Fri, 14 Jan 2005, 09:45 PM Chris Rivas To Ride Mohegan Sun Pro Stock Motorcycle

Courtesy of Brian Bozsum

Chris Rivas

Team co-owners Jessey Fenton (a land developer and general contractor of Gardnerville, NV) and Brian Bozsum (a marketing director and tribal member of the Mohegan Tribe of Fresno, CA) have partnered together to bring another powerhouse Buell Pro Stock Bike team into the NHRA for the 2005 season. A primary sponsorship package from the Mohegan Sun has allowed Fenton and Bozsum the added financial support needed to form the new Mohegan Sun Pro Stock Bike Racing Team. We are very excited to be able to run the 2005 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Bike Series for a full season of racing action. The Mohegan Sun Racing Team will be hitting the series full steam with a brand new G Squared S&S Buell which is currently being built by G Squared Motorsports. The new bike will be ready for an unveiling and testing sometime in February.

Fenton & Bozsum state:
“We are very excited to be able to work with George Bryce and George Smith in the upcoming race season”. We have been in discussions with George Bryce and George Smith since the Las Vegas NHRA ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals, where Chip Ellis, handling the driving duties aboard the G Squared S&S Buell, qualified No. 2 and then raced his motorcycle past four opponents, including three of the top four riders in the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Bike point standings, to take the win.

During that weekend in Las Vegas we closed the deal on the purchase of the new bike with a good old fashioned hand shake, and the rest is history. We realize and appreciate that we are very fortunate to have the many years of experience, knowledge and professionalism coming into our first season in the NHRA with George Bryce and George Smith as a support system for us if needed, along with all their staff and family as well. As Bozsum states; “We feel like we’ve been blessed, for us to be able to have our racing family associated with their racing families is very exciting for us”.

George Smith adds:
"G Squared Motorsports and S&S Cycle are very excited to help bring another quality team to the NHRA. We are committed to do our part to ensure the success of the Mohegan Sun NHRA Pro Stock motorcycle racing team. 2005 will be an exciting, competitive year for our sport and we look forward to great racing and increasing our fan base."

Fenton and Bozsum have hired Pro Stock Rider Chris Rivas from Fresno, CA. to pilot the new Mohegan Sun Racing Buell. Chris has been in drag racing since 1996 and during the 1998 race season he raced in the NHRA Western Div. 7 events and captured a very respectable #3 ranking while being the only Harley-Davidson powered motorcycle in competition. In 2003 he ran the Western event schedule with the AHDRA and won 4 out of 8 races in Super Gas, which cinched the Western Championship, and gained the National No. 2 position. Running on the momentum of a Championship season, the Rivas Racing team competed in the AHDRA Western Division Pro Stock class for 2004 to accomplish a No. 2 title the first year as a Pro Stock rider.

We feel very confident in the abilities of Chris as a rider for our team in the upcoming season. He will be attending the Frank Hawley Drag Racing school in Gainesville this month which is taught by George Bryce. We feel this is a great opportunity for Chris to learn from one of the best in the sport. Along with Chris Rivas, we have hired Mike Ruggiero as a part of our race crew who has been around drag racing his whole life and will take the reins of crew chief in the pit area. Fenton and Bozsum state that their race team is dedicated to winning as well as complement the new successes that have taken place with the Harley’s and the new G Squared S&S Buell.

"None of this could be possible without the terrific support of our sponsor; the Mohegan Sun and the Mohegan Tribe from Uncasville, Conn.," tribal member Bozsum said. "We encourage race fans to visit the property and enjoy one of the finest casinos and resorts in the country."