Roadracingworld.com’s Chris Ulrich held off a charging Karl Lowry to take the win in the headlining Formula One race at the Willow Springs Motorcycle Club season-ending event on a cold and breezy Sunday.

Ulrich, an AMA Superbike regular, showed up with crew chief Rick Kress and a Dunlop-shod 2009 Suzuki GSX-R1000 in AMA Superbike trim; with only Saturday and Sunday morning to get the bike to work at track he hadn’t been ridden it at before, Ulrich managed to dip into the 1:20 range during the 12-lap, 30-mile race.

“I’ve never felt that I’ve gotten the best out of Willow Springs before,” Ulrich said from the top of the podium. “For the first time, I’m leaving Willow Springs with a smile. It’s a great way to start the off-season.”

At the start, it was Lowry on his Graves Motorsports-backed Yamaha YZF-R1 into the lead. For most of the season, Lowry had watched Jeffrey Tigert and Jeremy Toye take win after win in Formula One on Superbike-spec machines as he raced his Superstock YZF-R1 in the open-class event. But this weekend, Lowry showed up with an engine built by Jerry Daggett and he was quick, leading the first lap before Tigert and then Ulrich pushed past.

In previous months, the Formula One leaders would get past Lowry and then clear off. Not this month. Lowry hung tight as Ulrich caught and then shadowed Tigert, Ulrich sizing up six-time Formula One winner Tigert for a pass. In the process, Ulrich ran a 1:20.991, his fastest lap ever at Willow and the fastest lap of the event on race tires.

But the three-way battle for the lead ended when Tigert, who had already sealed the Formula One Championship, pulled in after the halfway flags flew to put on a softer rear tire and chase the Formula One lap record.

Lowry chased Ulrich as the laps wound down. On the last lap, Lowry, who is very fast through and out of the long right-handed Turn Two, made a run at Ulrich going into Turn Three, but Ulrich held Lowry off and won by 0.364-second.

Tigert rejoined the race a lap down and did set a new Formula One class lap record, although the 1:20.186 lap time was slower than the 1:19 laps he had run in practice in September, and slower than Toye in practice on that same September day. Tigert’s results Sunday, including a win in Open Superbike on his Catalyst Reaction/Cyclemall-backed, Dunlop-shod CBR1000RR, also clinched the 2009 WSMC Overall Championship and the Number One plate that goes with it.

AMA Superbike regular Reno Karimian and his Cyclemall/Bandit Racing-backed Suzuki GSX-R1000 finished third, about 18 seconds back, barely edging out Chris Duran. Matt Quigley, Eric Nolan, Jason Turner, Bengt Brakstad and Tigert rounded out the finishers. Ulrich had finished third in Open Superbike earlier, while Lowry won in 600cc Modified Production and Superstock. Matt Quigley won the Open Superstock and Open Modified races.

WSMC Nov. 14-15, 2009 Willow Springs International Raceway Rosamond, California Official Results As Provided By WSMC Listed In Chronological Order

FORMULA 2: 1. Terry Heard (Kaw ZX-6R) 2. Frank Gray (Suz GSX-R600) 3. Christopher Boileau (Suz GSX-R600) 4. Graham Faulknor (Yam YZF-R6) 5. Kyle Intermuehle (Kaw ZX-6R) 6. Vincent Rolleri (Yam TZ250)

FORMULA TWINS LIGHTWEIGHT: 1. Jeffrey Tigert (Kaw 650R) 2. Bradley Adams (Kaw 650R) 3. Chris Speights (Kaw 650R) 4. Joey Calanni (Suz SV650) 5. Marcus Chamberlin (Suz SV650) 6. Charles Fathy (Suz SV650)

500cc SUPERSTOCK: 1. Brian Herzfeldt (Hon NSR250) 2. Eric Orr (Yam FZR400) 3. Richard Barnett (Apr RS250) 4. Mike DeJohn (Kaw 250R)

SPORT TIRE SERVICES 600cc SUPERSTOCK: 1. Karl Lowry (Yam YZF-R6) 2. Brian Schiff (Yam YZF-R6) 3. Chris Duran (Yam YZF-R6) 4. Jeremy Simmons (Yam YZF-R6) 5. Terry Heard (Kaw ZX-6R) 6. Leo Bagnis

RACEBIKERENTALS.COM NINJA CUP (all on Kawasaki Ninja 250R): 1. Richard Barnett 2. Wes Totsubo 3. Rickey Herd 4. Josh Fogle 5. Mike DeJohn 6. Brian Bourgeois

