Loudon Road Race Series Final Weekend Oct. 15-16, 2011
The Loudon Road Race Series wrapped up its 2011 season this past weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and there were several familiar faces racing back to victory lane.
The Middleweight Grand Prix, the series’ main event, finally got underway after two aborted red flag starts. When the field took the green, they charged into turn one and it was Bruce Group Racing’s Cory Hildebrand who snatched the hole shot with the rest of the field racing close behind.
Scott Greenwood, rider of the Argo Cycles/Dunlop Tires motorcycle jumped into the lead with an inside pass on the brakes in turn three. Penguin Racing School’s Eric Wood made quick work of Hildebrand to move into second position and set out after the race leader Greenwood by the end of lap one.
On lap two, the excitement continued as Christian Cronin of Loudon N.H., worked his way up to Hildebrand and began to apply pressure. Cronin was returning to race action after a knee injury kept him sidelined for a few races.
On lap four, Wood made a move into turn one to take over the top spot. Wood began to slightly stretch his lead over the next few laps until he encountered heavy lapped traffic. Greenwood was able to close back up to Wood and as the pair entered turn six with a slower rider ahead of them, the race began to take shape.
Greenwood, looking to find a way past his rival Wood, tried an inside pass on both riders in the exit of turn six. As Wood began to go to the outside, the lapped rider went wide. Wood was able to cut into the inside and make the pass. A bit of contact between the race leaders occurred, but both were unaffected and Wood was able to hold the lead position.
With the laps winding down, Greenwood was able to work his way past the leader briefly as Wood had to take a tight line entering turn 10, passing a slower rider causing him to run wide on the exit.
Greenwood drove past on the inside, but was unable to hold a tight line entering turn 11. Wood stormed back up the inside and regained the lead. Meanwhile, Cronin was able to work his past Hildebrand and into third position. When the checkered flag waved it was Wood who earned another victory on his way to the 2011 Middleweight Grand Prix championship.
“We probably bumped and banged in that race than we did all year before that,” said Wood. “This was my first year back in the middleweight bike which is kind of the premier class at Loudon. Loudon is a tight circuit so it rewards corner speed a little bit more than horsepower. I couldn’t be happier to win the championship my first year back it’s great.”
When the dust settled on the 2011 LRRS season, it was Rick Doucette of Sandown, N.H., who was crowned the Loudon Road Race Series Track Champion for a second consecutive year. Doucette claimed seven different division championships on his way to the prestigious award.
Doucette and all of the riders of the Loudon Road Race Series will be honored at the 2011 LRRS Awards Banquet on Nov. 12, 2011 at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Manchester, N.H. The sponsor expo begins at 1 p.m. and the awards banquet will start at 6 p.m.
Loudon Road Race Series Results October 15-16, 2011
Formula 40 1.Dennis Levesque (Ducati 1098) 2.Jason Carter (Yamaha YZF-R6) 3.Angel Cruz (Suzuki GSX-R750) 4.Jim Rich (Aprilia RSV 1000)
Formula 40 Lights 1.Jonathan Burbank (Suzuki SV650) 2.Rick Doucette (Suzuki SV650) 3.Ted Temple (Suzuki SV650) 4.David Sargent (Suzuki SV650) 5.John O’Donnell (Suzuki SV650) 6.Charles Brighenti (Suzuki SV650)
Formula 50 1.Jonathan Burbank (Suzuki GSX-R750) 2.Shawn McCormick (Suzuki GSX-R750)
Formula 50 Lights 1.Jonathan Burbank (Suzuki SV650) 2.Victor Landau (Suzuki SV650) 3.David Sargent (Suzuki SV650) 4.Michael Dube (Ducati 800ss) 5.James Whitaker (Honda RS250)
