Jeff Tigert came from behind to win the opening round of the 2007 WSMC Toyota Formula 1 Series, held Sunday at Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, California. A last-lap draft-and-repass attempt by Jeremy Toye, who led most of the 12-lap race, came up short at the line. Roadracingworld.com’s Chris Ulrich finished third, just ahead of a charging Jeff Stern. The race was held in strong winds coming from an unusual direction for notoriously windy Willow Springs. From the pole position, Toye took the holeshot on his 16.5-inch-Dunlop-shod GSX-R1000 Superbike. From there he immediately began building a gap on the rest of the back. It wasn’t until lap 11 of 12 that Marin Cycleworks’ Tigert made a move for the lead on his CBR1000RR Superbike, also on 16.5-inch Dunlop tires. “Jeremy’s good in eight, but I knew I had to try to get him there,” Tigert said about his pass through fast turn eight. “I thought it was the white-flag lap, otherwise I would have made a more conservative move.” Even though Tigert did not practice the day before, or Sunday morning, he still set the fastest lap of the race with a 1:20.899. “I knew it was a long-enough race that I could use the first half of the race as practice. The warm-up lap was my first lap of the weekend,” Tigert said. “I’m notorious for a slow start and took it easy the first few laps and whittled my lap times down.” While Tigert was picking up his pace, Toye was as well, but not as much as he felt he could have. “I think I relaxed a little bit too much and forgot that Jeff was in the field. Kind of got stupid on myself,” Toye frankly stated. Toye has been racing consistently out at Willow Springs since the early 1990s, but when asked about how the wind was acting during the race, he was baffled. “This has gotta be one of the weirdest [wind] directions that I’ve rode in out here, probably ever. It was different in so many turns. The first six laps you’re just figuring out where you can make up time and where you can’t. Turn one was the only consistent place where you could go into without any problem,” Toye said. When Tigert made his move on Toye on lap 11, they remained close for the final lap and it stayed that way all the way to the finish. “Jeff was just rippin’ through [turns] eight and nine, but I thought I might be able to drive him [to the finish line],” Toye said. “I didn’t know who won the race because he came flying by me at the finish,” Tigert said. In official transponder scoring, Tigert won by 0.026-second. Working his way forward from 14th on the grid, Ulrich was in sixth place at the start of the second lap on his Pirelli-shod AMA-Superstock-spec GSX-R1000. By the sixth lap, Ulrich had moved past Rojo Racing’s Jason Perez to take over third place, which he held for the remainder of the race. “I’m very happy with Pirelli right now,” Ulrich said. “They did a great job this weekend. It seems like every time I ride this [GSX-R1000], we’re making a lot of progress and I’m really looking forward to my 2007 season at Willow Springs and the AMA. I’m looking for some top fives in the AMA Superstock class this year.” Stern finished just under 0.2-second behind Ulrich. R6 mounted Jason Perez finished fifth. During the 2006 season awards banquet held Saturday night in nearby Lancaster, Stern won a Toyota Tundra pickup truck in a drawing open to