Kawasaki Earns Fourth Win of ATV Motocross Season
Monster Energy Kawasaki’s Josh Creamer went out in style going 1-2 to earn his second overall win of the season at the series finale at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. His teammate Chad Wienen wanted to enjoy some of the winnings as he earned the Moto 2 win and went seventh overall with a 13-1.
Although the championship didn’t go to green, the team had huge success during the 2009 season with four of 11 overall wins, 10 moto wins, and stood on the podium an additional nine times. The KFX450R was also the quad to beat in the Pro Am classes as well with Cody Gibson claiming both the Production and Unlimited championships prior to the final round.
Way To Go Out
The last race was a favorite for both Kawasaki riders. Creamer finished on the podium at last year’s finale and he came back with a vengeance in 2009 going 1-2 for his second career win. In the first moto, he didn’t waste anytime getting out front, taking the holeshot and leading the whole race to victory. In the second moto, he didn’t get a great start, but moved quickly through the pack. By the third lap he was in first, but conceded the lead to his teammate and went on to place second in the moto.
“The first moto went my way,” says Creamer. “I think I won by over seven seconds and the heat didn’t really bother me then. In the second moto I had to work a little harder since I didn’t get the start I wanted. I played it smart when Wienen passed me because I knew I still had the overall even if I didn’t win the moto. It was nice to go out like this.”
Bad Luck, Good Luck
Like Creamer, Wienen enjoyed the spoils of victory in the second moto, but with his first moto result, he finished seventh overall. In the first moto, Wienen got hooked together with another rider and it took almost a minute to get untangled. At that point, he did all he could to make up as many positions as possible, but only had enough time to move into 13th. He came out in the second moto with a fire that sent him from seventh at the start to the moto win.
“It was definitely unfortunate that I got stuck together at the start,” says Wienen. “I felt good all weekend and the bike was working great. In the second moto, I got an okay start and eventually got clear of the rest of the riders at the end of the race. I passed Josh with a few laps to go. It was great to go out with a moto win because I felt like I had something for everyone this weekend.”
Kawasaki Stands Out
Last year the Kawasaki KFX450R started to make a name for itself in the AMA ATV Motocross Championship series with its first moto win and constant podium appearances. The 2009 season was a break out year that saw the riders win four overalls, 10 of 22 moto wins and nine trips to the podium.
“This year was great for the Monster Energy Kawasaki team,” says Team Manager Jimmy White. “The quad is now a proven winner we always knew it could be. In just the short time that we have been back in ATV racing, Kawasaki has become a constant threat each weekend for moto wins.”
Filling the Gap
With Kawasaki’s Cody Gibson making the jump up to the Pro class for the weekend, Kawasaki’s Bobby Ross filled the missing gap and pulled out a 2-1 overall victory in the Pro Am Production class that is featured prior to each Pro moto. The overall was his first in the class and he went on to finish out the season second in points behind Gibson.
Hot Weather
The weather in Hurricane Mills, Tenn. was the usual hot and humid that the riders have come to know for the final round. The heat didn’t seem to bother the Monster Energy Kawasaki riders as they rode hard every lap. Wienen posted the fastest lap in both motos.
“I was thinking the heat was going to bother me because I had been practicing in the same kind of heat at home and it wasn’t fun,” says Creamer. “In the first moto, I didn’t even feel the heat, but the second moto I had to push more to make it through the pack so I felt it a little more. The training and practice definitely pays off in the hot weather.”
What s Next
The AMA ATV Motocross Championship series may be over, but the guys will be filling their craving to be on track with a few more races this season. Wienen will try to redeem his finish at the first round of the WORCS ATV series when the circuit comes to Glen Helen Raceway in just over a month. The New England born Creamer will be staying local and challenging Kawasaki rider Joe Haavisto at the New England ATV series over the next month.
Related Reading
More by ATV.com Staff
