Few Tops Hurtado at Arroyo Seco Raceway

Few Bounces Back to Challenge Defending Champ Hurtado

David Hurtado’s pass didn’t stick this time around in Formula Arroyo, the 12-lap premier race for the Expert class, sponsored by Evan Steel Performance. The third round of ASMA racing Sunday, May 3, at Arroyo Seco Raceway, in Deming, New Mexico, began with Hurtado cruising to victory in the Unlimited Superstock sponsored by Kurvey Girl, but Thibault Few fought back to claim his first win in the Formula Arroyo and cut reigning champion Hurtado’s lead to nine points.

Last-minute tire issues resulted in Hurtado missing the qualification, which placed him at the back of the starting grid, six positions behind pole-sitter Few. Having the reputation for being a poor starter, Hurtado surprised all when the green flag was raised. “I had a decent start,”Hurtado said. “(I) had to play catch up, but if I’d been up front, I’d have left him (Few).”

Hurtado and his Suzuki GSX-R1000 wove through traffic and climbed into second place by the start of the second lap. Two laps later, Hurtado’s faster cornering speeds closed the gap to within two seconds of Few and his Kawasaki ZX-10R.

With three laps remaining, Hurtado passed Few in the Yucca, a tight left-hander just before the right-bending Horseshoe. In a post-race interview Few claimed to have begun the race on used tires. “I didn’t have confidence in the front tire,” Few said, “and transitioned late flipping the bike into Yucca.”

Last round, when attempting a pass on Hurtado on the back straight, Few’s brakes failed and sent him plowing through the infield. Few had to settle for third as his off-roading endeavor late in the race provided an unsurmountable gap between him and the first two positions. But with a new master cylinder this round, Few had only used tires and Hurtado to contend with. “The ZX-10 has superior speed down the straights,” said Few. “But David (Hurtado) would eat away at me in the corners.”

On his approach to the waving white flag, Few’s top-end advantage did prove key as he passed Hurtado on the back straight and crossed the checkered first with Hurtado only half a second behind. Although Hurtado finished in second place, he did clinch the fastest lap at 1:09.282, which topped Few’s 1:09.403.

The Formula Amateur sponsored by Speedcell, the 12-lap amateur class premier race, was not contended by young talent Sean Ungvarsky, due to a prior injury in a non-race incident. However, Lorenzo Thomas seemed keen to play the role of spoiler as he rode harder than ever and gave series leader Dan Dickerman a run for his money.

Unable to shake Thomas and his Kawasaki ZX-6R from his rear tire, Dickerman was finally passed in the Yucca on the fifth lap, but Dickerman’s Yamaha YZF-R6 had more drive in the straights and he retook the lead three laps later on the back straight. Only a few moments later did Thomas fight back as he set up for a pass in the 111R, a tight 90-degree bend, but contact with Dickerman’s rear tire resulted in a high side for Thomas and the day’s only red flag.

Fortunately, Thomas sustained only minor injury and slight cosmetic damage to his ZX-6R, though he did not rejoin the grid for the remaining five laps. After the restart, Dickerman coasted to victory with an eight-second gap over Roberto Reynoso. Fastest lap times were 1:13.917 for Dickerman, 1:15.385 for Reynoso, and 1:13.993 for Thomas.

Race Results for Round Two at Arroyo Seco Raceway

Amateur Unlimited Superstock

1. Dan Dickerman (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Roberto Reynoso (Hon CBR1000RR)

3. Dan Junick (BMW S1000RR)

4. Daniel Berger (Tri 675)

5. Bill Yelverton (Hon CB600RR)

Expert Unlimited Superstock

1. David Hurtado (Suz GSX-R1000)

2. Thibault Few (Kaw ZX-10R)

3. Ken Murray (Yam YZF-R6)

Beginner

1. Alan Dieguez (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. Brian Michelson (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Stacy Norman (Kaw ZX-6R)

4. Anthony Ortiz (Suz GSXR600)

5. Lynell Richardson (Kaw ZX-6R)

6. Jake Herzog (Hon CBR600RR)

Formula 40

1. Greg Talbot (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Ken Murray (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Phil Allison (Kaw ZX-6R)

4. Dan Junick (BMW S1000RR)

5. Bill Yelverton (Hon CBR600RR)

Amateur Middleweight Superstock

1. Dan Dickerman (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Lorenzo Thomas (Kaw ZX-6R)

3. Bill Yelverton (Hon CBR-600RR)

4. Brian Michelson (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Jake Herzog (Hon CBR600RR)

Expert Middleweight Superstock

1. Ben Alarcon (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Greg Talbot (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Alex Thompson (Yam YZF-R6)

Lightweight Superbike

1. Alan Dye (Suz 650)

2. Leif Munson (Kaw 250)

3. Loren Jury (Kaw 250)

Ultra Lightweight Superbike

1. Leif Munson (Kaw 250)

2. Dan Junick (Kaw 250)

3. Loren Jury (Kaw 250)

Formula Amateur

1. Dan Dickerman (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Roberto Reynoso (Hon CBR1000RR)

3. Dan Junick (BMW S1000RR)

4. Alan Dieguez (Kaw ZX-6R)

5. Bill Yelverton (Hon CBR1000RR)

6. Stacy Norman (Kaw ZX-6R)

Formula Arroyo

1.Thibault Few (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. David Hurtado (Suz GSX-R1000)

3. Ben Alarcon (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Greg Talbot (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Alex Thompson (Yam YZF-R6)

6. Ken Murray (Yam YZF-R6)

Amateur Middleweight Superbike

1. Dan Dickerman (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Bill Yelverton (Hon CBR600RR)

3. Jake Herzog (Hon CBR600RR)

Expert Middleweight Superbike

1. Ben Alarcon (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Greg Talbot (Yam YZF-R6)

3. Ken Murray (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Alex Thompson

Sportsman Cup

1. Daniel Berger (Tri 675)

2. Leif Munson (Kaw 250)

3. Loren Jury (Kaw 250)

Amateur Unlimited Superbike

1. Dan Dickerman (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Dan Junick (BMW S1000RR)

3. Bill Yelverton (Hon CBR1000RR)

Expert Unlimited Superbike

1. Thibault Few (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. Greg Talbot (Yam YZF-R6)