Interview: John Natalie Jr - Honda Factory ATV MX Racer

[Admin]

John Natalie Jr. started his ATV racing career over 15 years, and he has raced a wide assortment of ATVs over the years ranging from the Banshee, 250R, Cannondale, KFX400, and various hybrid machines, but in 2003 with release of the all new Yamaha YFZ450 also came an all new John Natalie Jr. as quickly found himself in the spotlight. In only his second race on the YFZ450, he took his first two wins of season in both the Pro and Pro Production Class at Southwick to finish out 2003, and he has been virtually unstoppable ever since and winning numerous races and championships along the way. In just the past two years, John Natalie Jr, has been crowned the Champion in the following major ATV events: ATVA MX Nationals, Pro Quad Stadium Series, ATV Winter Olympics, 12 Hours of ATV America, Great Outdoor Games, and the Dirt Riot.

With such an impressive track record the past two years, we just had to find out what John Natalie Jr. had up his sleeve for 2006, so we gave him a call and here is some of the exciting news that he shared with us.

Click Here to Read the Interview (http://www.atvriders.com/interviews/johnnatalie2006.html)

[Mxjunkie]

Thats awesome I never knew he rode a banshee :D

Those pictures are amazing too! :eek2:

[KoyukKFX]

Oooh Boy! I like John Natalie's moxie!
This is going to be the best season of GNC racing ever!

[jwick07]

wow I cant believe all the changes he made for this year!! Elka instead of Fox, Roll over Gibson, HMF over Sparks, Sparks not the engine builder, stock swing arm although the new 2006 honda siwnger is claimed to be right on the money. I like the new blingstar graphics kit too.

I wonder why Honda doesnt fly there racers into events I mean Honda builds jets now, or did they never but it into production??

[iceracer65]

is there some of it missing?

it seems to just end in mid sentence at the bottom.

[450r51]

johns getting a little cocky now....... i like it:devil:

[FourFiftyFour]

congrats to John! Couldnt happen to a nicer guy! Hope to see him and Michelle soon when they are down here training.

Also congrats to Dee Manshack for getting to do the honors of motor building. Hes the president of the race association I am apart of (STQRA) and the guy is truly all about the sport and its growth. You will never see someone get so excited about new racers and the kids getting started into racing.

[EvilJester400EX]

He's a great racer, but the cocky attitude ruins it for me.

[Rico]

Originally posted by EvilJester400EX
He's a great racer, but the cocky attitude ruins it for me.

I hung out with John all weekend at the 12 hour race even went to dinner with him and he seemed very level headed and nice to me...

It was pretty cool to be in Chris Boriches Ford HD truck and handing John his *** in a drag race up the interstate that weekend....:o LMFAO No Offense John


He'll also be running Tire Balls this year and is on their sponsored rider list. He's the poster boy for the GNC series for them this year. Tire Balls is actually offering a contigency for GNC Racers for those that didn't know. You can find out more on their website.. www.tireballs.com

[MXcutie]

Originally posted by Mxjunkie
Thats awesome I never knew he rode a banshee :D




and it had pink plastic.... he use to still have it out at his house and wanted my brother to run it... o the old days

[Guy400]

Great interview!

[Atkins]

I believe he's cocky towards Zuki because of the bad blood that started when Suzuki challenged the legality of his engine after he whooped their *****es.

[jwick07]

Originally posted by Atkins
I believe he's cocky towards Zuki because of the bad blood that started when Suzuki challenged the legality of his engine after he whooped their *****es.

Here we go again, now all the Zuki guys will cry and biatch and moan right back about how many protest Gust had the year before blah blah balh.

[Atkins]

Originally posted by jwick07
Here we go again, now all the Zuki guys will cry and biatch and moan right back about how many protest Gust had the year before blah blah balh. I wasnt trying to justify either standpoint, but thats the most logical explanation for his cockiness towards Team Yellow. Both teams seemed real heated as they kept challenging each other, and im sure some of that may carry into 06'.

[EvilJester400EX]

Originally posted by Rico
I hung out with John all weekend at the 12 hour race even went to dinner with him and he seemed very level headed and nice to me...

