Jensen takes two victories at 2007 WERA CycleJam

Robert Jensen took home two victories at the 2007 WERA Cycle Jam at Road Atlanta in Brazelton, Georgia, securing wins in both the Open Superstock class and Formula One races.

Jensen and his Michelin shod, Butler Machinery Suzuki GSX-R1000 started the day off right with a holeshot in the Open Superstock race. Jensen led for three laps before succumbing to the advances of the Vesrah Suzuki GSX-R1000 piloted by Tray Batey in Turn One. Chad Lewin ran a close third (also aboard a Suzuki GSX-R1000). A red flag came out on lap five for the leaders, sparking controversy on whether a restart would be had, or if the race would be called complete. In the end, a complete restart was decided much to the chagrin of race leader Batey. The restart saw each Batey, Lewin, and Jensen take a turn at the point. Batey eventually crashed on lap four in Turn Six, gifting the lead to Jensen who went on to win by a five-second margin over Lewin and Vesrah Suzuki’s Lee Acree.

Jensen went for his second holeshot of the day in the 600cc Superstock class aboard his Butler Machinery Suzuki GSX-R600. He was followed closely by polesitter Cory West on his Team Hunter YZF-R6, Vesrah Suzuki’s Lee Acree aboard his Suzuki GSX-R600 and Taylor Knapp on his Kawasaki ZX-6R. West was able to draft up on the back straight and take the lead position before the end of lap one. A near highside in Turn One cost him the lead and gave Knapp the chance to lead. By lap three West retook the point position, leaving Acree and Knapp to battle for second. Unbeknownst to them, Graves’ Motorsports Tommy Aquino and his YZF-R6 were mounting a charge from the back. The timing with which the group caught traffic allowed Aquino to overtake Knapp and Jensen for third place on the last lap.

The 750cc Superstock race was put on a temporary hold as reports of lightning in surrounding areas put a stop to the racing action mid-day. A small storm with light rain and substantial wind blew through, before the racing was allowed to resume. The delay caused all remaining races to be cut to six laps.

When the green flag finally dropped on the 750cc Superstock race, Jensen took his third holeshot of the day with Lee Acree hot on his heels. When the riders finally crested the hill under the Suzuki Bridge it was Acree who led, followed by Jensen and Matsushima Performance’s Chris “Opie” Caylor. Although Jensen fought valiantly he just wasn’t able to put a move on Acree and had to settle for second. Caylor hung on to the back of the duo for third.

The Formula One finale nearly started without Robert Jensen who accidentally overslept in his motor-coach. Luckily he heard third call just in time to the take to the grid (without a warm-up lap) and steal his fourth holeshot of the day. It looked to be a repeat of the Open Superstock race with Batey and Lewin giving chase. By the culmination of lap one, both Lewin and Batey had gotten by Jensen. Not happy to settle for third, Jensen re-passed Lewin on the brakes in Turn One and went to work to get Batey. He was forced to wait until lap five when Batey made a small slip-up in Turn Five, allowing Jensen to out-drive him to Turn Six. Jensen then managed to hold Batey off until the checkered flag, with Lewin rounding out the top three.

2007 Michelin WERA/AMA National Challenge Series Road Atlanta Brazelton, GA July 1, 2007 Provisional Race Results (listed in chronological order):

OPEN/A SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Chad Lewin (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Mark Junge (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Tim Bemisderfer (Suz GSX-R1000); 6. Chris “Opie” Caylor (Suz GSX-R1000).

OPEN/A SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. Chris Vanover (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Damian Garcia (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Luke Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Jason Buckner (Kaw ZX-10R); 5. Jim Wirth (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Matt Kamman (Kaw ZX-10R).

600cc/C SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. Russell Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Chad Clifton (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Phillip Hart (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Jason Palmer (Yam YZF-R6); 5. James Brown (Tri Daytona 675).

600cc/C SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Cory West (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Tommy Aquino (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Taylor Knapp (Kaw ZX-6R); 5. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Mark Junge (Suz GSX-R600).

HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Jeff Walker (Suz SV1000); 2. Chris Slay (Apr RSV1000); 3. Christian Smith (Apr RSV1000); 4. Mark Wyland (Suz SV1000); 5. Marty Beshears (Buell XB9R); 6. Danny Arturo (Suz SV650).

HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. John Brasfield (Apr RSV1000); 2. Jerry Reeves (Apr RSV1000); 3. Travis Stauble (Apr RSV1000); 4. Joshua Cook (Suz SV650); 5. George McConnel (Hon RC-51).

750cc/B SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. Russell Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Chad Clifton (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Phillip Hart (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Jason Palmer (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Casey Davis (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Jim Wirth (Suz GSX-R750).

750cc/B SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Chris “Opie” Caylor (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Chad Lewin (Suz GSX-R600); 5. John Jacobi (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Ryan Clay (Yam YZF-R6).

LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK EXPERT: 1. Dane Westby (Suz SV650); 2. Chris Parrish (Suz SV650); 3. Kris Wall (Suz SV650); 4. Richard Ford (Suz SV650); 5. Avery Clark (Suz SV650); 6. Russel Stoddard (Suz SV650).

LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS SUPERSTOCK NOVICE: 1. Josh Reed (Suz SV650); 2. Greg Reisinger (Suz SV650); 3. Britt Lynn (Suz SV650); 4. Ryan Stoddard (Suz SV650); 5. Reagan Payne (Suz SV 650); 6. Joshua Cook (Suz SV650).

600cc/C SUPERBIKE EXPERT: 1. Tommy Aquino (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Zac Chapman (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Chad Hermann (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Payton Sassaman (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Steven Breckenridge (Tri Daytona 675); 6. Brett Sassaman (Suz GSX-R600).

600cc/C SUPERBIKE NOVICE: 1. Russell Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Phillip Hart (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Jason Palmer (Yam YZR-R6); 4. James Brown (Tri Daytona 675); 5. Christopher Cutright (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Luke Wikle (Suz GSX-R600).

FORMULA TWO EXPERT: 1. Dane Westby (Suz SV650); 2. Phillip Fortune (Suz SV650); 3. Chris Parrish (Suz SV650); 4. Steve Brunton (Suz SV650); 5. Avery Clark (Suz SV650); 6. Miles Thornton (Hon RS125).

FORMULA TWO NOVICE: 1. Josh Reed (Suz SV650); 2. Greg Reisinger (Hon RS125); 3. Jake Mormon (Hon RS125); 4. Ryan Stoddard (Suz SV650); 5. Reagan Payne (Suz SV650); 6. Jonathon Woodall (Suz SV650).

750cc/B SUPERBIKE EXPERT: 1. Chad Hermann (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Lyles Sanders (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Zac Chapman (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Derek Wagnon (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Telly Steimel (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Corey Rech (Yam YZF-R6).

750cc/B SUPERBIKE NOVICE: 1. Russell Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Luke Wikle (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Jason Palmer (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Michael Ray Colom (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Randy Hollenbeck (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Stamler Monk (Hon CBR600RR).

FORMULA ONE EXPERT: 1. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Tray Batey (Suz GSX-R1000); 3. Chad Lewin (Suz GSX-R1000); 4. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Mark Junge (Suz GSX-R1000); 6. Chris “Opie” Caylor (Suz GSX-R1000).