Round 4 GNC-MX Nationals
Photos by Digital 219
John Natalie Wins MX Battle in Georgia
March 31, 2006 – John Natalie (#13) used his red hot Honda to smoke everyone, winning the fourth round of the ATVA/ITP/Moose Racing National Motocross Series at Echeconnee Off-Road Park in Lizella, Georgia, on March 19.
With the win, he took the points lead in the series.
Donny Banks, promoter, and national ATV champion, gave racers and fans another exciting weekend of racing.
Fans filled the grandstand and lined the fences for the start of the first moto, and cool, partly cloudy weather set the stage for excellent racing action.
With
engines roaring and the sand flying, it was Natalie in front of everyone,
followed by Jason Luburgh (#8), Pat Brown (#199), Josh Creamer (#270), and Tavis
Cain (#6). Doug Gust (#55) was in eighth place.
With Natalie out front with a 10-second lead, the crowd was focused on the many battles taking place in second thru 10th.
Luburgh dropped back with engine problems, then Ellis and Gust moved up with Gust taking over second place.
Joe Haavisto (#75) moved side by side with Byrd, with the two challenging each other lap after lap, exciting everyone.
At
the finish, it was Natalie, Gust, Ellis, Byrd and Haavisto.
As Banks walked out with the 2/1 board for the start of the second moto, everyone was wondering whether Natalie would repeat with another win.
Natalie then pulled the holeshot to take the lead. Brown, Byrd, Travis Spader (#30), Haavisto, Cain and Gust followed.
Behind the leaders there was a big tangle with eight riders scrambling to get things sorted out and get back in the race.
Byrd and Spader wasted no time and quickly moved up behind Natalie.
But then Spader fell back a number of spots when he tangled with Jeremiah Jones (#2), who had worked his way up from deep in the pack.
Haavisto took advantage of the Spader/Jones tangle to take a solid third place. When the second moto came to a close, it was Natalie, Byrd, Haavisto, Jones and Gust.
Like
in most of the Motocross Nationals this year, the score keepers were scrambling
to figure out second and third places. With the calculations complete, it was
Natalie, Byrd and Gust in the top three positions.
Natalie’s win moved him into first place in the series. Byrd follows four points behind, with Gust in third.