Tigert takes the Moto West GP Formula One crown in preparation for Pikes Peak
Jeff Tigert took the top spot on the podium in a Formula One race at Willow Springs for the first time since 2009, at round three of the Moto West Grand Prix series May 17 at Streets of Willow. The race, sponsored by McGraw Powersports/Pacific Specialty Insurance and Motoyard Trackdays, gave the Willow Springs veteran a chance to prepare himself and his Dunlop-shod HRC Racing-backed Honda CBR1000RR for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb held in Colorado Springs, CO next month.
The race started off with Aaron Asher taking the holeshot on his Dunlop-shod Kawasaki ZX-10R. Asher put a significant gap between him and the rest of the field for the first half of the race. Tigert, who was pushed to the last spot on the grid as points were used for grid positions due to a glitch in the electronic scoring system, began picking off riders one by one starting on lap three until he reached the front group of Ron Cole, Fabrice Vilder and Asher. It was on lap nine where Tigert made his move on Asher and took control of the first position, which he held for the remainder of the race.
Tigert, who was the 450cc Motard champion at Pike’s Peak in 2013, will return this year to face the demanding course on a 1000cc machine for the first time. “The Streets of Willow was the perfect place to prepare myself and this Honda CBR1000RR for Pikes Peak,” said Tigert. “I was feeling the pressure of the physical nature of the track.”
Tigert went on to say that, “It was definitely a challenge to start from the back of the grid, but things worked out well. Thanks to the Moto West staff who did an outstanding job in adapting to the challenge of the scoring system going down. They handled everything with professionalism and courtesy.”
Other notable performances included those of Rob Sheets, who competed in eight races, as well as that of Gene Sigal, who split time between racing motorcycles at the Streets of Willow and racing cars at the the Big Track. Sigal, who finished second in the Moto West GP Ducati Cup Formula race, also won the Porsche Owner’s Club “Tribute to Le Mans” relay race. Moto West GP will continue its series with round four on June 20 & 21 at Willow Springs International Raceway’s 2.5-mile road course.
RESULTS:
SATURDAY:
GT EXPERT MIDDLEWEIGHT SATURDAY:
1. Keir Leonhardt (Suz GSX-R1000)
GT EXPERT OPEN SATURDAY:
1. Nate Hardiman (Kaw ZX-10R)
2. Larry Sprock (Duc 1199)
3. Rob Sheets (Kaw ZX-10R)
NOVICE MIDDLEWEIGHT SATURDAY BY CONCEPT 27:
1. Austin Parker (Suz GSX-R600)
2. Yosmar De La Rosa (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Tanner Giao (Yam YZF-R6)
4. Will Richards (Yam YZF-R6)
5. Thomas Babcock (Hon CBR600RR)
6. Soon Thai (Hon CBR600RR)
NOVICE HEAVYWEIGHT SATURDAY BY TRACKEXPERIENCE:
1. Carlos Moreno (Yam YZF-R1)
2. Angelo Ghiglieri (Suz GSX-R1000)
3. Joshua Booth (Suz GSX-R1000)
4. Aaron Sanchez (Yam YZF-R1)
FX ENDURANCE MIDDLEWEIGHT:
1. JC Gibbs (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Keir Leonhardt (Suz)
FX ENDURANCE OPEN:
1. Ron Cole (Yam YZF-R1M)
2. Rob Sheets (Kaw ZX-10R)
FX ENDURANCE LIGHTWEIGHT:
1. Rex Ainslie (Suz SV650)
SUNDAY:
OPEN SUPERSPORT:
1. Ron Cole (Yam YZF-R1M)
2. Robbes Stieglitz (Duc 1199)
3. Nate Hardiman (Kaw ZX-10R)
4. Larry Sprock (Duc 1199)
5. Rob Sheets (Kaw ZX-10R)
600cc SUPERBIKE:
1. Brian Morris (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Jon Neeter (Yam YZF-R6)
VINTAGE LIGHTWEIGHT:
1. JC Gibbs (Yam FZR400)
2. Craig Beecher (Yam RZ350)
