Dalke Motorsports Scores podium finish in the second round of the WERA National Endurance at Barber Motorsports Park. Dalke Motorsports overcame Friday distractions of transporter breakdowns and paddock theft to bring their new Interstate Cycle Yamaha R6 to a 2nd place finish. The team used the 6 week break between rounds one and two to prepare the quick change and quick fueling equipment. The work really paid off as Dalke was able to fuel the bike in 20 seconds and keep putting in laps. The quick fuel stops and Pirelli’s harder compound front with the new rears were crucial in this round. With 24 600cc teams split evenly between Mediumweight SuperBike and SuperStock and 15 Heavyweight teams Dalke held on to 9th overall in a race where any team that stopped for more than a 30 second fueling dropped off the leaders board. Just 3 laps separated 3rd overall from 15th overall in the 43 bike field. A strong finish and the pit-stops worked out added to the expectation of Pirelli’s new “yellow” compounds for the front and rear tires have Dalke anticipating the next round at Jennings GP. To see more about Dalke Motorsports and view candid photos from Barber check the website @ dalkemotorsports.com after May 15. More, from a press release issued by Aquino Motorsports: Tommy (15) and Michael (11) Aquino both podiumed at Barber Motorsports this past weekend in the WERA National. At only his second national and first time ever at Barber, Tommy placed 3rd in the WERA 600 Superbike class. Michael, riding his 80, placed 1st on both race days. Thanks go out to WERA for supporting the Minis. For more info go to www.tommyaquino24.com More, from a press release issued by bp concepts: “bp concepts” # 8 WERA Endurance 600 Superbike team was on top of the podium last Saturday at Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds Alabama, taking first place in class and fourth overall in their second round of the WERA Endurance Series. Team owner Brandon Parrish started the 4 hour race from row 5 putting in consistent lap times riding their Crosley Dunlop shod 2007 GSXR 600 powered by NPSracing.com setting the fastest lap of all the 600s in lap 23. He came into the pits first in class and second overall behind Vesrah Suzuki on lap 38 where Bo LeMastus took over for the next stint. Bo had a great run, maintaining a good pace and brought it back in for Andy Feuersthaler to start the third hour. Andy rode the longest stint of the 4 hours for the team putting in 44 solid laps bringing it in for fuel in 5th overall. Brandon finished up the 4 hours with a 23 lap stint to secure first in class and finish fourth overall 55 seconds behind third. Brandon Parrish comments: “It was a great weekend for our new team, Bo LeMastus and Andy Feuersthaler rode great, our help in the pits was just fantastic and our equipment was flawless. Coming into this race we were fourth in class from the first round at Roebling Road in Savannah, and with a new sponsor on board Wise Guys Fabrication out of Louisville Kentucky, we were able to get our gas tank enlarged, add the dry break system provided by Lockhart Phillips and utilize our Wise Guys Fabed dump can to allow for faster pit stops and longer stints. We have just a few things we want to modify for faster pit stops and we look forward to the 6 hour round at Jennings GP May 19th. We want to give a special thanks to all the sponsors that make this team possible.” Visit www.brandonparrish.com to learn more about the team! Go to www.wera.com for information about the WERA National Endurance Series. More, from a press release issued by 5150 Racing/Team moto-heaven.com: 5150 Racing / Team moto-heaven.com take second place at Barber for round 2 of the WERA/AMA National Endurance Series. Despite having an extremely challenging weekend, team owner Justin Marm and fill-in rider James Vanderhaar rode to 2nd place in the heavyweight supersport class during the 4-hour endurance at Barber Motorsports Park this past weekend aboard the Fast by Ferracci MV Agusta F4 1000R. The weekend did not start out good as Marm received news of a death in the family of team captain Phil Caudill. During the drive from Philadelphia, PA to Leeds, AL Marm attempted to get a replacement rider but none were available on such short notice. In conversation with fellow endurance racer James Vanderhaar of Team L.O.C., they decided that he would ride one stint, allowing Marm to remain in the race for the maximum allowed time. The plan was for Marm to start the race aboard the 5150 MV. Vanderhaar would ride the L.O.C. Yamaha R6 the first and final stint. Marm would stay on the MV up to the 2-hour point or until the second tank of fuel ran out, at which point Vanderhaar would take over. As soon as Marm rested for 30 minutes, he would signal for Vanderhaar to pit and resume riding duties until the end of the race. This all seemed simple, but neither rider realized just how physically exhausting it would be to turn consistent fast laps for that length of time. A rear tire problem during the beginning laps of the race created a problem for Marm that caused him to ride conservatively and cautiously for the first half of the race. “We discovered after the race that the rear Dunlop D.O.T. spun on the rim and lost air pressure during the opening laps. From that point on, the rear was stepping out under neutral throttle too often and rear drive was greatly decreased exiting corners. All this made the bike extremely physical to ride, which wore me out much quicker.” At the halfway point of the race, the rear tire stepped out, causing Marm to low-side exiting turn 8. After getting the bike picked-up, returning to the pits, changing the rear tire, & refueling, Vanderhaar took to the track for his turn on the MV. “I went through turn eight the same as I had every lap. I was aware of the decreased rear traction and just before I was getting on the gas, the rear stepped out. It was as if someone bumped me from behind, I was just sliding on the ground. Luckily there was no damage and I was able to return to the pits without loosing too many laps.” Vanderhaar still had one remaining