It was pretty cool to be in Chris Boriches Ford HD truck and handing John his *** in a drag race up the interstate that weekend....:o LMFAO No Offense John


He'll also be running Tire Balls this year and is on their sponsored rider list. He's the poster boy for the GNC series for them this year. Tire Balls is actually offering a contigency for GNC Racers for those that didn't know. You can find out more on their website.. www.tireballs.com

Hey Rico, haven't seen you in... a blue moon around here? It's always cool to hear about the different side of a person. Who knows, maybe he just needs to try and say his keep without coming across so high-headed.

[Ralph]

Originally posted by EvilJester400EX
He's a great racer, but the cocky attitude ruins it for me.

I think its great because it shows some character unlike all the other racers who are *perfect* little boys who never do anything wrong. I like it cause it shows honesty.

And i think he has the right to be cocky with the whole suzuki thing that was already mentioned. Nothing against suzuki but id do the same thing.

Anybody know what hes talking about with the "Carpe Diem" movie.

[FourFiftyFour]

Brett- in person John is a very down to earth guy that loves his fans and loves the sport. He trains harder than anyone I know and has a true passion for the sport. He isnt high headed at all when you meet him. In fact at one local practice, he even got on other people's bikes when they asked him to just to help them with their suspension!

[EvilJester400EX]

Well shoot yo. I stand corrected. Just didn't seem to get the "fan friendly" vibe in certain portions of his interview. Ralph, there was a segment in Carpe Diem 2 where PT made a joke about "Look at me! I'm John Natalie working out!". While he said that he was acting like he was bench pressing.

[Ralph]

Originally posted by EvilJester400EX
Ralph, there was a segment in Carpe Diem 2 where PT made a joke about "Look at me! I'm John Natalie working out!". While he said that he was acting like he was bench pressing.

See thats the kinda stuff john has to put up with. It may be small but it is totaly unecessary. So i dont blame him for bitting back.


And yes, ive seen john in person and didnt really talk to him much but his trailer was surrounded by fans and he talked to just about every person there like a good friend. He isnt considered the "Peoples Champion" for nothing.

[TWISTED]

Originally posted by EvilJester400EX
He's a great racer, but the cocky attitude ruins it for me.

I'm with you, but what he said about Turner was true.... Maybe Turner ought to wrench for Natalie. That would be good!!!!

[jwick07]

i cant wait, I'm as excited about the start of this season as I am for the Daytona 500

[ZeroLogic]

Congrats John. He is cocky but he can back it up!:macho :devil:

[Atkins]

Originally posted by Ralph
I think its great because it shows some character unlike all the other racers who are *perfect* little boys who never do anything wrong. I like it cause it shows honesty.

I agree, everyone else seems to try to pull off the whole perfect person facad, whereas Natalie just speaks his mind. The other guys are just worried about how they represent their sponsors, I think.

[troutman561]

i didnt meet him persoanlly but i saw him cause he was riding at croom in florida by where i live and ride last month, the ppl at the shop there said he was nice, he drives around in a huge rv with a giant trailor attached.. to bad i didnt have my quad with me at the time me and my friends could have rode with him(or atleast around him lol)

[Pappy]

Originally posted by ZeroLogic
Congrats John. He is cocky but he can back it up!:macho :devil:

exactly


It is not COCKY >IF< you can back it up, which he can:D

[slosh13]

In some cases I agree with everyones points and statements. But it seems since John has gotten all this exposure from winning he has gotten a cocky attitude. Don't get me wrong John is one hell of a racer and a nice guy to talk to, I just hope all this success doesn't go to his head. The Suzuki boys are going to be tough this year I can almost gurantee it. They want that title back more than ever. I wouldn't count out team Yamaha either. Spader and the up and coming Pat Brown have definately showed and proved themselves that they can be in the top 5. This 2006 Racing season is definately going to be an interesting one!

[TheFontMaster]

I have to say it was a big surprise to hear how many sponsors he switched to. I wasn't expecting that he would ditch Fox shocks, or Sparks. Hopefully this year I can see him win at Unadilla, haha the only nationals race that's close enough for me to go to. But it was still cool seeing him win the ATVA plaque thing at the end of the race. Maybe next year I'll get talk to him for a little bit and get his autograph:cool:

[JandJRacingKFX]

just alittle info about dee manshacks motors...his motor he builds put out more power and torque then the sparks motors that john had last season. Well atleast from the numbers dee told me johns motor was puttin gout and then numbers I've seen his motors putting out, and yess stock bore motors so i think it'll be a good thing