FORMULA 50 HEAVYWEIGHT:
1. Rob Weaver (EBR 1190RS)
2. Rocky Caceres (Suz GSX-R1000)
FORMULA 40 MIDDLEWEIGHT:
1. JC Gibbs (Yam YZF-R6)
FORMULA 40 HEAVYWEIGHT:
1. David Price (Suz GSX-R1000)
600cc SUPERSPORT:
1. Keir Leonhardt (Suz GSX-R600)
2. Brian Morris (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Max Cappellari (Yam YZF-R6)
750cc SUPERSTOCK:
1. JC Gibbs (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Jon Neeter (Yam YZF-R6)
3. Adam C. Lint (Suz GSX-R750)
OPEN SUPERSTOCK:
1. Fabrice Vilder (Hon CBR1000RR)
2. Ron Cole (Yam YZF-R1M)
3. Robbes Stieglitz (Duc 1199 )
4. Nate Hardiman (Kaw ZX-10R)
5. Larry Sprock (Duc 1199)
6. Rob Sheets (Kaw ZX-10R)
NOVICE HEAVYWEIGHT HEAT A:
1. Angelo Ghiglieri (Suz GSX-R1000)
2. Bob Neal (Hon CBR1000RR)
3. Carlos Moreno (Yam YZF-R1)
4. Joshua Booth (Suz GSX-R1000)
5. Aaron Sanchez (Yam YZF-R1M)
NOVICE MIDDLEWEIGHT HEAT A BY CONCEPT 27:
1. Will Richards (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Mark Zuelke (Suz GSX-R600)
3. Thomas Babcock (Hon CBR600RR)
4. David Ferguson (Hon CBR600RR)
5. Scott Lessard (Tri Daytona 675R)
6. Pete Elton (Yam YZF-R6)
GT EXPERT OPEN:
1. Rob Weaver (EBR 1190RS)
2. Nate Hardiman (Kaw ZX-10R)
3. Larry Sprock (Duc 1199)
4. Rob Sheets (Kaw ZX-10R)
5. Adam C. Lint (Suz GSX-R750)
GT EXPERT MIDDLEWEIGHT:
1. Brian Morris (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Keir Leonhardt (Suz GSX-R600)
3. Max Cappellari (Yam YZF-R6)
250cc GP:
1. Andy Edwards (Yam TZ250)
2. Peter Le (Hon RS250R)
BOTT LIGHTWEIGHT:
1. Rex Ainslie (Suz SV650)
2. David Garner (Suz SV650)
3. Lance Lewman (Suz SV650)
4. Andrew Yzabal (Suz SV650)
5. Clinton Whitehouse (Yam RD350)
FORMULA ONE BY MOTOYARD and MCGRAW INSURANCE:
1. Jeffrey Tigert (Hon CBR1000RR)
2. Aaron Ascher (Kaw ZX-10R)
3. Fabrice Vilder (Hon CBR1000RR)
4. David Price (Suz GSX-R1000)
5. Ron Cole (Yam YZF-R1M)
6. Robbes Stieglitz (Duc 1199)
ULTRA LW CUP:
1. Gray Pham (KTM RC 390)
2. James Yu (Kaw 300)
3. Mike Ripley (Kaw 300)
4. Thomas Kearns (Kaw 300)
5. Jamie Lenore (Kaw 300)
FORMULA SINGLES:
1. Marc Rittner (Yam 450)
2. Alan Brown (Hus 450)
NOVICE HEAVYWEIGHT HEAT B:
1. Carlos Moreno (Yam YZF-R1)
2. Angelo Ghiglieri (Suz GSX-R1000)
3. Bob Neal (Hon CBR1000RR)
4. Joshua Booth (Suz GSX-R1000)
5. Gene Sigal (Duc 899)
6. Aaron Sanchez (Yam YZF-R1)
750cc SUPERBIKE:
1. Jon Neeter (Yam YZF-R6)
2. Adam C. Lint (Suz GSX-R750)
OPEN SUPERBIKE:
1. Fabrice Vilder (Hon CBR1000RR)
2. Aaron Ascher (Kaw ZX-10R)
3. Ron Cole (Yam YZF-R1M)
4. David Price (Suz GSX-R1000)
5. Robbes Stieglitz (Duc 1199)
6. Rob Sheets (Kaw ZX-10R)
NOVICE LIGHTWEIGHT HEAT B:
1. Rafael Revelo (Kaw 250)
500cc SUPERSTOCK:
1. Gray Pham (KTM RC 390)
2. James Yu (Kaw 300)
3. Mike Ripley (Kaw 300)
4. Thomas Kearns (Kaw 300)
650cc LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS:
1. David Garner (Suz SV650)
BRACKET B: (1:29:999):
1. Jon Neeter (Yam YZF-R6)
FORMULA OPEN TWINS:
1. Robbes Stieglitz (Duc 1199)
2. Rob Weaver (EBR 1190RS)
3. Larry Sprock (Duc 1199)
4. Dan McCormack (Duc 1199)
5. Gene Sigal (Duc 899)
FORMULA LIGHTWEIGHT TWINS BY WEST COAST GP CYCLES:
1. Rex Ainslie (Suz SV650)
2. Lance Lewman (Suz SV650)
4. David Garner (Suz SV650)
5. Clinton Whitehouse (Suz SV650)
DUCATI CUP FORMULA:
1. Robbes Stieglitz (Duc 1199)
2. Gene Sigal (Duc 899)
3. Dan McCormack (Duc 1199)
4. Larry Sprock (Duc 1199)
GT EXPERT LIGHWEIGHT:
1. Lance Lewman (Suz SV650)
2. David Garner (Suz SV650)
For more information about Moto West GP, please visit our website at www.motowestgp.com or call the Moto West GP office at 1-800-930-2815.