Defending Champions Vesrah Suzuki battled 18 other teams and temperatures approaching 110 degrees F and came out victorious Saturday during Round Five of the Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance series, a six-hour race on the Las Vegas Classic Course, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tray Batey, John Jacobi and Michael Barnes (substituting for injured rider Chris Ulrich) completed 239 laps of the course on their Pirelli-shod GSX-R1000, winning by more than one lap. Brand X’s Brett Champagne, Ben Walters, Jr. and Dale Kieffer led the race at the first hour mark on their Michelin-equipped Yamaha YZF-R1, but a red flag erased their advantage. Vesrah Suzuki took the lead on the restart, just before Brand X had to make a pit stop. During the next two stints, Vesrah Suzuki was able to gain a full lap lead, which it maintained to the finish. Finishing third overall (for the first time in team history) and first in Mediumweight Superstock was Dalke Motorsports’ Dustin Meador and Dane Westby, who completed 231 laps on their Pirelli-backed Yamaha YZF-R6. Team Zyvax’s Steve Green, J.B. Layman and Scott Layman completed 224 laps on their Pirelli-sponsored, Mediumweight Superbike-spec Yamaha YZF-R6, earning them fourth overall and their first-ever WERA National Endurance class win. Finishing ninth overall and first in the Lightweight Superbike on a Pirelli-fitted Suzuki SV650 was Cycle Specialties Racing’s Aaron Aaronson, Shawn Hill and Joe Schoch. Code 4 Racing’s James Matthew Brooks, Charles Burow, David Lucero and Zoran Vujasinovic topped the Heavyweight Superstock category with 144 laps on their Suzuki GSX-R750. The excessive heat forced many teams to shorten their riders’ stints significantly. Vesrah Suzuki, for instance, cut back from its normal 70-minute stints to averaging 45 minutes for each rider. Batey, who rode three stints for the team, described the race as the toughest endurance race he had ever ridden due to the heat. Bridgestone/WERA National Endurance Championship Las Vegas Classic Course Las Vegas, Nevada June 28, 2008 Provisional Race Results: 1. Vesrah Suzuki (Tray Batey/John Jacobi/Michael Barnes), Suz GSX-R1000, Heavyweight Superbike, 239 laps 2. Brand X (Brett Champagne/Ben Walters, Jr./Dale Kieffer), Yam YZF-R1, Heavyweight Superbike, 238 laps 3. Dalke Motorsports (Dustin Meador/Dane Westby), Yam YZF-R6, Mediumweight Superstock, 231 laps 4. Team Zyvax (Scott Green/J.B. Layman/Scott Layman), Yam YZF-R6, Mediumweight Superbike, 224 laps 5. TVR 136 (Zac Chapman/Chuck Ivey/James Vanderhaar/Michael Wheelis), Yam YZF-R6, Mediumweight Superstock 6. Team Hangover (Johnny Edwards/Joseph Shelton/Chris van Rensburg), Suz GSX-R750, Heavyweight Superbike, 223 laps 7. Dalke Motorsports II (Wrenn Smith/Jevaughn Simmons), Yam YZF-R6, Mediumweight Superstock, 221 laps 8. Faster Racing (Shane McGoey/Bryce Prince/Matt Quigley), Kaw ZX-6R, Mediumweight Superbike, 216 laps 9. Cycle Specialties Racing (Aaron Aaronson/Shawn Hill/Joe Schoch), Suz SV650, Lightweight Superbike, 211 laps 10. Wikle Racing (Russell Wikle/Luther Wikle/Tryg Westby), Suz GSX-R600, Mediumweight Superbike, 210 laps