When the 2011 AMA ATV Motocross National Championship by DWT began everyone had dreams of winning the championship. One rider said that it was his championship and if anyone wanted it they had to take it. What some may have said was against all odds made his dreams a reality. This week we speak with the newly crowned AMA Pro ATV Champ John Natalie.
Photo By: Jen Kenyon
Nataie got the major spotlight of the night amongst the top motocross racers in the world in Cali
John Natalie: Not too much just hauling some furniture around and getting some dozer parts.
Are you building a new practice track?
Nah not right now. We've been grading some property and I have been doing some concrete work. Lots of concrete work! The only time I have ridden the bike is when we went to Montreal for the Supercross.
So it's been kind of a vacation from the ATV since the season is over?
Yeah. I kind of kicked back and relaxed for a little while then I had to kick it in high gear to get caught up on some stuff. We poured concrete for like two weeks straight and built a barn for my parents. We did some things around our house and the last three days we have been working from sun up to sun down grading my property getting it ready to build a new house.
You mentioned the Montreal race. How was that?
We had some bike issues in the one practice so we didn't really get to practice and went out in the qualifier and battled it out with (Josh) Creamer for a little bit but I just couldn't get around him. I ran him down and caught him but I couldn't get round him. The track up there was horrible this year. It was real narrow and they had 18 quads on the track and it was tough.
In the main I come out and got crashed in the hole shot and came out around last somewhere and we moved all the way up to second. Then in the lap traffic Cody Miller snuck around so I ended up getting 3rd. We got the podium though. It wasn't bad and I think that if I had not crashed might have won it. But that happens (crashing) and it's part of racing.
Photo By: Jen Kenyon
A hard fought championship came down to the final races at Loretta's
Oh it's all right, I mean it's really sore. I got to go get it checked out. I think something is wrong with the plate in there it's a lot of fluid and stuff on it. So I have got to make an appointment probably next week some time when we can slow down with the house some time.
Whoa! It sounds like it is an ongoing issue?
Oh yeah! It's been an issue it seems like almost all year. It was hard to hold on and everything. You know the pain in it and the swelling around it would cause arm pump in my right arm. It was tough and I wasn't able to train. I had to take time off to try to allow it to heal as much as possible. I had to what I could do to win the championship.
Now that you have had a couple of months to let it all soak in, what is it like to finally get that second championship?
It's great but that's over and I am already looking forward to the next one. The day after I got home from the race we started looking at things we needed to do like the bike to make it better and the things I needed to do for training to make it better and how to make it through next year without getting kicked by horses and all that kind of stuff. (Laughs)
I would suppose you have things lined up for next year?
Basically. I mean we don't have anything signed yet but it's all verbal. I was supposed to fly out to California this coming Tuesday but some things came up and now I can't but it's just a matter of time before we get everything solved. Can Am was really excited to win the championship. And like I said before, I think I was more excited to win it for them than to win it myself.
Especially since you have been with them since they began in motocross basically.
I was one of the first ones racer wise to even ride the DS-450 and I kind of feel like it is part my creation too. Every year, everything that we have said to them they have gotten done. But these guys are not perfect and they know everybody makes mistakes and they just got the problems fixed.
It must be a great sense of accomplishment with all that you have acheived with Can Am. I mean basically being able to help create a machine and take it to fruition and win the championship on it?
Yes definitely. Can Am already has some of my bikes displayed. It is the one that I won my very first moto on. They also have the one I won my first over all on and they will have the one that I won the championship on too soon. Plus on top of that I am going to end up being in the museum and a part of the legacy.
The Can-Am team celebrates Natalie's Championship
How about that last round of the championship at Loretta's? I mean that was nothing short of intense.
It was definitely intense. I mean looking back at the beginning of the year we thought we would have it sowed up mid way through the season or at least not till the very end of the season. But you know I had some issues with injuries and some gremlins plaguing the bike. Then going into the last round I really made it exciting by trying to play it smart the first moto running behind Hetrick I caught up and then decided to stay there. Basically take a second in the first moto and win the second is a win and a good way to end the championship.
The second moto though going into the second turn I had that crash. When I got up I had tears in my eyes because I thought my season was done right there. I never thought I would be able to pick myself up and jump back on the bike and pass all the way up to eighth, which is where I needed to finish to win the title. Then I was able to actually pass all the way up to third for that moto.
I guess that is one of the reasons they call you the "Ironman".
Well you know every since I was growing up it was instilled in me to never give up. I don't know if you have ever seen the picture of a crane (the bird) with a from hanging out of it's mouth and arms are out with his hands wrapped around the cranes neck. The caption says "Never Give Up!" Basically that is the philosophy of my life. Not for just racing but really for anything in life. Anytime you ever give up it's too soon so just never give up till you get what you want.
Very well said!
John had plenty more to say and next week we will share the rest of the story where the champ talks about the upcoming talent and life after racing.
