CCS Southeast and Atlantic Regions with AMA Sanctioned ASRA Team Challenge

Carolina Motorsports Park

Kershaw, South Carolina

April 13-14th, 2019

by Lisa Theobald

Vasiliy Zhulin won the Expert Unlimited Grand Prix race on Saturday, April 13 at Carolina Motorsports Park, during the first round of twin sprints races with Championship Cup Series (CCS). Zhulin nabbed an early lead on his Yamaha YZF-R1 and was out front for all six laps of the sprint race to take the victory without challenge. He also won the Unlimited Supersport race late in the day after grabbing another holeshot lead and opening a gap on the rest of the field.

“What a challenging weekend in terms of conditions: Wet, damp, drying track, or a very green, dry track with no grip,” stated Zhulin. “The boys were still quick and I had a blast. Stefano Mesa, Greg Ludt, Rhett Norman, Brandon Barker, my hat’s off to their pace and bravery in sketchy conditions. My R1’s, built by Michael Faillace at Metric Devil Moto, were on point, as always. The Penske shocks and SBS brakes were working superbly, and the Pirelli tires from Podium Motorsports were magical in the dry and in the wet, grippy, as always. The only thing missing was my wife, Genie. I’m hoping she will see me on the podium at the next event.”

Stefano Mesa won the Expert Unlimited Grand Prix race in the second round of twin sprints races on Sunday, with unexpected, and greatly improved weather conditions over the previous day. During the morning riders’ meeting, race officials and racers agreed to shorten the sprint races from six to five laps in an effort to squeeze some of the afternoon races in before the mandatory lunch hour quiet time, and attempt to complete the schedule before the weather was predicted to wreak its fury on the region. And, the decision paid off. All of the races on Sunday’s schedule, including the two-hour/69-lap ASRA Team Challenge, were completed early, and just in time before the afternoon thunderstorm arrived to flood the track.

Zhulin was first off the line at the start of Sunday’s Unlimited Grand Prix race with the rest of the field in hot pursuit. But, Mesa was on the move after taking over the lead in lap two and trying to shake off the competition on his Kawasaki ZX-10R. Mesa could be seen checking over his shoulder to see how much harder he had to push with Zhulin constantly on his tail looking for a way around. After one of these moves, Zhulin did overtake Mesa heading through the turn 12 sweeper, before being re-passed. To this, Zhulin exclaimed, “Whoo hoo! I never passed Mesa before.” Mesa quickly recovered and was able to maintain his advantage to take the checkered flag.

Mesa also won the Unlimited Supersport and Unlimited Superbike races after starting behind and working his way to the front, again chasing down Zhulin, who continued to nail holeshots the entire weekend. “I was glad to be back on my Pirelli tires, grippin’ and rippin’ this weekend,” Mesa stated. “I have to give thanks to Pirelli, Thermosman, Graves Motorsports, One-X USA, and SBS Brakes for all the help and support they have given me. It was a good weekend ripping with some fast company.”

Team Jinba Ittai Motorsport was the GTO and Overall Class winner of the ASRA Team Challenge Presented by Michelin Tire on Sunday afternoon. The race started with 15 teams, five in each of the three classes, geared up and ready to run in any weather condition. Joel Lenk, riding solo on board Jinba Ittai Motorsport’s Yamaha YZF-R1, led the entire grid through turn one at the start of the endurance race and swapped back and forth with Jason Farrell for the lead before Farrell had to drop out with brake (or lack thereof) issues.

A red flag incident just before the halfway mark sent everybody back to the grids to await the restart with the clock running. LB Sports’ Lloyd Bayley had been running up front on his BMW S1000RR when he had to drop out of the race due to mechanical issues causing his bike to shut off with just two laps to go. The race reached its maximum time limit with 61 laps completed by the top four teams, Jinba Ittai Motorsport, Barry Motorsports, and Grease Monkey in the GTO class, and Ol Boys racing just behind, taking their victory in the GTU class. Ready-to-Rip was the GTL class winner, finishing 8th overall. After the race, Jinba Ittai Motorsport thanked all who helped make it possible, including Cogent Dynamics, Lee Shierts with Lees Performance, Mack’s Cycle, iOneMoto, and Dunlop Road Racing.

Paul Blake was the winningest expert racer of the weekend with a grand total of seven first place finishes. He dominated the lightweight classes on his Suzuki SV 650, finishing well ahead of the rest of the fields on Saturday in the GTL, Thunderbike, Ultralight Superbike, and Lightweight GP races. On Sunday, he was back out front to take three more victories in the Thunderbike, Lightweight GP, and Ultralight Superbike classes. He did have some stiff competition, taking second place to Ryan Jones, who is not normally seen in the lightweight classes, in both of the Lightweight Superbike sprint races on board his KTM 790 Duke.

“The weekend was for sure chaotic,” Blake observed. “The weather was bipolar, and we all did more tire changes this weekend than we probably do in three to four weekends combined. Due to the weather I got no seat time Friday, three wet laps and one dry lap Saturday morning, and then it was ‘go time.’ I’m sure the weather forecast scared a lot of riders away and our field was kinda’ light.”

“It was a weird weekend for me and I felt I never really got into my rhythm but I kept trying,” Blake continued. “I was able to get within about one second of the fast guys from the lightweight classes last year on my own. Unfortunately I didn’t get pushed by those guys, or had to push real hard this weekend, but I’m sure my times would’ve gotten down to where I wanted if them boys showed up and we were banging bars! Overall it was great weekend. I lowered my times and the bike and I both came home in one piece – even though I about high sided and got thrown out of the seat in the back carousel. By the grace of God, I stayed on that bucking bronco!” He gave his thanks to Jesus, Apostle Racing, My Plumber Heating & Cooling, Massage Hope, Kenny with MRP Motorsports, Woodcraft and Vortex. He made sure to include a very special thank you to Pirelli, “For the grip on that cheese grater of a race track, and ‘Bock. James Bock.’ (Podium Motorsports) for all his help.”

