Daniel Boone MX, London, KY 2005
- Updated: July 3, 2005
John "Ironman" Natalie wrapped up the 2005 championship during America’s Birthday Weekend at the round 10 of the 2005 ITP Grand National Motocross Championship Series in London, KY. Sunny and warm weather attracted some 620 entries and several spectators to Jerry Hebel’s Daniel Boone MX Park to enjoy America’s weekend with fellow ATV racing enthusiasts from all over the country. If you couldn’t make it, here’s what you missed…
Moto one
Natalie had to make up ground after a poor star in moto one. He would eventually make his way from the eight spot to pressure fellow Honda rider, Joe Byrd. In Byrd’s many years of professional ATV racing he’s yet to holeshot a GNC event. That all changed July 3rd, 2005 when he pulled two of them on his Dan Lamey prepped 450R. Byrd, a resident of Union City, TN, is used to riding in hot humid weather. "We don’t take our coats off until it’s in the 90’s", joked Byrd from the runner up spot on the podium.
Along the way in moto one he defended his free-sailing lead position by holding off Ohio’s Jason Luburgh (LSR/Nac’s) in early laps. Luburgh just came back after missing three events with a broken collar bone. Somehow he came to London with the gloves up and ready to rumble. Byrd had to duck and jab Luburgh’s relentless bout almost the entire moto. It was lap eight when John Natalie tagged in by passing Luburgh for second. It looked like Natalie was wanting Byrd’s gold belt moto one lead…
More than once did the Ironman throw an uppercut to Byrd by pulling along side in an effort to take his lead spot. Byrd wanted the moto win badly however and defended with quick blocks and crafty moves to hold position. On the second to last lap Byrd blocked a Natalie pass by drifting wide into Natalie’s fast approaching Sparks Racing Honda. The two collided for a split second. Natalie quickly recovered with just enough room to re-enter the track before what could have been a get-off. "He definitely wasn’t into letting me by. After we bumped I decided to settle in for second, take it easy and hope for a better second moto start."
Yoshimura Suzuki’s Jeremiah Jones once again charged hard throughout the moto and found room to pass Luburgh in later laps for third. Rounding out the top five was Harold "The Bee" Goodman on his 708 Sparks Racing Suzuki.
Moto two
As reported Byrd took honors of leading the best motocross racers in the world through what many called a "sketchy-fast-narrow starting area" which led to big air down hill jump. The intense start took its toll on Harold Goodman’s chances of putting together two good motos. He was down nearly a whole lap before he could roll his quad back on its tires and pull out of the three-rider tangle in the fast "S" turn start area.
Just as the Ironman hoped, he did indeed get a better start in moto two. Within the first few sections of the track he rode in Byrd’s roost for second. It didn’t take long for him to slip past and into another one of his dominant moto leads. From then on he walked away and as he’s done all year – he left trackside viewers in awe. As Natalie continued to distance himself from the pack, Jeremiah Jones was hard set on another one of his aggressive charges through the pack. Jones looked tough and seemed to want to prove he too has Ironman speed.
Disappointingly for Jones and his fans he would have to give up on his blitz to the front after passing both Pat Brown (K&K ATV) and Byrd for second place. Jones pulled to a stop in nearly the exact spot that he broke his sub frame in half the year prior. This time out a broken spindle stopped his chances for a podium finish.
Pat Brown seemed to take Jone’s eager quest to lead the pack through what was left of Natalies settling dust. Before you knew it, Brown moved past Byrd to claim the runner up spot, which, thanks to Natalie’s dominance — was the only race going on this time out. All the while, Alba Yamaha’s Kory Ellis picked up the pace and put together an excellent set of moto two laps himself. Ellis steadily worked himself into fourth and pressured for Byrd’s third place spot by moto’s end.
With a fist in the air and a thank you gesture to the crowd lined up behind the finish line fence, Natalie cruised through the checkers to take the moto win, which he made look like a Sunday afternoon drive through the park. He stopped and waited for Pat Brown, who labels John Natalie as a big reason he’s gotten so good so fast. Pat was the first to congratulate his role model for the win and for clinching the championship. Byrd, Ellis and East Coast ATV’s Dustin Wimmer rounded out the top five. Wimmer’s consistent 6-5 finishes were enough to put him on the podium, making it the first all Honda 450R podium in our sport’s history. "Dustin was one of my best students ever. He learns fast. I’m happy to see him do so well", mentioned Joe Byrd from his runner up spot on the podium.
Wrapping it up
John Natalie wrapped it up early at the London, KY GNC just like Doug Gust did last year. Without a doubt the best man won the title again. Hands down, none of the pro riders this year had what it took to out condition and out ride the Ironman. Our hats are off to one of the most aggressive riders in the sport’s history on the track and nicest guys off – John "Ironman" Natalie – 2005 GNC MX CHAMPION!
Last August we predicted that no one would ever beat Gust’s 8 overall wins and twelve of twelve podium finishes. Here we are just 11 months later, and amazingly John Natalie is out to prove us wrong. With six incredible wins and two events left, he’s got an excellent chance to tie Gust’s legendary record! Stay tuned to the ITP Nationals and ATV Scene.com to see if he can do it.
London Notables
• In moto one, Team Yamaha’s Keith Little collided with Team Honda’s Tim Farr in mid air. The two touched tires. A crash could not be avoided. Farr did not race the second moto. He got a pretty bad concussion and wasn’t making much sense before moto two’s start. The Baldwin Honda team elected to have him sit the race out rather than risk further injury to himself and his competitors.
• All three of the DNFs in pro motos were Suzuki Z400 mounted riders. Travis Spader pulled to a stop in moto one with a broken case, Jeremy Lawson crashed in moto two and Jeremiah Jones broke a spindle. All the while for the first time, three Honda 450Rs claimed all three spots on the podium; Natalie, Byrd and Wimmer.
• Jeremiah Jones crashed while attempting an uphill triple. He complained of a possible bruised kidney but still rode two incredible motos.
• Doug Gust was not going to ride this race. He’s got a torn ACL in his knee, a broken vertebrae in his back and has had two concussions in the past two months. Nonetheless, with the possibility of a Natalie DNF he raced anyway to try to gather points for a small shot at another championship. Gust was hurt and riding cautiously, yet still finished a respectable 11-6 for 7th place on the day. With this (and Farr’s bad day at the office), he moves into second place by three points.
• How important is a good start? Byrd went from never pulling a holeshot to leading both times out. For his efforts he ended the day with a runner up. Moral: practice your starts.
