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AMA ATV Motocross Nationals
Round #4 - Budds Creek MX
Mechanicsville, Maryland
April 16, 2011
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Can-Am/Motoworks' John
Natalie Secures Points Lead at Budds Creek
John Natalie Wins, Jeremy
Lawson & Nick DeNoble Round Out Podium
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AMA
ATV Motocross Nationals
Round #4 - Budds Creek |
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Mechanicsville,
MD (4/18/2011) –
It wouldn't be springtime in Maryland without a
good old-fashioned mud race. Mother Nature made
a bold statement this weekend at the Motoworks Budds
Creek National, round four of the AMA ATV Motocross
Championship Series Presented by DWT. East Coast
native John Natalie prevailed through the muddy
conditions as he swept both motos and took over
the points lead from Motoworks Can-Am teammate Chad
Wienen.
Natalie dominated the day at Budds Creek "I
usually do pretty well in the mud. Being from
Pennsylvania it's basically all we're used to
riding in so I was really happy with it today,"
said Natalie.
Chad Wienen took the $100 ATVRiders.com Fastest
Qualifier Award with an impressive 1:47.193. Natalie
grabbed the $125 SSi Decals Holeshot Award in
both motos, banking a total of $250 for his impressive
starts. Good holeshots weren't the only thing
Natalie was winning, though. The Can-Am rider
used his starts as leverage to separate from the
pack early on, which is especially important in
muddy conditions.
"I got really great starts all day and once
you get a holeshot it's a lot easier to deal with
the mud because you get to throw it all over everyone
else instead of them throwing it all over you,"
Natalie joked.
Wienen found out the hard way that the fastest
lap times don't always claim the lead, especially
when mud, wind and rain is involved. The previous
points leader got hung up in the first turn, leaving
him to work his way up from last place.
Ballance Racing's Thomas Brown got off to a great
start aboard his Yamaha and settled in behind
Baldwin Motorsports JB Racing PEP Honda's Josh
Upperman early on. Upperman put a charge on Natalie
for the lead but ran out of passing opportunities
as he battled with lapped traffic late in the
race.
Jeremy Lawson finished a season-best 2nd overall
After struggling with bike problems all season
long, Brown finally put his Ballance Racing Yamaha
with a well-deserving podium position in moto
one. Walsh Race Craft Fox Shox Maxxis FMF's Jeremy
Lawson put his Suzuki up front right away in moto
one and after throwing off his goggles midway
through the moto, finished with a fourth place
behind Brown.
"My starts were actually pretty good today
about fourth or fifth, which is really good for
me. It's important to get up there right away
because I know I can work from there; I only have
to make up a couple spots to get on the podium,"
Lawson said.
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