Round 2 GNC-MX Nationals
Photos by Digital 219
Joe Byrd Wins Texas MX Battle
February 23, 2006 – Joe Byrd (#7) made it two wins in a row in the ATVA/ITP/Moose Grand National Championship Motocross Series with a win at The Wrangler at Oak Hill in Alvord, Texas, February 11-12.
The
first moto saw Don Lysinger (#411, left) pull his very first holeshot in a Pro
race. Hard-charging John Natalie (#13) was in second but quickly made the pass
and took the lead, followed by Doug Gust (#55), Keith Little (#12), Byrd on his
Honda TRX450R, and Joe Haavisto (#75).
Gust moved up and began to work on Natalie, pressuring him at every opportunity. Natalie, feeling the pain of arm pump, couldn't keep Gust at bay.
In the closing laps, Gust made his move and passed Natalie. He quickly opened up a large lead.
Another first for this race was Rocco Arno, Jr. qualifying for his first Pro race. Arno finished the 2005 season in second place in Pro-Am Production and Pro-Am Unlimited.
The second moto had the fans cheering as Pat Brown (#199) pulled
the holeshot followed closely by Kory Ellis (#53), Byrd, Jeremiah Jones (#2) and
Jason Luburgh (#8).
Gust and Jason Wimmer (#191) tangled in turn one, burying them at the back of
the pack.
Ellis would take the lead when Brown pulled off with mechanical problems. Behind Ellis was Byrd, Natalie, Luburgh and Jason Dunkelberger (#19).
Ellis
was poised for what looked like an easy win until his tether kill switch came
off, which allowed Byrd (right)to move into first place.
Ellis tried to make up the lost ground, but there just weren’t enough laps left.
Little was back in seventh place. With his third-place finish in the first moto, he had a shot at the podium if he could only pass Tavis Cain (#6) in sixth. But Little came up a few ATV lengths short.
Gust was moving through the pack as fast as he could. If he could make it up to ninth place, combined with his first place finish in the first moto, he could still make it on the podium. This is the kind of racing that is brings out the fans because you never know who is going to take the overall win for the day.
When
the checkered flag came down and the scores were added up, it was Byrd first,
Natalie second and Ellis third.
The top five in overall points standing after two rounds are Byrd, Natalie, Gust, Little and Ellis.