Round 7 GNC-MX Nationals
Photos by Digital 219
John Natalie Wins Michigan MX Battle
May
17, 2006 – John Natalie (#13), riding a Honda TRX450R, notched another
win in round seven of the ATVA ITP Moose Grand National Championship Motocross
Series at Red Bud in Buchanan, Michigan, May 13-14.
The last time Natalie made the podium was in round four.
Red Bud promoter and track builder Tim Ritchie was forced to cancel practice on Friday because of the continuous rain that plagued the area for several days.
Saturday
it didn't look like the rain would stop, but when it did Ritchie and his crew
went to work to give the amateur riders the best track possible.
The track was in even better condition on Sunday for the first Pro moto.
At turn one it was Joe Byrd (#7), who had pulled the holeshot, with Doug Gust (#55), Keith Little (#12), Jeremiah Jones (#2) and Natalie in the top five positions.
For
the first few laps Gust, Little, Jones and Natalie would all challenge each
other, one after another, with positions constantly changing. It was anybody's
guess who would move up to challenge Byrd.
It was Jones. He moved up to challenge Byrd and Natalie moved up to challenge Jones. Natalie and Jones were swapping positions at every opportunity.
Natalie made the move to second place and then went to work on Byrd, while Gust was challenging Jones. The group of four was so close together they were almost one.
Byrd
bobbled and instantly fell to fourth. The finishing order at the end of the
first moto was Natalie, Gust, Jones, Byrd and Little.
The second Pro moto would be the last race of the day.
Was Natalie back? Would he repeat in moto two? When the gate dropped the questions would be answered.
Gust
blasted around turn one first, with Natalie, Little, Byrd and Jones bearing down
hard.
Natalie forced Gust to go high on a berm and fell back to ninth.
Natalie
took the lead and wouldn't be seriously challenged the rest of the race. Byrd
received constant pressure from Jones, with Jones and Byrd swapping positions
back and forth.
At the checkered flag it was, Natalie with a good lead, Byrd, Jones, Little and Gust.
On
the Red Bud finish line podium it was Natalie, Byrd and Jones.
Meanwhile, Romain Couprie (#285, left) traveled all the way from Allonne, France, to participate in the Pro class. He finished in a very strong 10th place.
Byrd continues to lead the series.