Wienen Hopes to Inch Closer to Fourth AMA Pro ATV Title as Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross Championship Heads to Unadilla
Sprawling Layout of Legendary Track Should Lead to Wide Open Racing

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (July 8, 2015) – The 2015 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing (ATVMX), continues to move closer to its completion as the world’s best four-wheeled warriors travel to one of the most iconic facilities in American motocross. Legendary Unadilla MX in New Berlin, New York, has been hosting world-class motocross events across five decades, and its unmatched legacy in the sport will continue this weekend as ATVMX invades the Unadilla Valley for the eighth round of the season. 

AMA Pro ATV championship leader Chad Wienen is fresh off his fourth overall win of the season heading into the Unadilla ATV National this Saturday, July 11, and hopes to move one step closer to clinching a fourth straight title. The Wienen Motorsports/Maxxis/SSi Decals/Walsh Race Craft Yamaha rider carries a 21-point lead into Central New York.

While Wienen ultimately went unchallenged en route to a 1-1 outing at the previous stop of the championship from Minnesota’s Spring Creek MX Park, it wasn’t an easy path to victory. As has been the case throughout the 2015 season, Hetrick Racing/Corrosion Specialties Honda’s Joel Hetrick was a thorn in Wienen’s side throughout the afternoon. Despite a crash in practice that put him on the mend heading into the motos, Hetrick stepped up to the plate and put his Honda in front out of the gate in each moto. True to form, Wienen was right there with Hetrick each time and forced the issue in both motos to take early leads and check out.

It was the first time in 2015 that Wienen posted a sweep of the motos despite having four wins to his credit. That distinction is a direct result of the heightened competition he’s faced this season, notably from Hetrick as well as his former teammate and protégé Thomas Brown, who rides for his own Maxxis Yamaha, powered by Moto-Xperts, effort. Hetrick has a pair of wins to his credit this season and even sat atop the AMA Pro ATV standings for one round, while Brown broke through for his first win as a team owner just a few races ago. At Spring Creek, Hetrick did all he could to minimize the damage done to him in the championship, following Wienen to 2-2 finishes and a runner-up effort. Unfortunately for Brown, it wasn’t the afternoon he was hoping for as 4-4 results not only left him off the podium, but also caused him to lose ground in the championship battle. Entering Unadilla, Wienen’s advantage in the standings sits at 21 points over Hetrick in second, and 40 points over Brown in third. 

JB Racing/Can-Am/Liquid Wrench's Jeffrey Rastrelli filled Brown’s absence from the AMA Pro ATV podium at Spring Creek after enjoying one his most consistent outings of the season. It was at Unadilla a year ago that Rastrelli had the breakout ride of his young career, with a third-place finish that established him as a rising star. With another podium to his credit heading into Saturday’s race, the timing couldn’t be better for another impressive performance at Unadilla. 

A year ago at the legendary facility, Wienen had one of his most dominant rides of the season. The reigning three-time series champion went virtually untouched en route to a 1-1 performance and left the battle for the remaining spots on the podium between a slew of riders, who put forth a memorable fight behind him.

With its sprawling layout, Unadilla is as close to a dream track as an ATVMX rider could ask for, allowing them to get the most out of their machines. With its undulating hills and rich countryside soil, Unadilla caters to high speeds and thrilling competition. That means fans in attendance this weekend will be in for a show as the AMA Pro ATV field pushes their bikes to the limit on the hallowed grounds. While starts will surely be key, consistency and line selection will be paramount, as Unadilla still demands the most of a rider thanks to notorious obstacles like Gravity Cavity, Sky Shot and The Wall.

Previous Round Results

Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship
Spring Creek MX Park – Millville, Minnesota
June 27, 2015
Round 7 of 10 

AMA Pro ATV Overall Results (Moto Results)

1. Chad Wienen, Galena, Ill., Yamaha (1-1)
2. Joel Hetrick, Seneca, Pa., Honda (2-2)
3. Jeffrey Rastrelli, Palm City, Fla., Can-Am (3-3)
4. Thomas Brown, Sanger, Texas, Yamaha (4-4)
5. Joe Byrd, Union City, Tenn., Honda (6-6)
6. Josh Upperman, Louisville, Ohio, Honda, (8-5)
7. Nicholas Gennusa, Wall Township, N.J., Yamaha (7-7)
8. Tyler Hamrick, Cortland, Ohio, Honda (5-12)
9. Vital Cazenave, Union City, Tenn., Honda (11-8)
10. Sean Taylor, Montezuma, Iowa, Honda (10-11) 

AMA Pro ATV Championship Standings 

1. Chad Wienen, Galena, Ill., Yamaha – 341
2. Joel Hetrick, Seneca, Pa., Honda – 320
3. Thomas Brown, Sanger, Texas, Yamaha – 301
4. Josh Upperman, Louisville, Ohio, Honda – 221
5. Nick Gennusa, Wall, N.J., Yamaha – 209
6. Jeffrey Rastrelli, Palm City, Fla., Can-Am – 208
7. Ronnie Higgerson, Cutler, Ill., Can-Am – 183
8. Vital Cazenave, Union City, Tenn., Honda – 155
9. Joe Byrd, Union City, Tenn., Honda – 154
10. Brett Musick, Verdunville, W.Va., Yamaha – 145

Specialty Awards 

ATVRiders.com Top Qualifier Award

1. Joel Hetrick – 6 points
2. Jeffrey Rastrelli – 1 point
3. Chad Wienen – 1 point 

SSi Decals Holeshot Championship

1. Joel Hetrick – 14 points
2. John Natalie – 6 points
3. Josh Upperman – 2 points
4. Thomas Brown – 2 points
5. Chad Wienen – 1 point

For more information on the 2015 Mtn. Dew ATV Motocross National Championship, visit www.atvmotocross.com. Join the conversation on the series Facebook page, follow on Twitter @ATVMXdotcom and Instagram @ATVMotocross, and be sure to always hashtag #ATVMX.