Stults wins 4 while DeGross takes Overall Championship in WMRRA Finale

September 17-18 Pacific Raceways Kent, WA

The fat lady could be heard warming up to sing in the WMRRA final round 6 at Pacific Raceways this last weekend. There’s a reason the cliché exists and to never count life’s status as done, until her piercing voice has echoed. The other fem fatale was raising her nasty head as Saturday’s weather seemed as though a revenge was being taken by Mother Nature on the Northwest for a sunny summer. This last round was all about determining championships for WMRRA. Wes Stults has been on a rampage in the last 3 rounds, winning the 600cc and 750cc class races. The reserved R6 rider had already secured 2 class championships in the Smarty Pants Bar 600SB and Jimmy Boyle Insurance 750SB classes. Only 2 points separated himself and 2Fast’s Mark DeGross in the GP Suspension 600SS class, which both riders were determined to take to the wire to win. In the SpeedDealer 750SS class, DeGross had a 32 point lead coming into the round, not quite enough to secure the class. Moving up to the liter bike classes, Sam Verderico held tightly to a 1pt lead over Chase Glidden in the Sol Performance Pirelli Open SS class, destined to be a great race. Verderico had already solidly locked up the Fluid Suspension Science OpenSB title last round, so he could breathe a bit in that class. Verderico was also leading the Brothers Powersports Formula Ultra class, which races twice over each weekend, by 28 points over DeGross. Verderico was in the driver’s seat, but DeGross was hungry, wanting to win the FU class title as well as the Overall Championship he was leading. DeGross had built up some early season wins while quietly being on the podium regularly to be sitting with a 82pt margin in the Overall WMRRA Championship ahead of Verderico who is the current 2015 WMRRA champion. The Fat lady was walking up to perform now that the stage was set with the championships and Mother Nature was orchestrating her chaos to make it a great show!

Brothers Powersports Formula Ultra opened up the soaked Saturday racing with bikes kicking up roostertails of water as they flew down the front straight. After a red flagged opening lap, the race was restarted and the SuperBike Underground pair of riders , DeGross and Verderico, went after it. DeGross grabbed the restarted race holeshot after Verderico had taken the initial race holeshot, tossing himself out of the saddle a few times trying to put in a good first lap, but was still able to get a little gap on the opening lap. The gap kept increasing for the GSXR1000 riding DeGross, known as one of the better NW rain riders, and by race end had gapped the field for a solid win. Yamaha R1 mounted Verderico had a battle with Chase Glidden on his R1 for 2nd, with Verderico taking the spot, relegating Glidden riding an R1 as well, to third. Superbike Underground’s Verderico and SpeedDealer’s Glidden were back battling again a bit later in the Sol Performance Pirelli OpenSS race. The Dunlop riding Verderico lead the opening laps with Pirelli mounted Glidden keeping him honest in the treacherous wet race. Glidden kept narrowing the gap near the end of the race and with a little over a lap, stuffed it up the inside of Verderico in the bus stop to take the lead with two laps remaining. This was a winner takes all race for the class championship. Glidden, a former drill sergeant in the Army, lead the veteran racer Verderico while fans were anxious to see who would come out on top in this wrestling match. Coming out of “the bus stop,” Glidden had a slight lead, but Verderico was sitting right on his tail, seeming to have gotten a better drive. The blast down the grandstand straights looked to have Verderico able to draft past Glidden, but he blocked the inside line through the chute, causing a brief hesitation for Verderico on which side to draft past, giving Glidden the win and class championship.

Soon up was the 750SS race sponsored by SpeedDealer Motors and Wes Stults was hoping for a break to make up the gap to DeGross in the class. Stults got his break, when DeGross’ bike had rain caused electrical issues and was late to the race, starting the race after the green flag dropped. Stults used his Pirelli grip to win yet another race, with Sean Cresap on his Cresap Orthopedic GSXR750 riding a fantastic race in 2nd, and Micah Kudo on Dunlops finishing a close 3rd. The GP Suspension 600SS was the last race of the day and all present were excited to see if Stults could hold off “The Rainman” DeGross for a win and the class championship. The anticipation was short lived as Wes ripped a great opening lap and DeGross’ bike died from further electrical issues on the opening lap. The KFG Racing supported Stults won the race, Micah Kudo took his 2nd podium spot of the day in second on his R6, with Premium Rush’s Phil Melnyk earning third on his R6.

Sunday’s weather was a total surprise and the bi-polar side of Mother Nature blessed the racers with sunny skies and dry track. The Fluid Suspension Science OpenSB race got the day started with SuperBike Underground’s Ryan “Chromie” Sutton taking a dominating win on his GSXR1000 after a season off from having shoulder surgery; a definite feather in his cap after being away from the track for nearly a year. Sam Verderico paced Sutton, but was unable to form a challenge, earning a solid 2nd. 2Wheel Dynoworks’ Mitchell Pierce took an impressive third on his CBR1000rr to round out the podium. Right after lunch the trio would shuffle the order of the podium in the Brothers Powersports Formula Ultra race. Sutton got a late start when a slight mechanical issue held him up on the grid. By the time he got started, the race had started and was already through T2. Yamaha R1 mounted Verderico got the holeshot and managed the race from the front the entire time to win the race. The hard charging Mitchell Pierce on his CBR1000rr was pressuring Verderico, taking a close second. The late start didn’t deter Chromie from coming through the field, nearly setting a new track record by hundredths in the process, pulling a hard earned third. In the Jimmy Boyle Insurance 750SB heat, Yamaha R6 riding Wes Stults would take a dominating win over 2nd place Sean Cresap on his GSXR750, who fought off a determined Yamaha R6 mounted Phil Melnyk, whom placed third. To close out the day and season, the Smarty Pants Bar 600SB race was up with Stults wanting to finalize his 4th class championship of the season and DeGross wanting to take out some electrical frustrations from the day before. Stults got the early lead and DeGross had to work past SpeedDealer Motors Chase Glidden and Premium Rush’s Phil Melnyk. By the time he did, Stults was gone and took the win. As if Saturday’s frustrations weren’t enough, the demonic electrical gremlin raised its head again, causing a DNF on the last lap for DeGross. Phil Melynk capitalized taking 2nd and Chase Glidden was able to snatch a 3rd for his performance.

After all the leathers were dried, points tallied, jubilation shared, sorrows shed, and awards given, the championships came down to the following. WMRRA proudly gave Stults 4 class championships of 600SS, 600SB, 750SS, & 750SB. Sam Verderico took the OpenSB and Formula Ultra Class championships, while Chase Glidden took his OpenSS championship home proudly. DeGross, through all the misfortune of the day, lost his two shots at class Championships, but was able to bring home the WMRRA Overall title. When asked about the season, DeGross stated, “It’s been a unique year. The ball bounced my way in the beginning of the year, I scooped and scored early, building a good lead. Then some setbacks came and we fought through them with my team. I can’t thank my SuperBike Underground & KFG Racing supported team enough. They helped me the entire way .” Tenacity would be a good word to describe the season for DeGross. It paid off and victory has a way of sweetening it all. WMRRA overall championship ended as follows: DeGross 902, Verderico 881, & Stults 829.