Suzuki SV650 specialist Ed Key won three CCS races Friday at the Race of Champions at Daytona International Speedway, while Michael Barnes and Jeff Wood each won a single CCS race on their respective Suzukis. Motorcycle Performance’s Key rode his Pirelli-shod SV650 Superbike to dominant victories in GT Lights, Thunderbike and Formula 40 Lightweight, bringing his career total of CCS National Championships to 21. Riding his Main Line BMW R1100S, Nate Kern finished second to Key in GT Lights, Buell American Thunder’s Art Diaz was runner-up to Key in Lightweight Formula 40 and Hal’s Performance Advantage Buell’s Dan Bilansky took second behind Key in Thunderbike. The horsepower of Barnes’ Pirelli-equipped Team M4 EMGO Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superstock bike was offset by fading brakes at the end of the 25-minute GTO race, but the Floridian managed to hold off Arclight Suzuki’s Jeff Wood (who made it close on his Dunlop-fitted GSX-R750) to take the victory. Argo Cycles’ Jesse Janisch finished third on another Suzuki GSX-R750, ahead of back-of-the-grid-starting Venezuelan youngster Robertino Pietri on a GSX-R1000, Wood’s teammate Chris Siglin on a GSX-R750 and Roadracingworld.com’s Chris Ulrich on a GSX-R750. Wood got his revenge later when both he and Barnes were riding Suzuki GSX-R600s in GTU. Wood drafted past Barnes on the final run to the finish line to win by a bikelength. Barnes was later docked one lap for lining up in the wrong grid position. This promoted Argo Cycles’ Scott Greenwood (who rode a Kawasaki ZX-6R) to second. Barnes’ teammate Geoff May was in contention for the win until he began suffering troubles downshifting. May ran off the track twice and still finished third. Ulrich finished fourth, ahead of Siglin and Canadian teen Chris Peris. Earlier in the day, Barnes and Pietri won the Team Challenge race on the track aboard an M4 EMGO Suzuki GSX-R1000 entered as Pietri Racing, Barnes lapping third place in his opening stint. But CCS officials penalized the team for running #11–the number accepted at registration–instead of #11x, by not counting the laps made by Barnes before a red flag. Continuing the team’s bad day, officials then penalized Pietri for allegedly passing lapped riders after a second red flag was thrown; as Pietri was going out for the restart, an official stopped him to tell him he would be given a stop-and-go penalty, and that delay made Pietri miss the warm-up lap as other officials would then not allow him to leave the grid. Pietri started at the back of the grid, made a stop-and-go and still retook the lead on the track in a few laps, pulling away to the finish. Pietri, 20, had never seen Daytona, had never ridden a GSX-R1000 and had never ridden on Pirelli tires prior to the Team Hammer track day on Thursday. He is the son of former AMA racer Roberto Pietri, who rode on the American Honda Superbike team in the early 1980s. The younger Pietri’s ride on the M4 EMGO Suzuki was arranged by former racer Steve McLaughlin, who was a key figure in the establishment of the AMA Superbike class and in starting the World Superbike Championship, and who managed the American Honda team when the elder Pietri was riding in the U.S. Friday’s Provisional CCS Race Results: GT LIGHTS EXPERT: 1. Ed Key (Suz SV650); 2. Nate Kern (BMW R1100S); 3. Art Diaz (Buell XB12R); 4. Joe Rozynski, III (Buell XB12R); 5. Travis McNerney (Suz SV650); 6. Charles Mopps (Suz SV650). GT LIGHTS AMATEUR: 1. Rob Burokeh (Suz SV650); 2. Dan Kane (Suz SV650); 3. Scott Robertson (Suz SV650); 4. Ryan Hall (Suz SV650); 5. Brad Faas (Suz SV650); 6. Brian Woods (Suz). GTO EXPERT: 1. Michael Barnes (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Jeff Wood (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Jesse Janisch (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Robertino Pietri (Suz GSX-R1000); 5. Chris Siglin (Suz GSX-R750); 6. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R750). GTO AMATEUR: 1. Davie Stone (Suz GSX-R1000); 2. Andrew Moates; 3. Robert Lang (Suz GSX-R1000); 4. Charlie Mavros (Kaw ZX-6R); 5. Antal Halasz (Hon CBR954); 6. Eric Schnorrbusch (Apr RSV1000). GTU EXPERT: 1. Jeff Wood (Suz GSX-R600); 2. Scott Greenwood (Kaw ZX-6RR); 3. Geoff May (Suz GSX-R600); 4. Chris Ulrich (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Chris Siglin (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Chris Peris (Yam YZF-R6). GTU AMATEUR: 1. Gustavo Laya (Yam YZF-R6); 2. Nate Doebert (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Joseph Russo (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Tony Leong (Suz GSX-R600); 5. Matt Sewell (Hon CBR600RR); 6. Gene Paul Gilchrist (Kaw ZX-6). ULTRA LIGHT SUPERBIKE EXPERT: 1. Rodney Burr (Duc 800SS); 2. Daniele Lenarduzzi (Apr RS250); 3. Duane Francis (Tri 900); 4. Michael Perry (Yam RZ350). ULTRA LIGHT SUPERBIKE AMATEUR: 1. Christopher Sammons (Duc 750); 2. Kevin Kennedy (MuZ 720); 3. Daniel Denison (Hon 650); 4. Ronnue H?olloman (Tri 750). 125cc GRAND PRIX EXPERT: 1. Steve Wenner (Hon RS125); 2. Scott Trautmann (Hon RS125). 125cc GRAND PRIX AMATEUR: 1. Jeffery Permanian (Hon RS125); 2. Adam Loeffler (Hon RS125); 3. Hector St. John (Yam TZ125). FORMULA 40 EXPERT: 1. Richard Croly, Jr. (Suz GSX-R750); 2. Dennis Debuer (Suz GSX-R750); 3. Peter Kates (Suz GSX-R750); 4. Rick Shaw (Yam YZF-R6); 5. Mark McCormick (Yam YZF-R6); 6. Robert Lombardi (Suz GSX-R750). FORMULA 40 AMATEUR: 1. Robert Lang (Kaw ZX-6); 2. Scott McKee (Yam YZF-R6); 3. Paul Vondrak (Yam YZF-R6); 4. Kurt Roll (Hon RC51); 5. Charlie Mavros (Suz GSX-R600); 6. Robert Greer (Yam YZF-R6). LIGHTWEIGHT FORMULA 40 EXPERT: 1. Ed Key (Suz SV650); 2. Art Diaz (Buell XB12R); 3. Jeffrey Johnson (Buell XB12R); 4. William MacMartin (Duc 944MHe); 5. John Costa (Buell XB12R); 6. David White (Duc 1000SS). LIGHTWEIGHT FORMULA 40 AMATEUR: 1. Scott Robertson (Suz SV650); 2. Brian Woods (Suz SV650); 3. Eric Wilson (Suz SV650); 4. Mark Bernard (Buell 1200); 5. Mark Tenn. THUNDERBIKE EXPERT: 1. Ed Key (Suz SV650); 2. Dan Bilansky (Buell XB12R); 3. Dave Estok (Buell XB12R); 4. Walt Sipp (Buell XB12R); 5. Christopher Boy (Bim 1000); 6. Art Diaz (Buell XB12R). THUNDERBIKE AMATEUR: 1.Rob Buroker (Suz SV650); 2. Dan Kane (Suz SV650); 3. Ryan Hall (Suz SV650); 4. Mark Bernard (Buell 1200); 5. Eddie Wilson, Jr. (Suz SV650); 6. Stephen Clark (Suz SV650).
Updated Again: Key, Barnes, Wood Win CCS Races Friday, And Pietri Has A Tough First Race Day At Daytona
Updated Again: Key, Barnes, Wood Win CCS Races Friday, And Pietri Has A Tough First Race Day At Daytona
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