RAPP RETURNS TO FORMULA 1 — JC GIBBS CROWNED CLUB CHAMP

You wouldn’t expect the fastest man in the history of Willow Springs International Raceway to have a chip on his shoulder. But racers like to win. So when AMA and MotoAmerica pro rider Steve Rapp showed up for the final round of the 2015 Moto West GP season, he had something to prove. “I was third place last time out, and that didn’t feel too good,” said Rapp of his motivation.

Of course, there was plenty of motivation to go around. Formula 1 points leader Aaron Ascher arrived at Willow Springs’ big track thoroughly motivated to take home the Championship crown. And Scott Tillery showed up just as eager to steal it right off his head.

But when the riders lined up for the final F1 race of the season the true boss of Willow Springs, as always, turned out to be the weather.

“People looked at me funny for having rain tires ready,” said Tillery. But then the whole paddock watched in surprise as a desert storm appeared out of the clear blue sky, pelting the track with a light rain that made it too treacherous for slicks, but without enough of a drenching for rain rubber. Fortunately, 30-mph winds pushed away the clouds and made the track ready to use after only a short delay.

Rapp was aggressive from the start, quickly pushing his Aprilia RSV-4 to the front. “He came out swingin’ pretty good,” commented Tillery, who tried desparately to latch his R. Tillery Powersports Kawasaki onto Rapp’s tail. Fabrice Vilder slotted into third on his Honda CBR1000RR, but was forced to watch the two leaders disappear in front of him. “I couldn’t stay with these guys,” Vilder said afterward of Rapp and Tillery. “But it’s always an honor to race with Steve, and Scott was solid as ever.”

Further back, Aaron Ascher got stuck battling with a buzzy Yamaha R6 piloted by a terrier-like Zach Harrington. The points leader was likely aware that if he got stuck in fifth and Tillery went on to win, he would lose the F1 crown, so Ascher used his liter-bike grunt to put Harrington firmly behind him.

In the end it wasn’t necessary — “I was watching Rapp slowly just disappear,” sighed Tillery afterward. With Tillery off the top step, Aaron Ascher finally claimed the Formula 1 Championship crown he’d been working towards all season.

But Steve Rapp’s dominant win sounds a warning call for the class. Asked if he’d be back next year Rapp answered with a grin, “Well, I’ve got my bike now, and Dunlop’s helping me out, I’ve got my friends here…we all come out together, it makes it a lot more fun. So I can see that happening.”

Racers take notice — The 2016 season already promises to be a barn-burner.

PLATES UP FOR GRABS

Scott Tillery didn’t actually appear on the Formula 1 podium to hoist his second place trophy — the series’ Michelin tire vendor immediately hopped onto his wife’s Kawasaki Ninja-300R and rode back out to contest the Ultra Lightweight Cup class. “Oh my God, I haven’t had that intense of a race…” exclaimed Tillery after his battle among the small bores. “I really enjoyed it”.

In all Tillery entered 10 races throughout the day – merely the most ambitious out of a number of riders’ attempts to capitalize on the Double Points Season Finale to grab a top ranking in the club’s Overall Championship battle.

Ultimately it was JC Gibbs who secured the Moto West GP Number 1 plate with dominant victories across five classes on his Octane-backed machines. Congratulations JC!

NOVICES STEP UP!

After a hotly contested season, Moto West GP’s fastest Novice racers will take their fight to the Expert classes in 2016. This year saw some formidable talent in both the Heavyweight and Middleweight ranks, with lap times around Willow’s Big Track dipping down nearly to the mid-1:20s — impressive speed that brought a heap of trophies to the front runners.

Moto West GP congratulates Heavyweight Champion Rigo Soto, along with Angelo Ghiglieri and Carlos Moreno, and Middleweight Champion Tanner Giao, along with Kyle Cannon and Soon Thai, on their epic Novice seasons. We expect big things from these racers as Experts next year!

NEXT SEASON IS AROUND THE CORNER
After listening to racer feedback, Moto West Grand Prix has a number of changes planned for next year’s series that will make the competition even better! Stay tuned for details on the 2016 race season, and check in at www.motowestgp.com or our stream at www.facebook.com/MotoWestGP for the lastest updates.

