Byrd Ends Wimmer's Winning Streak

The weather forecast predicted rain throughout the weekend, but dark skies never opened, leaving perfect track conditions and 70-degree temperatures. Byrd was ready for whatever he had to face.

“With the weather we had two setups ready to go depending on what happened, and we got lucky with our setup,” says Byrd. “We put together a new engine for the weekend that was a big difference in getting out front early.”

Byrd grabbed the holeshot in the first moto, followed by Wienen and Wimmer. He stretched his lead throughout the race, and the top three maintained their order to the finish.

Warnert Racing Can-Am’s Jeremy Lawson powered his DS450 to the holeshot in the second moto, but Byrd quickly made a move around him to take the lead and the win. Wimmer started third, but Wienen went on a mission, passing both Wimmer and Lawson to take the second spot again.

Wienen failed to finish several motos early in the season due to mechanical issues, but this time his KFX450 carried him to solid 2-2 moto scores.

“It was a rough track, and it really suited my style,” says Wienen. “You had to be smart in some of the tougher sections and not jump in too fast. I’m happy to put the Monster Kawasaki on the podium.”

On this weekend, Wimmer was unable to find the dominant speed he showed at the first two races of the year. “I wasn’t comfortable running their pace,” says Wimmer. “If I tried, I would get out of control, so I got two good holeshots and got what I could out of the motos. I would have rather had the rain, because I probably could have made something out it, but I did what I could. Some tracks I favor over others and this one just wasn’t one of them. Every race is a different race and I did the best I could.”

Wienen was almost surprised to be able to get around Wimmer so quickly in the second moto.

“I could tell he was a little off the pace compared to normal,” says Wienen. “That was probably the easiest I have ever passed a guy like Dustin.”

Wienen’s teammate Josh Creamer logged consistent 4-4 scores for fourth overall, while Cody Miller took his Can-Am to 6-6 scores and fifth overall. Another Can-Am rider, 2005 Champion John Natalie, took fifth in moto one but struggled to 20th in moto two, knocking him 14th overall. Honda rider Josh Upperman took fifth in the second moto, but a 15th in the first moto held to eighth overall.

Sixth overall went to Yamaha’s Thomas Brown, with Clay Holmes in seventh overall. Upperman was eighth, Can-Am rider Brandon Smith was ninth and Wimmer’s teammate Doug Gust struggled to tenth overall with 11-10 scores.

The race also marked round two of the ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship for amateurs. Kentucky’s own Cody Grant came out on top of a wild day of action in the Pro-Am Production class. The Suzuki rider used 2-2 scores in the motos to top Kawasaki rider Cody Gibson, who went 1-3, and Chase Snapp took his Suzuki to 4-1 scores.

The ITP Tires/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship continues on April 18 and 19 with the Birch Creek National in Danville, Va.

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