GTL 1.Scott Mullin (Kawasaki 650R) 2.Peter Gaboriault (Suzuki SV650) 3.Rick Doucette (Suzuki SV650) 4.Michael Weyant (Suzuki SV650) 5.Matthew Calhoun (Suzuki SV650) 6.David Dayon (Suzuki SV650)
GTO 1.Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha YZF-R1) 2.Scott James (Yamaha YZF-R1) 3.Brett Guyer (Aprilia RSV4 1000)
GTU 1.Scott Greenwood (Yamaha YZF-R6) 2.Jason Carter (Yamaha YZF-R6) 3.Paul Grimes (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 4.Riley Rodgers (Yamaha YZF-R6) 5.Alex Guilbeault (Yamaha YZF-R6)
HW Superbike 1.Dennis Levesque (Ducati) 2.Jason Carter (Yamaha) 3.Jason Staly (Kawasaki) 4.David Fett (Yamaha) 5.Angel Cruz (Suzuki) 6.Shawn St Laurent (Ducati)
HW Supersport 1.Rick Doucette (Suzuki GSX-R750) 2.Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha YZF-R6) 3.Joel Allen (Yamaha YZF-R6) 4.Brian Keith (Suzuki GSX-R600) 5.Alex Merrell (Suzuki GSX-R750) 6.Angel Cruz (Suzuki GSX-R750)
LW Grand Prix 1.Scott Mullin (Ducati Sport 1000) 2.Chris Cucinotta (Suzuki SV650) 3.Peter Gaboriault (Suzuki SV650) 4.Sean Byrnes (Suzuki SV650) 5.Ted Temple (Suzuki SV650) 6.Matthew Calhoun (Suzuki SV650)
LW Sportsman 1.Eric Block (KTM SX-F 450) 2.Jason Hillsgrove (KTM 525 SMR) 3.Peter Woodward (Honda CRF450) 4.Martin Hanlon (Yamaha WR/YZF 450) 5.Alex Guilbeault (Honda CRF450) 6.Jason Cavanaugh (Honda CRF450)
LW Superbike 1.Rick Doucette (Suzuki SV650) 2.Scott Mullin (Ducati Sport 1000) 3.Chris Cucinotta (Suzuki SV650) 4.Sean Byrnes (Suzuki SV650) 5.Peter Gaboriault (Suzuki SV650) 6.Michael Weyant (Suzuki SV650)
LW Supersport 1.Peter Gaboriault (Suzuki SV650) 2.Rick Doucette (Suzuki SV650) 3.Scott Mullin (Kawasaki Ninja 650R) 4.Mark Dages (Suzuki SV650) 5.Branch Worsham (Hyosung Comet GT650) 6.Charles Sandoz (Ducati Monster 796)
Motard 1.Jason Cavanaugh (Honda CRF450) 2.Ryan Oosterman (KTM smr 560) 3.Trevor Arvidson (Honda CRF450) 4.Eric Block (KTM SX-F 450) 5.Eric Shaw (Yamaha WR/YZF 450) 6.Jason Hillsgrove (KTM 525 SMR)
MW Grand Prix 1.Eric Wood (Ducati 848) 2.Scott Greenwood (Yamaha YZF-R6) 3.Christian Cronin (Yamaha YZF-R6) 4.Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha YZF-R6) 5.Jason Carter (Yamaha YZF-R6) 6.Joel Allen (undefined)
MW Production Twins 1.Rick Doucette (Suzuki SV650) 2.Mark Dages (Suzuki SV650)
MW Superbike 1.Eric Wood (Ducati) 2.Scott Greenwood (Yamaha) 3.Christian Cronin (Yamaha) 4.Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha) 5.Jason Carter (Yamaha) 6.Jason Staly (Kawasaki)
MW Supersport 1.Scott Greenwood (Yamaha YZF-R6) 2.Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha YZF-R6) 3.Houk Nichols (Yamaha YZF-R6) 4.David Fett (Yamaha YZF-R6) 5.Timothy Barber (Yamaha YZF-R6) 6.Paul Grimes (Kawasaki ZX-6R)
Production Twins 1.Mark Dages (Kawasaki Ninja 500) 2.Branch Worsham (Kawasaki Ninja 500) 3.Joseph Latona (Kawasaki Ninja 500) 4.Mike Defazio (Kawasaki Ninja 500) 5.Ryan Hobbs (Ducati 620ss)
Super Singles 1.Eric Block (KTM SX-F 450) 2.Jason Cavanaugh (Honda CRF450) 3.Trevor Arvidson (Honda CRF450) 4.Ryan Oosterman (KTM smr 560) 5.Eric Shaw (Yamaha WR/YZF 450) 6.Martin Hanlon (Yamaha WR/YZF 450)
Super Twins 1.Eric Wood (Ducati 848) 2.Dennis Levesque (Ducati 1098) 3.Charles Sandoz (Ducati 848) 4.Jim Rich (Aprilia RSV 1000)
Thunderbike 1.Scott Mullin (Ducati Sport 1000) 2.Rick Doucette (Suzuki SV650)
Ultralight Superbike 1.Eugene Berrio (Honda Hawk GT) 2.Eric Shaw (Yamaha WR/YZF 450) 3.Jason Cavanaugh (Honda CRF450) 4.Eric Block (Honda CRF450) 5.Joel Taylor (Ducati 800ss) 6.Trevor Arvidson (Honda CRF450)
Unlimited Grand Prix 1.Brett Guyer (Aprilia RSV4 1000 Factory) 2.Cory Hildebrand (Yamaha YZF-R1) 3.Alex Merrell (Suzuki GSX-R750) 4.Simon Wilson (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 5.John van Lenten (Yamaha YZF-R6) 6.Wojciech Kasperuk (Yamaha YZF-R6)
