AMA ATV kicks off
By Andy Foulkes on 30th Mar 12
The 2012 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series kicked off yesterday at Aonia Pass MX Park in Washington, Ga. USA, providing some of the best racing in the series history, pitting the fastest ATV Motocross racers in the country against one another for two, 20-plus minute motos.
The 2012 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series kicked off yesterday at Aonia Pass MX Park in Washington, Ga. USA, providing some of the best racing in the series history, pitting the fastest ATV Motocross racers in the country against one another for two, 20-plus minute motos.
After an eight-month hiatus from racing due to a season-pending injury in 2011, Yamaha-backed Chad Wienen began the season in a winning fashion, going (1-1) for the overall and the early points lead.
In the opening moto of the Pro ATVMX class, it was Josh Upperman who grabbed the holeshot award and led the early part of the race. It wasn't long before Wienen powered his new Yamaha ride into the lead, though, passing Upperman through the fan-filled finish line section.
While the rest of the field was viewing the track on the site lap, Can-Am's newest addition, Joel Hetrick, was waiting behind the gate while his crew worked to fix a mechanical issue. Earlier in the day, Hetrick grabbed the fastest Qualifier award over a stacked field of veteran riders, and after finally fixing the quad in time for the gate drop, Hetrick proved it wasn't a fluke as he caught and passed the front-runners and pressured Wienen for the lead spot.
Hetrick finally made a bold attempt to pass Wienen for the lead, but in doing so, the 19-year-old went off the track and was forced to sit the rest of the moto on the sidelines.
Defending champion, Can-Am's John Natalie, came through the pack and spent a majority of moto one battling with long time competitor Josh Upperman for the second place spot. Natalie finally got around Upperman in the latter part of the initial twenty-minutes of racing, and although the "Ironman” put a late charge on the leader as the two-lap card came out, Natalie wasn't able to catch Wienen in time for the checkers.
In moto two, it was once again the Honda of Josh Upperman who took the holeshot award, but defending champ Natalie inched his way out front right away, fending off a very driven duo of Wienen and Uppeman. Derek Swartfager put his Honda inside the top five early in the moto, battling with Thomas Brown. Brown led a tight-pack of riders who were battling for the top five positions, including pro class rookie Mark Madl, the 2011 Pro Am Production champion and fifth fastest qualifier for the day.
Meanwhile, Natalie and Wienen combated back and fourth in an intense battle for the lead. Wienen chased Natalie for most of the race, slipping past his former teammate in a few spots. On the final lap, Wienen made the move on the defending champ just one turn before the finish line, giving Wienen the overall win and the points lead after the first round of racing.
AMA Pro ATV Results
1 Chad Wienen (Yamaha), 2 John Natalie (Can-Am), 3 Josh Upperman (Honda), 4 Thomas Brown (Yamaha), 5 Mark Madl (Honda), 6 Nick DeNoble (Honda).
After an eight-month hiatus from racing due to a season-pending injury in 2011, Yamaha-backed Chad Wienen began the season in a winning fashion, going (1-1) for the overall and the early points lead.
In the opening moto of the Pro ATVMX class, it was Josh Upperman who grabbed the holeshot award and led the early part of the race. It wasn't long before Wienen powered his new Yamaha ride into the lead, though, passing Upperman through the fan-filled finish line section.
While the rest of the field was viewing the track on the site lap, Can-Am's newest addition, Joel Hetrick, was waiting behind the gate while his crew worked to fix a mechanical issue. Earlier in the day, Hetrick grabbed the fastest Qualifier award over a stacked field of veteran riders, and after finally fixing the quad in time for the gate drop, Hetrick proved it wasn't a fluke as he caught and passed the front-runners and pressured Wienen for the lead spot.
Hetrick finally made a bold attempt to pass Wienen for the lead, but in doing so, the 19-year-old went off the track and was forced to sit the rest of the moto on the sidelines.
Defending champion, Can-Am's John Natalie, came through the pack and spent a majority of moto one battling with long time competitor Josh Upperman for the second place spot. Natalie finally got around Upperman in the latter part of the initial twenty-minutes of racing, and although the "Ironman” put a late charge on the leader as the two-lap card came out, Natalie wasn't able to catch Wienen in time for the checkers.
In moto two, it was once again the Honda of Josh Upperman who took the holeshot award, but defending champ Natalie inched his way out front right away, fending off a very driven duo of Wienen and Uppeman. Derek Swartfager put his Honda inside the top five early in the moto, battling with Thomas Brown. Brown led a tight-pack of riders who were battling for the top five positions, including pro class rookie Mark Madl, the 2011 Pro Am Production champion and fifth fastest qualifier for the day.
Meanwhile, Natalie and Wienen combated back and fourth in an intense battle for the lead. Wienen chased Natalie for most of the race, slipping past his former teammate in a few spots. On the final lap, Wienen made the move on the defending champ just one turn before the finish line, giving Wienen the overall win and the points lead after the first round of racing.
AMA Pro ATV Results
1 Chad Wienen (Yamaha), 2 John Natalie (Can-Am), 3 Josh Upperman (Honda), 4 Thomas Brown (Yamaha), 5 Mark Madl (Honda), 6 Nick DeNoble (Honda).
