ASRA Pro Series Championship Cup Series October 19, 2008 Daytona International Speedway Daytona Beach, Florida ASRA Season Closes With a Bang With near perfect weather on tap, temperatures in the high 70s and a light breeze coming over the Daytona International Speedway, newly crowned ASRA Pro Champions Jeff Wood and Nate Kern had their work cut out for them as they faces a storm of strong competition in the final race of the season. With AMA Champion Josh Hayes, young guns Kris Turner, Nicky Moore and Garret Carter on his heels, Wood was worried about his chances to win one race, let alone sweep all three of the classes he’d won titles in. Kern looked over a field that included defending champion Dave Estok, former ThunderBike champion Dan Bilansky and the British racer Richard Cooper and wondered aloud whether he could pull off another Daytona miracle. That is what makes “The World Center of Racing” special, Daytona always brings out the best racers trying to tame this famed facility and this race was no exception. First up was the ASRA SuperBike race where Jeff Wood on the Bettencourt’s Yamaha found himself in second on the grid behind pole-sitter Russell Wikle aboard his Suzuki GSXR-600. From the start, Wood used his knowledge of the famous Daytona Draft, to keep himself in contact with the “young guns” as Carter, Moore, Turner and Wikle took turns forcing their way to the lead early on. Carter, on the Matsushima Suzuki, led the five bike battle across the stripe on lap 2, but the rest of the race was a Wood clinic on using the draft to get to the stripe first. As the laps continued, Wikle found himself slipping back from the front group, so Wood used his experience to lure the young rider into leading the last half of the final lap. By then Wood had them right where he wanted them as he used the triple draft from Carter, Turner on the M4 EMGO Suzuki and Moore’s Moto Uno Kawasaki, to pull himself to victory as the slingshot move worked to perfection. Wood later commented that his experience with the Daytona draft and his Dunlop tires were the main factors in making the last lap pass possible. This capped off the fourth consecutive SuperBike championship for Jeff Wood, a record that will surely stand for many years to come. The SuperStock event featured Wood on the Bettencourt Suzuki starting from the pole and never looking back as he lead all 8 laps to secure his second victory of the day. Wood’s only challenge come early from California rider David Anthony, pushing Jeff to a new lap record on lap 2 at 1:47.180 before Anthony dropped out of the race on lap 3. That left Wood to cruise to a 3.988 second victory over CCS GTO National Champion David Loikits on his Loikits Industries Suzuki 1000 and the third place rider, Matt Hall from Kansas City , Mo., on a Yamaha 1000. It was the British invasion everyone was talking about as the ASRA ThunderBikes started their final event of the season. Richard Cooper, who had given 2009 ThunderBike Champion Nate Kern all he could handle in the Spring event, was here again to pressure Kern and his championship winning BMW. What they didn’t count on was the resurgence of defending ThunderBike Champion Dave Estok on the Deeley H-D Buell. After Kern on the BMWXplor.com BMW captured the pole with a new qualifying record and Cooper was nearly a second slower, no one expected what was to come. Kern lead lap number 1 with Cooper and Estok in tow, but Estok showed he was for real as he lead lap 2 over Cooper and Kern. Lap 3 saw Cooper on the Morton’s BMW drop from contention with a mistake in turn 6, leaving the defending champion Estok to pressure the newly crowned champion Kern for the remaining 5 laps. And pressure is exactly what he did, using the draft to constantly hound the leader until Estok made the Daytona Draft pass to the stripe on the final lap, squeaking out a .069 second margin of victory along with a new class record lap of 1:56.601. This battle went to the 2008 Champion Estok, but the war went to the 2009 Champion Kern. Afterwards Kern praised Estok for the great race and Estok returned the favor by congratulating Kern on his first ASRA Pro ThunderBike Championship. The Factory Pro Sportbike race race saw the top eight riders locked together in one of the greatest races ASRA has ever seen. A slip up by Scott Greenwood cost him the draft of the front runners, leaving the first seven to battle it out for the remaining 8 laps. Wood, on the lone Yamaha, found himself surround by the Suzuki riders Carter, Turner and Wikle, the Honda mounted Joshua Hayes, the Kawasaki of Moore and the Ducati of Long as they blew by the finish line 5 and 6 wide