riders who participated in at least three 2006 WSMC Toyota Cup Formula 1 races. It is the second time veteran racer Stern has won a Toyota pickup in a WSMC drawing. In a drawing for riders who participated in at least three Golden West Trailers Formula 2 races in 2006, John Dang won a trailer from, no surprise, Golden West Trailers. Also at the awards banquet, The Essex House was named WSMC Sponsor of the Year; Ernie Hutchinson was named Safety Worker of the Year; and Jeff Rheaume was given the Meritorious Service Award. WSMC Series Willow Springs International Raceway Rosamond, California January 20-21, 2007 Results (Listed in chronological order, as provided by WSMC timing & scoring) TRACK DAZ 650cc SUPERBIKE: 1. Jason Perez (Yam YZF-R6) 2. Jeremy Toye (Kaw ZX-6RR) 3. Jack Pfeifer (Kaw ZX-6RR) 4. Bradley Adams (Suz GSX-R600) 5. Terry Heard (Kaw ZX-6R) 6. Lenny Hale (Yam YZF-R6) RACERLOANS.COM 2-STROKE PRODUCTION: 1. Kris Provost (Apr RS250) 2. Richard Barnett (Apr RS250) 3. Jane Schwartzkopf (Yam) 4. Anthony Digati (Apr RS250) VINTAGE HEAVYWEIGHT DINOSAURS: 1. Ed Sorbo (Hon CBR600F1) 2. Russ Lomanto (Hon VF750F) 3. Ed Milich (Duc) 4. Doug Newhouse (Kaw ZX-7R) 5. Debra Westermeyer, RN (Yam) LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS: 1. Pete Ellis, MD (Suz SV500) 2. Chris Speights (Suz) 3. Tony Moniz (KTM) 4. Cody Burton (MZ) FORMULA 40 HEAVYWEIGHT: 1. Jeff Stern (Suz GSX-R1000) 2. John Ashker (Yam YZF-R1) 3. Tyler Paulson (Suz GSX-R1000) 4. Claudio Szyszkowski (Duc 999R) 5. Robert Rockafellow (Suz GSX-R) 6. Bob Setbacken (Duc 748) FORMULA 40 LIGHTWEIGHT: 1. Mark Watts (Yam TZ250) 2. William Clarke (Yam YZF-R6) 3. Hugo Mosquera (Yam YZF-R6) 4. Steve Hewitt (Kaw ZX-6RR) 5. Christopher Macklin (Kaw ZX-6RR) 6. John Ulrich (Yam TZ250) TRACK RIDERS SERVICE FORMULA 50: 1. Mitchell Wissner (Suz GSX-R1000) 2. Howard Lynggard (Yam YZF-R1) 3. James Davis (Yam YZF-R1) 4. Dave Molitor (Suz GSX-R1000) 5. Travis Westermeyer, MD (Suz GSX-R750) 6. Rickey Herd (Kaw ZX-10R) Harley-Davidson/Buell of GLENDALE MIDDLEWEIGHT TWINS: 1. Marlon Ibarra (Duc 749) 2. Jeff Dixon (Buell) 3. Andy Palmer (Suz SV650) 4. Chris Rogers (Suz SV650) 5. Daniel Trotti (Duc) 6. Jim Chaconas (Buell) VINTAGE LIGHTWEIGHT DINOSAURS: 1. Ed Milich (Duc) 2. Larry Cochran (Hon) SPORT TIRE SERVICES 600cc SUPERSTOCK: 1. Jason Perez (Yam YZF-R6) 2. Jack Pfeifer (Kaw ZX-6RR) 3. Jeremy Toye (Kaw ZX-6RR) 4. Bradley Adams (Suz GSX-R600) 5. Brant Wiwi (Yam YZF-R6) 6. William Clarke (Yam YZF-R6) RACER’S EDGE 750cc SUPERSTOCK: 1. Jeff Stern (Suz GSX-R750) 2. Karl Lowry (Suz GSX-R750) 3. Ryan Gagliano (Suz GSX-R750) 4. Ken Kramer (Suz GSX-R750) 5. Travis Westermeyer, MD (Suz GSX-R750) 6. Mike Scherer (Suz GSX-R750) FASTRACK RIDERS OPEN SUPERBIKE: 1. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000) 2. Robbie Dowie (Kaw ZX-10R) 3. Jack Pfeifer (Apr RSV1000R) 4. Chris Duran (Yam YZF-R1) 5. Eddie Barajas (Suz GSX-R1000) 6. Tim Knutson (Kaw ZX-10R) 550cc SUPERBIKE: 1. Kevin Jump (Kaw Ninja 650R) 2. Chris Rogers (Suz SV650) 3. Edward Johnson (Suz SV650) 4. Cory Mann (Suz SV650) 5. J.C. Gibbs (Yam FZR400) 6. Kurt Whittington (Suz SV650) HEAVYWEIGHT TWINS: 1. Claudio Szyszkowski (Duc 999R) 2. Eric Nolan (Duc) 3. Bob Setbacken (Duc 748) 4. Michael Biard (Duc) 5. Aaron Collosi (Hon) 6. Jim Chaconas (Buell) L&L MOTORSPORTS 600cc MODIFIED PRODUCTION: 1. Bradley Adams (Suz GSX-R600) 2. Brant Wiwi (Yam YZF-R6) 3. John Dang (Suz GSX-R600) 4. Alex Weathersby (Yam YZF-R6) 5. William Clarke (Yam YZF-R6) 6. Jay Ruess (Kaw ZX-6RR) ROADRACINGWORLD.COM 250cc GRAND PRIX: 1. Mark Watts (Yam TZ250) 2. John Ulrich (Yam TZ250) 3. Jamie Lenore (Hon RS250R) 4. John Dalton (Hon RS250R) 5. Anthony Digati (Apr RS250) 6. Steve Lambrick (Yam TZ250), DNS TOYOTA CUP UNLIMITED FORMULA 1: 1. Jeff Tigert (Hon CBR1000RR) 2. Jeremy Toye (Suz GSX-R1000) 3. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R1000) 4. Jeff Stern (Suz GSX-R1000) 5. Jason Perez (Yam YZF-R6) 6. Robbie Dowie (Kaw ZX-10R) 7. Chris Duran (Yam YZ-R1) 8. Jack Pfeifer (Apr RSV1000R) 9. Eddie Barajas (Suz GSX-R1000) 10. Matt LaPaglia (Suz GSX-R1000) FORMULA SINGLES: 1. Jeff Rheaume (Suz) 2. Tony Moniz (KTM) 3. Larry Cochran (Hon) 4. Debra Westermeyer, RN (Yam) 5. Steven Brefka (MZ) 6. James Provencher (Buell) 500cc NOVICE: 1. Ken Ryder (Apr RS250) WEST COAST GP CYCLES FORMULA TWINS LIGHTWEIGHT: 1. Andy Palmer (Suz SV650) 2. Edward Johnson (Suz SV650) 3. Jeff Rheaume (Suz SV650) 4. Cory Mann (Suz SV650) 5. Chris Speights (Suz SV650) 6. Charlie Inman (Suz SV650) GOLDEN WEST TRAILERS FORMULA 2: 1. Jay Ruess (Kaw ZX-6RR) 2. Lenny Hale (Yam YZF-R6) 3. John Dang (Suz GSX-R600) 4. Lonnie Etter (Kaw ZX-6RR) 5. Kris Lumlert (Yam YZF-R6) 6. J.C. Gibbs (Suz GSX-R600) LITTLE, BIG RACING SERVICES 125cc GRAND PRIX: 1. Joel Manes (Apr RS125) TIGERSHARK RACING OPEN MODIFIED PRODUCTION: 1. Chris Duran (Yam YZF-R1) 2. Robbie Dowie (Kaw ZX-10R) 3. Tim Knutson (Kaw ZX-10R) 4. Mitchell Wissner (Suz GSX-R1000) 5. David Conger (Suz GSX-R1000) 6. Tyler Paulson (Suz GSX-R1000) 750cc SUPERBIKE: 1. Karl Lowry (Suz GSX-R750) 2. Ryan Gagliano (Suz GSX-R750) 3. Ken Kramer (Suz GSX-R750) 4. Eric Nolan (Duc) 5. Travis Westermeyer, MD (Suz GSX-R750) 6. Brad Gitchell (Suz GSX-R750) FORMULA TWINS HEAVYWEIGHT: 1. Jack Pfeifer (Apr RSV1000R) 2. Claudio Szyszkowski (Duc 999R) 3. Marlon Ibarra (Duc) 4. Eric Nolan (Duc) 5. Bob Setbacken (Duc 748) 6. Aaron Collosi (Hon) 500cc MODIFIED PRODUCTION: 1. Eric Angel (Yam FZR400) 2. J.C. Gibbs (Yam FZR400) 3. Kris Provost (Apr RS250) 4. Chris Speights (Yam FZR400) 5. Michael Quinn (Yam FZR400) 6. Amy Hronek (Hon) DUKE 22 PHOTOGRAPHY/ADVANCED KAWASAKI OPEN SUPERSTOCK: 1. Jason Perez (Suz GSX-R1000) 2. Chris Duran (Yam YZF-R1) 3. Robbie Dowie (Kaw ZX-10R) 4. Tim Knutson (Kaw ZX-10R) 5. Matthew Lapaglia (Suz GSX-R1000) 6. Jonathan Blucker (Kaw ZX-10R) CaliPhotography.com 750cc MODIFIED PRODUCTION: 1. Karl Lowry (Suz GSX-R750) 2. Jeff Stern (Suz GSX-R750) 3. Ryan Gagliano (Suz GSX-R750) 4. Ken Kramer (Suz GSX-R750) 5. Travis Westermeyer, MD (Suz GSX-R750) 6. Mike Scherer (Suz GSX-R750) 651cc-OPEN HEAVYWEIGHT NOVICE: 1. James Henrikson (Yam) 2. Mauro Deviasso (Duc) 3. Eddie White (Suz) 4. Matt Cardenas (Hon) 5. Robert Bright (Suz) 6. Eric Anderson (Yam) 660cc SINGLES: 1. Tony Moniz (KTM) 2. Steve Brefka (MZ) 3. Cody Burton (MZ) 500cc SINGLES: 1. Larry Cochran (Hon) 2. Tim Hurley (Buell) 3. James Provencher (Buell) 500cc SUPERSTOCK: 1. Eric Angel (Yam FZR400) 2. JC Gibbs (Yam FZR400) 3. Kris Provost (Apr RS250) 4. Michael Quinn (Yam FZR400) 501-650CC MIDDLEWEIGHT NOVICE: 1. Matthew Cardenas (Hon) 2. Brett Fluri (Yam) 3. Trey Richardson (Hon) 4. Gavin Owens (Yam) 5. Ryan Drumm (Kaw) 6. Chris Anderson (Kaw)