FORMULA SINGLES: 1. Daniel Beck (Yam YZ450F) 2. Mike Blankenship 3. Cody Burton (MZ) 4. Richard Downer (KTM)

ANTELOPE VALLEY HARLEY-DAVIDSON 500cc SINGLES: 1. Jim Chaconas (Buell) 2. David Ortiz (Buell) 3. Ernest Snair (Buell) 4. James Provencher (Buell)

HYPERCYCLES TRACK DAYS NOVICE LIGHTWEIGHT: 1. Casey Kinders (Yam FZR400) 2. Mark Duncan (Yam FZR400) 3. Fabrizio Mascioni (Yam FZR400) 4. David Magee 5. Josiah Rundall 6. Ryan O’Neill (Duc)

HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS: 1. Eric Nolan (Duc) 2. Rick May (Duc) 3. Tyler Purcell (Duc) 4. Kenny Kopecky (Duc) 5. Sherwick Min (Duc) 6. Alex Esquivel (Duc)

500cc MODIFIED PRODUCTION: 1. Brian Herzfeldt (Yam FZR400) 2. Eric Orr (Yam FZR400) 3. Josh Fogle (Kaw 250R) 4. Mike DeJohn (Kaw 250R)

CYCLEMALL RACE TIRE SERVICES OPEN SUPERBIKE: 1. Jeffrey Tigert (Hon CBR1000RR) 2. Karl Lowry (Yam YZF-R1) 3. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000) 4. Reno Karimian (Suz GSX-R1000) 5. Matt Quigley (Kaw ZX-10R) 6. Chris Duran (Yam YZF-R1)

CATALYST REACTION SUSPENSION TUNING 750cc SUPERSTOCK: 1. Ken Kramer (Suz GSX-R750) 2. Frank Gray (Suz GSX-R750) 3. Ryan Gagliano (Suz GSX-R750) 4. Travis Westermeyer (Suz GSX-R750) 5. Graham Faulknor (Yam YZF-R6) 6. Alan Llenado (Suz GSX-R750)

ROADRACINGWORLD.COM 250cc GRAND PRIX: 1. Ryan Matter (Hon RS250R) 2. Alex White (Yam TZ250) 3. John Ulrich (Yam TZ250) 4. Jamie Lenore (Hon RS250R) 5. Peter Esquivel (Yam TZ250) 6. Theis Corneliussen (Hon RS250R)

2-STROKE PRODUCTION: 1. Brian Herzfeldt (Hon NSR250) 2. Warren Spradlin Jr. (Yam RZ350) 3. Richard Barnett (Apr RS250)

FORMULA 40 HEAVYWEIGHT: 1. Bengt Brakstad (Yam YZF-R1) 2. Richard Sadler (Suz GSX-R1000) 3. Frank Laster (Hon CBR1000RR) 4. Sherwick Min (Duc) 5. Anthony D’Augusta (Suz GSX-R1000) 6. John Perry (Duc)

TRACK RIDERS TAX SERVICE FORMULA 50: 1. Rick May (Duc) 2. Chris Grabau (Suz GSX-R) 3. Stephen Hewitt (Hon CBR600RR) 4. David Molitor (Suz GSX-R1000) 5. David McLarty (Suz GSX-R) 6. Steve Slaughter (Buell)

FORMULA 40 LIGHTWEIGHT: 1. Jim Small (Kaw) 2. Mark Hill (Kaw ZX-6R) 3. Henry Clancy (Yam YZF-R6) 4. Tania Davidson (Yam YZF-R6) 5. Lloyd Johnson (Duc) 6. Richard Stampp

TRACK DAZ 650cc SUPERBIKE: 1. Chris Duran (Yam YZF-R6) 2. Sean Uryu (Suz GSX-R600) 3. Leo Bagnis 4. Jeremy Simmons (Yam YZF-R6) 5. Melissa Paris (Yam YZF-R6) 6. Sander Donkers (Hon CBR600RR)

FORMULA TWINS HEAVYWEIGHT: 1. Shawn Higbee (Buell 1125R) 2. Eric Nolan (Duc) 3. Rick May (Duc) 4. Tyler Purcell (Duc) 5. Sherwick Min (Duc) 6. Steve Slaughter (Buell)

