Roger Heemsbergen Wins Formula Arroyo at Arroyo Seco Raceway

Neither the Covid-19 pandemic, nor the blistering temperature that tickled the triple digits could keep road racing enthusiasts from attending Arroyo Seco Raceway located near Deming, New Mexico this past Sunday, September 6. The same can be said about Roger Heemsbergen, who won his first Formula Arroyo since 2014 when he had suffered massive injuries in a high-speed crash during the third round of the season, which ended in the then-series-leader being helicoptered away to hospital.

In the premier 12-lap Formula Arroyo race sponsored by Evan Steel Performance, it was 2015 champ Thibault Few and his Kawasaki ZX-10R that most would have put their money on for the back-to-back race win. You might’ve guessed his machine was powered by rocket fuel by the way he blasted off to take the hole shot at race start. Heemsbergen and his BMW S1000RR trailed behind in the two spot, followed by Kevin Gibson on board a Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Gibson seemed to have aimed for orbit as he had trouble keeping the front tire planted at race start, and things only got worse when his day ended early due to a broken chain, a moon-howling shame as Gibson had bested his previous lap record with a 1:09.716, only to park his bike in the infield and discover the damaged tail that the chain had slashed through before bunching up around the countershaft and grinding through the engine casing.

During the third lap, Few surrendered the lead to the pressuring Heemsbergen when Few’s late braking forced him off the track just before the sweeping Carousel. With a cloud of dirt and dust in his wake, Few made an attempt at “The Great Escape” heroics as he tapped into his motocross skills and steered his Kawasaki back onto track after clicking through gears in the dirt midfield and jumping the curb. Few quickly made up lost positions and tamed his brake lever when he stole the two spot from Cory Jones at the end of the back straight, but there weren’t any other rabbits to pull out of the magician’s hat and he’d end up in the two spot.

Whereas Few’s off-road excursion might have made for the spectacle of the day, it was Heemsbergen’s hunger for victory that will remain in the memories of most for the foreseeable future. His determination resulted in unrelenting pace, a wave he rode with his head down until the very last lap and he flew to the checkered flag first, his BMW’s front tire aimed at the sky in a triumphant wheelie.

Ever since the crack up in 2014 that resulted in two broken femurs, nerve damage, and continuous surgeries, it has been Heemsbergen’s aim to win once again the premier Formula Arroyo. “Now I just want to continue having fun,” Heemsbergen said after the race. Having met his goal, he couldn’t subdue a sun-burnt smile. “Anything from here on out is icing,” he said, “especially because I’m still partially crippled and have to shift with a button.”

The fastest lap was recorded by Heemsbergen at 1:08.550, a mere second off his best ever, but nevertheless impressive considering the high temperature that affected track adhesion. Second fastest was Few with a 1:08.940, and Gibson third with a 1:09.716.

Also worthy of mention is the tooth and nail scrap between Ben Alarcon and Jordan Tropkoff over fourth position. Once the green flag was raised, Tropkoff and his ZX-10R fended off Alarcon and his Yamaha YZF-R6, up until the midpoint of the race that is, when Alarcon made a pass into the Bus Stop. Tropkoff tried to repay the favor inside of the Horseshoe, but his Kawasaki pushed wide with too much speed and he’d spend the final laps nipping at Alarcon’s tail. With the white flag waving, Tropkoff blew past Alarcon who surprisingly dumped the clutch and lost drive along with his position inside the Carousel, the checkers nearly in sight.

The penultimate round of racing at Arroyo Seco Raceway is scheduled for the weekend of October 10-11, with testing on the tenth and racing on the eleventh. Information and schedule can be found on the ASMA website at www.asmaracing.com.

