High winds at High Plains USGPRU heads to Colorado to race with the MRA The USGPRU racers were treated to a new venue as they headed out to join the MRA at the brand new High Plains raceway this past weekend. High winds, storms, and dust added to the already technically challenging new circuit, and it all resulted in an action-packed weekend for the racers and corner workers alike. The Honda powered Moriwaki MD250H class kicked off the qualifying with a bit of excitement and panic. During the 15-minute session, it was discovered that young Ryan Matter did not have a transponder mounted on his bike. Ryan came into the pits, secured a transponder and had just enough to fire off one hot lap. And wow what a lap it was! He set the fastest time of the session to claim pole position. Joining Matter on the front was Jake Lewis and Garrett Gerloff. As is typical with Moriwaki racing action, the racers were nose-to-tail with Lewis leading the field into turn one. The winds began to howl, and drafting proved to be even more valuable going down the back straight. Matter and Lewis swapped the lead every lap while slowly breaking away from an intense four-way battle for third. Hayden Gillim, Stefano Mesa, Lex Hartl and Garrett Gerloff showed how close spec motorcycles can race as they changed positions numerous times per lap. Several times seventh place would move into third. This intense battle raged on until lap 7 when Mesa crashed in turn eight. That turn would claim another victim as Gillim crashed in the same place, two laps later. Garrett Gerloff, who had been able to hold down third for the past few times across the start/finish line, also crashed on lap nine. His crash would move Hartl into third. The two out front, Matter and Lewis continued to swap the lead position until Matter spectacularly high-sided in turn fourteen with just two laps to go. Lewis stayed upright and rode uncontested for the rest of the 12-lap event. Hartl inherited second while Grayson Gerloff took his first podium with a third place finish. The race was truly a battle of attrition. The Pilot USA 125GP qualifying showed that Jake Lewis was on his game. He snagged the top spot by more than four tenths of a second over crafty veteran racer Nobi Iso. Ryan Matter, Lex Hartl and Garrett Gerloff completed the top five. Iso, piloting his Aprilia RSW125, took to the lead at the start. He clearly wanted to make an early getaway. But Lewis sat right on his rear wheel with Gerloff, Matter and Hartl tucked in behind. As the laps went on, Iso slowly pulled out a lead, and was seemingly on his way to a dominant victory. The field spread out with Lewis in second and Gerloff aboard his Moriwaki in third. The fourth place scrap intensified between Matter and Hartl as they rode nose-to-tail. Working lap eight, Hartl and Matter made contact with each other and both crashed in the treacherous turn eight. That incident catapulted Cameron Gish and Stephano Mesa into fourth and fifth respectively. John Hjelm, who missed the warm up lap and started from pit road, was on a mission and worked his way into sixth by lap eight. Two laps later, High Plains struck again, this time the victim was the race leader Iso. He tucked the front end of his Aprilia and crashed in turn ten. Lewis, again staying out of trouble, cruised to his second victory of the day. Moving up in the order was Gerloff, Gish, Mesa and Hjelm coming home in fifth. The east versus west showdown that was anticipated all weekend would not materialize in 250GP qualifying, as reigning 250GP National Champion, Adam Roberts, missed the session due to repairs still being made from a crash earlier in the day. West coast star, Vince Rolleri, easily took pole with Miles Thornton, Mike Aboyoun, Sean Jordan and Kory Gill rounding out the top five. For the Moto Liberty/RS-Taichi 250GP race, Roberts had made his repairs and the battle of the coasts was on. Even with Roberts starting last on the grid, Rolleri knew he needed a clean race to take home the win. With an amazing start, Roberts was up into second place by the end of lap 1. But Rolleri set the pace early and kept a two second gap over Roberts. Aboyoun, Seann Jordan and Angus Borland had a close race for third. Jordan would later drop out of the race and that would elevate Gill into fifth as Borland and Aboyoun would continue swapping places for third. With three laps to go, Roberts charged and caught Rolleri and was now looking to get by for the win. Rolleri left an opening for Roberts in turn eight. But Roberts had seen all of the earlier crashes in that turn, and could not capitalize on the opportunity. Rolleri seemed to have the advantage on the first half of the circuit, but Roberts dominated the later half and consistently closed the gap to mere inches at the finish line. Both riders set their fastest laps on the last lap with Roberts turning the fastest lap of the race. Ultimately, Rolleri held on to win by .080 seconds. The USGPRU would like to thank Glenn, Tony, Ray-Ray, and the rest of the MRA staff and volunteers, the corner workers and EMT crew. Also thanks to Al, John and Kory Hjelm for helping on the sidelines. This weekend wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the 2009 USGPRU National Series sponsors: Moto Liberty, RS Taichi, Pilot, RoadracingWorld.com, Rising Sun Cycles, Motion Pro, REV’IT, Bridgestone Tires, Dunlop Tires, EBC Brakes, GP Tech, Powerstands, Chicken Hawk Tire Warmers, Hjelm Motorsports, Pirelli Tires, Michelin Tires, and Starlane by Yoyodyne. Pilot 125GP Race Results 1. Jake Lewis (Hon) 2. Garrett Gerloff (Mor) 3. Cameron Gish (Hon) 4. Stefano Mesa (Hon) 5. John Hjelm (Hon) 6. Andrew Artola (Hon) 7. Shellie Matthews (Hon) 8. David Matthews (Hon) 9. Grayson Gerloff (Hon) 10. Nobi Iso (Apr) 11. Ryan Matter (Hon) 12. Lex Hartl (Hon) Moto Liberty / RS-Taichi 250GP Race Results 1. Vince Rolleri (Yam) 2. Adam Roberts (Yam) 3. Mike Aboyoun (Hon) 4. Angus Borland (Yam) 5. Kory Gill (Yam) 6. David Matthews (Yam) 7. Miles Thornton (Yam) 8. Mike Lytle (Yam) 9. Jeff Pratt (Yam) 10. Frank Diranna (Yam) 11. Andrew Artola (unk) 12. Kang Soh (unk) 13. Seann Jordan (unk) Moriwaki MD250H Powered by HONDA Race Results 1. Jake Lewis (Mor) 2. Lex Hartl (Mor) 3. Grayson Gerloff (Mor) 4. Ryan Matter (Mor) 5. Garrett Gerloff (Mor) 6. Hayden Gillim (Mor) 7. Stefano Mesa (Mor) 8. Conor Matthews (Mor) 9. Cameron Gish (Mor) 10. Miles Thornton (Mor)