Michelin Team Challenge Series Blackhawk Farms Raceway South Beloit, IL Round 3 Preview
The Michelin Team Challenge Series moves to Blackhawk Farms Raceway in South Beloit IL. this weekend in a “homecoming” for several of the teams. The GTO class also features two of the Mid-West brightest as Calvin Martinez leads his Mid-Cities Motorsports teammates up against the GPG Racing squad led by Gene Paul Gilchrist. GPG Racing, based out of Columbus OH., trails the New Jersey based Chester Auto Repair Racing for the class lead by just 8 points and has a slim 4 point gap over the Mid-Cities team. Chester Auto Repair’s BMW took a hit at New Jersey Motorsports Park when motor problems knocked the machine out of the event and it is unclear if the bike will be ready for this weekend’s event at Blackhawk Farms Raceway. The fourth place GTO team, Trashed Bike Racing from Broussard LA is bringing their Buell 1125R up to the Mid-West facility to see if they can cut the 21 point lead between them and the C.A.R. before heading to the next round at Virginia International Raceway in June.
In the GTU class it is the Stiles Racing Yamaha from Delavan WI, trying to put some pressure on the class leader RnR Repsol Racing and their Kawasaki. This Team Challenge will be a “family affair” with Meghan Ryan, her husband Scotty Ryan and father Mark Stiles trying to use their home track advantage to make a move towards the title for the Stiles Racing Team. Not to be left out of the mix is Premier Racing with Daniel Dougherty and crew making the trip from Monrovia MD in an attempt to improve their position in the GTU Championship chase. Premier is fifth in the current standings, 30 points behind the RnR Repsol Racing team of Rachel Sasse, Krishna Pribaldi, Jason Gibbens and Matt Flowers, and well within striking distance with 5 rounds left in the chase.
For the GTL class, it’s the Grease Monkey Racing Team maintaining a 10 point lead over the Born Cross-eyed team of Jay Smith and 2009 Solo Challenge Champion Ray Hofman. Grease Monkey, with 2009 GTL National Champions Eric Helmbach and Alex Shaw doing the riding chores, have won the first two rounds of the series despite heavy pressure from the Born Cross-eyed team, runner up at both of the earlier events. Since Blackhawk Farms is the home track for both Jay Smith and Hofman, the pairs feels like it’s time to move to the top of the podium.
In the Overall Standings, the GTO team of Chester Auto Repair has a 10 point lead over GPG Racing and 14 points in front of Mid-Cities Motorsports. Chester Auto Repair Racing took the 2009 Overall Championship on a 600 but the move to the BMW1000 doesn’t seem to have changed their winning ways in the least. Lurking in the wings is the Probst Bros. Racing Team out of St. Louis, MO., last year’s runner-up at Blackhawk Farms. Ben Probst and his teammate Matthew Winnacker will be looking to put their Yamaha R-1 on the podium and take home the bonus for an Overall win in the Michelin Team Challenge.
Tickets for the event are just $25 for the weekend or just $15 to Sunday’s Michelin Team Challenge Final and CCS races starting a Noon. For more information, complete results and points, visit www.asraracing.com.
The next round of the Team Challenge Series will take place on June 19-20 at Virginia International Raceway during the 10th Annual VIR Festival of Speed.