CCS Florida Homestead-Miami Speedway July 27, 2008 By Lisa Theobald Robertino Pietri made it two-for-two when he won the Unlimited Grand Prix race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on a borrowed GSX-R1000 during the CCS Florida region event on Sunday, marking the second time he’s raced at the track, each time showing up, jumping on a borrowed bike and winning the featured event. Pietri was gridded on the fourth row (based on points) and quickly worked his way through traffic, passing early front-runner Marco Martinez to take over the lead on lap two. Martinez then crashed out of the race in Turn Six during the second lap after an incident with Michael Barnes. Barnes, also riding a borrowed GSX-R1000, and Barrett Long battled for second place with Long gaining the advantage with his Ducati 1098R just after the halfway mark. And, although Long ran the fastest lap of the day, Pietri’s times were very close and he was able to keep the rest of the field behind him as he took the checkered flag without challenge. After the race, Barnes stated, “I kept on getting a little excited with Barrett and I’d get in a little hot and and little sideways and run wide a few turns. But that’s what the Shootout’s all about, going for broke and Tino had the best tactics today. So, the hat’s off to Tino, Prieto Performance and Pirelli Tires. I couldn’t do it without these guys.” Long commented on Pietri’s run out front stating, “He got away and I was on Barney and he was too tough to pass out there. That’s a tough job, keeping him behind you, once you get in front of him. I didn’t get too a good of a start, so I had to come through a few people to get him.” Long was by far the biggest winner of the weekend was with a total of 10 podium finishes. He ended the weekend with a whopping six victories, two second-place finishes, one third, and one fourth. Pietri said, “I knew that in order to beat them, I had to have a very good start and put my ‘A’ game out there. And, the start came out pretty good. I think I was fourth in Turn Three or something, and little by little, I started catching. I just put consistent laps together and came to the finish line first.” Pietri also thanked Prieto Performance, Pirelli and GMD Computrack, along with Roadracingworld.com Suzuki “because they let me come down here and race and have some fun.” Pietri also won the Unlimited Superbike race after working his way from the back row to pass leader Martinez about halfway through the race. He was also entered to run the GTO class, but did not compete due to rain. UNLIMITED GRAND PRIX RESULTS: 1. Robertino Pietri (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Barrett Long (Duc 1098R); 3. Michael Barnes (Suz GSX-R1000); 4. Lars Remsen (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Michael Rouleau (Suz GSX-R1000); 6. Jeff Lampe (Kaw ZX-10R); 7. Reynol Dominguez (Suz GSX-R600); 8. Alexander Miniaci (Suz GSX-R600); 9. Bradly Graham (Yam YZF-R6); 10. Robert Dougherty (Suz GSX-R750).