for the remaining laps. While only Wood and Carter officially led laps, it was anyone’s race coming to the checkered flag. Wood, who was worried about Hayes and his experience at Daytona was helped by the jumble of riders as Hayes appeared to be pinned in the middle with Moore, Turner and Carter, giving Wood the opening necessary to take a .055 second margin of victory over Russell Wikle followed by Moore, Hayes and then Turner. Unfortunately for him, Moore’s Kawasaki tested over the horsepower limit, and he was eliminated from the results. That left Wood on the Bettencourt Yamaha, Wikle on his Suzuki and Josh Hayes on the Hayes Racing Honda as the top three in the season’s final ASRA race. With the win and the championship in hand, Hayes thanked his wife and his team for standing behind him and helping him extend his record setting performance in the Factory Pro SportBike class. For complete ASRA and CCS racing results, check our website at www.ccsracing.us . More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: She’s Fast, She Races on Pirellis, and She’s a Champion Rome, Georgia: Melissa Paris took the Expert Lightweight Grand Prix championship in the winner-take-all, Biketoberfest CCS Daytona Race of Champions this last weekend, besting all comers on her Honda RS250, shod with Pirelli Superbike Slicks. The Expert Lightweight GP class of CCS consists of a broad mix of bikes from little 250cc two-strokes to big thundering Buells, Bimotas, Ducatis and Suzukis. But on the high-speed, high-banks of Daytona it was craft over horsepower as Melissa Paris drafted to the win after a race-long battle for the lead. Afterwards Paris, a San Diego, California native, said, “I swear, when I pulled up to the grid one of the guys next to me started laughing, I think because my bike and I looked so small compared to most of the other machines. And then I had a contact fall out on the second lap. I did the rest of the race with one eye and little in the way of depth perception.” Paris’s Husband, racer Josh Hayes, watched her win her first expert championship from the infield. “Josh is always giving me good advice and after the race he mentioned I’d made a mistake letting off going into the infield kink on one lap. What he didn’t see was the racer next to me was pushing me with his elbow and I had to let off in order to stay on the track,” Paris added. “On the last lap that rider weaved and ran himself into the wall on the banking, dragging his elbow against it nearly all the way around.” After the race second place was penalized 20 seconds for riding too aggressively, denying him any step on the podium. “I want to thank my Crew Chief Mark Rozema, of Markbilt Racebikes. He has done a great job all season. Those big bikes were fast coming off the corners but I had a high cornering speed. So I was really happy to be on tires that gave me so much confidence.” Paris also competed in the Pirelli spec-tire series Moto ST endurance race at Daytona, riding on an all-girl team sponsored by Vallely Racing. Paris rode the first two stints on the team’s SV 1000 Suzuki, putting the team in fourth when she handed off the bike to another rider. But soon afterwards a mechanical problem sidelined the team. Prior to this event Paris won the USGPR 250 GP at Miller Motorsports Park, finishing the season fifth in points. Look for Paris next year to be competing again on a 250 and possibly on a 600. Pirelli Tire North America specializes in the manufacture and marketing of high-performance tires for passenger vehicles, motorcycles and motorsports. An industry leader in technology and quality, Pirelli operates its highly advanced Modular Integrated Robotized System (MIRS) in Rome, Georgia, to better serve the North American OEM and Replacement markets. For more information please visit: www.us.pirelli.com, or www.us.pirellimoto.com. More, from a press release issued by Buell: ESTOK RIDES BUELL TO ASRA PRO THUNDERBIKE WIN AT DAYTONA Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing Buell 1125R Is Third in MOTO-ST Eight Hours DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. Deeley H-D/Buell Canada/Ruthless Racing rider David Estok executed a dramatic last-lap pass to win the ASRA Pro Thunderbike National at the 25th Annual ASRA Race of Champions at Daytona International Speedway. Riding a Buell XB12R motorcycle, Estok drafted past BMW rider Nate Kern as the pair dashed for the finish line. Hal’s H-D/Buell/Hal’s Speed Shop rider Dan Bilansky finished third, also on a Buell XB12R. Kern was the fast qualifier for the season-ending Pro Thunderbike National at Daytona with a lap of 1:55.748. Kern and Morton’s