Copyright 2002, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

CCS racers at Road America on Saturday not only battled each other but also fought to stay on two wheels in terrible weather conditions, including rain, freezing rain and 40-mph winds.

The day started with very cold, but dry, conditions. During the dry weather, Rick Beuer got the holeshot and led the large Unlimited Supersport field through the first corners. Riding a 1999 Yamaha YZF-R1 on Dunlop tires, Dan Nygaard took the lead under braking for turn five and began to pull out a large lead, while some of the other top riders worked their way up from their back of the grid starting spots. On lap two, Nygaard had a one-second advantage over a group of four including Jason DiSalvo, Fritz Kling, Scott Ruehle (riding a nearly stock 2002 Yamaha YZF-R1) and Geoff May.

As May dropped off the pace on lap three, DiSalvo took charge of the pack chasing Nygaard and began closing the 2.5-second gap. On the final lap, Nygaard crashed under braking for turn five and escaped serious injury, thanks to Road America moving a concrete wall over the winter. DiSalvo assumed the race lead for two corners before the red flag stopped the race short of the checkered flag–a crashed bike was lying in the track at turn 14. Scoring was reverted to lap three and Nygaard was declared the winner over DiSalvo, Ruehle and Kling.

DiSalvo would rebound later to win the Heavyweight Supersport race, on a dry track. DiSalvo left Road America before the wet weather arrived, in order to meet the second half of his Team America crew, and his Honda RS250, for testing at Laguna Seca.

When the expected rain arrived around 2:00 p.m. local time, grids diminished and a crash fest began. Conditions progressively worsened until the final races of the day were run with ambient temperatures near freezing, very little daylight, those 40-mph winds mentioned earlier and stinging sleet.

Multiple race winners Saturday included Monte Nichols (Middleweight Supersport, Middleweight GP), Roger Hendricks (Heavyweight Superbike, Formula 40) and Ed Key (Lightweight Supersport, Lightweight Superbike). Other race winners included Geoff May in Unlimited GP, Jeff Chen in Singles GP, Bryan Bemisderfer in Super Twins and Richie Morris in Heavyweight Sportsman.

Among the heroes of the day were CCS race officials, a diehard crew of cornerworkers controlled by Bill Ritger, and a staff of safety workers dispatched by Road America Safety Director Carson Wilkinson. At post time, there had been only one rider transported to a hospital all day and no serious injuries reported.

The weather forecast for Sunday’s CCS sprint races, according to www.weather.com, calls for temperatures in the 50’s and no precipitation.

RESULTS:

UNLIMITED GP EXPERT: 1. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Kevin Gordon (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Roger Hendricks (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Dr. Jeffrey Purk, DDS (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Brian Boyd (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Michael Heuer (Yam YZF-R6).

UNLIMITED GP AMATEUR: 1. Michael Chachere (Suz GSX-R600); 2. David Vaughn (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Larry Rising (Kaw ZX-6R); 4. Alfredo Cantu, Jr. (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Thomas Laning; 6. Donald Hooks (Yam YZF-R6).

UNLIMITED SUPERSPORT EXPERT: 1. Dan Nygaard (Yam YZF-R1); 2. Jason DiSalvo (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Scott Ruehle (Yam YZF-R1); 4. Fritz Kling (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R1000); 6. Kevin Gordon (Suz GSX-R750).

UNLIMITED SUPERSPORT AMATEUR: 1. Michael Shallcross (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Michael Chachere (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Donald Hooks (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Paulette Ani (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Robert Fuszner (Suz GSX-R750).

HEAVYWEIGHT SUPERSPORT EXPERT: 1. Jason DiSalvo (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Scott Hermersmann (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Kevin Gordon (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Dr. Jeffrey Purk, DDS (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Jason Swan (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Jason Knupp (Suz GSX-R750).

