Eddie Thornton set a new motorcycle lap record and Brandon Cleland took home five podiums during the Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association (CMRA) opening 2015 round of Big Bike Sprints this past Sunday, February 15, bringing the racing action to the 2.4-mile road course at MSR Houston, in Angleton, Texas. Cloudy skies and temperatures in the mid 60s with a light breeze made for good racing conditions

Thornton shattered the lap record on Lap 2 of the premiere Breast Cancer Research Foundation/P1 Racing – Formula 1 Expert, running a 1:31.844, breaking Ty Howard’s 1:32.040 record set in 2008. Thornton went on to take four podiums total, winning Breast Cancer Research Foundation/P1 Racing – Formula 1 Expert, B Superstock Expert, and second in RaceworX – A Superstock Expert and B Superbike Expert.

Cleland started his title defense by proving to be the fastest on a 600 once again, taking five podiums total, winning South Central Race Center – C Superstock Expert, C Superbike Expert, Raceworx – A Superstock Expert, 212Decals.com – A Superbike Expert, and taking second place in Breast Cancer Research Foundation/P1 Racing – Formula 1 Expert. Cleland also won the $100 P1 Racing cash purse for riding the first 600 across the finish line again during the Formula 1 race.

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation/P1 Racing – Formula 1 Expert race promised to be a nail biter, with a battle already brewing between Eddie Thornton on his Pirelli shod BMW S1000RR and Brandon Cleland, aboard his Pirelli shod Yamaha YZF-R6. As the 19-bike grid lined up for the start, Thornton had the pole with Cleland in second.

The starting lights went out, and Thornton put his head down and ran. Cleland furiously pursued him, and the race leaders edged away from the rest of the field. Thornton smashed the lap record on lap two with a 1:31.040, and Cleland ran a 1:32.907 while chasing him, but Thornton would not be caught. BMW S1000RR mounted Carlos Lescale ran a 1:35.586 while wrestling with Craig Montgomery on his Suzuki GSX-R1000 for third. Jeff Wrobel, also on a Suzuki GSX-R1000, was hot on their heels, turning a 1:36.330 for his fastest lap. As the final laps wound down, Thornton again turned a 1:31.040, and gapped second place by 10.397 seconds to take the win. Cleland, still on fire, crossed the line in second, Lescale held on to third, Montgomery finished fourth, Wrobel crossed the line in fifth. Alonzo Contreras, Blake Cypert, Brandon Young, Bobby Davies, and Braeden Ortt rounded out the top 10.

Daniel Adams shone in the Lightweights with four wins with his Suzuki SV650 in Formula 2 Expert, D Superstock Expert, D Superbike Expert, and Lightweight Twins Expert.

Jacob Napier took the Top Novice spot, riding his Suzuki GSX-R750 to five wins in SpeedFreakDecals.com – Formula 1 Novice, OnRoad OffRoad Suspension – A Superstock Novice, North Texas Superbikes – A Superbike Novice, Lone Star Track Days – B Superstock Novice, and North Texas Superbikes – B Superbike Novice.

On behalf of our racers, the CMRA would like to thank our 2015 Class Sponsors including: 212Decals.com, Altus Lawton Motorsports, Breast Cancer Research Foundation/P1 Racing, Crazy Jack’s Powersports, Four81 Motos, Island Racing Services, JT’s Performance Plus, Leather & Lace Racing Leathers Repair, Lone Star Track Days, Moto Liberty, North Texas Superbikes, OnRoad OffRoad Suspension, Rainbow Sox Racing, Race Tire Services, RaceworX, Remember Brooks Gremmels, Road & Track Suspension, South Central Race Center, SpeedFreakDecals.com, and Texas Motorcycle Academy@H2Rraceway. A special thanks to HighPerformanceCrew.com for sponsoring the safety curbing that was just installed on track at MSR Houston. Please remember to support the products and services of the companies who support you!

