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By: Robert Janis
A Q&A with Delton
Bohlman Can-Am ATV Racing Team Manager
ATVSource recently had an opportunity to
question Delton Bohlman, manager of the ATV
racing team for Can-Am. Bohlman took that
position in 2006 along with Mike Penland and
Scott Kilby. He has been with BRP since 1996.
His racing background gave him the contacts to
develop the Can-Am racing program. His positions
with BRP have ranged from product management and
race management for Can-Am to helping start the
Outlander racing program for GNCC in 2006. He
was also involved in the development of the DS
450. He raced motocross on motorcycles for many
years and continues today.
ATVSource: How long has Can-Am had a racing
team?
Bohlman: Of course, there were the dirt bike
teams in the 70s and 80s. As for ATVs, it was
the GNCC program.
ATVSource: How do you create and develop a team?
Bohlman: At BRP we are passionate about our
products, their performance, and our success on
and off the track. So to develop a team we start
by looking for those same attributes in our
riders and teams.
ATVSource: What events will the Can-Am team be
racing in for 2009?
Bohlman: GNCC, AMA/ATVA MX, WORCS, ITP Quadcross,
Championship Mud Racing (CMR), Canadian National
Championship.
ATVSource: What Can-Am ATVs will be raced?
Bohlman: Outlander 800s, 500s, Renegades, and DS
450s.
ATVSource: Why were those models chosen to race?
Bohlman: The Outlander and Renegades race in the
CMR and the 4x4 Open and 4x4 Limited class for
GNCC racing as well as WORCS, SCORE and BITD. We
race the DS 450 in the GNCC, AMA/ATVA MX series,
WORCS, ITP Quadcross. Anywhere there is a class,
we will race it.
ATVSource: How do you recruit your racers?
Bohlman: We have been very lucky, I believe, to
find the quality group of racers we have. We
started paying much closer attention to the
classes we wanted to compete in about four years
prior to actually entering. We knew who were the
veterans and who were the up and comers. The
rest is just finding those attributes from the
earlier question.
ATVSource: Do you use racers in the Can-Am R&D
program?
Bohlman: There is a close relationship between
our R&D department and the racers. They give us
invaluable feedback after each race and you can
always find someone from the factory at the
races going over the machine and getting
feedback that will improve our product.
ATVSource: Do racers go to events to promote
Can-Am?
Bohlman: Yes, in the end that is why all OEM's
race, it is for promotions and development. At
each race we offer an autograph session at least
once during the weekend, and fans can come out
and meet and talk to the racers. Sometimes a
dealer will hold an open house and request a
racer to be present, if the schedule allows it;
we always try and help out.
ATVSource: Do they also visit Can-Am dealers?
Bohlman: If the schedule allows, we encourage
our dealer network to invite riders to open
houses or local events.
ATVSource: Can a dealer request a racer appear
at a special event at the dealership?
Bohlman: Always.
ATVSource: How would a dealer request a racer
appearance?
Bohlman: Through his Can-Am district sales
manager.
ATVSource: Are there ATVs under development now
that will be used by the 2009 or the 2010 racing
team?
Bohlman: Yes.
ATVSource: What ATV features exist due to the
racing program?
Bohlman: The DS 450 X mx and DS 450 X xc are a
perfect example of experience gained while
racing. Also, Rotax is closely involved with the
race teams and communicate on a daily basis with
our race shop. It also sends people from Austria
to several ATV races to gather information right
at the track. That information is one of the
reasons we have the most powerful engines in
several classes of ATVs. Really, it is hard to
point out one particular feature because we
gather experiences from everywhere like our
dealers, customers, racers, and even our other
product lines like Ski-Doo and Sea-Doo. We
constantly strive to improve our product year
after year.
ATVSource: Do you have a website that promotes
the team?
Bohlman: Yes.
ATVSource: What is the website address?
Bohlman:
http://www.can-amxteam.com. On it is also
information on our contingency program and
amateur racer support program. It is a great
program for DS 450 racers and I encourage
everyone to check it out at the
Website.
ATVSource: How does a racer inquire
about racing for Can-Am?
Bohlman: You can contact me at
delton.bohlman@brp.com, for the time being.
I will be making a change in my career as I move
to the sales department. However, I will
continue to manage the race program until we are
able to find a replacement.
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