Blountville, TN (6/18/2008)
- The ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA/ATVA National
Motocross Championship Presented by Parts
Unlimited hits the venerable Muddy Creek
Raceway this Saturday and Sunday for the
Oakley Southern ATV Nationals. The event,
Round 8 of the National Pro Racing tour
and Round 7 of the Amateur tour, is being
held in the heart of NASCAR country in Blountville,
Tenn., just seven miles southwest of Bristol.
The Nation's premier national ATV racing
series features America's best Pro riders,
as well as Amateur, Pro-Am and Junior racers.
The ATV Motocross Series features the top
professional and amateur ATV riders in the
country, competing at preeminent motocross
facilities across the nation. ATV motocross
racing is run on a closed course, which
comprises technical "whoops" sections,
as well as big-air jumps, tight turns and
all-out straightaways. The machines are
race-bred 450cc machines from top manufacturers
such as Can-Am, Suzuki, Yamaha, Polaris,
Honda, KTM, and Kawasaki. Riders easily
make six-figure incomes from the large purses,
and contingency bonuses posted by manufacturers,
as well as other Series sponsors and suppliers.
The riders will be vying for the most coveted
honor in ATV racing: The AMA National Championship
and the AMA No. 1 Number Plate.
This weekend's event is being sponsored
by Oakley. A manufacturer of high-end eyewear
and goggles, Oakley has its roots in motocross
racing, with its start coming when Jim Lannard
began selling grips out of the trunk of
his car at motocross races, beginning in
1975. Oakley will have a large presence
this weekend, bringing its new "Rolling
O Moto Store."
The race will be telecast on Versus Network
on Oct. 6 at 3:30 p.m.
With just five events left this year, inclusive
of this weekend's race, time is running
short as two-time AMA National Champion
and defending Muddy Creek race winner Joe
Byrd attempts to unseat Dustin Wimmer from
the top slot in the championship standings.
Byrd (No. 7 American Honda/Joe Byrd Racing
School Honda) is sure to get a boost from
the hometown crowd this weekend. Hailing
from Union City, Tenn., Byrd hopes to bring
home another victory here, and, in the process,
bringing his season total to three wins
and two additional podiums.
However, Wimmer (No. 191 Team MSR/Suzuki/Yoshimura.Pro
Taper Suzuki) has been on a mission this
year to win his first title in Pro ATV competition.
With four victories and two additional podiums
this season, Wimmer has only finished out
of the top-three once during the 2008 season,
and currently holds a 61-point lead in the
title chase.
Wimmer's teammate "Digger" Doug
Gust (No. 55 Team Rockstar/MSR/Suzuki/Yoshimura/Pro
Taper Suzuki) has shown that experience
counts as the veteran rider has amassed
a win and a string of top finishes, placing
him third in points.
John Natalie (No. 13 Team Can-Am Racing
Can-Am) has more than exceeded expectations
this season, riding his all-new quad. While
still in the development stages, Natalie's
experience and competitive drive has placed
the yellow-and-black machine on the podium
once this season, and his consistency has
slotted him fourth in the order.
Josh Creamer (No. 9 Team Monster Energy
Kawasaki) has also torn up the circuit this
year, riding a Kawasaki in just its second
full season of competition. Creamer has
two podiums to his credit and sits fifth
in the standings.
Jeremy Lawson (No. 16 Team Epic Can-Am)
has been on fire lately, posting back-to-back
runner-up finishes coming into this race.
Lawson currently sits sixth in points
Harold Goodman (No. 708 American Honda/Houser
Racing Honda), Josh Upperman (No. 20 American
Honda/Baldwin Motorsports Honda), Rocco
Arno, Jr. (No. 101 Honda) and Chad Wienen
(No. 44 Team Rockstar/MSR/Suzuki/Yoshimura/Pro
Taper Suzuki) complete the top 10 in points.
About the ITP/Moose
Racing ATV National Motocross
Championship Series Presented by Parts Unlimited:
The AMA ITP/Moose Racing ATV National
Motocross Championship Series Presented
by Parts Unlimited is the nation's premier
amateur and professional ATV motocross series,
and competes at top motocross facilities
nationwide. The 11-round series features
the Nation's best racers, teams and sponsors,
and is America's largest and longest-running
ATV National Motocross series with more
than 20 years of competition. The series
continues to expand and produce top talent
from the amateur ranks, while keeping close
to the grassroots fun that makes people
love to go to the races.
Series sponsors include title sponsors ITP
Tires and Moose Racing, and presenting sponsor
Parts Unlimited. Premiere and Feature sponsors
include Can Am, Amsoil, ATV Sport Magazine,
Quad Magazine, Moto Tees, Maxxis Tires,
and FMF. Associate sponsors include Fox
Shox, Gatorade, Hinson Racing, Custom Axis,
and H-Bomb. Media partners include ATV Insider
and ATVRiders.com. For more information,
please visit www.atvmotocross.com.
About the ATV Association (ATVA):
The ATV Association ("ATVA")
is the official sanctioning body of the
amateur division of the ATVA ITP/Moose Racing
ATV National Motocross Championship Series
Presented by Parts Unlimited. The 9,000-member
ATVA is a sister organization of the 260,000
member American Motorcyclist Association
(AMA). ATV racing has experienced phenomenal
growth in recent years, and continues to
gain momentum and support, outselling off-road
motorcycles annually. Each ATVA round attracts
hundreds of racers who compete for bragging
rights to one of 31 amateur national titles.
For more information, please visit www.atvaonline.com.
About the ATV Promoters Group (ATVPG):
The ATVPG is composed of the individual
promoters that host the AMA ITP/Moose Racing
ATV National Motocross Championships, presented
by Parts Unlimited. The goal of the ATVPG
is to raise awareness of ATV motocross through
the production of professional and amateur
championship racing events. For more information
on the ATVPG and the ATV National events
they produce, please visit www.atvmotocross.com.
