Devore, CA - The top motocross riders on four-wheels will kick off the chase for the most prestigious championship in their sport this Sunday at the legendary Glen Helen Raceway in Devore, California, just outside of San Bernardino. The event features the pro portion of the Moose Racing/ITP Tires AMA ATV Motocross Championship presented by Parts Unlimited and also serves as the opening round of the ITP Quad Cross Series for amateur riders.
Glen Helen packs some of the most spectacular motocross obstacles in the motocross world, including the massive Mt. Glen Helen hill and an array of big jumps. Tickets on Sunday are $10 for fans ($5 for ages 6-12), and admission includes full pro pit access, autographs, and free demo rides on 2009 Can-Am ATVs. Glen Helen Raceway is located in the Glen Helen Regional Parks & Recreation Area, Devore, Calif., in San Bernardino County, within 60 miles of Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties.
The top factory-backed teams will end an off-season of testing and training with this race. Rockstar Yoshimura Suzuki rider Dustin Wimmer leads the way as the defending AMA Pro ATV Motocross Champion. The Center Valley, Pa. resident took the field by surprise last year by winning at Glen Helen race, but now the championship target sits squarely on his back. The pack of contenders includes Joe Byrd, the 2006 and 2007 AMA Pro Motocross Series' Champion on a Honda from Union City, Tennessee. Wimmer's teammate Doug Gust may be the oldest rider in the field, but the 40-plus year old contender can't be counted out. Many have tabbed new Monster Kawasaki recruit Chad Wienen as a potential champion, as the Galena, Illinois rider claimed the prestigious AMA Pro ATV Open at Steel City Raceway in Pennsylvania in September. Since then, he has switched teams and, and along with teammate Josh Creamer expects big things this year.
Factory Yamaha's Pat Brown will debut the all-new YFZ450R at Glen Helen, while the Warnert Racing Can-Am team sends 2005 Champion John "Ironman" Natalie into battle alongside Motoworks Can-Am's Jeremy Lawson, who finished second in the 2007 tour behind Byrd.
The pro class will feature two 20-minute races on Sunday, taking place at noon and 3 p.m., with the combined scores of both races determining the overall winner. From there, the series heads east to complete a full 11-race national schedule that concludes with the ATV Dirt Days race at Loretta Lynn Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, in August.
