Morgantown, WV (7/12/2007) –
In the school of AMA Pro ATV champions, there are
few possibilities, but this weekend's feeding frenzy
in Walnut, IL for round ten of the 2007 ITP/Moose
ATVA National Motocross Championship Series could
really open the door for two young students. Defending
Champion Joe Byrd holds a slim lead over rivals
Jeremy Lawson and Pat Brown in the AMA Pro ATV division.
With the Yoshimura/Rockstar/Suzuki team sending
stars Doug
Gust, Chad Weinen and Japan's Seiya Sakuma into
the mix this weekend in guest appearances, it could
seriously mix up the standings. With three rounds
left, both Jeremy Lawson and Patrick Brown are studying
hard to improve their odds of a breakthrough race.
Lawson hopes his new Florida residency comes in
handy this weekend. He hasn't raced at Sunset Ridge
before, but the track could still benefit him. "I
heard it's a sand track, so being down here in Florida,
I get enough of the sand to ride in," says
Lawson. "I'm pretty tuned in on that."
Gust and Weinen mixed it up when they raced the
AMA Pro ATV Class earlier in the season, and they
are sure to be factors this weekend. But unknown
to Lawson is the All Japan ATV Championship Series
Champion, 22-year-old Seiya Sakuma.
"Yea, I met that guy in California,"
Lawson said of Sakuma. "He's going to ride?
That's awesome. He might be quick, you never know."
"Hopefully, it'll work to my advantage,"
Lawson said. "It'll be great to get more guys
out there to mix it up. You never know. At the beginning
of the year, we were all racing and it was the same
deal. Me and Joe, and I was still second. It's been
a while since then, and you don't know how their
training program is going along, or how fast they
may have gotten."
Patrick Brown faces competition with enthusiasm
and considers the point's possibility.
"It could help somebody like me who's sitting
back in third place and needs a quick way to make
up points," Brown said. "I think it's
awesome. I like as much competition as possible.
I think it's just better for everything; it's better
for spectators, better for me because I can push
myself harder. Anytime more people are going to
show up for a race is just positive in my mind."
"I think we're all very close, and at any
given point, any of us can win a race, but I've
definitely been doing my homework this week, and
been working hard in the heat," Brown said.
"I think sand tracks are awesome, and my Yamaha
really pulls hard through the sand."
Catch the AMA Pro ATV riders as the series heads
to Walnut, IL on July 14-15 for the Concept Haulers
ATV Showdown at Sunset Ridge MX. Amateurs will compete
throughout the weekend as well. Pro riders will
compete in timed qualifying and practice on Saturday,
and in two AMA Pro ATV National motos on Sunday.
DIRECTIONS TO TRACK: From
Interstate 80, Exit 45 (IL RT 40), North 4 miles
to Manlius. Turn right, go through town and proceed
approximately one-half mile East to CR1100 E, Left
on 1100E, North 4 miles to 24558 1100 E. Street,
Walnut, IL 61376. Phone: 815-379-9534
About the AMA ITP/Moose
ATV National Motocross
Championship Series Presented by Parts Unlimited:
Sanctioned by the AMA and ATVA, the AMA ITP/Moose
ATV National Motocross Championship Series is the
nation’s premier amateur and professional
ATV motocross series, and is hosted by many of America’s
premier motocross facilities. The 12-round series
approaches its 21st season with the Pro class newly
under the wing of AMA Pro Racing. The 2006 series
hosted over 8,000 entrants, making it America’s
largest and longest-running ATV National Motocross
series. Series sponsors include title sponsors ITP
Tires and Moose, and presenting sponsor Parts Unlimited.
Premier and feature sponsors include ATV Sport,
MotoTees, Scott USA, Maxxis Tires, Elka Suspension
and H-Bomb Films/Division Four. Associate sponsors
include Weekend Warrior Trailers, Denton Racing,
and Hinson Racing. Media partners include ATV Insider,
ATV Rider and ATVRiders.com.
