WALNUT, Ill. (May 11, 2008) -- Dustin Wimmer thumbed his nose at Mother Nature on Sunday as he won the rain-shortened Pro portion of the Concept Haulers ATV Showdown. The event was Round 5 of the ITP Tires/Moose Racing ATV National Motocross Series Presented by Parts Unlimited.

Wimmer (No. 191 Team MSR/Suzuki/Yoshimura/Pro Taper) took the holeshot at the start of the rain-soaked event, and led every lap to earn his third victory this season. John Natalie (No. 13 Can-Am) was second, handing Can-Am its first podium in ATV Pro Racing history. Pat Brown (No. 199 Yamaha) was third, marking his first podium of the year. The event was shortened to a single 15-minute-plus-two-laps moto due to rain and muddy conditions.

"We survived," said a muddy, but smiling Wimmer, who has finished on the overall podium at all five races this season. "Getting out front is always the key in a muddy race. Moving through lapped traffic became very difficult late in the event due to the lack of visibility.

"Every point counts this late in the season," added Wimmer, who now holds a 40-point lead in the title chase, ahead of teammate Doug Gust. "We're pleased to get this victory."

Wimmer won virtually all of the event's special awards, taking the Ti Lube Fast Qualifier Award, and both the Suspension Systems and ATVRiders.com Holeshot Awards. Wimmer's mechanic Glenn Shulde earned the DASA Mechanic of the Race Award.

The next race for the ATV Motocross Series, the ATV Stampede, is scheduled for May 24-25 at High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, Pa.

WALNUT, Ill. (May 11, 2008) ¯¿½““ Results of Sunday’s ITP/ Tires Moose Racing AMA Pro ATV Motocross Championship at Sunset Ridge MX (Showing finishing position, rider, bike number, bike brand and hometown):

1. Dustin Wimmer, 191, Suzuki, Center Valley, Pa.
2. John Natalie, 13, Can-Am, Houtzdale, Pa.
3. Pat Brown, 199, Yamaha, Pittstown, N.J.
4. Doug Gust, 55, Suzuki, Salem, Wis.
5. Cody Miller, 22, Can-Am, Greenville, Texas.
6. Rocco Arno, Jr., 101, Honda, Bridgeton, N.J.
7. Joe Byrd, 7, Honda, Union City, Tenn.
8. Josh Upperman, 20, Honda, Louisville, Ohio.
9. Harold Goodman, 708, Honda, Romulus, Mich.
10. Jason Dunkelberger, 19, Honda, Trevorton, Pa.
11. Jeremy Lawson, 16, Can-Am, Battletown, Ky.
12. Sage Baker, 49, Can-Am, Shasta Lake, Calif.
13. Chad Wienen, 44, Suzuki, Galena, Ill.
14. Richard Pelchat, 46, Can-Am, St. Romuald, Quebec.
15. Greg Geen, 10, Can-Am, Simcoe, Ontario.
16. Russell Shumaker, 68, Kawasaki, Bristol, Wis.
17. Josh Creamer, 9, Kawasaki, North Stonington, Conn.
18. Brock Lyons, 43, Polaris, Brownsburg, Ind.
19. Cale Downen, 727, Honda, Junction, Ill.
20. Keith Little, 12, Kawasaki, Spruce Pine, Ala.

ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA Pro ATV Motocross Championship points leaders: Wimmer 203, Gust 163, Natalie 135, Byrd 133, Goodman 115, Creamer 108, Wienen 100, Arno 95, Dunkelberger 90, Lawson 90.

Notebook:
EYE ON THE PRIZE...John Natalie handed Can-Am its first-ever Pro ATV overall podium with his runner-up finish on Sunday. Interestingly, the Houtzdale, Pa. rider did so with limited vision due to an eye infection. As usual, Natalie made light of the situation: "I was doing my rain dance all week, hoping for a mud race. If I couldn't see, I wanted to make sure everyone else couldn't!"

QUICK CHANGE...Warnert Racing GNCC Team Mechanics Nick Mills and Alex Kenison logged some serious miles this weekend. When it was discovered the team needed some special parts to deal with the weather on Sunday, the two drove down from Millfield, Ohio, where the GNCC was racing this weekend, and completed a 523-mile trip overnight to deliver tires, handguards, full fenders and other gear for John Natalie's machine.

POLARIS PROVES...Rath Racing's Brock Lyons qualified for Sunday's race, marking Polaris' first start in the Series with its Outlaw 450 MXR.

THREEWAY...A Suzuki (Dustin Wimmer), a Can-Am (John Natalie) and a Yamaha (Pat Brown) finished first, second, and third, respectively, on Sunday, marking the first time this season that three different OEMs netted an overall podium in a single race.

BROWN BACK...Pat Brown finished third on Sunday, marking the New Jersey native's first podium of the season, and the second overall for Yamaha.

GO GREEN...Josh Creamer sported a little extra sponsor "flair" this weekend as he dyed part of his beard Monster Energy Green.

MILLER THE MAN...Cody Miller recorded his best finish of the season on Sunday, netting a fifth-place on his Can-Am.

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