For a complete list of the weekend results and standings, please visit the website: www.CMRAracing.com. The next round in the CMRA season will be on March 21-22, 2015, for the final races ever at Texas World Speedway, College Station, Texas. This will also be the opening round for the US National Endurance Series. Details for the weekend will be announced when finalized. Come out and see some great endurance racing action!

SPRINT RACE RESULTS

D SUPERSTOCK EXPERT
1. Daniel Adams (Suz SV650)
2. Britten Geary (Suz SV650)
3. Zachary Boldwyn (Suz SV650)
4. Joseph B. Toner (Apr SXV 5.5)

D SUPERSTOCK NOVICE
1. Walter Walker III (Suz SV650)
2. Isachar Perez (Suz SV650)
3. Sloan Essman (Suz SV650)
4. William Clark (Suz SV650)
5. David Felio (Duc 1000SS)
6. Theofilos Giagmouris (Suz SV650)

CLASSIC
1. David E. Wilson (Hon CBR600)
2. Sean Brown (Hon CBR600F3)
3. Fox Schaffer (Hon CBR600F3)
4. Wiley Clark (Yam FZR400)
5. Nick Lee (Hon CBR600F3)

B SUPERSTOCK EXPERT
1. Eddie Thornton (Yam YZF-R6)
2. James Camacho Jr. (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Garet Tomlinson (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Alonzo Contreras (Suz GSX-R600)
5. Ron Mears (Hon CBR600)
6. Kyle Ohnsorg (Yam YZF-R6)

LONE STAR TRACK DAYS – B SUPERSTOCK NOVICE
1. Jacob Napier (Suz GSX-R750)
2. Hector Barreto (Suz GSX-R600)
3. Javier Martinez-Abrego III (Kaw ZX636)
4. Cody Stewart (Kaw ZX-6R)
5. Paul Bradley (Suz GSX-R750)
6. Jay Bullard (Kaw ZX636)

SOUTH CENTRAL RACE CENTER – C SUPERSTOCK EXPERT
1. Brandon Cleland (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Garet Tomlinson (Yam YZF-R6)
3. James Camacho Jr. (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Alonzo Contreras (Suz GSX-R600)
5. Kyle Ohnsorg (Yam YZF-R6)
6. Bobby Davies (Yam YZF-R6)

MOTO LIBERTY – C SUPERSTOCK NOVICE
1. Jay Bullard (Kaw ZX636)
2. Cody Stewart (Kaw ZX-6R)
3. Esteban Garcia (Hon CBR600RR)
4. Javier Martinez-Abrego III (Kaw ZX636)
5. Brian Prescott (Yam YZF-R6)
6. Michael McGehee (Kaw ZX636)

NORTH TEXAS SUPERBIKES – FORMULA 1 LADIES
1. Brandie Cox (Suz GSX-R750)
2. Megan Wanat (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Anita Thomas (Suz GSX-R750)
4. Daisy DeSimone (Suz GSX-R750)
5. Shandra Crawford (Tri Daytona 675R)

TEXAS MOTORCYCLE ACADEMY @ H2RRACEWAY – MOTARD
1. Joseph B. Toner (Apr SXV 5.5)
2. Robert Bradlaw (Hon CRF450)
3. Staton Shed (Hon CRF450)
4. Terry Embury (Yam YZ450)
5. Dave Gallagher (Yam WR450)
6. Steve Bui (Suz DRZ400)

LEATHER & LACE RACING LEATHER REPAIR – LADIES ULTRA LIGHTWEIGHT GP
1. Ana Duran-Gomez (Kaw 300R)
2. Jessica Coons (Kaw 300R)

RACEWORX – A SUPERSTOCK EXPERT
1. Brandon Cleland (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Eddie Thornton (BMW S1000RR)
3. Carlos Lescale (BMW S1000RR)
4. Braeden Ortt (Yam YZF-R6)
5. Blake Cypert (Kaw ZX-10R)
6. Brandon Young (KTM RC8)