HEAVYWEIGHT SUPERSPORT AMATEUR: 1. David Didier (Suz GSX-R600); 2. James Stancel (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Michael Chachere (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Robert Fuszner (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Alfredo Cantu, Jr. (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Brian Logan (Suz GSX-R750).

MIDDLEWEIGHT SUPERSPORT EXPERT: 1. Monte Nichols (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Scott Ruehle (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Kevin Gordon (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Chris Weeden (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Michael Heuer (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Brian Salazar (Suz GSX-R600).

MIDDLEWEIGHT SUPERSPORT AMATEUR: 1. David Didier (Suz GSX-R600); 2. James Stancel (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Andy Feuersthaler (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Brian Johnson (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Michael Chachere (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Jim Roach (Yam YZF-R6).

LIGHTWEIGHT SUPERSPORT EXPERT: 1. Ed Key (Suz SV650); 2. Matt Malterer (Suz SV650); 3. Matt Gerard (Suz SV650); 4. Jeff Wick (Suz SV650); 5. Charles Wright (Suz SV650); 6. Frank Andreas, Jr. (Suz SV650).

LIGHTWEIGHT SUPERSPORT AMATEUR: 1. Mike Wemmer (Suz SV650); 2. Mark Sorensen (Suz SV650); 3. Joe Fanara (Suz SV650); 4. Jim Holmen (Suz SV650); 5. Joseph Zuengler (Duc 750 SS); 6. Rhiannon Lucente (Yam FZR400).

HEAVYWEIGHT SUPERBIKE EXPERT: 1. Roger Hendricks (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Dr. Jeffrey Purk, DDS (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Brian Baker (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Chuck Stephan, Jr. (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Kevin Gordon (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Adam Waheed (Suz GSX-R750).

HEAVYWEIGHT SUPERBIKE AMATEUR: 1. Chris Lossie (Hon 600); 2. Paulette Ani (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Carl Kozeniewski (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Michael Shallcross (Suz GSX-R750); 5. Alfredo Cantu, Jr. (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Chuck Tomczyk (Suz GSX-R600).

MIDDLEWEIGHT SUPERBIKE EXPERT: 1. Gary Carter (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Maurice Golladay; 3. Chuck Stephan, Jr. (Hon CBR600); 4. Russell Voigt (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Daniel Doty (Yam YZF-R6).

MIDDLEWEIGHT SUPERBIKE AMATEUR: 1. Michael Chachere (Suz GSX-R600); 2. David Vaughn (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Andy Feuersthaler (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Chris Lossie (Hon CBR600); 5. Eric Custar (Kaw ZX-6R); 6. Thomas Laning.

LIGHTWEIGHT SUPERBIKE EXPERT: 1. Ed Key (Suz SV650); 2. Matt Carter (Duc 750 SS); 3. Charles Wright (Suz SV650); 4. Mark Holden (Suz SV650); 5. Mike Riebe (Suz SV650); 6. Charles Buse (Suz SV650).

LIGHTWEIGHT SUPERBIKE AMATEUR: 1. Edgar Dorn (Suz SV650); 2. Joseph Zuengler (Duc 750); 3. Mike Gantz (Yam FZR400); 4. Christopher Onwiler (Yam FZR560); 5. Harry Gambill (Suz SV650); 6. Jim Holmen (Suz SV650).

MIDDLEWEIGHT GP EXPERT: 1. Monte Nichols (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Dan Bilansky (Buell X-1); 3. Daniel Doty (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Chuck Stephan, Jr. (Hon CBR600); 5. Gary Carter (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Rick Bretl (Yam YZF-R6).

MIDDLEWEIGHT GP AMATEUR: 1. Michael Chachere (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Andy Feuersthaler (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Thomas Laning; 4. Paulette Ani (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Josh Lenz (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Warren Wagner (Yam YZF-R6).

LIGHTWEIGHT GP EXPERT: 1. Dan Bilansky (Buell X-1); 2. Mark Stiles (Yam TZ250); 3. Charles Buse (Suz SV650); 4. Ed Key (Suz SV650); 5. Charles Wright (Suz SV650); 6. Steve Kessenich (Apr RS250).

