by: Ken Hill
TimeThursday, March 14, 2019 | 10:25 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ken Hill
(304) 284-0101
[email protected]
Joel Hetrick Earns Season Opener Win at Daytona ATV Supercross
Jeffrey Rastrelli and Chad Wienen Round Out Top Three
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 14, 2019) - The highly anticipated Daytona ATV Supercross (ATVSX) was no disappointment to the Pro racers, as well as the many spectators that filled the grandstands to watch the day unfold. A long off season had the competitors eagerly waiting for the drop of the gate, especially Phoenix Racing Honda/Maxxis/Elka’s Joel Hetrick and Wienen Motorsports.Yamaha/Maxxis’ Chad Wienen. Wienen came into round one sporting the number one plate after edging out Hetrick by one point at the final round last season.
The gate would drop and it was Hetrick out front taking the holeshot and wasting no time in setting the pace as things sorted out behind him. For the most part Hetrick ran unchallenged as the action heated up behind him. The laps were racking up as Hetrick showed the world once again he has everything he needs to work his way back to carrying the number one plate. As Hetrick wrapped up his first Daytona ATVSX win, he will have instilled a ton of confidence in an already dominating force.
The fight for second was shaping up as the defending champion, Chad Wienen, was looking for every advantage to find some speed to help close the gap on Hetrick. Looking and taking new lines did not work out as Wienen made a serious mistake allowing several riders to overtake his position. Time was running out as Wienen had to fight his way back towards a podium finish if he was to save this round and every coveted point. After a hard fought lap, Wienen made the pass on Thomas Brown to take over the third spot and would finish the race holding the final podium position.
For Bladwin/Jeff Rastrelli Land Grading/Ford Brothers Racing Honda’s Jeffrey Rastrelli, the mistake by Wienen may have opened the door for his second place finish. However, he proved he was ready to race for a podium finish as soon as the first gate drop of the year came down. Before the race, Rastrelli had his familiar smile and the angst seemed to be missing or he at least had found a happy medium in the stress that builds before every moto. His finish here at Daytona could be just what he needs compile a constant podium finishing season.
Finishing in fourth was TBrown 84 Training/CST Tires’ Thomas Brown, who put in a solid effort, and came close to finding a top three finish. Brown is a hard charger and his persistence on the track has kept him a championship contender season after season. Rounding out the top five was GennUSA Racing/CST Tires/Corrosion Specialties’ Nick Gennusa who battled his way through the main and appears to be ready to make a run up front as we head into upcoming rounds.
This year majority of racers felt that the track was one of the best they have had a chance to race on inside the iconic Daytona International Speedway. With a good flow and plenty of technical sections, combined with a soft berm and loam, mistakes were costly. While this round doesn’t always show how the season will play out it is a great indicator of who put in the effort in the off season and who will be ready to shake things up as we look to round two.
The series continues on April 6 and 7 in Kemp, Texas with the Underground ATVMX National. This will be round one for the amateur racers, and round two for the AMA Pro racers. For more information on the Underground ATVMX National, click HERE.
Daytona ATV Supercross
Daytona Beach, Florida
Round 1 of 10
March 12, 2019
2019 AMA Pro Class Event Results:
- Joel Hetrick
- Jeffrey Rastrelli
- Chad Wienen
- Thomas Brown
- Nick Gennusa
- Alan Myers
- Westley Wolfe
- Brandon Hoag
- Ronnie Higgerson
- Samuel Rowe
Overall National Championship Standings:
- Joel Hetrick (25)
- Jeffrey Rastrelli (22)
- Chad Wienen (20)
- Thomas Brown (18)
- Nick Gennusa (16)
- Alan Myers (15)
- Westley Wolfe (14)
- Brandon Hoag (13)
- Ronnie Higgerson (12)
- Samuel Rowe (11)
SSi Decals Holeshot Award Standings:
- Joel Hetrick (1)
DirtNation.com Top Qualifier Award Standings:
- Joel Hetrick (1)
For more information on the 2019 ATV Motocross National Championship, visit the series official website at www.atvmotocross.com or call (304) 284-0101. Join the conversation on the series social media channels, along with receiving the most up-to-date news and exclusive content.
- Facebook: @atvmotocross
- Instagram: @atvmotocross
- Twitter: @atvmxdotcom
- YouTube: @atvmotocross
About the ATV Motocross National Championship:
The ATV Motocross National Championship, an AMA National Championship, is the nation's premier amateur and professional ATV motocross series, hosted at top motocross facilities nationwide. The 10-round AMA Pro and 8-round amateur 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 the American Motorcyclist Association:
Founded in 1924, the AMA is a not-for-profit member-based association whose mission is to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. As the world's largest motorcycling rights and event sanctioning organization, the AMA advocates for riders' interests at all levels of government and sanctions thousands of competition and recreational events every year. The AMA also provides money-saving discounts on products and services for its members. Through the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA honors the heroes and heritage of motorcycling. For more information, visit www.americanmotorcyclist.com. Not a member? Join the AMA today: www.americanmotorcyclist.com/membership/join.