WIMMER OVERCOMES MUD AND RAIN, WINS AT SUNSET RIDGE

Dustin Wimmer (191) and Pat Brown (199) put the squeeze on John Natalie (13) at the start of Sunday's Pro race. Dustin Wimmer, John Natalie and Pat Brown celebrate on the podium Sunday. The true diehard ATV fans ignore the weather as they watch the Pro final on Sunday. John Natalie Pat Brown

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) -- 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):

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

About the ATV Association (ATVA)
The ATV Association (“ATVA”) is the official sanctioning body of the amateur division of the ATVA ITP/Moose ATV National Motocross Championship Series Presented by Parts Unlimited. The 9,000-member ATVA is a sister organization of the 260,000 member American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). ATV racing has experienced phenomenal growth in recent years, and continues to gain momentum and support, outselling off-road motorcycles annually. Each ATVA round attracts hundreds of racers who compete for bragging rights to one of 31 amateur national titles. For more information, please visit www.atvaonline.com.

About the ATV Promoters Group (ATVPG)
The ATVPG is composed of the individual promoters that host the AMA ITP/Moose ATV National Motocross Championships, presented by Parts Unlimited. The goal of the ATVPG is to raise awareness of ATV motocross through the production of professional and amateur championship racing events. For more information on the ATVPG and the ATV National events they produce, please visit www.atvmotocross.com.

About the ITP/Moose ATV National Motocross Championship Series Presented by Parts Unlimited
The AMA ITP/Moose ATV National Motocross Championship Series Presented by Parts Unlimited is the nation’s premier amateur and professional ATV motocross series, and competes at top motocross facilities nationwide. The 11-round series features the Nation's best racers, teams and sponsors, and is America’s largest and longest-running ATV National Motocross series with more than 20 years of competition. The series continues to expand and produce top talent from the amateur ranks, while keeping close to the grassroots fun that makes people love to go to the races.

Series sponsors include title sponsors ITP Tires and Moose Racing, and presenting sponsor Parts Unlimited. Premiere and Feature sponsors include ATV Sport, Moto Tees, Scott USA, Maxxis Tires, Elka Suspension and H-Bomb Films/Division Four. Associate sponsors include Weekend Warrior Trailers, Denton Racing, and Hinson Racing. Media partners include ATV Insider, ATV Rider and ATVRiders.com. For more information, please visit www.atvmotocross.com.