550cc SUPERBIKE: 1. Bradley Adams (Kaw 650R) 2. Tige Danne (Kaw 650R) 3. Chris Speights (Kaw 650R) 4. Joey Calanni (Suz SV650) 5. Marcus Chamberlin (Suz SV650) 6. Charles Fathy (Suz SV650)

RACER’S EDGE/PRECEPTS MOTORSPORTS OPEN SUPERSTOCK: 1. Matt Quigley (Kaw ZX-10R) 2. Chris Duran (Yam YZF-R1) 3. Mike Scherer (Suz GSX-R1000) 4. Greg Nulman 5. Anthony D’Augusta (Suz GSX-R1000)

PRIVATEER’S GARAGE 750cc MODIFIED PRODUCTION: 1. Ken Kramer (Suz GSX-R750) 2. Sean Uryu (Suz GSX-R750) 3. Frank Gray (Suz GSX-R750) 4. Ryan Gagliano (Suz GSX-R750) 5. Christopher Boileau (Suz GSX-R750) 6. David Ortiz (Duc)

125cc GRAND PRIX: 1. Barrett Meeker (Hon RS125) 2. Andrew Artola (Hon RS125) 3. Joel Manes (Yam TZ125) 4. John Fabijanic (Hon RS125)

VINTAGE HEAVYWEIGHT: 1. Charles Burnett (Hon Hawk) 2. Jim Dobson (Hon) 3. Lloyd Johnson (Duc) 4. Warren Spradlin Jr. (Yam RZ350)

LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS: 1. Michael Gougis (Suz SV500) 2. Daniel Beck (Yam YZ450F) 3. Mike Blankenship 4. Cody Burton (Mz) 5. Josh Fogle (Kaw 250R) 6. Mike DeJohn (Kaw 250R)

TOYOTA GOLD CUP UNLIMITED FORMULA 1: 1. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000) 2. Karl Lowry (Yam YZF-R1) 3. Reno Karimian (Suz GSX-R1000) 4. Chris Duran (Yam YZF-R1) 5. Matt Quigley (Kaw ZX-10R) 6. Eric Nolan (Duc) 7. Jason Turner (Hon CBR1000RR) 8. Bengt Brakstad (Yam YZF-R1) 9. Jeffrey Tigert (Hon CBR1000RR)

HYPERCYCLE TRACK DAYS NOVICE HEAVYWEIGHT: 1. David Kennedy (Kaw ZX-10R) 2. Chris Gaitos (Suz GSX-R1000) 3. Steve Radenbaugh 4. Douglas Hay (Duc) 5. Gary Orr (BMW) 6. Todd Larson (Kaw ZX-10R)

HYPERCYCLE TRACK DAYS NOVICE MIDDLEWEIGHT: 1. Kevin Roche (Hon CBR600RR) 2. Todd Grice (Yam YZF-R6) 3. Jet Alvarez 4. Jason Zambanini (Suz GSX-R600) 5. William Pena 6. Vittorio Fabregas

L&L MOTORSPORTS 600cc MODIFIED PRODUCTION: 1. Karl Lowry (Yam YZF-R6) 2. Chris Duran (Yam YZF-R6) 3. Brian Schiff (Yam YZF-R6) 4. Jeremy Simmons (Yam YZF-R6) 5. Sean Uryu (Suz GSX-R600) 6. Christopher Boileau (Suz GSX-R600)

CT RACING MIDDLEWEIGHT TWINS: 1. Tyler Purcell (Duc) 2. David Ortiz (Duc) 3. Chris Speights (Kaw 650R) 4. Charles Fathy (Suz SV650) 5. Albert Garcia (Suz SV650) 6. Steve Slaughter (Buell)

VINTAGE LIGHTWEIGHT: 1. Sean Fader (Duc)

660cc SINGLES: 1. Mike Blankenship 2. Cody Burton (MZ) 3. Richard Downer (KTM)

PEAK PERFORMANCE MOTORCYCLES OPEN MODIFIED PRODUCTION: 1. Matt Quigley (Kaw ZX-10R) 2. Eric Nolan (Duc) 3. Chris Grabau (Suz GSX-R1000) 4. Mike Scherer (Suz GSX-R1000) 5. Rick May (Duc) 6. Matt Cosumano

VP RACING FUELS 750cc SUPERBIKE: 1. Ken Kramer (Suz GSX-R750) 2. Frank Gray (Suz GSX-R750) 3. Christopher Boileau (Suz GSX-R600) 4. Sean Uryu (Suz GSX-R600) 5. Ryan Gagliano (Suz GSX-R750) 6. Jacob West