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By: Vicki Eaton
MillCreek 2009 ATVA
MX National Championship Women’s Pro Am
Millcreek MX Park in Pell City, Alabama
hosted Round 2 of the AMA ATV Motocross
Championship of 2009, the first round that the
amateur racing actually begins.
This year starting in the Pro Am Women’s
Class, Heather Byrd will defend her championship
title once again. Michelle Natalie is back along
with Adrienne Cooper. I had a chance to speak
with Adrienne Cooper while she was training in
Florida. She starts off her day of training with
a trip to the gym for a few hours and then heads
out to the track to ride for the rest of the day
5-6 days a week. It’s nice to see Adrienne
Cooper back in the saddle this year looking good
at Friday’s practice.
Jamie Jones is back along with Michelle Suciu,
Emily Young, and Jessica Doherty. Jessica
“Shorty” Doherty has been out for a few years
after a very serious injury in Florida in 2007.
It’s good to see her back on the track.
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Moto 1 Heather Byrd takes the holeshot with
Michelle Natalie tracking behind her in second
place. Heather and Michelle are in a race of
their own with a few seconds gap between them
and third place which falls to Michelle Suciu.
Adrienne Cooper passes Michelle Suciu in the
second lap and starts to leave a gap between
Suciu and Jones. Jamie Jones is battling it out
with Michelle Suciu. Jamie Jones tries several
times to pass Michelle Suciu and finally does on
the fourth lap and holds it to the checkered
flag. Meanwhile, Jessica Doherty, on the start
of the second lap, goes to hit the step up at
the finish line; ends up coming off her bike and
tumbling down the other side of the jump.
Doherty gets up and walks over to her bike and
gets back on it. She does a half a lap and pulls
off. Heather Byrd takes the win for the first
moto followed by: Michelle Natalie, Adrienne
Cooper, Jamie Jones, Michelle Suciu, and Emily
Young.
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Moto 2: Heather Byrd takes the holeshot once
again with Michelle Natalie battling all the way
up the hill sticking to Byrd’s bumper for a
short while until Byrd starts to pull away.
Michelle seems to be faster this year but just
not fast enough to pass the champ. Yet, Michelle
runs a faster lap time on the second moto than
Heather runs. Heather’s fastest lap time was a
1:39, Michelle’s fastest lap time was 1:38; and
if Michelle could keep that speed for a few
laps, she would have a good chance of taking the
lead. Adrienne Cooper takes third in the
holeshot and stays there till the checkered flag
with no pressure from anyone. Back in fourth we
had another battle with Jones and Suciu. Suciu
holds off Jones till the checkered flag with
only tenths of a second lead. Jessica Doherty
did not start the second moto due to a wrist
injury she received from the wreck in the first
moto. Emily Young finished sixth in both races.
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