AMA Pro ATV
Round 3 / Apr. 13, '08
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SURVIVAL OF...
Round 3 - AMA PRO MX Nationals - Ballance MX
Bowling Green, Kentucky - April 13th, 2008
At the beginning of the season, RockStar/MSR/ProTaper/Suzuki/Yoshimura's Doug Gust stated that he wanted to go out on top. At the age of 41 he continues to put gray hairs on the youth of the Pro MX class and send them licking their wounds back to the pits after more rounds than they'd like to remember. At Ballance MX during Round 3 of the '08 AMA Pro ATV MX Nationals, Gust proved he's still got what it takes to use his vast years of racing experience to claim victories in his quest to capture another national motocross championship.
Foul weather created circumstances that left the Pros in a mode of "Survival Of The Smartest". Rain showers plagued the event from a few days prior to the opening of the gates until late Sunday afternoon. This mixture of moisture and the spongy Kentucky clay of the Ballance facility took it's toll during both motos of the Pro races as well as during the amateur and youth motos. Sunday especially was tricky. If you were lucky, a downpour wouldn't slick the track as you were getting set at the gate.
Moto 1 of the Pro races caught a reprieve from Mother Nature but that didn't stop numerous Pros from dropping like flies. With the holeshot, John Natalie was putting real estate between himself and second running Dustin Wimmer who had worked his way up to second and was closing on Natalie. Then the "Toll Taker" began her march through the Pro ranks.
Front runner Natalie found an unexpected hole in the track and wound up meeting a perimeter fence post. This put him way back in the pack. Jeremy Lawson had his best race this year going on and suddenly played the part of a yard dart when his tranny slipped out of gear in mid-air. Out also, Joe Byrd, who had the misfortune of being pushed off the track just after the hole shot and tumbling through a small pond that had formed after the rains. Josh Upperman had a charge going on until his machine went up in a puff of smoke. When all was said and done with the prolific moto 1, the top four went to Wimmer, Gust, Josh Creamer and Chad Wienen.
Moto 2 was blessed with a hard shower just before the Pros left the gate for their parade lap and this set the stage for another "Where'd they go?" moto. Gust grabbed the holeshot and led all but two laps when his chain and sprocket caught a rock. This allowed Natalie who was running about 8 seconds behind to overtake Gust and go for the lead and the win. Gust hung on for second while Jasmin Plante of Canada conquered the elements and mud for third.
At the podium, Gust was elated with his overall win but somewhat disappointed with not being able to win the moto. Plante, who'd taken a 6th place finish in moto 1 stood proud on the podium in second overall. A little controversy about 3rd overall prompted a "Go to the rule book" scenario which determined that Wimmer had taken the position. Just outside the top three, a disappointed Creamer accepted the tie rule decision by the referee. Rounding out the top five, Rocco Arno Jr of New Jersey.
"Veteran's Day"
#55 Doug Gust is the veteran of veterans in the ATV racing world. At twice the age of most Pros today, he's found new motivation for winning and it showed in Kentucky.
Photo Above: Rocco Arno Jr netted his best career finish to date by pulling off a fifth place overall position, "Showing the love" as Rocco Arno Sr puts it, "like he knows he can." Arno is a privateer Honda Pro powered by Curtis Sparks Racing technology.
Photo Left: Can-Am's Jeremy Lawson had his race game going and was running for contention before his transmission slipped out of gear and put him in the dirt over a jump which mutilated his machine and left him limping around the track in moto 2.
Photo Right: Yamaha's Pat Brown overcame his prior rounds' mechanical ailments and was charging all day long as he'd done in days past.
Photo Above: Can-Am's John Natalie said he'd have it together to win after the Pell City round and that he did. Coming out of the gate screaming in moto 1 he had the win until fate dealt him a pothole. After winning moto 2 he didn't make the podium but had sent notice to all that he was still the "Ironman" and you'd better not ever count him out...anytime!
Photo Above: Yamaha's Jasmin Plante, 2 time Canadian national MX champion, came out kicking at Ballance MX and after a 6th and 3rd place moto performance, found himself in second overall and up on the U.S. podium.