Race Results for Round Three at Arroyo Seco Raceway

Formula Arroyo by Evan Steel Performance

1. Roger Heemsbergen (BMW S1000RR)
2. Thibault Few (Kaw ZX-10R)
3. Cory Jones
4. Jordan Tropkoff (Kaw ZX-10R)
5. Ben Alarcon (Yam YZF-R6)
6. Jeremy Sims

Formula Amateur by Speedcell

1. Alex Cusick (Tri 675)
2. Joey Soule (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Scott George (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Alissa Ferguson (Yam YZF-R6)
5. Ryan McMicken
6. Rachel Buser (Hon CBR600RR)

Formula Femme

1. Janeth Edwards (Kaw 400)
2. Alissa Ferguson (Hon 500)
3. Jessica Dawson (Kaw 300)
4. Rachel Buser
5. Capri Stuart (Kaw 400)
6. Jasmine Owens (Hon 250)

Unlimited Superbike by Kurveygirl.com Expert

1. Thibault Few (Kaw ZX-10R)
2. Jeremy Sims
3. Jordan Tropkoff (Kaw ZX-10R)
4. John Friesen (Yam YZF-R6)

Unlimited Superbike by Kurveygirl.com Amateur

1. Clayton Lester (Kaw ZX-10R)
2. Alex Cusick (Tri 675)
3. Garret Helgesson (Kaw ZX-10R)
4. Alfonso Sanchez
5. Joey Soule
6. Dan Junick (BMW S1000RR)

Unlimited Super Stock by New Mexico Orthopaedics Expert

1. Thibault Few (Kaw ZX-10R)
2. Jeremy Sims
3. Andre Pettas (Yam YZF-R6)

Unlimited Super Stock by New Mexico Orthopaedics Amateur

1. Scott George (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Joey Soule (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Garrettt Helgesson (Kaw ZX-10R)
4. Alex Cusick (Tri 675)

Formula 40 by Southwest Suzuki / Kawasaki / Beta

1. Roger Heemsbergen (BMW S1000RR)
2. Kevin Gibson (Suz GSX-R1000)
3. John Freisen (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Brett Chandler
5. Loren Jury (Yam YZF-R6)

Middleweight Superbike by Law Tigers Amateur

1. Alex Cusick (Tri 675)
2. Scott George (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Allisa Ferguson (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Alfonso Sanchez (Yam YZF-R6)
5. Joey Soule (Yam YZF-R6)
6. Daniel Berger (Tri 675)

Middleweight Superstock by Las Cruces Smoke Shop Expert

1. Jordan Tropkoff (Kaw ZX-10R)
2. Joe Janiga (Kaw ZX-6R)
3. John Freisen (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Andre Pettas (Yam YZF-R6)

Middleweight Superstock by Las Cruces Smoke Shop Amateur

1. Scott George (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Alex Cusick (Tri 675)
3. Alfonso Sanchez (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Joey Soule (YZF-R6)
5. Jacob Mendivil
6. Daniel Berger (Tri 675)

Southwest Thunder 500 by Figgy Moto

1. Jared Kapoor (Kaw 400)
2. Leif Munson (Kaw 400)
3. Justin Rutledge (Kaw 400)
4. Daniel Berger (Tri 675)
5. Kevin Hanlon
6. Andres Orozco

Formula 500 by Law Tigers

1. Jared Kapoor (Kaw Ninja 400)
2. Justin Rutledge (Kaw Ninja 400)
3. Steven Kopp
4. Dan Garrison
5. Anthony Tontodanata (Hon 500)
6. Loren Jury (Yam YZF-R3)

Lightweight Gran Prix by Fast by Few

1. Leif Munson (Kaw Ninja 400)
2. Jaffet Sotelo
3. Remington Glorioso
4. Steven Kopp
5. Loren Jury (YZF-R3)
6. Jasmine Owens (Kaw Ninja 250)

300 Superbike

1. Jared Kapoor (Kaw Ninja 300)
2. Dan Garrison (Kaw Ninja 300)
3. Leif Munson (Kaw Ninja 300)
4. Andres Morales
5. Andres Orozco (Kaw Ninja 300)
6. Jasmine Owens (YZF-R3)

Ultralight Gran Prix Expert

1. Jared Kapoor
2. Dan Garrison
3. Leif Munson

Ultralight Gran Prix Amateur

1. Remington Glorioso (Yam YZF-R3)
2. Andres Morales
3. Andres Orozco
4. Cody Hoobler
5. Jaffet Sotelo
6. Loren Jury (Yam YZF-R3)

Beginner by Rio Grande Shovelheads

1. Kevin Hanlon
2. Andres Morales
3. Cody Hoobler
4. Brandon Lee