2009 AMA ATV Motocross Nationals #7 - Unadilla - ATV Race Coverage

Now I take my work seriously, but I do my best to try and follow the weekends action whether it be keeping an ear to the play by play on the loudspeakers, or getting some updates from you all as I run into you at times. I want to thank everyone who came up and said hello and I enjoyed the stories you all had to tell about what you had going on at the race. After chatting with a few folks, I was glad to be behind the camera and not competing, some folks had some close calls and some bruises to show!

For the most part, everyone was doing what they love, and thats race!

Now this class is one that I always try and watch, not to mention the boss states its one I have to cover:p Its a win~win for us both as its an exciting class!

KTM mounted Joseph Bruening would grab the holeshot and immediatley see pressure from Kawasaki mounted Cody Gibson.

Chase Snapp and Cody Grant would be battling for position as well as the top 3 racers pulled on teh rest of the pack.

As Bruening continued to lead, the pair of Kawi riders, Gibson and Joel Hetrick battled just behind him.

Bruening would take the moto 1 victory and was pretty pumped...as he should be. Fending off Gibson is a tough task and to claim a win would make anyones day!

The moto would see two division winners as Bruening and Devin Heimes would grab points for their respective division.

Now I am a very simple person, so anything complex like following results, split divisions and staggered gates usually has me as confused as a puppy with two peters when I look back at my photos:p Throw in qualifiers and LCQ's and I am pretty sure I look possessed as I sort things out, or attempt too:blah:

I wont bore you with every class finishing order because I just know I will get hammered if I make a mistake, so I will highlight a few racers that I took note of long before looking at the results page:D

Devin Heimes is another racers that I know I will be watching for along time to come. If he isn't battling for the lead, he is usually right there in the mix or broke down (not a slam, just the way it goes with racing)

Heimes is one of those riders that you immediatley notice by his speed on the track and grace as he makes his machine do what he needs it to do.

Rich Stambach is another racer who I enjoy watching, whether he be out front or battling his way to another finish he would like to forget:p Stambach is pretty predictable and for me that makes him a fun target to shoot, and its an easy job when he is out front!

Rich made a clean sweep of the Junior 25 Plus class going 1-1 for the win.

Now you take Benjamin Brown. Here is a kid that is wheelchair bound, has to face adversity just to go about his daily life, and yet we find him ripping it up on an ATV...at a national no less! This kid and others like him who have to over come their disabilities just make me chuckle when I hear folks complaining about trival things we are all guilty of finding problematic in our day to day lives.

Brown came off the track late sunday afternoon, oil spewing from his YFZ's oil tank from a melted oil line and folks, I don't think I saw a bigger smile all weekend! Keep getting out there Ben, I know I enjoy seeing the pleasure you have doing what you love!

The racing is almost non stop for the amatuer ranks as moto after moto clicks off the race order.

Unadilla is well kown for two particuliar jumps, Gravity cavity and Skyshot. Mainly the bikes tackle Gravity cavity with an intense speed and incredible air, but for the quads, its a long drop and a horsepower robbing climb.