CCS Mid-Atlantic/ASRA/ASRA Team Challenge
Summit Point Motorsports Park, Summit Point, West Virginia
August 15-16, 2020
Stefano Mesa ran undefeated during the Summit Point Summer Cyclefest weekend in the popular middleweight and unlimited classes, splitting his seat time between his pair of Kawasaki’s. Mesa won all seven races he contested during the Mid-Atlantic Championship Cup Series/ASRA Sprint Series presented by Pirelli Tire, featuring the AMA sanctioned ASRA Team Challenge Series presented by Michelin Tire, making him the winningest racer of the two-day event in West Virginia. The weather forecast was unfavorable throughout the event and conditions varied between light rain, damp, and drying track surface both Saturday and Sunday.
Mesa booked his first victory on Saturday afternoon on board his Pirelli shod Kawasaki ZX-10R, after catching and passing early race leader Mark Heckles in the Unlimited Supersport race. Brandon Barker, Ian Tetrick and David Loikits rounded off the top five.
Mesa rode his newly added Kawasaki ZX-6R during his second race of the weekend, Middleweight Supersport, which was split between expert and amateur riders due to a large grid size. Greg Melka nabbed the holeshot and led the first few laps of the race with his Yamaha YZF-R6 with the pack in tight formation behind him looking for a way around. Mesa was the first to make his way to the front with Xavier Zayat’s Yamaha YZF-R6 in hot pursuit. Two laps later, Zayat took advantage of Mesa’s wide line through the carousel and slipped underneath to take over the lead for the final laps. Mesa won the top spot on the podium, ahead of Arnold Hastings, Greg Melka, Rick Beggs, and Brad Moser. Zayat was disqualified for failing to show to tech after the race.
Mesa started day two with his first win in the Middleweight Superbike race after fighting his way through the field and finally to the front. Melka had nabbed the holeshot lead again with Jones and Zayat in hot pursuit. Jones was the first to take over the lead with Mesa moving in and passing for the advantage a few laps later. Jones finished second, ahead of Zayat, Melka, and Ryan Jones.
Mark Heckles was out front early again in the 10-lap ASRA Superstock race with Mesa on the hunt and making his move just before the half-way mark. He was able to maintain his advantage and stretch out his lead to claim victory ahead of Heckles, Lloyd Bayley, Loikits, and Stephen Hoffman.
The ASRA Sportbike race was combined with the Thunderbike class and heavily trafficked. Zayat was the early leader in this battle with Mesa close behind and looking for a way around. He was able to use early lap traffic to his advantage and claim the front spot until the race was called early due to a red flag incident. Mesa claimed the top spot on the podium with Zayat second and Melka third. Hasting and Adam Wingard rounded off the top five.
The Unlimited Superbike race was yet another battle between Heckles and Mesa with Heckles out front early again and Mesa taking over for the win. Barker, Lokitis and Antal Halasz finished behind the two front-runners.
The Unlimited Grand Prix race was moved to the end of the day after two rough starts due to red flag incidents. The sun finally came out at the end of the day for this final race, which Mesa won after working his way up from the back of the field to take over from early race leader Antal Halasz. Barker, Bayley, Loikits and Halasz rounded off the top five in the final race of the weekend.
The CCS Mid-Atlantic region is scheduled to compete next (for the first time) at NC Bike September 12-13th, in a Twin Sprints event.
The next round of the ASRA Championship Series sprint races is schedule for August 22-23rd at Roebling Road Raceway. And, the next ASRA Team Challenge is scheduled for September 6th at New Jersey Motorsports Park, Thunderbolt.
Full race results, lap times, points standings, as well as information regarding the remaining 2020 schedule, licensing information, rules, and general information for all regions are available online at: www.ccsracing.us.
CCS EXPERT UNLIMITED GRAND PRIX RESULTS:
1. Stefano Mesa (Kaw ZX-10R)
2. Brandon Barker (Kaw ZX-10R)
3. Lloyd Bayley (BMW S1000RR)
4. David Loikits (Suz GSX-R1000)
5. Antal Halasz (Suz GSX-R1000)
6. Stephen Hoffman (BMW S1000RR)
7. Ian Tetrick (Kaw ZX-10R)
8. Emerson Amaya (Yam YZF-R1)
9. Jeremy Cook (BMW S1000RR)
10. Patrick Klein (BMW S1000RR)