ONROAD OFFROAD SUSPENSION – A SUPERSTOCK NOVICE
1. Jacob Napier (Suz GSX-R750)
2. Robert McNaught (Kaw ZX-10R)
3. Paul Bradley (Suz GSX-R750)
4. Cody Stewart (Kaw ZX-6R)
5. Jeff Reeves (BMW S1000RR)
6. Colby Pyron (Hon CBR1000RR)

FORMULA 2 EXPERT
1. Daniel Adams (Suz SV650)
2. Jim Whitten (Duc 1000SS)
3. Britten Geary (Suz SV650)
4. Shawn Adams (Suz SV650)
5. Ryan Andrews (Hon RS125)
6. Shane Zelm (Suz SV650)

FORMULA 2 NOVICE
1. Walter Walker III (Suz SV650)
2. Isachar Perez (Suz SV650)
3. David Felio (Duc 1000SS)
4. Chris Woolsey (Suz SV650)
5. William Clark (Suz SV650)
6. Theofilos Giagmouris (Suz SV650)

BREAST CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION / P1 RACING – FORMULA 1 EXPERT
1. Eddie Thornton (BMW S1000RR)
2. Brandon Cleland (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Carlos Lescale (BMW S1000RR)
4. Craig Montgomery (Suz GSX-R1000)
5. Jeff Wrobel (Suz GSX-R1000)
6. Alonzo Contreras (Suz GSX-R600)
7. Blake Cypert (Kaw ZX-10R)
8. Brandon Young (KTM RC8)
9. Bobby Davies (Yam YZF-R6)

10. Braeden Ortt (Yam YZF-R6)

HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS EXPERT
1. Brandon Young (KTM RC8)
2. Steven Nedd (KTM RC8)
3. Ben Jones (Duc 848)
4. Shandra Crawford (Tri Daytona 675R)

HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS NOVICE
1. Gregory Thomas (Tri Daytona 675)
2. Jon Bell (Tri Daytona 675R)
3. Shane Abbott (Kaw ZX-6R)
4. James Reger (Tri Daytona 675)
5. Jeff Bean (Tri Daytona 675)

MODERN CLASSIC
1. Danny Dominguez (Hon CBR1000RR)
2. Marco Gismondi (Hon CBR1000RR)
3. Chris Coffey (Suz GSX-R750)
4. Kevin Guenter (Suz GSX-R750)
5. Steven C. Smith (Suz GSX-R600)
6. Kasey Lewis (Kaw ZX-6R)

D SUPERBIKE EXPERT
1. Daniel Adams (Suz SV650)
2. Jim Whitten (Duc 1000SS)
3. Britten Geary (Suz SV650)
4. Shawn Adams (Suz SV650)
5. Shane Zelm (Suz SV650)
6. Danny Dominguez (Suz SV650)

NORTH TEXAS SUPERBIKES – D SUPERBIKE NOVICE
1. Walter Walker III (Suz SV650)
2. Isachar Perez (Suz SV650)
3. Chris Woolsey (Suz SV650)
4. David Felio (Duc 1000SS)
5. Dave Gallagher (Yam WR450)
6. Krystian Maskos (Apr SXV5.5)

ROOKIE EXPERT HEAVYWEIGHT
1. Braeden Ortt (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Jordan Pence (Kaw ZX-6R)
3. Nick Doolan (Kaw ZX-6R)
4. Chris Coffey (Kaw ZX636)
5. Steven Nedd (KTM RC8)
6. Brandie Cox (Suz GSX-R750)

SPEEDFREAKDECALS.COM – FORMULA 1 NOVICE
1. Jacob Napier (Suz GSX-R750)
2. Cody Stewart (Kaw ZX-6R)
3. Jay Bullard (Kaw ZX636)
4. Matthew Palmore (Suz GSX-R600)
5. Paul Bradley (Suz GSX-R750)
6. Dana DeMambro (Kaw ZX-10R)

LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS EXPERT
1. Daniel Adams (Suz SV650)
2. Jim Whitten (Duc 1000SS)
3. Britten Geary (Suz SV650)
4. Shane Zelm (Suz SV650)
5. Shawn Adams (Suz SV650)
6. Danny Dominguez (Suz SV650)

LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS NOVICE
1. Walter Walker III (Suz SV650)
2. Isachar Perez (Suz SV650)
3. Chris Woolsey (Suz SV650)
4. Krystian Maskos (Apr SXV5.5)
5. Peter Cook (Suz SV650)
6. Gabriel Martinez-Abrego (Suz SV650)

212DECALS.COM – A SUPERBIKE EXPERT
1. Brandon Cleland (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Braeden Ortt (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Carlos Lescale (BMW S1000RR)
4. Ron Mears (Hon CBR600RR)
5. Brandon Young (KTM RC8)
6. Darrell Ricks (Suz GSX-R1000)

NORTH TEXAS SUPERBIKES – A SUPERBIKE NOVICE

1. Jacob Napier (Suz GSX-R750)
2. Robert McNaught (Kaw ZX-10R)
3. Cody Stewart (Kaw ZX-6R)
4. Jeff Reeves (BMW S1000RR)
5. Matthew Palmore (Suz GSX-R600)
6. Jack Polzin (Apr RSV4)

FORMULA 40 LIGHTWEIGHT EXPERT
1. Jim Whitten (Duc 1000SS)
2. Shawn Adams (Suz SV650)
3. Danny Dominguez (Suz SV650)
4. Fox Schaffer (Hon CBR600F3)
5. Wiley Clark (Yam FZR400)

FORMULA 40 LIGHTWEIGHT NOVICE
1. David Felio (Duc 1000SS)
2. Sean Brown (Hon CBR600F3)
3. Nick Lee (Hon CBR600F3)

C SUPERBIKE EXPERT
1. Brandon Cleland (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Garet Tomlinson (Yam YZF-R6)
3. James Camacho, Jr. (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Braeden Ortt (Yam YZF-R6)
5. Kyle Ohnsorg (Yam YZF-R6)
6. Bobby Davies (Yam YZF-R6)

FORMULA 40 HEAVYWEIGHT EXPERT
1. Ron Mears (Hon CBR600)
2. Darrell Ricks (Suz GSX-R1000)
3. Pete Martins (Suz GSX-R1000)
4. Joseph Caruso (BMW S1000RR)
5. Scott Buckley (Suz GSX-R1000)
6. Gordon Miller (Suz GSX-R1000)

CRAZY JACK’S POWERSPORTS – FORMULA 40 HEAVYWEIGHT NOVICE
1. Jeff Reeves (BMW S1000RR)
2. Jack Polzin (Apr RSV4)
3. Dana DeMambro (Kaw ZX-10R)
4. Jack Moss (Suz GSX-R1000)
5. Oscar Castro (MV Augusta F4 RR)
6. Breen Schoonover (Suz GSX-R750)

FORMULA 40 MIDDLEWEIGHT EXPERT
1. Terry Embury (Hon CBR600RR)
2. Shandra Crawford (Tri Daytona 675R)

FORMULA 40 MIDDLEWEIGHT NOVICE
1. Kyle Fox (Hon CBR600RR)

2. Shane Abbott (Kaw ZX-6R)
3. Steven C. Smith (Suz GSX-R600)
4. Brandon Persell (Kaw ZX636)
5. Jason Litton (Suz GSX-R600)
6. Gregory Thomas (Tri Daytona 675)

JT’S PERFORMANCE PLUS – C SUPERBIKE NOVICE
1. Jay Bullard (Kaw ZX636)
2. Cody Stewart (Kaw ZX-6R)
3. Matthew Palmore (Suz GSX-R600)
4. Tommy Hendricks (Kaw ZX636)
5. Javier Martinez-Abrego III (Kaw ZX636)
6. Kaid Hopper (Suz GSX-R600)

