Chris “Opie” Caylor shined by securing pole position in two classes during Friday qualifying for the opening round of the WERA/AMA National Challenge Series at Roebling Road Raceway located near Faulkville, Georgia.
Overnight showers soaked the track, prompting many riders to skip morning practice. The track dried up just before lunchtime, allowing riders to get only one dry practice session in before it was time for qualifying.
The first WERA/AMA pole position qualifying session of the 2007 season–for 600cc Superstock–went to Cory West, who turned a 1:14.323 aboard his Pirelli-shod Team Hunter YZF-R6. Second spot on the grid went to local hero James Chance III with Caylor third. Dane Westby completed the front row.
Vesrah Suzuki’s Tray Batey nipped Caylor for pole in the Formula 1 class, turning a 1:13.354 to Caylor’s 1:13.433. Rookie Expert Robert Wilkey used a tow from Caylor to move into third on the grid at 1:13.634, while West put his YZF-R6 in the final front-row position with a 1:13.865.
In 750cc Superstock qualifying, Caylor turned a 1:13.722 aboard his GSX-R750 to secure pole ahead of Chance with Vesrah Suzuki’s John Jacobi and Lee Acree third and fourth.
Caylor’s second pole of the day came in the Open Superstock class. Caylor turned a 1:13.029 to edge out Tray Batey’s 1:13.122. Canadian Clint McBain secured third position on the grid at 1:13.699 with Robert Wilkey filling the final front row starting spot with a 1:14.222.
Qualifying Times
600cc Superstock Expert 1. Cory West(Yam YZF-R6) 1:14.323 2. James Chance III (Suz GSX-R600) 1:14.421 3. Chris “Opie” Caylor (Suz GSX-R600) 1:14.436 4. Dane Westby (Yam YZF-R6) 1:14.858 5. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R600) 1:15.319 6. Trey Yonce (Suz GSX-R600) 1:15.330 7. Mark Junge (Suz GSX-R600) 1:15.373 8. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R600) 1:15.618 9. Joshua Day (Yam YZF-R6) 1:15.691 10. Daniel Parkerson (Suz GSX-R600) 1:15.765
Formula 1 Expert 1. Tray Batey (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:13.354 2. Chris “Opie” Caylor (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:13.433 3. Robert Wilkey (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:13.634 4. Cory West (Yam YZF-R6) 1:13.865 5. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.099 6. Mark Junge (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.418 7. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.493 8. Clint McBain (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.497 9. James Chance III (Suz GSX-R750) 1:14.516 10. John Jacobi (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:15.184
750cc Superstock Expert 1. Chris “Opie” Caylor (Suz GSX-R750) 1:13.722 2. James Chance III (Suz GSX-R750) 1:13.929 3. John Jacobi (Suz GSX-R600) 1:14.432 4. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R750) 1:14.602 5. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R750) 1:14.659 6. Keith Marshall (Suz GSX-R600) 1:15.518 7. Daniel Parkerson (Suz GSX-R600) 1:15.594 8. Skip Salenius (Suz GSX-R600) 1:16.112 9. Chad Lewin (Suz GSX-R600) 1:16.222 10. Byron Barber (Suz GSX-R600) 1:16.390
Open Superstock Expert 1. Chris “Opie” Caylor (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:13.029 2. Tray Batey (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:13.122 3. Clint McBain (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:13.699 4. Robert Wilkey (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.222 5. Mark Junge (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.338 6. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.341 7. James Stroud (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.428 8. John Jacobi (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.478 9. James Chance III (Suz GSX-R750) 1:14.571 10. Lee Acree (Suz GSX-R1000) 1:14.571