FMRRA Weekend Report from Roebling Road Raceway
FMRRA: Florida Motorcycle Road Racing Association
Round 7: Roebling Road Raceway
June 22-23, 2019
Photo finishes, Class records broken, and exciting wheel to wheel racing as FMRRA welcomes many new regional racers to the 2019 Championship
The Florida Motorcycle Road Racing Association’s travelled north this past weekend to the storied Roebling Road Raceway for the 7th round of the 2019 season.
Jamie Starace started from the pole in the SuperStock 600 Grande Corsa. Continuing their season long battle, Starace was able to hold off Christian Miranda for the first ten laps of the twelve-lap race; however, Miranda took the checker after getting the lead in lap eleven. Interestingly, Gabriel DaSilva set a new class Expert track record with a 1:14.086, but was not as consistent as the leaders, managing fourth overall. Amateur Thomas Hannigan took third overall (and the Amateur win). Miranda, Starace, and DaSilva formed the top three for the Expert podium, while Hannigan was joined in the victory celebrations by Frank Custureri and Dustin Richards (second and third, respectively).
The SuperStreet 300 and Moto3 Grande Corsa saw Gabriel DaSilva on the pole leading Alexis Olivera and Wayne Reyne on the staggered front row. The three finished the race in the same positions overall (and Moto3 Expert), with Olivera narrowly holding off Reyne by 0.153 seconds. Continuing to stand out this year, Yvette LaMar claimed the Moto3 Amateur win over Zane Lefko and Dustin Richards. Roger Morisette set the 300 Amateur record with a 1:24.696 taking home the top stair of the class podium in the process, joined by Jerry Pellegrino and Anthony Poulos. Michael Norman took the 300 Expert victory and fifth overall.
Shannon Andrus started from the pole in the SuperStock 1000 Grande Corsa. Freddy Carswell ran into the lead in lap two and lead the remainder of the race; however, the next ten laps had some fantastic racing for second. Ultimately, Andrus took the silver narrowly holding off Jason Campbell and Drew Daly. Amateur Patrick Plowman took the lead in lap one and two and turned in an admirable performance (and class victory) staying right behind the Experts for the length of the race. George Vazeos Jr and Stuart Zuckerman took second and third in the Amateur field.
The Sunoco SuperBike 600 Grande Corsa saw Wayne Reyne start from the pole, set a new class track record (1:14.546) and hold down a definitive lead for the entire twelve lap race. Michael Rouleau and Alejandro Rei went wheel to wheel for much of the race with Rouleau ultimately crossing the line ahead of Rei. Amateur Dustin Richards held off Andrea Diotallevi by 0.730 seconds to take first place in class (while setting a class track record of 1:16.690), Eric Vowels rounded out the Amateur podium.
Jonathan Pellnitz started from the pole in the Twins Grande Corsa followed by Amateur Thomas Hannigan. Pellnitz secured both the overall and class victory (while setting a class track record of 1:20.079) leading Hannigan and Carl Cohen across the checkered finish for the top three. Pellnitz and Cohen were joined by Al Smith on the Production Twin Expert Podium, while Hannigan saw Amateurs Sam Purkis and Kevin Greimel meet him in their class victory circle. Mark Tenn took the Formula Twin Expert win over CJ Czaia (who was time penalized for a jump start), and Jon Foy. Yvette LaMar nabbed the Formula Twin Amateur victory with her class competition retiring mid-race. Pellnitz and Hannigan both set Production Twin class track records during the race. Pellnitz set the Expert Class record with a 1:20.079 while Hannigan broke the Amateur class record with a 1:20.540.
Christian Miranda may have started from the Pole, but Freddy Carswell had a fantastic hole shot from the launch taking the lead quickly in the first lap of the Sunoco SuperBike 1000 Grande Corsa. After two laps Miranda was able to get by Carswell to re-secure the front of the pack, holding on for the rest of the race and taking home the $500 payout. Wayne Reyne pushed hard; however, Carswell was able to hold him off by 0.322 seconds to take second with Reyne finishing third. Alejandro Nieves took the Amateur victory over Eric Komrowski and set a class track record with a 1:16.077 on the final lap.
The SuperStock 600 Spring race saw Jamie Starace start from the pole. The race saw two restarts and was finished upon the results of the last finished lap. Christian Miranda won overall with Gabriel DaSilva and Starace joining on the Expert Podium. Frank Custureri, Patrick Plowman, and Doug Ford took top three Amateur.
Gabriel DaSilva started from pole and lead Alexis Olivera to the finish line, the two were joined by Roger Morisette for the overall top three. DaSilva and Olivera earned the top two honors in the Moto3 Expert class and Brian Robbins rounded out the podium. Moto3 Amateur saw Zane Lefko narrowly take the victory over Dustin Richards by 0.112 seconds with Yvette LaMar taking third a few bike lengths behind. Morisette took the SuperStreet 300 Amateur win over Anthony Poulos, who held off Jerry Pellegrino to secure second by 0.606 seconds. Michael Norman set a 300 Expert class record of 1:25.891 while taking the win.
