2005 ATVA ITP Moose GNC MX Round #9 - High Point

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Pro Practice

Shortly after 9:30AM the Pros headed down the starting gate prepared to run a few laps of practice once the Women's A riders finished up their 2nd Moto of the weekend.

Team Suzuki/Yoshimura Doug Gust & Wayne Hinson check out the starting gate possibilities for the 1st Moto.

Before the race, I had an oppurtunity to talk with Doug, and he was excited about this weekend's event because he felt healthy again after injurying his back in a wreck at Round #5 Birch Creek.

Despite his injuried back, "Digger" Doug still managed to earn top three finishes at every round since Birch Creek and held onto 2nd Place in Points behind #13 John Natalie Jr for the Championship

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#7 Joe Byrd watched on as his wife, #1 Heather Byrd, battled with #2 Angela Moore for the 2nd Moto Win with #2 Angela Moore taking the Win.

Angela headed into High Point needing to win 3 out of 4 of the final rounds to claim the Women's title back from Heather Byrd, so with the win, she now must win two of the final three races or Heather Byrd will remain the Women's National Champion.

The best of luck to both of them in their quest for the championship.

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#30 Travis Spader was one of the 1st riders out of the gate for Pro Practice aboard his new LTZ450 Yoshimura Suzuki.

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Western PA fan favorite, #32 Matt White heads up for his practice as the crowd cheers for him.

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Spader wasted no time in making his attempt at the huge uphill triple which was cleared earlier in the day by a B Class rider, so I knew that the Pros were going to give it a try during practice.

Two weeks prior to the ATV Motocross National the Motorcycle Outdoor Nationals were held at High Point and I heard that only Ricky and Bubba were the only two Pro riders attempting the triple.

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After Travis Spader, I watched as several of the Pros decided to play it safe and double the jump on the first lap out, so I moved away from my position and began to photograph the riders coming around the outside turn instead, THANK GOD!!!!

#13 John Natalie Jr came through an attempted the triple with my back turned, and I hear an impact right behind me. I turn and find that John not only cleared the triple, but over jumped it and came right through the banners and pushed the hay bail several feet that I was standing behind just moments before

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#13 John Natalie Jr spun back around and headed back out to make another attempt at the jump, and he nailed it cleanly

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#8 Jason Luburgh made his return to racing this weekend after breaking his collar bone in practice at Round #6 Budds Creek, and Jason wasn't about to play it safe as he too attempted and cleared the huge uphill trip with the landing using up every inch of travel on his Lonestar Racing YFZ.

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#55 Doug Gust caught some big air in his attempt at the triple

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#19 Jason Dunkelberger hasn't taken a break since the last round of racing as he raced in the NEATV-MX series last week at Rausch Creek MX Park against some of the best riders out of New England including #75 Joe Haavisto and #270 Josh Creamer.