The BEi Racing/Dunlop Development team rode their Dunlop-shod Twigg Cycles Suzuki GSX-R1000 to victory again at the WERA National 4 Hour Endurance race presented by Lucas Oil this past Friday, October 4, 2013 at Road Atlanta, near Braselton, GA, kicking off the weekend’s racing.
WERA held its fourth round of the National Endurance Series presented by Lucas Oil, followed by a round of double-header Pirelli WERA North Florida/Southeast Sportsman Sprints on Saturday and Sunday. The weather was pleasant, with temperatures in the 70’s, making for good lap times on the 2.5-mile course.
The four-hour Endurance Race had a combined grid of 13 teams, with classes including Heavyweight Superbike, Mediumweight Superbike, and Lightweight Superbike. The green flag dropped, and the heavyweights immediately went for the lead.
At the hour one mark, the BEi Racing/Dunlop Development team of Tim Bemisderfer, Chris Clark, and Billy Ethridge had the lead by a full lap on their Suzuki GSX-R1000, holding off the Honda CBR1000RR-mounted MWR Investigations team of Kenneth Martin, Alan Nelson, and David Rose, and the TOBC 600 team of Nick McFadden and Curtis Murray on a Suzuki GSX-R600.
During hour 2, BEi Racing/Dunlop Development maintained their one-lap lead over second place, this time keeping TOBC 600 at bay after they got around MWR Investigations for second place. The TOBC 650 team of Christian Crosslin, C. Brian Kcraget, and Palmer Kling aboard a Suzuki SV650 pulled into the top five and began stalking the Yamaha YZF-R6 mounted Quick Time Cycle team of Derrick Cantrell and David Gray. Consistency and good pits stops were key to the race leader match ups.
Hour three had BEi Racing/Dunlop Development still in the lead by a lap, but TOBC 600 was steadily gaining ground. Quick Time Cycle wrestled third place from MWR Investigations, and squeezed a 40.009-second lead on them. After three hours of racing, the top five spots were still up for grabs, and the teams headed into hour four still going strong.
BEi Racing/Dunlop Development continued their lead of the field, but TOBC 600 narrowed the gap to 22.903 seconds. MWR Investigations got back around Quick Time Cycle for third, and TOBC 650 held off the Marrietta Motorsports team of John Risconsin and Ryan Shallies on a Suzuki GSX-R600 to stay in the top five.
During the final hour of racing, BEi Racing/Dunlop Development stayed strong, holding their 22 second margin of victory and grabbed the checkers for the overall win and the win in Heavyweight Superbike, with 148 laps. TOBC 600 finished second overall and first in Mediumweight Superbike also with 148 laps. MWR Investigations crossed the line next, taking third overall and second in Heavyweight Superbike with 144 laps.
Other teams scored a bonus when their names were drawn during the Lucas cash giveaway. At every National Endurance round, two team names are drawn per class during the awards presentation and given $250 each. This rounds winners were Heavyweight Superbike: MWR Investigations, Shelby Cycle & ATV, Mediumweight Superbike: BTC Racing, Team Coyote, Lightweight: Team Cracka and Navy SeaBee Team 670.
For a complete list of results and standings, please visit the website: www.wera.com. The next National Endurance round will be held at the Grand National Finals, October 27, 2013, at Barber Motorpsorts Park, Birmingham, AL.
WERA NATIONAL 4-HOUR ENDURANCE RACE PRESENTED BY LUCAS OIL
OVERALL RESULTS: 1. BEi Racing/Dunlop Development (Tim Bemisderfer/Chris Clark/Billy Ethridge), Suz GSX-R1000, Heavyweight Superbike, 148 laps 2. TOBC Racing 600 (Nick McFadden/Curtis Murray), Suz GSX-R600, Mediumweight Superbike, 148 laps 3. MWR Investigations (Kenneth Martin/Alan Nelson/David Rose), Hon CBR1000RR, Heavyweight Superbike, 144 laps 4. Quick Time Cycle (Derrick Cantrell/David Gray), Yam YZF-R6, Mediumweight Superbike 143 laps 5. TOBC Racing 650 (Christian Crosslin/C. Brian Kcraget /Palmer Kling), Suz SV650, Lightweight Superbike, 140 laps 6. Marrietta Motorsports (John Risconsin/Ryan Shallies), Suz GSX-R600, Mediumweight Superbike, 140 laps
HEAVYWEIGHT SUPERBIKE: 1. BEi Racing/Dunlop Development (Tim Bemisderfer/Chris Clark/Billy Ethridge), Suz GSX-R1000, 148 laps 2. MWR Investigations (Kenneth Martin/Alan Nelson/David Rose), Hon CBR1000RR, 144 laps 3. Shelby Cycle ATV (Brett Accord/David Brooks/Carlos Gonzales), Suz GSX-R750, 138 laps 4. SRT (Jeffery Purk/Garrick Schmeiderman), Duc 1199, 47 laps 5. Army of Darkness (Sam Fleming/Chris Peris/Ben Walters, Jr.), BMW S1000RR, 44 laps
MEDIUMWEIGHT SUPERBIKE: 1. TOBC Racing 600 (Nick McFadden/Curtis Murray), Suz GSX-R600, 148 laps 2. Quick Time Cycle (Derrick Cantrell/David Gray), Yam YZF-R6, 143 laps 3. Marrietta Motorsports (John Risconsin/Ryan Shallies), Suz GSX-R600, 140 laps 4. BTC Racing (Kenneth Liedy/Heather Szymanik), Hon CBR600RR, 76 laps 5. Team Coyote (Major L. Long, Jr./Michel Perussault), Yam YZF-R6, 64 laps
LIGHTWEIGHT SUPERBIKE: 1. TOBC Racing 650 (Christian Crosslin/C. Brian Kcraget /Palmer Kling), Suz SV650, 140 laps 2. Team Cracka (Tim Birdsong/Chris Parrish/Travis Richards), Suz SV650, 140 laps 3. Navy SeaBee Team 670 (Blake Jones/Jamie Lee Murray/Randy Woodward/Lance Yeager), Suz SV650, 130 laps