Amateur Alejandro Nieves impressively started from the pole and held the lead in the SuperStock 1000 Sprint before Seth Starnes was able to work his way by with an impressive drive from the back of the grid after lap two. Christian Miranda had a weak start but after a few laps was able to work his way to the front passing Nieves and almost getting the lead over Starnes. In the end, Starnes took home the overall victory followed by Miranda and Nieves. Shannon Andrus took third in the Expert class behind Starnes and Miranda. Nieves took the Amateur win (while setting a new class record with a 1:15.731 on lap four), proving he is an upcoming talent to watch in the process. Patrick Plowman and Daniel Gourley took second and third in the Amateur field.
The Formula 40-600 Sprint saw Michael Rouleau starting from the pole. Alejandro Rei worked his way to the lead early in the race before his season-long rival, Jamie Starace, made a pass in lap two. There was some great three wide racing between the three, ultimately Starace took the win followed by Rouleau and Rei for the top three overall and Expert. Andrea Diotallevi won the Amateur class with an incredibly close finish over Thomas Ceparano (0.249 split) and Doug Ford (0.198 split). Thomas Ceparano set the Amateur class record with a 1:19.251, while Starace brought the Expert class record down to a 1:15.818.
The Euro Cup Sprint saw newcomer George Vazeos Jr starting from the pole. Wayne Reyne started from the back of the field and made an impressive drive passing ten bikes for the lead in the first two laps. While Reyne ran away with the overall win, there was some fantastic racing between Vazeos Jr and Thomas Ceparano for second place. Vazeos Jr was narrowly able to hold him off by only 0.033 seconds for the Euro Max Amateur win (and second overall). Reyne secured the overall victory and first place in the Euro Light Expert field joined by Carl Cohen and CJ Czaia at the podium. Ceparano wasn’t able to get past Vazeos on the final stretch; however, he did take the Euro Light Amateur victory. Alfie Luzzi and Sardis Campodonico joined Ceparano in the victory circle. Jon Foy took first in the Euro Max Expert class.
Amateur Christopher Dooley had an impressive qualifying on Saturday and started in front of the entire field in the Formula 40-1000 sprint. The amateurs continued to show their skill with George Vazeos Jr leading the first half of the race. In lap four Drew Daly was able to work through the front of the pack to take the lead and held the spot for the overall win. Daly was joined on the Expert podium by Kirk McConnell and Robert Fellman. Vazeos Jr held his position and took first in the Amateur class followed by Dooley and Gabriel Figueroa.
Although the Bridgestone Cup 1000 had a small entry, with Shannon Andrus taking a decisive victory. Kirk McConnell and Josef DeVaughn were neck and neck the entire six laps. McConnell was able to hold off DeVaughn for second by only 0.100 seconds on the final lap.
Polesitter Jonathan Pellnitz showed his MotoAmerica talent in the Twins Sprint. While Pellnitz took the victory, he is still one point behind class competitor Carl Cohen for the Overall Production Twin Championship. Pellnitz took the overall win and first in class for Production Twin Expert, followed by Cohen and Al Smith. In the Production Twin Amateur class, Kevin Greimel passed Sam Purkis in lap two. While he held the spot for the next four laps it was not easy. Purkis was pushing him hard the entire race and almost got him at the line with a gap of only 0.047 seconds. In the Formula Twin class, CJ Czaia set a new class track record with a 1:22.164 while securing first in the Expert class. Mark Tenn and Jon Foy joined Czaia on the podium. George Vazeos Jr took first in the Formula Twin Amateur field, followed by Yvette Lamar and Joseph Shallow.
Alejandro Rei started from the pole in the Formula50-1000 Sprint; however, a poor start lost the lead in the first lap. Drew Daly and McConnell moved to the front of the field and were split by 1/100 of a second for the next four laps putting on a great show for the attendees. In the last lap McConnell was able to pull away and took the overall win by one second. Robert Fellman took third overall and in the expert class. Yvette LaMar took first in the Amateur class.
Wayne Reyne continued his impressive weekend starting from the pole and taking the overall win in the Sunoco SuperBike600 Sprint. Daryan Martin followed shortly behind taking second in the Expert class. Andrea Diotallevi took the Amateur class victory joined by Dustin Richards and Doug Ford in second and third.
The Sunoco SuperBIke1000 Sprint saw Freddy Carswell take the overall and Expert win followed by Shannon Andrus and Alejandro Rei in class. Patrick Plowman led Daniel Gourley and Gabriel Figueroa across the line for the Amateur top three.
Florida Motorcycle Road Racing Association heads back to the southernmost racing venue in the United States, Homestead Miami Speedway, for the double points season finale on July 27-28.
FMRRA thanks all of our 2019 sponsors for their support of our racers’ passion and the sport. Our Sponsors, Racers, and Fans make it possible to continue to deliver professional, safe, and fun race weekends to the South Eastern motorcycle community
Sunoco Racing Fuels
Southern Racing Fuels
Palm Beach County Sports Commission
MotorcycleRaceTires.com
Bridgestone Tires
Continental Tires
Vanson Leathers
MYLAPS Sports Timing
Florida Track Days
Full Season Championship Results and Individual Race Results are conveniently available online at:
https://www.fmrra.com/championships/
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