BMW rider Richard Cooper led from the start of the eight-lap race, with Estok following closely in third place. Cooper crashed and was out of the race on lap three, and Estok closed in on Kern and stayed just behind the BMW rider until the pair exited the final turn of the high-banked Daytona track. Timing the draft perfectly, Estok was able to pull ahead of Kern and take the win. “Second place is a great spot to be in on the last turn at Daytona,” said Estok. “I’ve got a great Buell motorcycle and some experience at this track and was able to put both to use today. It’s nice to end the season with a win.” Finishing in fourth place aboard a Buell XB12R was Dr. D Racing rider Robert Johnson, followed by Ray Price Harley-Davidson/Buell rider Carl Reid in fifth. Classic Harley-Davidson/Buell rider Art Diaz rode a Buell XB12R to sixth position. After closing out the eight-race 2008 ASRA Pro Thunderbike season at Daytona, Kern finished with 254 points to win the championship. Estok was second with 197 points, Bilansky was third with 136 points, and Bison Racing/Eagle H-D/Buell rider Walt Sipp was fourth with 115 points. James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing Takes ASRA Team Challenge Title James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing riders Paul James and Jeff Johnson rode their Harley-Davidson/Buell of Appleton sponsored Buell XB12R to win the 2008 ASRA Team Challenge GT Lights (GTL) class championship with a second-place finish in the 2-hour Team Challenge event at Daytona on Friday, Oct. 17. The team won the GTL class at three of the five Team Challenge events it entered this season, and finished with 152 points to lead the second-place Shakka 4 Life Suzuki team by 40 points. The KRM Racing team won the Daytona round on a Bimota. Buell Riders Win Five CCS Championships Buell riders won five MotoSport.com Championship Cup Series (CCS) national championships in sprint racing on Saturday and Sunday at Daytona. Ray Price Harley-Davidson/Buell rider Carl Reid rode a Buell XB12R to win titles in the Amateur Lightweight Superbike, Amateur Lightweight GP and Amateur GT Lights classes. Hal’s Harley-Davidson/Buell rider Joel Spaulding won the Amateur Thunderbike title on a Buell XB12R. Estok won the Expert Lightweight Superbike championship, also on a Buell XB12R. Two Buell Teams Close MOTO-ST Season in Third Place Shawn Higbee, Michael Barnes and Steve Crevier rode the Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing No. 8 Buell 1125R to a third-place finish in the SunTrust MOTO-ST 8 Hours at Daytona endurance race on Oct. 18, and finished the seven-race MOTO-ST season in third place in the premier Buell Motorcycle Company SuperSport (SST) class. The No. 8 Buell came back from a radiator problem that left the team ninth overall at half distance. “That’s endurance racing for you,” Barnes said. “We knew we just had to keep plugging away.” The No. 83 Buell 1125R ridden by Barnes, Crevier and Dave Estok for Bruce Rossmeyer Daytona Racing with assistance from Deeley H-D/Buell Canada/Ruthless Racing completed 69 laps before retiring with mechanical problems and placed 26th overall. The Hal’s Harley-Davidson/Buell-Brotz Motorsports No. 7 Buell 1125R raced by Dan Bilansky, Clint Brotz and Higbee completed 51 laps before retiring and placed 27th. The No. 8 Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing team, entered by Richie Morris Racing, won two races during the 2008 MOTO-ST season aboard the Buell 1125R. Despite an eighth-place finish at Daytona, the Aprilia USA/Lloyd Brothers Motorsports No.1 Aprilia won the SST season title with 225 points. The Touring Sport Ducati No. 75 entry was second with 207 points, followed by the Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing No. 8 Buell with 204 points. The No. 70 James Gang/Hoban Brothers Racing Buell team of Jeff Johnson, Paul James and Walt Sipp came to Daytona only two points behind the No. 77 Ducati in the MOTO-ST BMW GrandSport Twins (GST) standings, and battled back from an early race off-track incident caused by the No. 77. But while running third in class at about the five-hour mark, the Buell XB12R crashed in the West Horseshoe turn with Sipp aboard. The crash resulted in a cracked frame and fuel leak, which the team repaired, but the bike later developed an oil leak. After replacing the oil cooler, the team finished seventh in class and 23rd overall. The No. 77 Touring Sport Ducati team finished fifth in class and 19th overall and won the 2008 GST class title with 212 points. The No. 69 RightsforBikers.com Ducati won GST at Daytona and was fourth overall, and moved up to second