Also, they were nominated for ATVA Promoter of the Year honors, which they won at the AMA Sports Awards Banquet in Las Vegas late last year.

ATVAonline: How did you get started racing ATVs?

Andy Kyner: I have always loved racing and ATVs. I got my first four-wheeler, a Bayou 300, in 2000. We were racing through the timber with a local ATV club that I got quickly involved with. Then, I bought a Wolverine shortly after I heard about a hare scramble in Hale, Iowa. I was bit!

ATVAonline: How did you come up with the idea to start your own series, the Iowa ATV Hare Scrambles Series?

Andy: I was racing in another series where we felt as though we ATV racers were a side show, that we never really got any respect. I had a talk with a promoter and he really wouldn’t listen to me. He basically said, ``we have too many quads here'' (68 were present). I turned to walk away and I looked at my wife and said, ``Let’s start our own series, an Iowa series.'' She said, ``OK!'' She had no idea.

ATVAonline: When was your first race as a promoter and what was your first year like?

Andy: We got started rough, our scoring wasn’t the best. We were racing cold that first year, 2004, but we had 150 riders at our first race. I was wondering what we had gotten ourselves into! But everyone supported us and we moved forwards. We finished the year with more than 345 riders from 11 different states. We met a lot of great friends and families with a common bond…ATV racing.

ATVAonline: How was your second year?

Andy: Awesome! We really had a good year—our series grew to 14 classes. We had more than 200 riders at our first race in 2005, more than 30 sponsors, and more than 20 friends and family members making up the IATVHSS Staff. We truly had the time of our life!

ATVAonline: What are your plans for 2006?

Andy: To continue having fun promoting our sponsors and riders. They are the best in the business. We have two new locations, a lot of new sponsors, and new contingency programs for the riders, so we'll make sure that 2006 is the best yet.

ATVAonline: How many races did you have the first year, the second year, and how many are scheduled for 2006?

Andy: Seven the first two years, eight for 2006.

ATVAonline: Why do you feel your series is so successful?

Andy: We have done everything from the racers' perspective. What do I want as a racer: everyone treated equal, a class for everyone, and rewarding all ATV riders no matter what age, class, or gender. Also, we're surrounded with the best crew around. And we love doing it. But without the support of the ATVA, none of this would have been possible! Thank you!

© 2006, All Terrain Vehicle Association