We usually only post press releases relating to a specific event within three days of that event, but in this case we’ll make a rare exception. From press releases issued by WERA:
WERA National Series Wraps Up with Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta
BRASELTON, Ga. – The WERA National Challenge Series and the Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series came to an exciting close during the Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta, October 13-16 as 26 national champions were crowned.
Vesrah Suzuki had already clinched their fourth consecutive Endurance championship, but Mark Junge, Tray Batey and John Jacobi were still determined to win as they rode to a four-lap margin of victory during the four-hour endurance finale on Friday, October 15. The team, who rides a Suzuki GSX-R1000, also won the Heavyweight Superbike championship.
Chuck Ivey, Steven Breckenridge, Bradley Champion and Reuben Frankenfield finished second overall, winning Heavyweight Superstock on the Team Velocity Racing Yamaha YZF-R1. The win sealed the team’s first endurance class championship.
Team Schwantz School entered a “dream team” lineup of Kevin Schwantz, Jamie James and Ben Spies to ride a Heavyweight Superbike Suzuki GSX-R750. The team faced a strong challenge from the series regulars, but fought their way to a finish of third overall.
Eagle Race Team finished fourth overall to take the Mediumweight Superstock win with William Lindsay, Joe Prussiano and Shawn Conrad on a Yamaha YZF-R6. Kevin Perkins and Paul Youngman won Mediumweight Superbike on the Velocity Crew Racing Suzuki GSX-R600, winning Mediumweight Superbike. Dixie Mafia earned their first Lightweight Superbike championship with their class win. Bo Morgan, Derek Keyes and Bruce Stanford rode the Suzuki SV650 to a finish of 14th overall.
During the ten-lap National Challenge Series sprint races that were held throughout the course of the weekend, Mike Smith and Tray Batey tied for the most expert wins with two each. Smith won 600 Superstock and Open Superstock, while Batey was victorious in 750 Superstock and Heavyweight Twins Superstock.
Giovanni Rojas won 600 Superbike, and Taylor Knapp won 750 Superbike. AMA racer Geoff May won Formula 1, Brian Kcraget won Formula 2, and Joseph Subrizi won the Superbike division of Heavyweight Twins.
In the Lightweight Twins divisions, Dave Yaakov won Superstock and Bo Morgan won Superbike.
Ryan Gordon, Brandon Parrish and Ross Ryals were the top novices in the National Challenge Series, each earning two wins. Gordon won 750 Superstock and Superbike, Parrish won 600 Superstock and Superbike, and Ryals won the Superstock divisions in both Heavyweight and Lightweight Twins.
Daniel Parkerson won Formula 2, the Heavyweight Twins Superbike race was won by Pete Friedland, and John Ince was the victor in Lightweight Twins Superbike.
The 2005 WERA National Series season will begin in March at Jennings GP in Florida.
Complete results from the Grand National Finals, as well as final championship standings can be found at www.WERA.com .
WERA Sportsman Series Champions Named at Grand National Finals
BRASELTON, Ga. – The WERA Sportsman Series came to a close during the Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta, held from October 13-17, as the top riders from seven regions came together for the winner-take-all championships. Thirty-two championships were decided throughout the weekend of racing.
In the expert ranks, four riders each earned two wins. Tray Batey won B Superstock and Heavyweight Twins Superstock, Ted Cobb won Clubman and Super Motard, Dave Yaakov won the Superbike and Superstock divisions of Lightweight Twins, and Frank Shockley won Heavyweight Twins Superbike and Valucycle Senior Superbike.
Several AMA Pro Racing competitors were the first to cross the finish line in the eight-lap sprint races. Mike Smith was victorious in A Superstock, Lee Acree took the win in C Superstock, and Geoff May won Formula 1.
Heath Small won B Superbike, and Tristan Schoenwald won C Superbike. In D Superbike, Chris Thompson was the victor while the D Superstock win went to Andrew Weiss.
Garrett Carter won 125 GP and Brian Kcraget won Formula 2, completing the expert class Sportsman championships.
In the highly competitive novice class, Ryan Gordon stood out as one of the top riders with wins in B Superbike, B Superstock and Formula 1. William Baragona also earned three wins, taking the checkered flag first in Formula 2 as well as the Superbike and Superstock divisions of Heavyweight Twins.
Ross Ryals was the leading novice in Lightweight Twins, winning both the Superstock and Superbike divisions.
Brandon Parrish won C Superbike novice and Geoff Doyer won C Superstock. Ryan Nelson won D Superbike, and the D Superstock victor was Mike Galbaugh.
Pete Kight won Clubman, Calvin Barnett got the Super Motard win, and Luther Wikle won Valucycle Senior Superbike.
Racers from all seven of WERA’s Sportsman Series regions competed at the GNF, including several WERA West racers who traveled from California for the event.
The 2005 WERA Sportsman Series will begin in February when the Southeast Region has their first event at Talladega Gran Prix Raceway.
Complete results and points can be found online at www.WERA.com .