Results

GT Expert Open Saturday

1. Timothy Chin
2. Henrik von Buttlar
3. Larry Sprock
4. Albert Andrade
5. Brent Rusk
6. Tony Radford

GT Expert Middleweight Saturday

1. Kory Cowan
2. Eric Anderson

Run What Ya Brung

1. Chalee Siengthai
2. Harry Leitner

Novice Middleweight Saturday

1. Soon Thai
2. Kyle Cannon
3. Daniel Estey-Ang
4. Thomas Babcock
5. Rayme Jelski
6. Mark Zuelke

Novice Heavyweight Saturday

1. Rigo Soto
2. Carlos Moreno
3. Angelo Ghiglieri
4. Alejandro Vargas
5. Ken Rose
6. Walter Crespo

Novice Lightweight Saturday

1. Rick Oliver
2. Ulises Loucel

600 Superbike

1. Kory Cowan
2. Zach Harrington
3. Keir Leonhardt
4. Jon Neeter
5. Eric Anderson

Open Supersport

1. Steve Rapp
2. Scott Tillery
3. Larry Sprock
4. Albert Andrade

Novice Lightweight Heat A

1. Rick Oliver
2. Ulises Loucel

Vintage Lightweight

1. JC Gibbs
2. Clinton Whitehouse
3. Marc Rittner
4. Lloyd Johnson

Formula 50

1. Henrik von Buttlar
2. Bob Setbacken
3. Richard Sadler
4. Rocky Caceres

Formula 40 Middle Weight

1. JC Gibbs
2. Alex Eisner
3. Eric Anderson

600 Super Sport

1. Keir Leonhardt
2. Jon Neeter

Formula 40 Heavyweight

1. Henrik von Buttlar
2. Aaron Ascher

750 Superstock

1. Shaun Sauer
2. JC Gibbs
3. Jon Neeter

Open Superstock

1. Fabrice Vilder
2. Zach Harrington
3. Aaron Ascher
4. Richard Sadler

Novice Middleweight Heat A

1. Daniel Estey-Ang
2. Kyle Cannon
3. Thomas Babcock
4. Hugo Ayala
5. Rayme Jelski

Novice Heavyweight Heat A

1. Rigo Soto
2. Carlos Moreno
3. Angelo Ghiglieri
4. Jose Revelo
5. Barry Gates
6. Ken Rose

GT Expert Middleweight

1. Keir Leonhardt

GT Expert Open

1. Larry Sprock
2. Henrik von Buttlar

BOTT Lightweight

1. David Garner
2. Andrew Yzabal
3. Clinton Whitehouse

250 GP

1. John Ulrich
2. Peter Le
3. Andy Edwards

Formula 1 by Motoyard and Aerostar Insurance

1. Steve Rapp
2. Scott Tillery
3. Fabrice Vilder
4. Aaron Ascher
5. Zach Harrington

Ultra LW Cup

1. James Yu
2. Mike Ripley
3. Scott Tillery
4. Tony Serra

Novice Middleweight Heat B

1. Daniel Estey-Ang
2. Kyle Cannon
3. Soon Thai
4. Rayme Jelski
5. Hugo Ayala

Novice Heavyweight Heat B

1. Rigo Soto
2. Carlos Moreno
3. Angelo Ghiglieri
4. Barry Gates
5. Ken Rose
6. Alejandro Vargas

750 Superbike

1. Kory Cowan
2. Jon Neeter

Open Superbike

1. Scott Tillery
2. Fabrice Vilder
3. Aaron Ascher
4. Zach Harrington

650 Lightweight Twins

1. David Garner

Bracket B (1:29:999)

1. Albert Andrade
2. Jon Neeter

Formula Open Twins

1. Bob Setbacken

Formula Lightweight Twins by West Coast GP Cycles

1. David Garner
2. Andrew Yzabal

GT Expert Ultra Lightweight

1. Rafael Revelo
2. James Yu
3. Mike Ripley

GT Expert Lightweight

1. David Garner
2. Monte Izatt