2011 AMA ATV Pro Motocross Champion John Natalie To Defend Title at Series Opener in Georgia; Hetrick Joins Motoworks / Can-Am Team for 2012
Team Motoworks / Can-Am® DS 450™ Pro and 2011 AMA ATV Pro Motocross Champion John Natalie will defend his title at the season opener March 24-25, at Aonia Pass MX in Washington, Ga. Joining Natalie on the team is Joel Hetrick, who finished fifth overall and earned the 2011 AMA Pro Rookie of the Year.
“I feel very confident that John Natalie and Joel Hetrick and the entire Motoworks / Can-Am team, are well prepared to battle for the AMA Pro class title aboard their Can-Am ATVs,” said Jimmie O’Dell, Race Manager, Can-Am. “Our race team is extremely dedicated in the pursuit of another championship. We are blessed to have such talented, determined and committed riders and team personnel. I look forward to an exciting summer and another successful year of racing from this team.”
John Natalie is the reigning AMA ATV MX Pro Champion and will defend his title March 24, 2012, at the series opener in Georgia.
Natalie and Hetrick combined to win four of the 11 rounds and notch 11 Pro class podiums a season ago as competitors, but now they will be on the same side and pushing each other to even greater heights. Natalie rode the final four races of the season with a surgically repaired forearm, but will be coming into the 2012 season at full strength and looking to repeat as champion. Hetrick has been riding his No. 88 Can-Am DS 450 for the past few months and conditioning his body for the challenging 10-round AMA ATV MX series.
Joel Hetrick, the 2011 AMA ATV Pro Rookie of the Year, is a member of the Motoworks / Can-Am team in 2012. Image courtesy Joel Hetrick's Facebook.
BRP will provide nearly US $1.8 million to support its industry-leading Can-Am ATV and Side-By-Side Racing Contingency Program for the 2012 racing season. Amateur racers who compete aboard the Can-Am DS 450 EFI ATV will also continue to have unprecedented access to factory racing support with the new Can-Am X-Team DS 450 Racer Support Program and more racing series to choose from in 2012.
For more information on Can-Am racing, the entire 2012 schedule, the ’12 contingency program and Can-Am DS 450 ATV amateur racer support program, please visit www.can-amxteam.com.