PVR - Pro ATV Moto 2

Another moto win for points leader Josh Creamer

Natalie rides smart to give Can-Am their first overall win

Team Motoworks Can-Am's John Natalie Jr. and Baldwin Motorsports Josh Upperman shot out of the gate at the start of moto 2 at Pleasure Valley Raceway Sunday and battled side-by-side for the holeshot. After a few turns, Upperman came away with the race lead.

But the Honda rider's lead proved short-lived. Natalie passed the Ohio native a few turns later and tried to settle in to the lead and the same pace that gave him the win in moto 1.

Pennsylvania native and hometown favorite John Natalie Jr. lead the second pro moto, but his lead would be challenged by several riders. The top five gradually broke away from the pack early in the moto with Natalie in first, followed by Josh Upperman, rookie Cody Gibson, Josh Creamer and Dustin Wimmer.

Creamer made short work of getting around Gibson, and he even got past Upperman a few laps later. But the Iron Man proved a greater challenge.

Josh Creamer reminded everyone in moto 2 why he's the current points leader. He started the moto in fourth, but Creamer quickly passed rookie Cody Gibson, who was putting in an impressive performance by hanging with the points leader and fighting off the defending champion.

Once Creamer moved into third, he set his sights on Upperman. The seasoned pro gave Creamer a good fight but eventually gave up the second spot. The Suzuki rider then closed in on Natalie, and the two settled in for a hard-fought moto that gave the Pennsylvania crowds some exciting racing to watch.

Creamer inched closer to Natalie with every lap, until finally he passed the Can-Am rider on the tabletop coming out of the back section.

It seemed only a matter of time before Creamer would guide his Yoshimura LTR450 around Natalie, but the Iron Man defended his position well and refused to open the door to the points leader. Even if Natalie relented the moto 2 win to Creamer he could still leave Pleasure Valley with the overall. Still, a big crowd was on hand and clad in shirts plastered with the Can-Am rider's name, and he surely didn't want to disappoint.

Natalie managed to fend of the challenge from Creamer long enough that the two leaders developed an intense pace that separated them from the pack.

But Natalie slipped and opened the door for Creamer, who finally made his pass on the tabletop coming out of the back section. From there on, moto 2 became the Josh Creamer show. Still, Natalie hung on for second, which gave him the overall and Can-Am's first ATV motocross national overall win.

There was plenty of action going on behind the two leaders. Jeremy Lawson put his head down and drove through the pack to get past Wimmer and Upperman  to claim the third spot. Upperman finished the second moto in fourth with Wimmer in fifth.

Jeremy Lawson put his Walsh Racecraft Suzuki on the podium for the first time this season with two third-place finishes for third overall at the Pleasure Valley National.

Chad Wienen claimed the sixth spot in moto 2 following a disappointing DNF in the first moto after he blew out his rear shock. Wienen, also riding out of the Motoworks Can-Am semi, moved around several riders but still came away with just eleventh overall. Thomas Brown put his Yamaha in seventh place and was followed by Jeremy Warnia in eight. Patrick Brown and Cody Gibson rounded out the top 10 in moto 2.

Creamer may have won moto 2, but the weekend belonged to Natalie, who took his first overall win of the season and gave Can-Am their first overall win since entering the motocross foray three years ago. Ever outspoken, Natalie humbly summed up the win.

"The weekend went really well for me here at Pleasure Valley" Natalie said. "I was able to grab Can-Am's first ever win in front of these amazing fans."

Natalie gets a thumbs up from a fan congratulating him on the overall win at Pleasure Valley Raceway July 4.

The next round of the ITP/Moose Racing AMA ATV Motocross Championship series heads to New York and historic Unadilla. The current points standings: 1. Josh Creamer (356); 2. Dustin Wimmer (331); 3. John Natalie Jr (281); 4. Josh Upperman (259); 5. Chad Wienen (258); 6. Thomas Brown (233); 7. Jeremy Lawson (207); 8. Patrick Brown (180); 9. Jeremie Warnia (179); 10. Nick A. Denoble (146).