2005 ATVA ITP/Moose/FMF GNC Series Awards Banquet Motocross & Extreme Dirt Track ATV Racing Series

After a year of traveling around the country from coast to coast following the 2005 Grand National Championship Series, the racers converged for one final time this year. However, this time, they left their race trailers and riding gear at home and instead packed their Sunday’s best for a night of celebration at the GNC awards banquet to honor the top ten in every class and award the ATV Sport Peoples choice Awards.

Jamie & Jeremiah Jones newly weds and soon to be parents.

The banquet was once again held in Fort Mitchell, KY at the Drawbridge Inn; The festivities were kicked off early this year with a pre-banquet baby shower held for newly weds Jeremiah & Jamie Jones(Rentz) as they are expecting a baby boy over the winter.

For the two hours prior to the London Hall doors opening for the start of the awards ceremony, ATV Sport's Journalist were busy processing ballets for this years Peoples’ Choice Awards, and everyone with a ticket to the banquet was eligible to vote once, and unlike the Presidential election, there were no worries of hanging chads to cause a recount.

At five o’clock, the doors to the hall opened and the silent hall came to life with chattered and laughter while those in attendance searched for their seats. After a diner, it was time to award the top ten racers in every class as they were called up to receive their plaques, but with over five hundred award recipients, only the top three from each class joined Mark Straubinger on stage to thank their sponsors and inform everyone of their tentative plans for 2006. Each rider was awarded season ending contingency prizes for their racing efforts as the ATVA and Series sponsors showed their support to the riders for their dedication to the series

Baldwin Motorsports, Mark Baldwin, was awarded the ATV Sport Peoples' Choice Award for Mechanic and Race Team

The biggest prize of the evening was awarded at the halfway point of the ceremony, which was the Mobile Medical Unit Weekend Warrior Trailer. Every rider that finished in the top 10 was given a chance at the trailer and the lucky winner this year was none other than MX Pro AM rider, Josh Upperman.

Several other large raffle giveaways had many on the edge of their seat with KYMCO raffling off an ATV to one lucky child in attendance at the event for five dollars a chance, and Ryan Wheeler would be the big winner and leave smiling ear to ear with his new race machine for 2006.

Also, Debi Bartosek and Cindi Hart conducted a Super Raffle with $3,000, $1,500, and $500 cash prizes up for grabs to the ticket holders that donated $100 to help raise money for the 2006 Mobile Medical Unit. John Hines was awarded the $500 prize followed by Penny Dunkelberger winning the $1,500 prize, and the “Ironman” John Natalie Jr claiming the top prize of $3,000. Natalie Jr donated half his winnings back to the fund and was followed by Penny Dunkelberger and John Hines donating all their prize money back to the Mobile Medical Unit, which was a true testament to those involved in our sport.

Debi Bartosek proudly announced the Autograph jersey sales added $3,236 to the fund and the Bartosek race earned another $4,900 this year, which took the fund well over $40,000 with the the Super Raffle winner contribution with her goal of $88,000 in the memory of her son #88 Matt Bartosek.

John Natalie Jr was the Grand Prize winner of the Super Raffle and donated half his winnings back to the fund		The celebration after the Awards Banquet went well into the night with dancing and games.

The awards ceremony was concluded with the Top 10 Pros from MX and EDT receiving their awards, which was followed by a pizza party, dancing, and games which kept many up to well after 2AM celebrating another grear year of racing with friends and family.

2006 will mark yet another exciting year of racing with the newly revised Yamaha YFZ450 and Honda TRX450R and recently announced Suzuki LTR450. The manufacturers are truly taking interest in ATV racing, and things will surely be bigger and better for next season especially with the GNC Promoters preparing to announce some exciting news about some big changes for next season, in response to a recent meeting with rider representatives Rich Hetrick and John Natalie Jr.

Some of the details have already been released with the Pro Purse increased to $10,000 and the addition of several new classes, but there are many other details yet to be released in the very near future.

Congratulations to everyone on another great year of racing, and I look forward to seeing you at Glen Helen to kick off the 2006 season.

Fighting for your Rights All Terrain Vehicle Association P.O. Box 800 Pickerington, OH 43147-0800