Posted July 18, 2007

Byrd dominates Sunset Ridge MX with another 1-1 sweep

Defending champion Joe Byrd lined-up against a field of fourteen top riders, including All Japan ATV Championship Race Series champion Seiya Sakuma, at the Concept Haulers ATV Showdown on July 15 at Sunset Ridge.

Hometown favorite and winner of the top qualifier award Chad Wienen earned sixth gate pick for turning a 1:47.521 in practice.

"I was just trying to find some good solid lines," Wienen said. "I believe that [Sunday] we'll have something more; the track will be changing. I'm just trying to keep a good pace and see where I stand compared to everybody else. The real racing will be done [Sunday.] Hopefully [I'll be] on the middle of the podium. You have to be humble and respect everybody that's out there, just go with what you're given out there, I guess."

When the gate dropped, Joe "The Professor" Byrd picked up the ATVRiders.com holeshot award, leading the first moto battle over Brown, followed by Wienen and Gust.

"I'd much rather come out front with those guys chasing me down," Byrd said.

Lawson went from fifth to fifteenth after the first lap, when he "spun out and fell off a little bit," Lawson said later.

Meanwhile, by lap two Brown was breathing hard down Byrd's neck, less than 0.227 off the leader.

"The bike was working awesome out there," Brown said. "We really had it dialed in for this track, and I could work on my condition a little bit because Joe pretty much pulled off on me. It was a good race; good hard-fought battle."

Wienen passed Gust by lap three, clocking the fastest lap of the race with a 1:46.246. Gust held fourth over hometown Illinois' Cale Downen until, suddenly, Gust disappeared off the side of a berm. Wienen grabbed third before passing Brown in second; his sights were set on Byrd, who was staying clean out front.

Lawson charged through the pack, passing from fifteenth to tenth in one lap.

"I came back and was feeling great," Lawson said. "I passed everybody, and wound up with a fourth. I was happy; it was fun passing everybody."

Wienen scored the lead over Byrd on lap nine, and the crowd went wild. Wienen held first for three laps, until Byrd found the right opportunity to take back the lead. With two laps to go, Byrd finalized first over Wienen, Brown took third over Lawson, and Downen rounded out the top five.

In Moto 2, Byrd scored another ATVRiders.com holeshot award, with Gust, Brown, Wienen and Lawson mixing it up behind the leader. Brown had second on lap three, while Lawson and Wienen battled for fourth, while Byrd pulled almost five seconds over Brown by lap four.

Behind Byrd, a three-way battle emerged as Brown turned the fastest lap of 1:46.799 from second place, Wienen had third, with Lawson fourth over Gust.

By lap nine, Wienen pulled off with a mechanical problem, which extended third to Lawson, but not for long.

"Chad had a little bike trouble, and it's too bad for that, because I was hoping I could pass him legitimately," Lawson said.

On lap 12, Lawson passed Brown for second, all while sporting a flapping piece of his chest protector. The battle for second lasted through the white flag, as Lawson held off Brown to finish second overall with a 4-2.

"[Lawson] was definitely on the move," Brown said. "He passed me earlier on in the moto, and I got back around him, and I thought I was going to pull on him, but he waited until the end of the moto and snuck around me. He was running really good. I'm wore out after that moto; it was hot out there. What an awesome track here; one of my favorites, definitely."

As Byrd looks to the last two rounds of racing, he considers four separate motos.

"I tried to keep the same pace," Byrd said. "I knew I didn't want to override. I want to focus on the championship. I want to win the war, not the battle."

The ITP/Moose AMA Pro ATV National Championship presented by Parts Unlimited continues with the Can-Am Northeastern ATV National presented by Renegade at the Unadilla Valley Sports Center on July 28-29 in New Berlin, NY.

ITP/Moose ATVA National MX Championship Presented by Parts Unlimited
AMA Pro ATV
ATV Showdown, Sunset Ridge MX, Walnut, IL
July 15, 2007

Overall
1. Joe Byrd 1-1
2. Jeremy Lawson 4-2
3. Pat Brown 3-3
4. Doug Gust 7-4
5. Cale Downen 5-5
6. Travis Spader 6-7
7. Chad Wienen 2-14
8. Steve Runkel 9-6
9. Sage Baker 8-8
10. Seiya Sakuma 10-9

AMA Pro ATV MX Series Standings
Joe Byrd (448/6 wins)
Jeremy Lawson (420/3 wins)
Pat Brown (339)
Michael Brown (230)
Justin Bres (222)
Doug Gust (168)
Christopher Tait (162)
Justin Bush (146)
Dustin Wimmer (141/1 win)
Alex Trompen (122)

AMA Pro ATV Manufacturer Cup Standings
Honda
Yamaha
Suzuki
Kawasaki

© 2007, All Terrain Vehicle Association