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Showdown at Englishtown
Team Yoshimura Suzuki Rider Doug Gust is 2006
WPSA Champion
  Englishtown,
NJ -- August 20, 2006 -- It all came down
to the last lap in the last race of the WPSA Power Sports ATV Series
Championship. The Super Quad 450 Pro
Division had been a four-way contest
between Gust, Jones, Natalie and Wimmer
until injuries took out Jones and
Natalie. But with the ESPN cameras
capturing every nail-biting moment, it
was just a couple of quad lengths that
separated the two would-be champions.
Coming out of Round Eight, Gust was just
hanging on to the lead by one point. This was a
make it or break it weekend for Team Yoshimura
Suzuki. Saturday's race found Gust trailing Wimmer throughout the race and at the checkers
--
two points down.
Sunday morning dawned and the two nervous
dirt gladiators won their first heats. Still
two points down, Gust and Wimmer had a dress
rehearsal for the main event when WPSA matched
them up for the second heat race. Gust took the
win with Wimmer in second - one point down.
Whichever rider won the main event would walk
away with the crown.
For Gust and Wimmer the afternoon was
torturous as they had to survive the time warp
until the main event. Doug commented on this
later: "Dustin mentioned how nervous he was,
but even with all my experience, I was really
nervous, too."
 The race began in true Hollywood tradition -
the 19 year old up and comer vs the 39 year old
tried and true veteran. "I was racing quads
before Dustin was even born," Gust quipped after
the race. With at least a dozen cameras zoomed
in, Gust and Wimmer swapped leads thoughout the
entire race -- in one single lap there were three
instances of one overtaking the other. The fans
cheered as they watched a race that turned from
man vs boy into man vs man. The win came down
to only a few quad lengths with Gust coming out
victorious.
"This Championship is one of the sweetest
ever," Gust said later at the awards ceremony.
"Dustin is a great competitor and I just
happened to come out on top today. It's safe to
say though that Dustin Wimmer has arrived."
At the awards ceremony, Gust dedicated his
win to teammate Jeremiah Jones. The announcer
was able to put through a live cell phone call
from Jones at the Louisville, KY rehabilitation
facility who congratulated Doug on his win. With Jeremiah's help, Suzuki received the
WPSA Manufacturer's Award for 2006.
"I am really proud of both Jeremiah and Doug
this year," Team Manager Wayne Hinson boasted.?
"They are two fine men with a lot of talent and
heart."
Yoshimura support rider Russell Schumaker was
also named Amateur Athlete of the Year and
received the "A" Class Championship as well as
runner up in the Pro-Am Division. Schumaker is
another up and coming rider who will be a force
to be reckoned with in the future.
Team Suzuki/Yoshimura Programs Partners
American Suzuki - Yoshimura R&D of America -
Hinson Clutch Components - Dunlop Tires - Motul
- Fox Racing Shox - Galfer -
AC Racing - BMC Filters - Tag - Regina - RPM -
Walsh Racecraft - Quad Tech - Douglas Wheel -
Motion Pro - Precision Steering Stabilizer - VP
Fuels - Mechanix Wear - Pro Design
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