place for the season in GST with 209 points, just one point ahead of the No. 70 James Gang Racing Buell, which finished the season in third place. “The championship was ours to win at the half-way point of the race,” said Paul James. “We were running third with a good lead on the No. 77 Ducati. But at some point in an endurance race you’ll be dealt adversity, you just don’t know what will happen or when it will strike. As it has done all season, the team worked hard to stay in the race and we never quit.” To learn more about Buell motorcycles, visit your local Buell dealer today and experience the pure streetfighter attitude, style and performance only found on board a Buell. For the Buell dealer nearest you, pull into www.buell.com. More, from a press release issued by The Way to Happiness Racing Team: The Way to Happiness Racing Team made its debut at the CCS/ASRA Race of Champions at Daytona with rider Greg Gorman. The team raced a 2008 Kawasaki ZX-10R in four CCS races and in ASRA Superstock. Friday, October 17th. In the GTO race, Gorman was in fifth and gaining on the lead group when his tire started over heating and chunking. Due to a miscommunication, a soft qualifying tire had been put on the bike. Still he managed to finished 9th. “I was gaining on the lead group but started losing traction quite dramatically on lap six. In turns one and six, as soon as I started to get on the gas the bike would slide. It was fun practice but very frustrating. On lap eight I started to feel the rear tire vibrating and knew the tire had chunked so I slowed down and nursed it to the finish.” With a new tire and a plan to work with KMS Kawasaki ZX-10R rider Jeff Lampe, Gorman attacked ASRA Superstock qualifying getting a respectable 10th. “Jeff and I planned that I’d follow him for two flying laps and then he’d follow me. On our second lap I drafted by him at the tri-oval and was headed into turn one on the inside of another rider. That other rider turned in a little early and was on a collision course with me. I stood the bike up and got on the brakes hard. Jeff later told me he didn’t know how I missed that rider – he was saying prayers for me. It was a really close call. And that was basically it for qualifying. I qualified 11th which became 10th when another rider was disqualified so I’m pretty happy with that.” Saturday, October 18th. Unlimited Supersport was the race of the day and Gorman finished in 12th. “With the first lap blown, there wasn’t much I could do. I got a lousy start and then dove into the chicane a little hot on the first lap. I was wide but I could have made it. A rider inside of me decided he couldn’t make it and went into the run-off area. I had no choice but stand up and run through. I didn’t quite know the procedure for re-entering so I took a little too much time there. Then, I caught up to a pack of three going into the tri-oval and was going faster than I normally do there and I blew past turn one and lost a lot of time there. From then on I was pretty much on my own.” Sunday, October 19th. ASRA Superstock turned out to be a race of attrition as four riders did not finish. Despite the chaos, Gorman finished 7th, three places better than he qualified. “That was actually a good race. I ran decent times and surprised myself. Of course I would have liked to have done better but the bike is in one piece and so am I, so good.” Gorman finished 14th in a frustrating Unlimited GP. “I just wasn’t getting traction. Turns one and six were especially bad. At first I thought it was the tire but now that I’ve had some time to think about it, I think the rear shock might be too soft as the lower is scraping a lot more than it was previously.” In the final race of the weekend, Unlimited Superbike, Gorman finished 12th. “I got a bad start and really had to work hard to make up for it. On lap four I was running in eighth when I thought I felt a vibration coming from the rear tire. This time I knew I was on a soft so I pulled in to check it out. The tire was fine but I had already lost the three places.” “This was a good weekend. The team learned a lot, the rider learned a lot. Now we’ve got to take that knowledge and put it to use in December. When we get back to Daytona next year in March, we’ll be a much better prepared team and rider. I also have to personally thank Steve Brubaker of Dunlop Race Tire Services. He went way beyond my expectations in trying to help me. At 230lbs, I’m not helping his tires at all. But I was doing 1:54s and that ain’t too shabby.” The Way to Happiness Racing Team will race again at Homestead on December 6th and 7th. Visit us at http://twthracing.org