AMA ATV Motocross Nationals Round #4 - Budds Creek Mechanicsville, MD April 16, 2011

The track crew was hard at work to keep the track in the best shape possible as the rain poured down throughout the day. Prior to the start of moto two, the crew took the time to scrape some of the excess mud off the track in order to provide better race lines and all-around track conditions. In fact, they did such a great job on the track that the riders' lap times actually dropped by nearly seven seconds from moto one.

Natalie went to work right away in moto two grabbing the SSi Decals Holeshot Award once again. Harold Goodman and Nick DeNoble latched on to Natalie's pace on the first lap but after a couple laps Natalie opened up a gap and capitalized on the clear track ahead. DeNoble wasted no time getting around Goodman for the second spot and Honda rider Travis Moore slipped into the third spot before beginning his battle with fellow rookie Chase Snapp. After finishing tenth in moto one, Snapp redeemed himself with a solid top five performance in moto two, giving him seventh overall for the day. Moore finished with a career-best sixth overall, coming in as the top finishing rookie of the day.

Josh Upperman had a rough 2nd moto but managed 4th overall Nick DeNoble had a season-best ride in moto two, finishing an impressive second in the stacked field. DeNoble got off to a great holeshot and rode the wheels off his Janssen Motorsports Honda to secure his place on the podium for the first time this season.

"I was actually praying for the rain this weekend because I'm usually a pretty good mud rider," DeNoble joked. "I was pretty nervous at first, but I just settled down and rode my race. I'm really happy with the third place overall, hopefully you'll see me more consistently on the podium from now on," he added.

Florida native Jeremy Lawson grabbed the podium position he was looking for in moto two after working his way up from mid-pack. Lawson finally made his move around Travis Moore on lap nine, giving him the final podium position and securing a season-best second place finish. Lawson now sits only seven points behind Josh Upperman in points.

"It's going to be a tight battle between Josh and I this year but I feel like our team is going to prevail and move into that third spot. We're just taking it one step at a time; our goal is definitely to be in the top three at the end," Lawson said.

Natalie now tops the point standings by seventeen points over teammate Chad Wienen. Josh Upperman sits in third with Jeremy Lawson only seven points back and Joe Byrd rounds out the top five.

The AMA ATV Motocross Championship Series heads to Sunset Ridge in Walnut, Illinois on May 7 and 8, with Pro class racing starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, supported by 37 amateur classes throughout Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please visit www.atvmotocross.com.

AMA Pro ATV Top 10 Race Results
1. John Natalie (CAN)
2. Jeremy Lawson (SUZ)
3. Nick DeNoble (HON)
4. Josh Upperman (HON)
5. Thomas Brown (YAM)
6. Travis Moore (HON)
7. Chase Snapp (CAN)
8. Harold Goodman (HON)
9. Chad Wienen (CAN)
10. Derek Swartfager (HON)

AMA ATV Motocross Championship Top 10 Pro Point Standings
1. John Natalie (188) 2. Chad Wienen (171) 3. Josh Upperman (151) 4. Jeremy Lawson (144) 5. Joe Byrd (110) 6. Chase Snapp (108) 7. Nick DeNoble (108) 8. Travis Moore (97) 9. Harold Goodman (86) 10. Thomas Brown (82)

About the AMA ATV Motocross Championship
The AMA ATV Motocross Championship is the nation's premier amateur and professional ATV motocross series, hosted at top motocross facilities nationwide. The 11-round series features the Nation's best racers, teams and sponsors, and is America's largest and longest-running ATV national motocross program. Since 1985, the series continues to expand and produce top talent from the amateur ranks, while premiering the professional class. For more information, please visit www.atvmotocross.com.

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