NESBC by Auto Mall Season Opener at Canaan

The New England Sport Bike club series, presented by Auto Mall of Brattleboro, had a fantastic season opener at the Canaan Motor Club. The facility was in perfect shape, and the competitors challenged the technical course with confidence thanks in part to the deployment of 2 new sections of airfence from the Roadracing World Action fund. NESBC events are run in conjunction with track events put on by the Penguin Racing School and are designed to give track day riders a taste of competition in an atmosphere that is safe, low pressure and fun. The races close out the day and there are class options for street bike riders, experienced track day riders, amateur racers and two purse-paying “pro” classes on entry level (Motard and Junior Cup) machines.

The action started with the featured Formula Ultralight class by Kawasaki. The starting line was full of talent including 2017 champion Chris Woodman, multi time LRRS champion Rick Doucette, Moto America Junior Cup rider Teagg Hobbs and first time road racer Ben Gloddy (12 years old). Mike Vallante rocketed off the line on his KTM and grabbed the holeshot, followed by the Kawasaki of Teagg Hobbs and the remainder of the field. Hobbs made an early move entering turn two and grabbed the lead. The 15 year old emerging star put his head down and ran a string of consistent 1:05 lap times to distance himself from the field. Behind Hobbs, NESBC regular Dan Rosato made a strong push through the field on lap one and slowly distanced himself from the battle for 3rd. The battle for 3rd was a battle indeed, with Phil Odonnell and Mike Vallante running neck and neck while the class rookie Ben Gloddy was making an impressive charge from the back of the pack on a stock Kawasaki Ninja 300. Gloddy was fast and smooth, and battled his way all the way into the final podium spot on the final lap. Odonnell and Vallante finished nearly side by side to claim the final two purse paying positions.

In the intermediate classes the leaders both walked away from the field, but the battles for 2nd were incredibly close. Scott Briody set sail right from the beginning of the Arai Intermediate A race on his Kawasaki ZX6, but behind him the Triumphs of Fletcher Rood and Kevin Calder were never separated by more than a few feet from the Yamaha R6 of eventual 4th place finished John McIntosh. Rood was impressive in his class debut, moving up from the motard bike he had been riding for several years to a sport touring Triumph triple. His smooth and flowing style made him a hard man to pass, and while Calder probed several times for an opening there was never one to be found. Similarly, the young Ben Gloddy moved to the front quickly in the Bazzaz Intermediate B class and the result was never in doubt after the first lap. Behind him the Suzuki 650 of Sal Finocchiaro gained steadily on the fast starting Kawasaki 300 Nat Pierre, and by the closing laps it seemed like the big Suzuki might overpower the 300 of Pierre on the back straight. However, smooth riding prevailed and Pierre held on to the finish.

The street bike classes are always the wild cards of the NESBC events. These races focus on fun, but we are surprised every year be some of the “hidden” talent that is out there. The Hindle Street Bike 1 race started off with a bang as Doug Smith Nosal (our oldest competitor of the event) showed surprising skill as he launched his motorcycle completely vertical from pole position and managed to skillfully gather himself back together and safely make it through turn 1. Good thing our starter Scott Cole had some fast reflexes as well! With that action complete, the Kawasaki ZX6 of Paul Sullivan rode off into the sunset – never to be seen by the remainder of the field again. Paul was fast and smooth and will be bumped in the Intermediate classes for the next event! Behind him, a battle emerged between NESBC regular Kudd Rood and his vintage (1991) Kawasaki ZX6 and the Yamaha R6’s of Christian Trudeau and Andrew Morishe. Normally a conservative rider, Rood rode faster and smoother than he ever had before, trimming almost 4 seconds off of his normal lap times during the course of the event. His smooth style and newfound corner speed kept the charging Yamahas at bay for the duration of the event. All the competitors were smiling at the conclusion of the event. In the Dunlop Street Bike 2 feature, motard bikes ruled the day as the KTM and Clayton davenport and Yamaha of Roger Buzell were the clear 1-2 after the promising 15 year old Eli Block crashed out of 2nd place on the 3rd lap. Block picked it up and charged from a ways back to try to pick up some positions, but ran out of laps as the caught the battle for 3rd place. The trio of Toby Cabot, Fred Bross and Doug Cooke rode in a tight pack from start to finish, with the Kawasaki 450 Penguin rental bike of Cabot securing the final podium spot at the end.

This First Trax Motard race was a fantastic finale to the day, with no less than 8 lead changes and super tight racing. The entire field was no more than two seconds apart until the final two laps. Lee Schmidt grabbed the holeshot and turned in a strong performance, leading through the halfway point of the race. Behind him was a battle royale between 4 riders. If motard bikes were painted – there would have been a field full of multi=colored bikes at the end. On more than one lap the trio of Bill Morey, Adam Clark and pro stunt rider Chris “Teach” McNeil were three-wide into turn one and the air audibly left the crowd on several laps as big moves were made among the leaders. On lap 5 McNiel made a big move to the lead, and contact between the new trio of Morey, Clark and Schmidt gave him a bit of a gap, but Morey set off like a man possessed on lap 6 and closed up to the back wheel of McNiel, pushed his way past and pulled out a 2 second lead (and the best laps of his career) to secure the win. McNiel held on for 2nd behind the tight battle for 3rd where Schmidt and his Kawasai held off the charging Hondas of Clark and Sergio Dimoffetta, whose push for the podium came up just short.

At the end of round one, the Team Championship by Auto Mall of Brattleboro is led by Team Rosato and followed closely by MT Wallet racing, with Packin Dips and Twistin Grips and Innovative Motorsports still well within striking distance. The next NESBCevent is July 21st at Canaan Motor Club.   

RESULTS:

Formula Ultralight by Kawasaki:

1. Teagg Hobbs (Kaw Ninja 400)

2. Dan Rosato (Kaw Ninja 400)

3. Ben Gloddy (Kaw Ninja 300)

4. Phil O’Donnell (Yam YZF-R3)

5. Mike Vallante (KTM RC 390)

6. Rick Doucette (Yam YZF-R3)

Arai Intermediate A:

1. Scott Briody (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. Fletcher Rood (Tri 675)

3. Kevin Calder (Tri 675)

4. John McIntosh (Yam YZF-R6)

5. John Bain (Kaw 650)

6. Doug Smith (Suz SV650)

Hindle Street Bike 1:

1. Paul Sullivan (Kaw ZX-6R)

2. Kudd Rood (Kaw ZX-6R)

3. Christian Trudeau (Yam YZF-R6)

4. Andrew Morishe (Yam YZF-R6)

5. Pam Buzzell (Yam YZF-R6)

6. Ian Mercer (Yam YZF-R6)

Dunlop Street Bike 2:

1. Clayton Davenport (KTM 450)

2. Roger Buzzell (Yam 450)

3. Toby Cabot (Kaw 450)

4. Fred Bross (Kaw Ninja 300)

5. Doug Cooke (Suz SV650)

6. Elijah Block (KTM 250)

First Trax Motard:

1. Bill Morey (KTM 450)

2. Teach McNeil (KTM 450)

3. Lee Schmidt (Kaw 450)

4. Adam Clark (Hon 450)

5. Sergio Di Moffetta (Hon 450)

6. Eric Block (KTM 450)

NESBC Team Championship by Auto Mall:

1. Team Rosato

2. MT Wallett

3. Packin Dips & Twistin Grips

4. Innovative Motorsports