B SUPERBIKE EXPERT
1. James Camacho, Jr. (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Eddie Thornton (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Ron Mears (Hon CBR600)
4. Braeden Ortt (Yam YZF-R6)
5. Kyle Ohnsorg (Yam YZF-R6)
6. Kevin Randall (Yam YZF-R6)

NORTH TEXAS SUPERBIKES – B SUPERBIKE NOVICE
1. Jacob Napier (Suz GSX-R750)
2. Cody Stewart (Kaw ZX-6R)
3. Jay Bullard (Kaw ZX636)
4. Hector Barreto (Suz GSX-R600)
5. Matthew Palmore (Suz GSX-R600)
6. Paul Bradley (Suz GSX-R750)

ROOKIE EXPERT LIGHTWEIGHT
1. Zachary Boldwyn (Suz SV650)
2. Anita Thomas (Kaw 300R)

FORMULA 3
1. Danny Dominguez (Hon CBR500R)
2. Gabriel Martinez-Abrego (Kaw 300R)
3. Colby Pyron (Kaw 300R)
4. Ryan Warren (Hon RS96R)
5. Steve Bui (Suz DRZ400)
6. Ana Duran-Gomez (Kaw 300R)

More, from a press release issued by JRi Shocks:

CMRA Racer Thornton Breaks Motorcycle Lap Record At MSR Houston

ANGLETON, TX. – Houstonian Eddie Thornton set the track record at Mercedes of Sugarland Raceway during the opening round of the 2015 CMRA Sprint Championship series. For Thornton, it was his first track record and it capped off a weekend that was highlighted by the Breast Cancer Research Awareness Formula One pole position, win, and track record during the race.

Since 2008, riders have pursued the original record set by Ty Howard at 1:32.040. As the track surface has become more challenging over the years, the record has always eluded those that have tried. Thornton himself realized it would be a tall task, despite setting pole time for the race with a 1:33.6 lap. After the qualifying session though, Thornton would have his team make the critical changes that would allow the record to be pursued.

“I had Brandon (Spradling) with P1 and Marcus McBain with JRi Shocks go over my setup to get me some more time. I also threw on a new soft tire to help the bike get some more traction. I was really hoping this could be my chance to get a record and I just asked the guys to do their best,” noted Thornton.

As the Green flag set the field of for Formula One, Thornton found himself working through the front runners on his Pirelli shod BMW S1000. By the end of lap one, he had the lead after putting in a scorching lap from a standing start. On lap two, there was silence as it was clear that Thornton was on a torrid pace. As the scoring monitor updated, 1:31.844 popped up…and the record was now history. Eddie was not done yet…he continued to run under the lap record and on lap 3 backed up his run with another stellar lap of 1:31.855.

For Thornton, the weekend in itself was a tall challenge. The BMW he raced was actually supposed to be sold prior to the race and was not even in its proper race trim until Friday Afternoon. Although a JRi Shocks STREET FIGHTER shock was bolted on to help tame the rear wheel of the big BMW Friday, the finishing touches were not completed until the front suspension was reworked Friday night to improve damping. Thornton entered Sunday morning practice still needing to confirm his setup. In addition, his ZX-636’s motor expired Friday after a water hose came off. Thornton scrambled on Saturday to grab his spare R-6 that was sitting in his garage unused for some time. Eddie scrambled all weekend just to be on the grid, let alone actually win. He perseverance, determination, and grit was well rewarded.

Thornton is a favorite of the paddock and the cheers were exceptionally loud from the hometown crowd and CMRA regulars as Thornton stood on the podium with his fellow competitors. Thornton had some final thoughts on the podium, “This record is really a result of the competition and what I have learned by racing guys like Brandon (Cleland), Carlos (Lescale), and Derek (Wagnon)…and all the other riders in the CMRA. Just working over the years to keep up with these guys has made it possible to achieve this record today.”