New Castle, IN (3/25/2018) – Polaris RZR Factory Racing driver John Barnes fought his way through the snow to win the Deer Ridge IXCR race in Greencastle, IN. Driving his Polaris RZR S 1000 non-turbo car, Barnes battled his way through the field to earn his first cross country SXS win of the season.

With winter weather gripping the Midwest, Barnes just made it to the track on time after fighting treacherous road conditions on the way. The track was covered in over five inches of snow with more coming down. After taking the start in the surreal conditions, Barnes methodically made his way through the pack, taking the lead on lap five and never looking back.

“We made it to the event 30 minutes before the race started, and we didn’t have time to walk the track, so we just went for it,” said Barnes. “There was several inches of snow on the ground, and it continued to snow very hard to the point we could barely see at times. That was a first for me. I’ve never raced in the snow like that, but I got into a groove, started picking people off and made my way to the front. I kept pushing forward, took the lead and won the race.”

While cross country racing is always a challenge for tire manufacturers, most tires aren’t purposely setup to run in the snow. Barnes said his STI Tires, though, worked perfectly in the frigid and slick conditions.

“The STI tires were really amazing in the snow,” said Barnes. “They just kept churning. I got by one guy and just roosted him with snow. It was pretty crazy.”

Barnes was running his Polaris RZR S 1000 non-turbo outfitted with Superatv axles, seats, and bumpers. The engine work was performed by Millennium Technologies, exhaust by Trinity Racing’s Stage 5 exhaust, and increased compression and longevity by CP Carrillo’s Pistons and Rods. The RZR outclassed the field in power and handling.

“My Ballistic Battery fires my RZR so quick every time. The Millennium Technology engine and battery components work flawlessly. The VP Fuel and IMS Fuel Tank complements it well. My Dynojet Power Commander V makes tuning this thing a breeze.”

“In addition, I have to give much credit to the Elka Suspension. The shocks make the car ride so smooth and virtually drive itself.” Barnes will continue to run the RZR XP Turbo in GNCC competition, with the addition of a belt temperature gauge.

“We will have good fortune with the turbo car too,” said Barnes. “Polaris came out with the new XP Turbo S, and it has an upgraded clutch system. We’re planning to run that upgrade, and that should help us with our clutching issues. We’re definitely going to continue to run the Razorback Technology Belt Temperature Gauge in all our cars. It works so awesome and will light up when your heat buildup is in the danger area so you can adjust your driving accordingly. It is a great combination with the MTNTK Performance Blow Hole to keep everything running cool.

A special thanks to Big Country Powersports for keeping the car mechanically strong, co-pilot, Nathaniel Woodard for a great job keeping us tracking, and Jeffrey Woodard for his superb wrenching and long haul skills.

Barnes will return the GNCC Series when it heads to Society Hill, SC for the third round of UTV competition. That Camp Coker Bullet GNCC is scheduled for April 21-22.