Unlimited Superbike 1.Scott Greenwood (Yamaha YZF-R6) 2.Brett Guyer (Aprilia RSV4 1000 Factory) 3.Ivan Debord (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 4.Cory Hildebrand (2009 Yamaha YZF-R1)
Unlimited Supersport 1.Scott Greenwood (Yamaha YZF-R6) 2.Brett Guyer (Aprilia RSV4 1000 Factory) 3.Ivan Debord (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 4.Jason Staly (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 5.John van Lenten (Yamaha YZF-R6) 6.Alex Merrell (undefined)
Top-25 Overall 2011 Loudon Road Race Series Championship Standings
1.Rick Doucette 2.Cory Hildebrand 3.Scott Greenwood 4.Jason Carter 5.Scott Mullin 6.Eric Wood 7.Eric Block 8.Brett Guyer 9.Peter Gaboriault 10.Douglas Fogg 11.Shane Narbonne 12.Jason Cavanaugh 13.Jonathan Burbank 14.Mark Dages 15.Houk Nichols 16.Dennis Levesque 17.Eric Shaw 18.Bob Poetzsch 19.Alex Guilbeault 20.Tyler Sweeney 21.Jason Hillsgrove 22.Branch Worsham 23.John O’Donnell 24.Eric Johanson 25.Ronald Poulin
Championship Winners by Class
125 Grand Prix 1.Nicholas Jakubowski 2.Michael Jakubowski 3.Shawn Spear 4.John Doll
Formula 40 1.Jason Carter 2.Dennis Levesque 3.Jim Rich 4.Robert Nigl 5.Jason Staly 6.Neal Garvin
Formula 40 Lights 1.Rick Doucette 2.Ted Temple 3.Jonathan Burbank 4.Douglas Fogg 5.David Sargent 6.John O’Donnell
Formula 40 Lights 1.Rick Doucette 2.Ted Temple 3.Jonathan Burbank 4.Douglas Fogg 5.David Sargent 6.John O’Donnell
Formula 50 1.Jonathan Burbank 2.Douglas Fogg 3.Shawn McCormick 4.Ronald Poulin 5.Victor Landau 6.Neal Garvin
Formula 50 Lights 1.Dan Frisbie 2.Jonathan Burbank 3.Douglas Fogg 4.Bob Poetzsch 5.David Sargent 6.Shawn McCormick
GTL 1.Rick Doucette 2.Scott Mullin 3.Peter Gaboriault 4.Glenn Coolbeth 5.Douglas Fogg 6.Eric Johanson
GTO 1.Brett Guyer 2.Cory Hildebrand 3.Scott James 4.Shane Narbonne 5.Neal Garvin 6.Ivan Debord
GTU 1.Scott Greenwood 2.Jason Carter 3.Alex Guilbeault 4.Christian Cronin 5.Paul Grimes 6.Ronald Poulin
HW Superbike 1.Eric Wood 2.Jason Carter 3.Dennis Levesque 4.Houk Nichols 5.Alex Guilbeault 6.John Van Lenten
HW Supersport 1.Cory Hildebrand 2.Rick Doucette 3.Joel Allen 4.Shane Narbonne 5.Alex Merrell 6.Houk Nichols
LW Grand Prix 1.Scott Mullin 2.Rick Doucette 3.Peter Gaboriault 4.Chris Cucinotta 5.Dan Frisbie 6.Douglas Fogg
LW Sportsman 1.Eric Block 2.Jason Hillsgrove 3.Jason Cavanaugh 4.Eric Shaw 5.Peter Woodward 6.Mike Defazio
LW Superbike 1.Rick Doucette 2.Scott Mullin 3.Peter Gaboriault 4.Chris Cucinotta 5.Brian Kent 6.William Tansey Jr.
LW Supersport 1.Rick Doucette 2.Peter Gaboriault 3.Mark Dages 4.Scott Mullin 5.Eric Johanson 6.John O’Donnell
Motard 1.Eric Block 2.Ryan Oosterman 3.Jason Cavanaugh 4.Shane Narbonne 5.Eric Shaw 6.Jason Hillsgrove
Middle Weight Grand Prix 1.Eric Wood 2.Scott Greenwood 3.Cory Hildebrand 4.Shane Narbonne 5.Jason Carter 6.Houk Nichols
MW Production Twins 1.Rick Doucette 2.Mark Dages 3.Branch Worsham 4.Glenn Coolbeth
MW Superbike 1.Eric Wood 2.Scott Greenwood 3.Cory Hildebrand 4.Jason Carter 5.Christian Cronin 6.Adam Andrusia
MW Supersport 1.Scott Greenwood 2.Cory Hildebrand 3.Houk Nichols 4.Tyler Sweeney 5.Ronald Poulin 6.Alex Guilbeault
Thunderbike 1.Rick Doucette 2.Scott Mullin 3.Bob Poetzsch 4.Brian Kent 5.Ray Hofman 6.Matthew Calhoun
Production Twins 1.Mark Dages 2.Branch Worsham 3.Joseph Latona 4.Mike Defazio 5.Steven Heider 6.Jason Carter
Ultralight Superbike 1.Eric Block 2.Eric Shaw 3.Jason Cavanaugh 4.Eugene Berrio 5.Michael Martire 6.Martin Hanlon
Unlimited Grand Prix 1.Cory Hildebrand 2.Brett Guyer 3.Simon Wilson 4.Shane Narbonne 5.Wojciech Kasperuk 6.Steven Giacomaro
Unlimited Superbike 1.Scott Greenwood 2.Cory Hildebrand 3.Brett Guyer 4.Scott James 5.Ivan Debord 6.Steven Giacomaro
Unlimited Supersport 1.Scott Greenwood 2.Brett Guyer 3.Simon Wilson 4.Tyler Sweeney 5.Alex Merrell 6.Ivan Debord