Butler Machinery’s Robert Jensen nearly swept all four premier classes at Round Five of the WERA/AMA Michelin National Challenge Series in Grattan, Michigan. After winning Open Superstock, 600 Superstock, and 750 Superstock, Jensen made a last-lap mistake in turn nine that allowed Vesrah Suzuki’s Tray Batey to sneak by and take the Formula One win. The Open Superstock race was the opening round in a day that would become the Batey and Jensen show. Although Jensen and his Stargel-tuned Suzuki GSX-R1000 led every lap across the line, Batey tried him several times in turn one. In the end Batey would have to settle for second. Even Steel Performance’s Ben Thompson rounded out the podium. In case anyone had missed his success in race one, Jensen and his Michelin-shod Yamaha YZF-R6 repeated his flag-to-flag dominance in the 600cc Superstock race. Taylor Knapp aboard a Kawasaki ZX-6R tried to hold on, but eventually faded and fell back. Meanwhile, young gun Tommy Aquino on his Graves Yamaha YZF-R6 made an impressive late-race charge to catch Knapp. Although Aquino attempted to pass Knapp in turn two on the last lap, Aquino had to settle for third. In the 750cc Superstock race Chris “Opie” Caylor made a valiant effort to end Jensen’s winning streak. Jensen led until lap six, when Caylor and his Team EMGO USA Suzuki GSX-R750 outbroke him in turn one. Caylor only led for one lap however, until Jensen retook the lead in turn one, and continued on to take the checkered first. Meanwhile, Vesrah Suzuki’s John Jacobi rode to a comfortable third. When the flag dropped on the Formula One race it was anyone’s guess who would come out on top. A determined Batey led Jensen lap after lap resulting in everyone wondering when Jensen would make a move. It happened on lap nine when Jensen snuck by on the brakes in turn one. It looked like Jensen was going to walk away with his fourth win of the day, until he ran into turn nine too deep on the last lap. When Jensen got on the gas, his rear Michelin tire was spinning, and Batey out-drove him, retook the lead and carried it across the line for the win. Behind them Thompson made an awesome recovery after running off the track, and took third. 2007 Michelin WERA/AMA National Challenge Series Grattan Raceway Park Belding, MI July 15, 2007 Provisional Race Results (listed in chronological order): OPEN/A SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Tray Batey (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Ben Thompson (Suz GSX-R1000); 4. Brent Bennett (Yam YZF-R1); 5. John Jacobi (Suz GSX-R1000); 6. Tim Bemisderfer (Suz GSX-R1000). OPEN/A SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. Russell Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Devon O’Hara (Yam YZF-R1); 3. Luke Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 4. David Gronback (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Aaron Hardman (Suz GSX-R600). 600cc/C SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. Jason Palmer (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Robert Rowles (Hon CBR600RR); 3. Justin Chmielewski (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Luke Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Phillip Hart (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Christopher Cutright (Yam YZF-R6). 600cc/C SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Robert Jensen (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Taylor Knapp (Kaw ZX-6R); 3. Tommy Aquino (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Brent Bennett (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Dane Westby (Kaw ZX-6R); 6. Mark Junge (Suz GSX-R600). HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Tray Batey (Suz SV1000); 2. Jeff Walker (Suz SV1000); 3. Michael Flis (Duc 999); 4. Wade Parish (Hon 650); 5. Peter Cline (KTM 640); 6. Aaron Bagwell (Suz SV650). HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. Alja Hessami (Hon RS-125). 750cc/B SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. Jason Palmer (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Devon O’Hara (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Robert Rowles (Hon CBR600RR); 4. Chris Fruits (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Justin Chmielewski (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Phillip Hart (Suz GSX-R600). 750cc/B SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Chris “Opie” Caylor (Suz GSX-R750); 3. John Jacobi (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Matt LaPham (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Christopher Fillmore (Kaw ZX-6R); 6. Giovanni Rojas (Suz GSX-R600). LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Dane Westby (Suz SV650); 2. Chris Parrish (Suz SV650); 3. Bruce Stanford (Suz SV650); 4. Russel Stoddard (Suz SV650); 5. Jason Smith (SV650); 6. Aaron Bagwell (Suz SV650). LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. Andy Taylor (Suz SV650); 2. Ryan Stoddard (Suz SV650). 600cc/C SUPERBIKE EXPERT: 1. Tommy Aquino (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Taylor Knapp (Kaw ZX-6R); 3. Dane Westby (Kaw ZX-6R); 4. Matt LaPham (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Christopher Fillmore (Kaw ZX-6R); 6. Jeff Kovack (Yam YZF-R6). 600cc/C SUPERBIKE NOVICE: 1. Jason Palmer (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Chris Fruits (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Justin Chmielewski (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Phillip Hart (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Luke Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Robert Rowles (Hon CBR600RR). FORMULA TWO EXPERT: 1. Dane Westby (Suz SV650); 2. Chris Parrish (Suz SV650); 3. Scott Trautmann (Hon RS125); 4. Russell Stoddard (Suz SV650); 5. Bruce Stanford (Suz SV650); 6. Wade Parish (Hon 650). FORMULA TWO NOVICE: 1. Andy Taylor (Suz SV650); 2. Ryan Stoddard (Suz SV650); 3. Alja Hessami (Hon RS125). 750cc/B SUPERBIKE EXPERT: 1. Matt LaPham (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Jeff Kovack (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Rhiannon Lucente (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Telly Steimel (Suz GSX-R600); 5. John Hart (Suz GSX-R750). 750cc/B SUPERBIKE NOVICE: 1. Jasn Palmer (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Luke Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Justin Chmielewski (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Robert Rowles (Hon CBR600RR); 5. Russell WIkle (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Aaron Harman (Suz GSX-R600). FORMULA ONE EXPERT: 1. Tray Batey (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Ben Thompson (Suz GSX-R1000); 4. Tim Bemisderfer (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. John Jacobi (Suz GSX-R1000); 6. Chris “Opie” Caylor (Suz GSX-R1000).