ride aboard his LOC Endurance R6 so he piloted the MV for less than a full stint, but long enough to give Marm a much-needed break. Marm completed the remaining 1.5 hours, turning consistent lap times, bringing the 5150 / Team moto-heaven.com 2007 MV Agusta F4 1000R to the finish with a result of second in class, twelfth overall. “I haven’t ridden a 1000 in over a year and to ride the MV was fun. The bike handles great and has amazing power. Getting off the L.O.C. R6 onto the MV is quite a change and it took a few laps to acclimate myself to the power and torque difference,” explained Vanderhaar of the experience. “The second rear Dunlop felt good, but at that point I was physically drained and just wanted to complete the race in one piece to remain in the championship chase. This weekend has shown me how important Phil Caudill is to the team and to keeping things running smooth throughout the weekend,” said Marm. More, from a press release issued by AB-1 Motorsports. Aprilia on the l’edge James “the Rocket” Rispoli got the call to put the Aprilia 550 through its paces at the rough, tight and tumble Nelson Ledges Road Course this weekend. After a disappointing round at Summit Point where a blown oil seal caused James to retire early while leading, the AB-1 Motorsports team had a two week gap in the schedule to address some of the reliability issues with the help of sponsor Interstate Cycle of Cornelius NC. The work paid off as James put the Aprilia in the first spot in two classes, but that clearly wasn’t enough for this quick study. James ran the bike from the back of the light weight twins Superbike class and came through the field to chase down the top five front runners. James ended up winning the Supermoto class entered and rode all the way through the field to take a fourth place overall against the modified SV’s. The nimble 550 was quick, quiet and powerful allowing James to take some “whacked-out” lines as one fellow rider put it as he put on a charge. Aaron Brown team manager for AB-1 Motorsports had this to say, “I was feeling more and more confident after Friday’s practice and even more optimistic after testing on Saturday that everything would hold together. I knew if we could keep the gremlins in check James would be able to set a very fast pace and really show us what kind of potential the bike has. Nelson is a fast flowing course that allowed the Aprilia to show off its top end capability. Other than working on suspension set up the bike is right off the show room floor. I’m thrilled that both James and the bike did their job and we had awesome results. I think we’re getting to a good base and can work from there.” James also ran in several 600 expert classes where he is learning to ride the new bike and achieved 11th, 10th, 8th and 6th place finishes in that order as the day progressed. AB-1 Motorsports is known at the club level for their Ducati knowledge and expertise and is expanding their reach to work with young up and coming riders using Supermoto bikes as trainers. Watch out for the AB Motorsports trailer at WERA Regional and National events in 2007. More, from a press release issued by Millnic Media Honda: Round 2 of the WERA/AMA National Endurance Series is in the books and for Millnic Media Honda a mix bag of results and emotions. Round 2 was held at the famed Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Alabama under partly cloudy skies with great track conditions. Armed with a new CBR600RR, new team shirts (courtesy of Frame By Frame Productions), new Tifosi sunglasses and a host of new sponsors Millnic Media Honda was ready to do battle on the track. With a 13th position on the grid the Millnic Media Honda team decided that new team rider Steven Breckenridge would start the race. Unfortunately within two laps a red flag came out when Nate Kern had a big highside stopping race action. When things got back underway Steven had a ripping start to put the Honda CBR600RR into 1st in class and 5th overall. The team’s strategy was to use one set of Dunlop tires for the entire 4 hour race. With Steven cutting impressive lap times and riding with former World Superbike Champion Scott Russell (who was on a 1000cc motorcycle) we knew this would be a good day. By the way, the CBR600RR Millnic Media Honda used for round 2 was brand new just 2 weeks ago. With only a slip-on pipe from LeoVince and full Ohlins suspension front and rear the CBR was basically stock. There were no engine mods, no DynoJet Power Commander (yet), no quickshifter… this motorcycle is stock with the stock header pipe. Some may think that put Millnic Media Honda at a disadvantage, but when the dust cleared Steven Breckenridge set the fastest lap time of the day for the Middle Weight Superstock Class at a 1.33.640. Twelve motorcycles were entered in the MSS class and the new CBR600RR set the fastest overall time in the class. That alone speaks volumes to the great Honda, Dunlop and Ohlins products that MMH uses. With Steven’s first stint in the books, it was Greg White’s turn to ride. That is when the Millnic Media Honda team settled into a rhythm on the track. Team Leader Melissa Paris was suffering from a bad cold and was only able to muster a half hour stint, but that half hour paid huge dividends in the end because the team only had two more pitstops until the checkered flag. In the end the Millnic Media Honda crew walked away with mixed emotions. The final results: 13th overall, 4th in class and fastest lap in class. In the overall position Millnic Media Honda improved one spot from Round 1, with 42 overall teams entered (7 more than round 1), and fourth in class with 12 teams entered, just off the podium in class, but with 2 more teams entered a positive sign. Although having the fastest lap of the race does nothing for the championship, it does tell a great story about the efforts of AMA Formula Xtreme Champion Josh Hayes and Melissa Paris’s efforts to get the brand new motorcycle up to speed right out of the box. http://www.mmhracing.com has the video blog from the race over the weekend. Hear what Melissa, Steven and Greg had to say.