ITP QuadCross Championship Series Round #1 - Glen Helen Devore, CA January 29, 2006 By: Corry Weller / Weller Racing

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While many racers had come the day before (and some days before), there were still plenty of local ITP regulars driving in to get set up for the day in what open spaces were left in the pits. This first round has been the most anticipated round of the year for many riders due to rumors and expectations that some of the GNC Pro riders would be in attendance. Those rumors were confirmed with a quick look through the pit area, where rigs belonging to John Natalie, Dustin Wimmer, Kory Ellis, and Pat Brown were easily spotted amidst the smaller haulers. ITP Quadcross regulars were also already there, including Jeremy Schell, Doug Eichner, Dana Creech and Dustin Nelson – ready to compete in what was to be a massive Pro class for the day!

The mood in the pits was upbeat and something like a family gathering, as racers who hadn’t seen each other for months or even years made sure to find each other and catch up, discussing new rides, new sponsors and the upcoming race as well as the GNC coming up the following weekend.

The Glen Helen Track with its famous Talladega first turn was freshly groomed and the many sections of the track were redesigned for the opening round of the series

Practice got underway right on time, giving everyone a chance to test their machines and check out the changes that had been made to the track since the previous day. A quick walk around the track showed that the layout for the day would include both hills, with the Pro’s racing all the way to the top of Mt. St. Helen’s; a unique whoop section going up Mt. Shoei, several doubles, a triple and another high speed whoop section just before Talledega. After a slight delay due to a Pro rider suffering a broken femur during the Pro practice, the day’s races were underway, and it was certainly looking to be a full day of racing!

PRO HEAT 1
The first Pro heat race got underway as engines revved and all eyes focused on the gate as it dropped, sending John Natalie into Talledega ahead of the swarming pack. The blue Yamaha of Pat Brown was hard on Natalie’s heels from the start and this battle would continue throughout the entire race. This was setting up to be a great competition, and the crowd voiced their surprise as Brown passed Natalie by taking the inside line in a corner just before the 1st lap was finished – and the race for the lead was on!

Donald Lysinger, who got a great start, was holding third position early into the race, with Kory Ellis behind him in fourth, and Brock Lyons close in 5th. AZ Pro Jeff Spooner was holding his place in the top half of the class as the race headed into the third lap. Hunter Miller found an opening and made his pass around Darrell Patton, while Tony Baxter and Chris Riley had a battle going on as Baxter attempted to make a pass around Riley but couldn’t quite close the deal. Brown and Natalie still moved almost as one coming over the big double and heading through the high banked turns that make Glen Helen a favorite among quad racers. Ellis had closed the gap at this point and now made the pass on Lysinger and was intent on making up some ground, shortening the distance between him and Natalie.

Behind Lysinger, Brock Lyons and Jeff Spooner were having a battle of their own, followed by Miller, and then Patton.

Pat Brown was able to hold off the hard charging John Natalie to take the win in Pro Heat One

With the white flag out, Brown and Natalie were still racing grab bar to bumper through every turn and jump. Natalie and Brown were side by as they tripled into the fast whoop section, with Brown coming out just ahead of Natalie over the table just after the whoops. Throughout the final lap, Brown managed to stay just a nose ahead of John Natalie and as the checkers came out, it was Brown followed immediately by John Natalie for the win. Lyons came in at 3rd place with Ellis and Lysinger rounding out the top five.

PRO HEAT 2
As soon as the Pro’s from the 1st heat race were off the track, the gate went back up and the Pro racers in the second heat locked eyes onto the gate to wait for the drop. As the gate fell, it was Logan Holladay who took the lead early and led the pack up the whooped-out hill after Talledega, followed closely by Joe Haavisto, Tavis Cain and Cody Miller.

Partway through the first lap Haavisto sought and made the pass on Logan Holladay for 1st place with Holladay following closely behind, reluctant to give up his lead. As the racers headed into the next lap, Haavisto throttled up the first hill again while Holladay and Cain battled behind him for 2nd place, with Cody Miller in fourth place and racing to stay ahead of Cale Downen, as both of their Yamaha’s fought for traction up the steep and rutted hill. Behind them, the tight group of Rocco Arno, John Shafe, Matt White and Jason Dunkleberger had their own battle for position that would continue for most of the race.

Haavisto, still in first place, sailed the triple with ease as Cain, Holladay, Miller, Downen, Arno, and Dunk followed behind, along with the rest of the 19 Pro riders racing this heat. Logan Holladay, after a strong start and some great racing, wound up having some problems during the race and would eventually DNF this heat due to a broken chain.

#75 Joe Haavisto makes the pass on Logan Holladay to take over the early lead, and he cruised to the Pro Heat Two Win.

As the checkers came out, Haavisto was still riding strong and with a good lead on Cain, and as Haavisto approached the finish line, he checked over his shoulder to see where the rest of the pack was, and went on to take an easy 1st place win for the race over Tavis Cain, with Dunk coming in just behind Cain for the 3rd place position. Cody Miller came through the checkers just ahead of Chad Wienen, who was followed by Arno. Tony Munio and Jesse Goss had a fight to the finish line with Munio coming in just ahead of Goss and followed by WORCS regular, Josh Frederick.

PRO MAIN A

Three -Time ITP Quadcross Champion, Jeremy Schell, won't be back to full strength until Round Three due to his leg injury

The racers in the Main A race were all business as the 30 second board went up and pit crews scrambled to get out of the way. As the gate dropped once more, it was John Natalie on his red Honda taking the holeshot and leading the pack around the sweeping first corner and on up the first hill. Following behind Natalie again was the blue Yamaha of Pat Brown, as the rumbling field of quads raced up Mt St Helens.

