Newly Crowned Titleholder Wienen Set for Victory Lap at Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship Finale from Loretta Lynns

Watch the Action Unfold LIVE on RacerTV.com Saturday Afternoon!

After a dominant performance at the previous stop of the Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship, sanctioned by AMA (ATVMX), two weeks ago, Wienen Motorsports/SSi Decals/Walsh Yamaha’s Chad Wienen became just the second rider in ATVMX history to win three consecutive championships. With the title locked up, Wienen will lead the AMA Pro ATV field into action one last time on Saturday, August 9, for the ninth and final round of the 2014 season from legendary Loretta Lynn’s in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, and the Can-Am ATV Dirt Days.

Arguably the best part of this celebration weekend is that the Dirt Days at Loretta Lynn’s can be seen LIVE on RacerTV. Whether at the race or at home, any fan will have the chance to watch the drama unfold as it happens live online from 2:30 p.m. CT / 3:30 ET to 5:30 p.m. CT / 6:30 p.m. ET!

Wienen’s incredibly consistent season was the key factor in his path to a third title, finishing first or second overall at every round this season thus far, highlighted by a series-leading six wins. His average finish in 2014 is an impeccable 1.3 and he’s only finished worse than second once in all of the 16 motos run up to this point. The kind of statistical résumé is unbeatable in any situation and it’s no wonder Wienen was able to wrap up his title defense a round early.

With the championship locked up, the focus on Saturday’s finale rests squarely on the three-rider battle for second in the AMA Pro ATV standings between JB Racing/DWT/Mtn. Dew Live Wire Can-Am’s Joel Hetrick, Wienen Motorsports/SSi Decals/Walsh Yamaha’s Thomas Brown and Motosport.com/RRR/Ford/DWT/Walsh Honda’s John Natalie. Currently, Hetrick sits in control of his own destiny in second, holding an 11-point advantage over Brown in third and a 16-point margin over Natalie in fourth. Given how well each of these riders have performed in 2014, a double-digit margin is no doubt comforting for Hetrick, but he’s well aware that anything can happen over the course of two motos on the challenging layout at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch. 

For Brown the motivation is simple. One year ago he and his boss finished 1-2 in the final championship standings, signifying a landmark achievement for the Wienen Motorsports effort. With Wienen already crowned champion for 2014, another 1-2 sweep in the standings would serve as a statement to the strength of the Yamaha-backed effort and undoubtedly make them the most dominant team in the sport.

For the veteran Natalie, he hopes his past championship experience can work in his favor at the final round. Natalie was the rider who stepped up to challenge Wienen the most in the earl part of the season, but hard luck and some mechanical gremlins have dropped the Honda rider to fourth and in need of a season-best effort on Saturday afternoon. 

With no title on the line, there is bound to be some additional intrigue in the final two motos of the season as there couldn’t be a better opportunity for one of the other competitors in AMA Pro ATV to step up to the plate, make his presence felt and end the summer on a high note. Riders like JB Racing/Cheerwine Can-Am’s Jeffrey Rastrelli, along with the veteran duo of Baldwin Motorsports/PEP/Upperman Racing Honda’s Josh Upperman and BCS Performance Can-Am’s Josh Creamer, have all had some impressive rides this season and have proven that with a pair of strong starts, they each have the ability to challenge for a spot on the overall podium. No matter what, all bets are off at the final round of the championship, which means we are all in store for what will be an exciting and memorable day of racing at one of the country’s most renowned facilities.

This is the oldest race on the ATVMX schedule and it traditionally draws a lot of riders. Of course, the property is owned by the world famous “Coal Miner's Daughter” Loretta Lynn, a bona fide country music icon, and If she's not on tour somewhere, she may come over and greet the racers to wish them luck.

The soil is sandy with a sawdust additive, and due to its flat and sprawling nature along with the heat and humidity of the south, it’s arguably the season’s truest test of fitness. The combination of the track’s rugged nature and demanding weather means any rider could easily push the limits too far and cost himself a shot a victory. 

The world caliber motocross track is the same famed course that hosts the annual AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship for two wheels the previous week, as well as a spring GNCC Racing Series round. The facility only hosts three races a year, capped off by the ATVMX finale.

Previous Round Results:

RedBud – Buchanan, Michigan

July 26, 2014

Round 8 of 9

AMA Pro ATV Overall Results (Moto Finishes) 

1. Chad Wienen, Galena, Illinois, Yamaha (1-1)
2. John Natalie, Warriors Mark, Pennsylvania, Honda (3-2)
3. Joel Hetrick, Seneca, Pennsylvania, Can-Am (2-6)
4. Thomas Brown, Sanger, Texas, Yamaha (4-4)
5. Josh Upperman, Louisville, Ohio, Honda (7-3)
6. Jeffrey Rastrelli, Palm City, Florida, Can-Am (6-5)
7. Josh Creamer, North Stonington, Connecticut, Can-Am (5-7)
8. Tyler Hamrick, Cortland, Ohio, Honda (9-8)
9. Sean Taylor, Montezuma, Iowa, Honda (8-10)
10. Cody Janssen, Kaukauna, Wisconsin, Honda (10-9) 

AMA Pro ATV Championship Standings 

1. Chad Wienen, Galena, Illinois, Yamaha, 383
2. Joel Hetrick, Seneca, Pennsylvania, Can-Am, 306
3. Thomas Brown, Sanger, Texas, Yamaha, 295
4. John Natalie, Warriors Mark, Pennsylvania, Honda, 290
5. Josh Upperman, Louisville, Ohio, Honda, 266
6. Josh Creamer, North Stonington, Connecticut, Can-Am, 242
7. Jeffrey Rastrelli, Palm City, Florida, Can-Am, 220
8. Ronnie Higgerson, Cutler, Illinois, Can-Am, 174
9. Tyler Hamrick, Cortland, Ohio, Honda, 166
10. Sean Taylor, Montezuma, Iowa, Honda, 149

Specialty Awards

ATVRiders.com Top Qualifier Award

• Aonia Pass MX Park – Chad Wienen
• Muddy Creek Raceway – Chad Wienen
• High Point Raceway – Joel Hetrick
• Sunset Ridge MX – Chad Wienen
• Briarcliff MX – Chad Wienen
• Spring Creek MX Park – Jeffrey Rastrelli
• Unadilla – Joel Hetrick
• RedBud – Chad Wienen 

SSi Decals Holeshot Championship

1. John Natalie – 11 points
2. Josh Upperman – 8 points
3. Chad Wienen – 3 points
4. Josh Creamer – 2 points
5. David Haagsma – 2 points

On-track AMA Pro ATV Class action at Loretta Lynn’s begins at 11 a.m. CT / Noon ET with practice and qualifying. Opening Ceremonies kick off at 2:40 p.m. CT / 3:40 p.m. ET, with opening motos scheduled for 3 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. ET. All the action can be followed via Live Timing and Scoring through the official series website.

Catch all nine rounds of AMA Pro ATV Class racing action on MAVTV. For more information on the series, visit www.atvmotocross.com and join the conversation on the series Facebook page or follow on Twitter @ATVMXdotcom and #ATVMX.

About the AMA ATV Motocross Championship         
The AMA ATV Motocross Championship is the nation's premier amateur and professional ATV motocross series, hosted at top motocross facilities nationwide. The 9-round series features the Nation's best racers, teams and sponsors, and is America's largest and longest-running ATV national motocross program. Since 1985, the series continues to expand and produce top talent from the amateur ranks, while premiering the professional class. For more information, please visit www.atvmotocross.com.

About Mountain Dew

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