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Wienen
Motorsports / Yamaha's Chad Wienen took
the first win of the 2012 AMA ATV MX Pro
Nationals on his Yamaha YFZ450R ATV |
Cypress, CA (3/26/2012) - Wienen
Wins AMA Pro ATV Series Opener
Yamaha’s Chad Wienen raced his YFZ450R to
a blistering overall win in the opening round
of the 2012 AMA Pro ATV motocross championship
in Washington, Ga. on Saturday, March 24. His
commanding 1-1 finishes in the twin 20-minute
motos not only puts Wienen in the points lead
as the 10-round series gets rolling, but it also
marks a triumphant return for the popular racer
whose 2011 season ended due to injury. Making
the day even better for Yamaha, Thomas Brown flew
to 4-5 moto finishes to lock in fourth place overall.
The first moto at the Aonia Pass MX Park saw
Josh Upperman take the holeshot and the early
lead. However Wienen powered his Yamaha past
his rival and into the lead early in the contest,
and he was able to fend off challenges from
both Upperman and Joel Hetrick, who ultimately
ran off the track and did not finish, to take
a comfortable win. “This is the greatest
moment for me right now,” an emotional
Wienen said afterwards. "To come back like
this and do what I love, I've been dreaming
about this day and it's finally here.”
Moto two started in an identical fashion, with
Upperman nabbing the holeshot and the early
lead. But this time it was rival Natalie who
took over control in the early laps, hotly pursued
by Yamaha’s Wienen, Upperman, Derek Swartfager
and then Yamaha-mounted Brown rounding out the
top five. As the race settled in, the battle
at the front was between Natalie and Wienen,
with the Yamaha rider challenging for the lead
on several occasions. In storybook fashion,
Wienen finally made a pass for the lead stick
in the final turn of the moto to complete a
most incredible comeback. “We're taking
it one race at a time, but I’m super excited
to start the season off with a sweep,”
Wienen added. Yamaha ATV racing coordinator
Donnie Luce added, “What a way to start
the season and our new partnership with Wienen
Motorsports! Chad proved to everyone that hard
work, a good team and a YFZ450R are a tough
combination to beat.”
2012
AMA ATV MX Pro Points After Round 1
|
| Position |
Name |
Points |
| 1 |
Chad Wienen –
Yamaha |
50 |
| 2 |
John Natalie |
44 |
| 3 |
Josh Upperman |
40 |
| 4 |
Thomas Brown -
Yamaha |
34 |
| 5 |
Mark Madl |
30 |
About Yamaha Motor
Corp., U.S.A.
Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., (YMUS), a
leader in the motorsports market, makes the
toughest, most capable and versatile ATV and
Side-by-Side vehicles. The company’s ever-expanding
product offerings also include motorcycles,
outboard motors, personal watercraft, snowmobiles,
boats, outdoor power equipment, race kart engines,
accessories, apparel and much more. YMUS products
are sold through a nationwide network of dealers
in the United States.
Headquartered in Cypress,
Calif., since its incorporation in 1976, Yamaha
also has facilities in Wisconsin and Georgia,
as well as factory operations in Tennessee and
Georgia. For more information on Yamaha, visit
www.yamaha-motor.com.