Ryan Jones was the second winningest expert of the weekend with six first place finishes. During round one on Saturday, Jones won the GTU, Middleweight Superbike, and Lightweight Superbike races. Sunday, he was back out front to again win the Middleweight Superbike and Lightweight Superbike races, and added the Middleweight Supersport race to the mix.

“My weekend was pretty good,” Jones said. “I won six out of seven races and got second in the other. I had two really good battles with Greg Melka, and we split wins,” to which his mechanic Brian exclaimed, “Hey, I’m living vicariously through you, so you need to step it up a notch!” Jones also attributed some of his glory to Pirelli for keeping him on two wheels all weekend. Jones also thanked Ride On Moto, and “Most importantly, all my mechanics at GochiTech: Jeff Gochenour, Brian Waugh, and Kyle McGill, who lost his father during the weekend and still stayed until my races were over before he left. They all volunteer their time, are truly brothers to me, and I’m super grateful for them!”

Edward Kaye was the winningest amateur of the weekend, tying Blake, with seven victories. Saturday, Kaye won the Amateur GTL, Thunderbike, Lightweight Superbike, and Lightweight GP classes on his Suzuki SV 650. He took home another three first place trophies for the Amateur Lightweight GP, Thunderbike and Lightweight Superbike classes again on Sunday. Kaye’s sponsors include Ready to Ride, Bell Helmets, Vortex, and Moto D Racing.

The CCS Atlantic region is scheduled to compete again with the Mid-Atlantic region on April 27-28th, at New Jersey Motorsports Park for another weekend of Twin Sprints racing. The event will be scored with double points for both regions and will include a Friday practice day hosted by The Riders’ Club.

The next ASRA Team Challenge race will be held at Blackhawk Farms Raceway on May 18th along with CCS sprint races for the Mid-West region. CCS will host a Saturday practice day to include the Learning Curves School.

The CCS Southeast region’s next event is scheduled for June 8-9th at Virginia International Raceway, combined with the Mid-Atlantic region for the Virginia Festival of Speed 17th Annual Paul Farrell Memorial. This event will also feature sprint races with the AMA sanctioned ASRA Series Presented by Pirelli Tire.

For complete results, lap times, points standings, and remaining 2019 season schedules for the Championship Cup Series, ASRA, and ASRA Team Challenge Series, and any and all information on past and future events for all series and regions, please visit: www.ccsracing.us.

SATURDAY – ROUND 1 RESULTS

EXPERT UNLIMITED GRAND PRIX:

1. Vasiliy Zhulin (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Rhett Norman (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Gregory Ludt (BMW S1000RR)

4. Brandon Barker (Kaw ZX-10R)

5. Vincent Spivey (Yam YZF-R1)

6. Robert Early, Jr. (Kaw ZX-10R)

7. Brian Filipiak (Kaw ZX-10R)

8. Antonio Rodriguez (Kaw ZX-10R)

AMATEUR UNLIMITED GRAND PRIX:

1. Justin Tiller (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Jason Beauchamp (Suz GSX-R750)

3. Jonathan Tiller (Kaw ZX-10R)

4. Thomas Delegram (Yam YZF-R1)

5. Jordan Hower (EBR RS1190)

6. Serge Zonn (Yam YZF-R1)

SUNDAY – ROUND 2 RESULTS

EXPERT UNLIMITED GRAND PRIX:

1. Stefano Mesa (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. Vasiliy Zhulin (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Gregory Ludt (BMW S1000RR)

4. Rhett Norman (Yam YZF-R1)

5. Brandon Barker (Kaw ZX-10R)

6. Lloyd Bayley (BMW S1000RR)

7. Antonio Rodriguez (Kaw ZX-10R)

8. Roger Early, Jr. (Kaw ZX-10R)

9. Brian Filipiak (Kaw ZX-10R)

AMATEUR UNLIMITED GRAND PRIX:

1. Jonathan Tiller (Kaw ZX-10R)

2. Jeremy Brinker (Suz GSX-R750)

3. Mark E. Couch (Duc 1199)

4. Jason Beauchamp (Suz GSX-R750)

5. Thomas Delegram (Yam YZF-R1)

6. Bryan Archer (Yam YZF-R1)

7. Jordan Hower (Apr RS1190)

ASRA TEAM CHALLENGE RESUTS

OVERALL COMBINED:

1. Jinba Ittai Motorsport (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Barry Motorsports (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Grease Monkey (BMW S1000RR)

4. Ol Boys Racing (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Fast Lane Racing (Kaw ZX-6R)

6. LB Sports (BMW S1000RR)

GTO:

1. Jinba Ittai Motorsport (Yam YZF-R1)

2. Barry Motorsports (Yam YZF-R1)

3. Grease Monkey (BMW S1000RR)

4. LB Sports (BMW S1000RR)

5. Slopoke Rodriguez (Kaw ZX-10R)

GTU:

1. Ol Boys Racing (Yam YZF-R6)

2. Fast Lane Racing (Kaw ZX-6R)

3. National Granite (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Coleman Powersport (Yam YZF-R6)

5. J&J Farrell (Kaw ZX-6R)

GT LIGHTS (GTL):

1. Ready-to-Rip (Suz SV650)

2. SV Goons (Suz SV 50)

3. MurCon Racing (Suz SV650)

4. Racing 101 (Duc 1100)

5. Tri-State Superbikes (Yam YZF-R3)