Press Release –
Team Yoshimura Suzuki ATV team headed down to Kentucky for the inaugural round of the WPSA PowerSports ATV Championship Tour Saturday. The superbly run event was a milestone in professional ATV racing.Â
Saturday- Round One
Saturday’s event was the first race of a double header. Sunday would see a duplicate program. Saturday’s race will be telecast on ESPN II on Saturday, June 3 at noon (EDT) and Sunday’s race on Sunday, June 11 at 1pm (EDT).
The weekend started a bit shaky for Team Suzuki when Jeremiah Jones tangled with another rider and crashed hard in a heat race. Jeremiah who had been setting fast times all day was driven to the hospital to get checked out but was released later that night. He was bruised and a bit beaten up but declared he would race the next day.
In the Saturday main event John Natalie ended up winning with Team Yoshimura Suzuki “Digger Doug” Gust bringing home second place honors. “This is a really well run series and I’m happy to get on the podium for Suzuki,” Gust said from the podium. “I’d rather have been on the top step but John just rode a little better than I did.”
Yoshimura Pro Support rider Jason Luburgh pulled in behind Wimmer for a well earned fourth.
Sunday- Round Two
The players changed but the result remained the same with John Natalie winning the main event.
Doug won both of his heat races and looked very fast but at the start of the main he was pinched off and ended up with a really bad start. By the time he worked up to the lead pack, it was too late. Gust ended up with fourth while Luburgh snagged third place on his LT-R450.
Jeremiah netted a surprising second place on the day. Team manager Wayne Hinson was shocked that he even suited up. “Jeremiah looked like a cowboy that had been trampled by a bull yesterday, I don’t know how that kid can even ride today. He’s tough…you can see it in his eyes… that “Gunslinger” look. I guess that he just gets in a zone and he just blocks everything out.”
Jeremiah had an early lead but was quickly passed by a hard charging Natalie. The rest of the main event the two ran nose to tail in what was an exciting race to watch. At the end of the race there was a bit of confusion when the official threw the white flag twice. But other than that the races were flawlessly run.
Jeremiah was in surprisingly good shape after the main. “It’ll sink in later when I get home,” The young Kentuckian said. “I’m sure I’ll be plenty sore tomorrow. I was right on John the whole time but just couldn’t get around him. I can’t wait till Georgia.”
