Monster Energy Kawasaki's Wienen
Survives the Heat at Muddy Creek
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Monster Energy
Kawasaki's Chad Wienen celebrates on the
podium
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Irvine, CA (6/29/2009)
- Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Chad Wienen earned
his sixth consecutive podium finish on his Kawasaki
KFX™450R during a hot and humid AMA ATV Motocross
race at Muddy Creek Raceway. Wienen’s third-place
finish sustains his lead in the championship points
standings. Teammate Josh Creamer finished 18th after
being stuck with some bad luck in Tennessee. Kawasaki
pro am rider Cody Gibson put another win under his
belt with a 2-1 finish in the Pro Am Unlimited class
and finished second overall in the Pro Am Production
class.
Coming Through the Pack
In both motos, Wienen had to work his way through
the pack after mediocre starts. He didn’t let
his position outside the top-10 stop him from
pushing his KFX450R all the way to fourth in both
motos.
“In the second moto, I got hit and spun out,”
said Wienen. “I already had a bad start and that
just pushed me even further back. I knew I could
make up the positions, but it was really hot that
second moto and it really takes a lot to push
it to the front. I basically wanted to salvage
as many points as possible and keep my focus on
the long term goal of a championship.”
Consistency Is Key
When racing for a championship, teams know the final
result is about the consistency along the way. After
starting the season with two bad finishes, Wienen
has ridden with great consistency for six straight
podiums, including two wins. He currently sits in
first in the overall points, five points ahead of
second place.
“Everyone always said consistency is how
you win championships and it is definitely true
with a long season like ours,” said Wienen.
“Anything can happen. At the start of the
season, it would have been easy to give up, but
I pressed on and I’m happy I did.”
Moving On
After a bit of bad luck at Muddy Creek Raceway finishing
18th, Creamer has put Round 8 in the past and looks
for the luck to come his way at the next race at
Pleasure Valley Raceway.
“It’s one of those things where it
was out of my hands,” said Creamer. “Everyone
has their share of bad luck, I just hope my luck
turns around sooner than later. For now, all I
can do is focus on the next race. I did well there
last year and I am hoping to get back on the box.”
Gibson Maintains Winning Average
Gibson continued his winning ways in Tennessee and
has won at every event he has attended, either in
the Pro Am Production or Pro Am Unlimited. At Muddy
Creek Raceway, he took first in the Pro Am Unlimited
and second overall in the Pro Am Production. The
production class wasn’t easy for Gibson, as
he had to come through the pack in both motos for
a 3-2. Hot Temperatures
The riders faced the heat and humidity of a typical
Tennessee summer day. The second moto was the
most brutal and Wienen felt every ray of the sun
while he was pushing to the front pack of riders.
“It was definitely hot,” said Wienen.
“You have to be in shape to run the 25 minute
motos in this kind of heat. I had to come up from
the back and I wore myself out. It was a long
second moto.”
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Josh Creamer
and Chad Wienen
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Six More Motos
With only six motos left, the boys are on the
home stretch for the 2009 season. The last three
rounds will be challenging in the humid East Coast
states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and back again
to Tennessee.
“The season is winding down and we have
to stay focused all the way to Loretta Lynn’s
in August,” said Wienen. “Six motos
doesn’t seem like a lot, but anything can
happen. I’m excited for the next few races.”
AMA
ATV Motocross Championship
Muddy Creek Raceway – Blountville,
Tenn.
June 28, 2009
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ATV
Pro Class (Moto Finishes) |
1. Dustin Wimmer, Center Valley, Pa.,
Suzuki, 1-1
2. Doug Gust, Salem, Wis., Suzuki, 3-2
3. CHAD WIENEN, GALENA, ILL., MONSTER
ENERGY KAWASAKI, 4-4
4. Jeremy Lawson, Live Oak, Fla.,
Can Am, 2-9
5. Josh Upperman, Louisville, Ohio, Honda,
9-3
6. Harold Goodman, Romulus, Mich., Honda,
6-6
7. Jeremie Warnia, Paris, France, Can
Am, 10-5
8. Cody Miller, Greenville, Texas, Cam
Am, 5-10
9. Joe Byrd, Union City, Tenn., Honda,
8-8
10. Patrick Brown, Pittstown, N.J., Yamaha,
11-11
18. JOSH CREAMER, N. STONINGTON, CONN.,
MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 16-19
Pro
Overall Point Standings |
- CHAD WIENEN, GALENA, ILL., MONSTER
ENERGY KAWASAKI, 290
- Dustin Wimmer, Center Valley, Pa.,
Suzuki, 285
- Joe Byrd, Union City, Tenn., Honda,
271
- Doug Gust, Salem, Wis., Suzuki, 250
- Josh Upperman, Louisville, Ohio, Honda,
242
- JOSH CREAMER, N. STONINGTON,
CONN., MONSTER ENERGY KAWASAKI, 224
- John Natalie, Jr., Houtzdale, Pa.,
Can Am, 203
- Jeremy Lawson, Live Oak, Fla., Can
Am, 201
- Cody Miller, Greenville, Texas, Can
Am, 169
- Thomas Brown, Sanger, Texas, Yamaha,
159
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