by: Ken Hill
TimeWednesday, May 3, 2023 | 10:05 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
High Point ATVMX National Championship Race Report
Hetrick Goes 1-1 in Home State of Pennsylvania
MOUNT MORRIS, Pa. (May 2, 2023) - The ATV Motocross National Championship Series, an AMA National Championship, (ATVMX Racing) returned to action as High Point Raceway in Mount Morris PA opened its gates for round four of the 2023 season. This round brought the series back to a more of a traditional type of track, as the opening rounds saw a lot of sandy motos brought to the table. This return to the north is also considered “Hetrick” country, as he hails from Pennsylvania, and the hard pack conditions have traditionally played well into his seemingly unstoppable domination.
Having taken back the championship points lead in Texas; Phoenix Racing Yamaha’s Joel Hetrick was once again in the driver’s seat and in full control of his season with his main competitor recovering from an injury sustained at round two. That competitor would be none other than Wienen Motorsports/Maxxis/SSi Decals/Fly Racing/Yamaha’s Chad Wienen who can never be counted out as he once again proved he could overcome the adversity that found him. Coming into round four, Wienen was feeling strong and healthy and seemed ready to put the bumpy start the season behind him and concentrate on cutting into Hetrick’s point lead.
Even the weather decided to add an unknown into the mix as the forecast looked bleak with showers moving into the region. A rain soaked track would negate Hetrick's insane bursts of speed and bring an element of the unknown to the top tier of the series. Somehow, someway, the rains toyed with the region but offered the track crew just enough of a break on race day that gave the world’s fastest ATV racers in the world a track they could indeed race on.
Hetrick wasted no time in taking the Fastest Qualifier, setting up the perfect weekend that now was just two motos away. Riders tamed the track as most seemed able to find lines even with less than optimal conditions. While appearing one lined, passing was to be had as the amateurs proved lap after lap as we closed in one the first moto. A stroll through the pro pits prior to the first moto found mechanics eagerly making final adjustments and subtle changes as the weather was cooperating and the track was getting faster with each passing hour.
Once the gate drops for the first moto, the remainder of the day becomes a blur with hurried activities and hard core prep in virtually every pit. Throw in two pro motos and the adrenaline dump they bring and before you know it, you are heading to the podium to celebrate the top three. Sans any injuries or drama, it is the norm albeit an enjoyable time well spent from youngest oldest.
Moto one and two belonged to Hetrick as once again he grabbed both SSi Decals holeshot awards and ripped to the lead and provided his team with a near flawless day that saw another overall win fall to the Phoenix Racing crew. Hetrick hit all his marks and the fans ate it up as the Pennsylvania native was being cheered on from every section of the facility.
Behind Hetrick, the war was raging however as the battle for the remaining top spots was open for the taking however nothing comes easy in this form of racing. Everyone fully expected Wienen to be on the hunt and he was, he just couldn’t find the speed needed once he got into the front runners mix. Wienen would put in impressive motos both of which saw him nearly back to the championship winning form we are all accustomed to.
While moto one saw Wienen get a bad start, moto two found him running to the outside as he fought hard for the holeshot, going wheel to wheel with Hetrick. In between motos Wienen expressed he felt great and had zero issues from his injury however his strength wasn’t where he wanted it yet. The effort he put forth was exemplary and a testament to his grit. Going 3-2 on the weekend wasn’t the optimal finish but well-earned as he earned a podium position and second overall.
The wildcard, the one who you never know how their day will go is Rastrelli Racing/FXR Moto/Rocket Machine Design’s Jeffrey Rastrelli. Incredibly fast and talented, Rastrelli seems to find something that derails his efforts more than he would like. In Texas, his battle with Ford Brothers Racing/FXR/SSi Decals/CST Tire’s Bryce Ford was epic and showed the talent pool is getting deeper as younger riders start mixing it up with the legends of this sport. Rastrelli had a great weekend by the numbers, going 2-3 for 3rd overall however you won’t find him patting himself on the back as he refuses to accept anything less than battling for a win. The bad news for everyone else on the track is he left this round in good spirits and healthy so watch for him at the Ironman in two weeks to see him charging hard once again.
Ford just missed a shot at the podium with his 4-4 moto finishes. Battling with Wienen in the first moto and getting through traffic on the second proved to seal the deal as the young Texan remains a threat in his quest to reach the podium. Just behind Ford was fan favorite GennUSA Racing/SSi Decals/CST Tires/Corrosion Specialties’ Nick Gennusa. His 6-5 performance was enough to lock up a top five finish which seemed acceptable, however Gennusa is another racer that deep down knows he has more he just has to put it all together.
With a points lead; the series champion Hetrick sits affirmably atop the leader board as this high stakes game of open wheel racing moves forward to the next round. The big question and one that may not have an answer, is who can knock Hetrick off his game? Wienen has found remarkable speed making him the man who needs to swing the axe, but he hasn’t been able to get close enough to do any damage after four rounds of competition. The excitement is already building as another action packed weekend awaits us in Indiana at the Ironman.
Rain overnight Saturday saw some Sunday morning muddy conditions, as practice was delayed providing the track crew optimal time to get the track in racing condition. That proved to be the right call as practice and Pro-Am qualifying went off without any hiccups. When it came to racing, the Pro-Am class saw Jayden Londerville go 3-1 on the day to take the overall win at High Point. Kevin Saar earned the moto 1 finish, but would finish third in the second moto, earning him second overall on the day. Rounding out the Pro-Am top three was Mason Jackson with 4-2 moto finishes.
Saturday’s WMX motos saw some great racing conditions, as Olivia Joiner would jump off the gate first in both motos to earn the Wheelz Up WMX Holeshot awards. However, she would be unable to hold off Kinsey Osborn who went 1-1 on the day to earn first overall in Pennsylvania. Joiner would finish 2-2 on the day to earn second overall, her first-ever WMX podium finish. Niamh Shaw would go 4-3 on the day to round out the top three WMX finishers at High Point.
In the Pro Sport class, it would be Mason Jackson battling through to go 1-1 on the day, taking the overall win and holding onto second in the points standings. Jayden Londerville would go 1-3 as the class saw a qualifier as their moto one finishes. Londerville finished second overall in the class. Agostino Abbatiello went 3-5 for third overall in the Pro Sport class.
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High Point MX Results and Points Standings
Mount Morris, Pennsylvania
Round 4 of 10
Saturday, April 29, 2023
AMA Pro Class Event Results:
- Joel Hetrick (1-1)
- Chad Wienen (3-2)
- Jeffrey Rastrelli (2-3)
- Bryce Ford (4-4)
- Nicholas Gennusa (6-5)
- Brandon Hoag (5-6)
- Max Lindquist (7-7)
- Westley Wolfe (8-8)
- Logan Stanfield (9-10)
- Kevin Saar (12-9)
Overall National Championship Standings:
- Joel Hetrick (164)
- Bryce Ford (143)
- Jeffrey Rastrelli (138)
- Nicholas Gennusa (114)
- Chad Wienen (112)
- Brandon Hoag (101)
- Logan Stanfield (93)
- Max Lindquist (92)
- Westley Wolfe (79)
- Cody Ford (71)
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 9-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.
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