LIGHTWEIGHT GP AMATEUR: 1. Nicholas Cummings (Hon RS125); 2. Edgar Dorn (Suz SV650); 3. Michael Luke (Yam TZ250); 4. Dirk Schumann (Yam RZ350); 5. Joseph Zuengler (Duc 750); 6. Brian Kwak.

SUPER TWINS EXPERT: 1. Bryan Bemisderfer (Buell X-1); 2. Rick Breur (Hon RC51); 3. Kris August (Hon RC51); 4. Matt Carr (Duc 750 SS); 5. Christopher Kinman (Duc 996); 6. Thomas Grant (Suz TL1000R).

SUPER TWINS AMATEUR: 1. Andrew Thieme (Duc 996); 2. Timothy Barrett (Hon RC51); 3. Matthew Singer (Duc 996); 4. John George (Suz TL1000); 5. Thomas Fredericks (Buell X-1); 6. John McCallum (Duc 996).

GP SINGLES: 1. Jeff Chen (Hon RS125); 2. Taylor Knapp (Hon RS125); 3. Robert Rawlins (Hon RS125); 4. Eric Kancir (Hon RS125); 5. Larry Devore (Hon RS125); 6. Doug Root (Hon RS125).

SUPER SINGLES: 1. Taylor Knapp (Hon RS125); 2. Nicholas Cummings (Hon RS125); 3. Dawn Vankampen (Hon RS125); 4. Brian Lacy (Rotax 676).

FORMULA 40 EXPERT: 1. Roger Hendericks (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Chuck Stephan, Jr. (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Christopher Kinman (Duc 996); 4. Michael Studelska (Yam FZR400); 5. Michael Schook (Hon CBR600); 6. Karl Kegel (Buell X-1).

FORMULA 40 AMATEUR: 1. Jim Holmen (Suz SV650); 2. Edward Bingham (Suz GSX-R600); 3. Timothy Marotz (Suz GSX-R750); 4. John McCallum (Duc 750); 5. Mike Peters (Hon CBR600); 6. Kevin Clark (Suz GSX-R600).

HEAVYWEIGHT SPORTSMAN EXPERT: 1. Richie Morris (Buell X-1); 2. Charles Buse (Suz SV650); 3. Charles Wright (Suz SV650); 4. Karl Kegel (Buell X-1); 5. Greg Smith (Suz SV650).

HEAVYWEIGHT SPORTSMAN AMATEUR: 1. Edgar Dorn (Suz SV650); 2. William Casper (Hon 600); 3. Joe Broadus (Buell X-1); 4. Kenny Oyen (Hon 600); 5. Thomas Fredericks (Buell X-1).

MIDDLEWEIGHT SPORTSMAN EXPERT: 1. Steve Kessenich (Apr RS250); 2. Charles Wright (Yam FZR400); 3. Chad Konop (Yam TZ250); 4. Brian Jaworski (Hon 650).

MIDDLEWEIGHT SPORTSMAN AMATEUR: 1. Rhiannon Lucente (Yam FZR400); 2. Lon Allen, Jr. (Cagiva 650); 3. Joseph Zuengler (Duc 750); 4. Gregory Moon (Hon 650); 5. Jim Holmen (Hon 650); 6. Nick Digilio (Hon 650).

LIGHTWEIGHT SPORTSMAN EXPERT: 1. Lon Allen (Duc 650).

LIGHTWEIGHT SPORTSMAN AMATEUR: 1. Lon Allen, Jr. (Cagiva 650); 2. James Jessie (Suz GS500); 3. Michael Fredricks (Yam RZ350); 4. Don Pengra (Yam RD400); 5. Richard McManimen (Kaw EX500).

ULTRA-LIGHTWEIGHT SPORTSMAN: 1. Rhiannon Lucente (Kaw)