Hurricane Mills, TN (8/5/2008)
- The ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA/ATVA National
Motocross Championship Presented by Parts
Unlimited will wrap up the Loretta Lynn's
Speedweeks this weekend with ATV Dirt Days
at the popular venue outside Nashville.
The event is the season finale for the 11-race
national tour and is scheduled for Saturday
and Sunday.
The ATV Motocross Series features the top
professional and amateur ATV riders in the
country, competing at preeminent motocross
facilities across the nation. ATV motocross
racing is run on a closed course, which
comprises technical "whoops" sections,
as well as big-air jumps, tight turns and
all-out straightaways. The machines are
race-bred 450cc machines from top manufacturers
such as Can-Am, Suzuki, Yamaha, Polaris,
Honda, KTM, and Kawasaki. Riders easily
make six-figure incomes from the large purses,
and contingency bonuses posted by manufacturers,
as well as other Series sponsors and suppliers.
Along with the premier ATV motocross action
in the country, this weekend's event will
feature country music recording artist Krista
Marie in concert on Saturday at 8 p.m. A
Women's Class ATV racer, as well as a singer/song
writer, Marie will merge her two passions
this weekend. The concert is free with race
admission.
The event also represents the home plate
of the $5,000 ITP Tires Grand Slam Presented
by QUAD Magazine. The championship within
a championship, being held at four of this
year's Showcase Events, is offering monetary
awards in the Pro Class, as well as special
bronze, silver and gold medals in the Amateur
Classes.
This weekend's Showcase will feature the
popular RiderCourse ATV training program,
as well as demo rides of the newest ATVs
from Can-Am. The showcase will also include
other outdoor-themed displays and other
entertainment opportunities for fans.
In addition, Friday's festivities will
include a Kidz Karnival Featuring the Youth
Contingency Program. The event kicks off
with a Golf Cart Parade at 5:30 p.m., followed
by carnival games staffed by the Series'
Pro riders. The event concludes at 7 p.m.
with the Youth Contingency Program featuring
the Kidz Choice Awards.
The race will be telecast on Versus Network
on Oct. 27 at 3:30 p.m.
Dustin Wimmer (No. 191 Team MSR/Suzuki/Yoshimura/Pro
Taper Suzuki) wrapped up the Riders' Championship
two weeks ago in Michigan, but the battle
for second is in full tilt as two veterans
prepare to do battle.
With a scant 19 points between two-time
AMA Champion and Tennessee native Joe Byrd
and ATV legend Doug Gust, the dirt is certain
to fly here.
Byrd (No. 7 American Honda/Joe Byrd Racing
School Honda) has three victories to his
credit this year, including one at the most
recent race in Michigan. Though plagued
with bad luck early in the tour, Byrd is
always a competitive force. With his hometown
of Union City, Tenn. just 100 miles away,
Byrd is definitely going to be the hometown
favorite.
Gust (No. 55 Team Rockstar MSR/Suzuki/Yoshimura/Pro
Taper Suzuki) with two wins this year, will
likely show why he is veteran of all veterans
in ATV competition. "Digger Doug,"
as he's known, would like nothing more than
to add another victory his tally.
Josh Creamer continues to carry Team Kawasaki's
banner strongly this season and his fourth-place
slot in points demonstrates that. Creamer
(No. 9 Team Monster Energy Kawasaki) has
come close to a victory several times, netting
three podiums, including a runner-up finish.
Jeremy Lawson (No. 16 Team Epic Can-Am)
came into the season as a bit of a dark
horse, but the Battletown, Ky. resident
is currently leading the charge for Can-Am's
new factory effort this year. With a pair
of runner-up finishes on the new DS-450,
Lawson will be one to watch here.
John Natalie (No. 13 Warnert Racing Can-Am),
Harold Goodman (No. 708 American Honda/Houser
Racing Honda), defending Loretta Lynn's
winner Chad Wienen (No. 44 Team Rockstar
MSR/Suzuki/Yoshimura/Pro Taper Suzuki),
Josh Upperman (No. 20 American Honda/Baldwin
Motorsports Honda), and privateer Rocco
Arno, Jr. (No. 101 Honda) round out the
top ten in the championship.
About the ITP/Moose
Racing ATV National Motocross
Championship Series Presented by Parts Unlimited:
The AMA ITP/Moose Racing ATV National
Motocross Championship Series Presented
by Parts Unlimited is the nation's premier
amateur and professional ATV motocross series,
and competes 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 series with more
than 20 years of competition. The series
continues to expand and produce top talent
from the amateur ranks, while keeping close
to the grassroots fun that makes people
love to go to the races.
Series sponsors include title sponsors ITP
Tires and Moose Racing, and presenting sponsor
Parts Unlimited. Premiere and Feature sponsors
include Can Am, Amsoil, ATV Sport Magazine,
Quad Magazine, Moto Tees, Maxxis Tires,
and FMF. Associate sponsors include Fox
Shox, Gatorade, Hinson Racing, Custom Axis,
and H-Bomb. Media partners include ATV Insider
and ATVRiders.com. For more information,
please visit www.atvmotocross.com.
About the ATV Association (ATVA):
The ATV Association ("ATVA")
is the official sanctioning body of the
amateur division of the ATVA ITP/Moose Racing
ATV National Motocross Championship Series
Presented by Parts Unlimited. The 9,000-member
ATVA is a sister organization of the 260,000
member American Motorcyclist Association
(AMA). ATV racing has experienced phenomenal
growth in recent years, and continues to
gain momentum and support, outselling off-road
motorcycles annually. Each ATVA round attracts
hundreds of racers who compete for bragging
rights to one of 31 amateur national titles.
For more information, please visit www.atvaonline.com.
About the ATV Promoters Group (ATVPG):
The ATVPG is composed of the individual
promoters that host the AMA ITP/Moose Racing
ATV National Motocross Championships, presented
by Parts Unlimited. The goal of the ATVPG
is to raise awareness of ATV motocross through
the production of professional and amateur
championship racing events. For more information
on the ATVPG and the ATV National events
they produce, please visit www.atvmotocross.com.
