Kawasaki lets the good times roll in the wine country.

April 29th-30th, 2017

The rolling hills of Sonoma Raceway played host to the second round of the 2017 AFM road racing series. With the temperatures in the mid-80’s and the racing action sizzling hot, competitors and spectators couldn’t have asked for a more ideal setting for a weekend of racing and being a fan.

In the AFM’s premier class, a Kawasaki rider again filled the top step of the podium in Formula Pacific, with Wyatt Farris taking the win aboard his Bikers 911/Indian Resort & Spa/GP Suspension ZX-10R. The ZX-10R club decided to make it a private party on the podium this round with Tyler O’Hara on the Jim Deehan, BBJK/MC Tech-tuned ZX-10R and Jeremy Toye on his ZX-10R filling the last spot on the box.

The action started out fast and furious with Farris on the pole getting a great launch, only to have Toye going around the outside heading up the hill to Turn Two, with Lenny Hale coming up on Farris’ rear wheel. Not to be outdone, O’Hara coming from the second row, then made the pass around Hale as they headed to Turn Three. As the group made their way around, going towards Turn Seven, Hale passed O’Hara and Toye overshot the entry allowing Farris back into the lead Hale into second. Toye would gather it back up and drop back into line just in front of O’Hara.

On the 6th lap, Hale would relinquish second spot and fall back to fifth, with Toye taking over second with O’Hara in tow. On the 11th lap, O’Hara would push himself into second, moving Toye to third with Chris Siglin and his Fastline BMW in fourth spot. Over the entire race, Farris was consistently putting down laps in the 1:40’s and won the race with almost a three-second gap back to O’Hara and Toye making for an impressive sweep for Team Green in Victory Circle.

Formula Pacific honorable mentions go to Ezra Beaubier and Brandon Crawford, who would pilot their 600’s into ninth and 10th against a grid filled with liter bikes.

The Kawasaki liter bikes showed their strength all day at The Point and would sweep the first seven positions in Open Superbike prior to the Formula Pacific race and would fill the podium in the Open Super Stock race later in the day.

Beaubier started Sundays 600 classes with a convincing win in the 600 Superbike race. When the green flag dropped, Beaubier came from the #2 spot on the grid to go around pole sitter Crawford, and never relinquished the lead. Along the way, Beaubier put down laps in the 1:40.7 to 1:41.2 range. In a post race interview, Beaubier said, “I got a really good start and felt great. I knew Brandon would be pushing so I never looked back.”  However, when Beaubier came across the line to take the checkered, he had put an amazing 10-second gap on Crawford who had a lonely ride to second with #108 Kevin Murphy rounding out the top three.

However, later in the day, Crawford would exact his revenge and take top honors in the 600 Super Stock race. In almost a reversal of roles, Beaubier would start from the pole and on the second lap, Crawford would come across the line in first place and hold that spot to the checkered flag. Beaubier made several attempts to take the top spot and after an exciting moment on lap five, brought it home in second, two seconds behind Crawford, with Murphy again rounding out the top three.

Racer and moto-journalist Ari Henning, having raced the AHRMA event ran the days prior to the AFM weekend, stayed to race his KTM 390. Also making the trek north to represent the SoCal contingent Darin Wade and young gun Gray Pham making his first trip to The Point. Henning would waste no time getting back to his blistering pace at Sonoma Raceway, and in Saturday’s 350 Super Stock race, he would pilot his KTM to a convincing win over another young gun, Marc Edwards, who was also making his first race weekend at Sonoma. Henning would lay down a series of 1:52’s to finish 12 seconds in front of the trio of Edwards, Patryk Buchcik, and Paul Johnson who were engaged in a race long battle with position changes occurring what seemed like every corner.

In AFemme, Jennifer Lauritzen would get back to her winning ways piloting her Texas Tea/Ritz Racing Kawasaki ZX-10R across the line in front of Daniela Fredrick, AJ Jacobsen and Shiree Cano. Not to be outdone and new to the AFM Family, new racers Caroline Looney and Erin Veneziano would finish in that order taking first and second in the AFemme Novice race.

450 Superbike had a familiar name join the grid this weekend with former AMA 250 GP Champion, Chuck Sorensen, once again donning a set of race leathers. Not losing any of his style or grace, Sorensen would start the grid in the seventh spot and quickly find himself in the familiar position on point at the front as they started the second lap. Sorensen would go on to win with Paul Johnson and Dave Moss, chasing him to the line.

In the Battle of the AFM Wise Ones, otherwise known as Formula 50, Ralph Staropoli brought it home in the top spot with Gavin Botha and Steve ‘Zoomer’ Zoumaras rounding out the top three. Starapoli, who was gridded in the nine spot, would work his way up race leader Botha as the first lap concluded. Staropoli would stalk Botha and eventually make his move to take the lead on the sixth lap. Zoumaras, who started the race eighth on the grid had followed Staropoli to the front, but after a short stint in second, would chase Staropoli and Botha to the line and finish in third.

AFM Round 3 will be held May 27-28 at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, California.