Down on the in-field, Pro racer and ITP Quadcross Champion Jeremy Schell made his way towards the finish line along with another injured rider, Ricky Nickell. Both riders were unable to race and would sit and wait for the end of the Main to cross the checkers for series points. Jeremy, with his foot and leg wrapped up in white bandages, could be heard laughing and saying “You know, that didn’t hurt that much, I almost want to get out there go around some more!” Word has it Jeremy should be back to full race strength by Round 3, and ready to defend his championship once again.

Pro Main A Start

Back on the track and still on the first lap, Natalie continued his lead, stretching it out ahead of 2nd place’s Pat Brown by about 5 quad lengths. Dustin Nelson was running in the 3rd place position followed closely by a hard charging Creech, Dunk and Eichner. Brock Lyons and Rocco Arno had some close racing while Joe Haavisto began making his way up through the pack behind them.

Natalie had no problem stretching his lead on Brown as he showed everyone a bit of what he has in store for the coming weekend. Pat Brown was easily keeping his 2nd place position when suddenly he slowed way down and then was completely off the track. Brown, who had battled to win his first heat race ahead of Natalie and who continued to show everyone the speed he’s capable of, was now out of the race entirely with a broken axle. Brown would finish watching the race from the side of the track, as Nelson had now moved up into 2nd place. In the meantime, Kory Ellis made his pass on Chad Weinen for another position closer to the front of the pack, and proceeded to set his sights on the backs of Matt White and Brock Lyons.

Already with a commanding lead, Natalie continued creating an even bigger lead on the pack after Brown dropped out. Nelson continued to race in the 2nd place spot after his previous pass on Dunk, while Dana Creech and Doug Eichner fought to keep their number 4 and 5 positions, despite the very rough track conditions. As Dunk challenged Nelson for 2nd place, it got interesting as both riders seemed to lose their lines for a second while going up the steep and whooped-out first hill of Mt. Shoei. A little farther back, Jeff Spooner was having great race with Darrell Patton, who was beginning to look a little tired going into the off-camber downhill corner.

#19 Jason Dunkelberger put in a impressive run in the Pro Main A to earn himself a second place finish

Still working on coming up through the field, Kory Ellis was able to make a pass on an uphill section on Matt White for the 7th place position and began reeling in Haavisto, but whether or not he would have time to work through the pack would have to be seen. Somewhere in the back, Dunk had managed to win a hard fought pass on Nelson, and as they came back around into view, the order had changed as Dunk was now in 2nd place with Nelson just behind him in 3rd. Soon after his pass, Dunk began to put a large gap between himself and Nelson as he chased after Natalie and the number one position.

Back in 4th place, Creech was able to stay ahead of Haavisto after Haavisto had finally made a successful pass on Eichner and was trying to close the gap; and knocking on Eichner’s door now was Kory Ellis as he moved in after his pass on Matt White. A little father back, Arno and White had their own race going on as they raced side by side up Mt. St. Helens, with Arno trying to cut into the inside at the top to take the lead, but White managed to block his pass.

John Natalie Jr kicks off the 2006 season with a Win at the ITP Quadcross, which could be a sign of things to come for the ATVA MX

PRO MAIN B
For a 4th time that day, the starting gate dropped for the fastest Pro riders on the West Coast, and through the roar of engines and flying dirt, it was Cale Downen from Junction, IL who took the early lead in this final Pro moto with #191 Dustin Wimmer hot on his tail as the final gate of Pro’s flew through Talladega. Dustin Wimmer wasted no time in getting around Downen and took the lead away from him on the first lap and never looked back.

In the 1st lap, it was Wimmer followed by a hard charging Downen, as John Shafe held his position in 3rd place. Bossy Ross was tailing Shafe and followed closely by TJ Dietrich, with Jesse Goss behind him and looking to work his way through the pack. Dustin Terry, WORCS Pro Josh Frederick, Jason Weller and Chris Riley made up the top ten riders in the early portions of Pro Main B.

As the race carried into the 2nd lap, Dustin Wimmer still maintained a solid lead over Downen and Shafe, who was beginning to drop back into the field. A little farther back, ITP regulars Cyle Chislock and Jason Weller were battling for position, as Chislock cleared the triple only to come into the corner too hot and opened the door for Weller to get back around.

Up in front, Dustin Wimmer continued to increase his lead, while behind him things had changed, and now Josh Frederick had moved up through the pack and was running in second place ahead of Dietrick and Downen. Dietrick was trying to take 2nd place from Frederick, and even though Frederick chose to take some riskier, wider lines, he kept his lead over Dietrick each time.

Jesse Goss, who was now running in the 4th place spot behind Dietrick, lost traction and almost went off the side of the steep, whooped-out uphill section that Arno had previously gone off of, but he managed to keep his quad on track and throttled into the top corner, never losing his position. Jason Weller and Cyle Chislock continued their battle for position, with Chislock finally getting around Weller and heading for Terry, who was now running behind Downen.

#191 Dustin Wimmer takes the win in the Pro Main B

As the checkered flag came out once more, Dustin Wimmer had simply dominated the Pro Main B moto with a solid 1st place finish, to be followed in 2nd place by Josh Frederick, who ran a solid race and it paid off. TJ Dietrich came through the finish line behind Frederick in 3rd place, with Jesse Goss and Cale Downen, who had dropped back a little after a great start, finishing off the top five positions of the Pro Main B race.

The racing action had been fast, loud and exciting, and as all of the Pro riders headed back into their pit areas, the remaining Quadcross motos continued throughout the afternoon and finished up just as the California sun disappeared behind the hills. If Natalie, Brown and Wimmer’s performances are indicative of what was is to come this coming weekend, the 2006 race season is going to be some of the best racing we have seen in a long time!

Look for coverage of the Amateur ITP Classes here on ATVriders.com shortly!