Arai debuts Tracker GT at Daytona
Cycle News Staff | March 10, 2000
It’s called the Tracker GT, and it’s an Arai, which probably makes it a worthy purchase on the merits of the Japanese manufacturer’s history of uncompromising top-quality standards in its safety helmets. But for Kevin Atherton, the Tracker GT may represent a Messiah of sorts as well.
Utilizing a mix of design features found in Arai’s current Renegade dirt track helmet and its new Signet GT, the Tracker GT features a new chinbar design and a different ventilation system that is supposed to allow less dust and dirt to sneak inside the helmet. It also uses a new shield system designed specially for the dirt track application.
Better yet, as Arai USA representative Brian Weston explains, this new Arai model also offers a certain degree of built-in relief from the tremendous medical expenses incurred by dirt-tracker Kevin Atherton, who nearly lost his leg in a crash at the Du Quoin Mile last summer.
“This helmet comes in two different designs as well as white and black,” Weston said. “The two designs are the Chris Carr Replica and the Kevin Atherton Replica. For the Kevin Atherton Replica, we are going to do a limited version [shown here] with Kevin’s number 23 on the sides, which will be available prior to the release of the production version later this summer. We are going to sell the limited version to Kevin at straight cost, and then he will have the opportunity to sell the limited versions and keep 100 percent of the profit. In addition, for the production version Kevin Atherton Replica [no number 23 on sides], Arai is going to pay Kevin a $3.50 royalty for the sale of each helmet. The idea behind this is that we hope this program will help relieve Kevin of the burden of his medical expenses. Kevin has been a loyal Arai guy, and we wanted to reflect some of the loyalty that he has shown by helping him out.”
No retail price for the production version was released at Daytona, but stay tuned to the pages of Cycle News for more information on the Kevin Atherton program and a full evaluation of the Tracker GT.
