From a press release issued by Vesrah Suzuki: VESRAH SUZUKI WINS THE FIRST ROUND OF THE 2008 WERA ENDURANCE SERIES The 2008 Vesrah Suzuki motorcycle racing team returned to the WERA National Endurance series competing for their seventh overall title. Veteran racers Mark Junge, Tray Batey, John Jacobi, and Chris Ulrich put the team’s Suzuki GSXR1000 endurance motorcycle back into action. Making sure the riders are aboard the best motorcycles in the series is WERA’s most successful crew featuring Team Coordinator Nancy Junge, Crew Chief Tony Pogue, Chuck Desimio, and Glen Veatch. Vesrah Suzuki resumed their participation of the WERA National Endurance Series winning the first round of the 2008 season by four laps. Chris Ulrich and John Jacobi piloted all four hours of the opening round of the series. Teammate Tray Batey was unable to ride after sustaining a mild injury in a pre-race practice crash. “John started the race for us because Tray Batey was injured. It was John’s first start for us. He is usually second or third in the order. John did a perfect job of creeping our lead on the field and we continued it for the rest of the race,” said Mark Junge. “We had a little axle issue on the 3rd stop and it kept me in the pits while John and Chris did a fantastic job on the track.” Well-prepared race bikes and quality team members help make Vesrah Suzuki the leading team in the WERA National Endurance series. Vesrah Suzuki’s success has not gone unnoticed by companies both inside and outside the motorcycle industry. For the 2008 season the existing group of reliable long-term motorcycle sponsors was joined by two new non-motorcycle companies. Trek Bicycles and Up and Over Fitness added to the collection of loyal Vesrah Suzuki supporters. The team also opened a new web site at www.vesrahsuzuki.com. Vesrah Suzuki’s sponsors include Vesrah, American Suzuki, Pirelli, Nielsen Enterprises Suzuki, Traxxion Dynamics, Graves, Fujico, DID, Maxima, Factory, Sudco, Vortex, Penske,, Hotbodies, Watahan, R Tech, Dainese, Arai, Shoei, GPR, Trek, Up & Over Fitness. More, from a press release issued by Dalke Motorsports: Double Dalke this year and double podiums at Roebling Road Raceway. Welcoming the 2008 WERA National Endurance season, Dalke Motorsports and Team Westby have combined talents. Dalke Motorsports has tested running two teams each year with good results and has now partnered with Team Wesbty to run 2 teams the whole season. Dalke Motorsports 2 takes on title role and day to day operations of Team Westby endurance, which frees team owner Trig Westby to focus on Dane Westby’s sprint racing this year. Westby endurance riders Dane Westby and Dustin Meador are paired with Dalke Motorsports riders Giovanni Rojas, Wrenn Smith and Diego Rojas. The 2 teams line-ups will be Dane Westby paired with Giovanni Rojas on the # 7 Dalke Motorsports entry. Riders Wrenn Smith and Diego Rojas will pull most of the duty on the # 5 Dalke Motorsports 2 entry, with rider Dustin Meador having what is probably the most difficult task of riding for both teams as needed. With tornadoes touching down in just northwest of Savannah Ga, the night before the endurance teams had to battle strong gusty winds sometimes causing a “shift” in the bikes willingness to turn. The cloud cover also caused changes in track temperature affecting grip and tire wear. The experience of the Dalke crew and Riders really paid off as # 7 Dalke Motorsports entry won the class and finished 6th overall and the #5 DM2 entry finished 2nd in class and 8th overall. Dane lead off the Dalke entry on last years Interstate Cycle Yamaha R6 and adjusted to the Pirelli tires quickly getting up as high as 4th overall. Gio followed and kept the lead pace up forcing other teams to really sprint through the entire 4 hours at the expense of tire life. The strategy was working as the #7 Dalke entry stayed in the top 5 for most of the race. Meanwhile the #5 Dalke 2 entry started Dustin with the plan of putting him on the #7 bike midway through the race to give Dane and Gio a longer break between stints. A red flag just before the halfway point changed the plan a little as it gave Dane and Gio the extra break they would need. Wrenn followed Dustin on the #5 bike and turned the machine over to Diego just before the red flag. The way the fuel stops worked Dalke 2 put a well rested Dustin back on with 58 minutes left in the race. Dustin came in for a last minute fuel splash and go and finished the race in second place a scant 32 seconds ahead of third place. Team owner Brian Dalke was overcome by the 1-2 finish and commented that “this is the best start to a season we have had yet.” In review of the race, the pit stop fueling and tire-changes by Chad, Dennis, Brian, Dave and Trig and pit wall communications from the entire team was a huge difference in the race as the riders were able to focus on riding and stayed out of fuel trouble and tire trouble all day long. Dalke Motorsports would like to thank all of our returning sponsors Trackside Racer’s Supply/Pirelli Tires, Interstate Cycle, Yamaha, Vesrah brakes, Amsoil/Maxco Inc., Pit Bull motorcycle stands, Vortex sprockets and rear-sets, Held Gloves, LeoVince Exhaust Systems, Thermosman Suspensions and GPR Stabilizers. All of the excitement of this weekends results are tempered by the loss of competitor Rory Partin. We wish to convey our deepest sympathies for his family and friends.