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AMA ATV Motocross Nationals
Round #5 - Steel City MX
Delmont, PA
May 30, 2010
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AMA ATV MX Nationals
- Steel City - Pro ATV Race Report
::Continued::
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| Can-Am's
#13 John Natalie lead most of Moto 1, but
a slow start in Moto 2 once again kept Natalie
off the podium with a 4th Overall finish |
Can-Am/Motoworks’ John Natalie, who was the
hometown favorite for this round, was in second
off the line right behind Josh Upperman and took
over the lead shortly into the first lap. Natalie
was holding strong, but came under fire from Thomas
Brown and the Suzuki team of Creamer and Wimmer.
Natalie would give in to the pressure and fall back
to take a fourth place finish in the first moto.
In moto two, Natalie got off to a slower start,
but would work his way up to a fifth place finish,
which would put him in fourth overall.
Nick De Noble had his strongest moto to date
as he got off to a fourth place start. De Noble
would hold strong to round out the top five in
moto one. In moto two, DeNoble was looking good
again, and holding strong despite the heat and
intense pressure from Chad Wienen and John Natalie.
DeNoble would settle for a seventh place finish
in moto two, which would give DeNoble a career
best fifth overall for the day.
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Custom
Axis's Nick DeNoble improved upon his
Sunset Ridge (7th place) career best Pro
finish at Steel City with a 5th Overall
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Elka's
Dustin Nelson finished an impressive 6th
Overall at Steel City, which was his first
race since 2007 at Glen Helen where he finished
7th |
Yamaha’s Dustin Nelson, who usually sticks
to the west coast in the WORCS and ITP Quadcross
series’, was looking good as he charged
off the line and held strong for a sixth place
moto one finish. Nelson would get off to a slower
start in moto two, but would hold on to go 6-11
for an impressive sixth overall
Pat Brown rode solid in moto one as he would
take a seventh place finish, but in moto two,
he would have to settle for 16th.
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Mushin
Racing / JB Racing's Cody Gibson grabbed
the Moto 2 Holeshot
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Mushin Racing’s Cody Gibson looked like
he was feeling stronger and almost back to 100%
as he held on for an eighth place finish in moto
one. In moto two, Gibson would surprise every
one by grabbing the holeshot. “I just had
a great line and I kept on the gas,” said
Gibson, who would run into issues later in the
moto and fall back to 17th.
Can-Am/Motoworks’ Jeremie Warnia got pinched
out on the start and was towards the back of the
pack, but the French racer made a hard charge
to work his way back to a ninth place finish.
Warnia had a much better start in moto two as
he came off the line in the top five, but Warnia
and Jeremy Lawson would connect in the back uphill
section and Warnia would fall back to dead last.
Walsh Racecraft’s Jeremy Lawson had a tough
time in both motos, as he would encounter issues
in moto one and suffer a crash in moto two, taking
14-13 finishes.
Keith Little got off to a slower start in moto
one, but picked up the pace to finish in the top
ten, while in moto two, Little would settle for
14th.
Can-Am/BCS Performance’s Cody Miller hung
on to finish in 11th place in moto one and he
would round out the top ten for the second moto.
Romaine Couprie made the trek from France to
race at the Steel City round and would take dual
12-12 finishes.
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| French
Pro ATV Champion & current European
Quadcross Points Leader, Romain Couprie
tested the waters at Steel City & finished
in 12th Overall, which was his first AMA
Pro ATV MX race in the US since 2006 when
he raced at Red Bud & finished 10th
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Harold Goodman would hang on for 13th in moto
one and claim 15th in moto two.
Greg Gee was off to a good start in moto one,
but he would encounter mechanical issues and fall
back to 14th. Gee was looking much better in the
second moto and was hanging in the top five until
he would fall back to eighth.
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Baldwin's
Josh Upperman was once again able to edge
out Motoworks' John Natalie Jr for the
Holeshot in Moto One
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| #20
Josh Upperman charge ended early in Moto
One when his Honda stalled & he couldn't
get it to refire & in Moto 2 he claimed
a 6th place finish |
Baldwin Motorsports’ Josh Upperman, who took
his first ever pro win at round four, grabbed the
moto one holeshot, but mechanical issues would have
him pulling off the track shortly into lap two.
“It was a tough break, but what can you do?”
said a disappointed Upperman after moto one. In
moto two, Upperman was in mid pack off the start
and would hold steady to take a sixth place finish.
Chad Wienen would also encounter issues in the
second lap ending things early for him as well
in moto one. Wienen would come back strong in
moto two to finish in a respectable fourth place.
Joe Byrd is still on the injured list, but may
be making a comeback for round six.
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