2006 ATVA MX Nationals Round #9 – Steel City - Pro Race Coverage

[Admin]

Delmont, PA - For the first time ever, the ATV Motocross Nationals roared into Steel City Raceway for the ATV Stampede promoted by Racer Productions. The MX National is normally held at High Point, but with already several events scheduled at High Point this May and June, the racing action was moved to Steel City, and the Pro Racers and Spectators were impressed with the facility as it provided some of the best spectator viewing of almost any track on the tour, and the Pros felt it was one of the most challenging tracks of the season with some technical rhythm sections of doubles & tabletops along with some high speed off chamber turns.

With the fans flocking to spectator area for a birds eye view of the track from the hillside and the media in place to capture the action, the start of the first Moto was about to begin on this bright and sunny Father’s Day with temperatures approaching 90 degrees.

[Admin]

Rocco Arno Jr skipped the last round at Muddy Creek and was solo at Red Bud, but this weekend, he was surrounded by his whole family once again with his Father, Rocco, by his side at the starting gate.

[Admin]

Jason Luburgh was also back in action after skipping Muddy Creek, and he was joined on the line with his father, Andy.

[Admin]

Richard Pelchat also made the trip down from Canada along with his girlfriend, which meant for a full gate of 20 Pros for Round 9 of the 14 Round Series.

[Admin]

Jeremiah Jones gets lined up in his gate, and he has been on fire the past four rounds winning three rounds and finishing third at Red Bud after a horrible first four rounds of only cresting the top 10 once, but the tide has since shifted and he is now inching his way up to the front of the points standings to challenge Byrd and Natalie along with his teammate Doug Gust for the Championship.

[Admin]

After over a month, the ATVA finally made a decision on the Yellow Flag issue at Birch Creek, which penalized Gust, Wimmer, Natalie for jumping on Yellow, but not Joe Byrd.

The ATVA didn't see conclusive evidence that Joe Byrd jumped on Yellow, so the results were left unchanged, which has keeps the gap separating Byrd and Natalie Jr at 10 points instead of only 1 point after 8 Rounds of racing.

Joe received the perfect oppurtunity to really walk away from Natalie Jr in points this weekend when Natalie Jr crashed during practice on Friday, which had him sidelined for most of practice on Saturday and doubts about racing on Sunday.

[Admin]

John Natalie Jr didn't get the name "Ironman" for nothing, and he wasn't going to let his injured wrist stop him from racing this weekend even if he wasn't anywhere near 100%, so after a visit to Doc Ragon at the Mobile Medical Unit, he had his wrist bandaged up and headed to the starting line.

John gave his crew the thumbs up as he took off for the parade lap.

[Admin]

Keith Little made his first motocross Parade lap as a married man after he tied the knot with long time sweetheart, LeAnne, in Alabama the week after Muddy Creek, and she joined him at the races this weekend at Steel City.

[Admin]

Jeremy Lawson just missed the Podium at Muddy Creek with a career best 4th Overall as he has quickly moving up the ranks in the Pro Class.

[Admin]

With the riders back from the Parade Lap, all that remained before the gate dropped were the prayer and National Anthem, and for the third race in a row, #751 Trent Kandel joined the Pros on the Starting line.