AMA Pro ATV
Rd. 1 - Mar. 9, '08
Copyright 2008 - ATV Racin' Extra / www.atvproracing.com - All rights reserved
Southern California
Season Opener
Surprise
Suzuki Goes 1-2 / 5 @ AMA Pro ATV Rd. 1
The AMA Pro ATV National Series kicked off it's season opener at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, CA on March 9th and the enthusiastic spectators on hand were blasted with an eye full of fresh factory rigs and win driven Pros. With twenty three of the nation's top motocross Pros in attendance, the charge for the front runner spot began with qualifying.
On Saturday, Chad Wienen of Team RockStar/MSR/ProTaper/Suzuki/Yoshimura clocked the fastest qualifying time with an elapsed lap time of 2.19.8. Right behind him in the second and third qualifying spots, teammates Dustin Wimmer and Doug Gust were within two seconds of his time. Rounding out the top five in qualifying, Can-Am's Greg Gee and John Natalie posted times which were within a few seconds of Wienen's top qualifier. Down in eighth place in the qualifying, Monster Energy Kawasaki's Josh Creamer was within four seconds of Wienen's top time. '07 National AMA Pro ATV Champion, Joe Byrd, had posted a sixth place finish in the qualifying. All top ten qualifiers were within four seconds of each other's time.
The stage had been set for Sunday's two moto format and once the show began the battles began. Wimmer, who'd been rumored by factory insiders before the event to have the fastest practice times at Glen Helen prior to the round, didn't waiver from pre-race exhibitions. He went on to win moto one with teammate Wienen in second, Kawasaki's Creamer in third and Natalie and Gust rounding out the top five. Byrd finished where he'd qualified in sixth.
Can-Am's Sage Baker took a tumble over a berm while Kawasaki's Russell Shumaker found himself doing a roll and tumble down a hill. Can-Am's Jeremy Lawson and Yamaha's
The ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Series opened its 12-race season at Glen Helen Raceway this on March 10th with a big win from Suzuki. While the best quad racers in the world showed up for bragging rights, Team Rockstar / MSR / Suzuki / Yoshimura / ProTaper showed its dominance by earning first and second place finishes on this famous track.
Suzuki teammates Chad Wienen, Doug Gust and Dustin Wimmer were all top qualifiers, fastest in timed practice. From high atop the victory podium, Wimmer claimed the number one spot on his Suzuki QuadRacer R450, while Wienen stood right next to him in second overall. Gust rounded out the top five with a fine 5th place finish on the day. Wimmer pulled out a huge lead in both motos dominating the competition in convincing fashion with 1/1 moto scores. Teammate Wienen's 2/2 moto scores said the rest.
"We've been doing a bunch of testing and things just seem to be getting better and better" Wimmer said from the top step of the victory podium. "We have the fastest motors, Fox is doing a great job with our shocks, and the Suzuki QuadRacer R450 is just plain awesome." Team Rockstar / MSR / Suzuki / Yoshimura / Pro Taper Team Manager Kory Ellis said: "I don't know how, but the Suzuki QuadRacers just keep getting better... the new model has an even more powerful engine and the suspension is great. The Suzukis and our riders look like the ones to beat... It's the best possible way to start a season."
Dustin Wimmer takes AMA Pro ATV 1st Round Cup
Photos by: Harlen Foley
Monster Energy Kawasaki's
Josh Creamer took his first ever Pro podium at the Glen Helen opener with a third place finish in both motos just behind Wimmer and Wienen.
Pat Brown fell off the pace due to "quad issues" as it was reported.
Moto two found a familiar front runner at the holeshot in Natalie, '08 WPSA National Champion, but that didn't last long. A bad exit line at the hole cost him the position and Byrd and Creamer took to the front. Wimmer had no liking of this and soon passed both the two for the lead. Shortly, Wienen entered into the trio mix for second.
Reports showed it as Wimmer, then Byrd, Creamer, Wienen and Natalie; then changed to Wimmer, then Wienen, Byrd and Creamer; then it changed to Wimmer, Wienen, Creamer, Natalie, Goodman and Gust. With all this jockeying for position going on, the racing was clean by all standards. After twenty minutes plus a lap, Wimmer had gone 1-1 for the overall win with Wienen at 2-2 for second overall and Creamer 3-3 for third overall. Creamer's first ever Pro podium. Natalie and Gust took 4th and 5th and finished in those positions in the Pro overalls, a repeat of the first moto's finishes.
Harold Goodman took 6th overall, followed by John Ragon in 7th and Byrd, who suffered issues again, in eighth overall.
Team Warnert/Can-Am racer John Natalie rode to a hard-fought fourth-place overall and took the second-moto holeshot at the ITP/Moose Racing AMA/ATVA ATV Championship Series at Glen Helen Raceway in San Bernardino, Calif. The weekend marked his much-anticipated debut on the Can-Am™ DS 450™ ATV, with Natalie riding to the fifth-fastest lap time in qualifying practice earlier during the race weekend. His lap time was just behind Epic Racing/Can-Am's Greg Gee, also on a DS 450.
"To have everyone qualify and take a fourth overall made for a great national motocross debut for the Can-Am DS 450," said Del Bohlman, Product, Media Relation and Racing Manager for Can-Am ATVs. "We are improving each week and this just gives us more motivation to work even harder for the next race."
The first race of the season saw all five DS 450 riders qualify to the weekend's two Pro 450 motos and saw two DS 450 ATVs finish in the top 10. Team Epic Racing/Can-Am's Sage Baker put on an impressive ride on his DS 450 for ninth overall.
John Natalie
"I’m really excited about this season. Can-Am/Warnert really came through. I think this was probably the best debut I could ever have. There were only a few jumps on this track, so I can’t wait to go to Alabama for the next round and really put the suspension to the test.”
Sage Baker
“The bike was running good. We made a couple of small changes for the second moto and it was even better. It is really nice to have the support this year so I can concentrate on racing instead of everything else."
Team Warnert/Can-Am's
John Natalie takes the holeshot at Round 1 of the 2008 AMA Pro ATV
Nationals at
Glen Helen Raceway
in San Bernardino, CA.
Natalie Hangs Tough At Can-Am Debut
