Robert Jensen was the star of the show Saturday during the first day of Michelin’s U.S. Motorcycle Championship at Barber Motorsports Park, a season-ending, invitation-only event for riders who raced on Michelin tires during the 2009 season.
Riding his Butler Machinery-backed Suzuki GSX-R600, Jensen won the Supersport Pro race by a wide margin over 2009 AMA Pro SuperSport West Champion Ricky Parker, who rode his Graves Yamaha YZF-R6.
Former factory AMA Superbike pilot Matt Lynn was racing closely with Jensen until lap six of 12 when he lowsided his self-sponsored Kawasaki ZX-6R in Turn 15. He remounted and was able to finish fourth. Brian Stokes was also a contender for the win, but he crashed his DuPonte & Lipton/XXX Racing Fuels Kawasaki ZX-6R out of third place on lap two.
Stokes came back to challenge Jensen again in the Superstock Pro Race, but Jensen was the strongest of the two and won the 12-lap race by three seconds on his Suzuki GSX-R1000. Stokes finished second on his Suzuki 1000, while Lynn placed third on his Kawasaki ZX-6R.
Newly-crowned 2009 ASRA Thunderbike Champion Danny Bilansky won the Thunderbike Expert race by more than four seconds even though his D&G Racing/Hal’s Performance Advantage Buell XB12R was suffering a high-rpm misfire that cost him some speed. Arnold Hastings finished second on his Suzuki SV650, well ahead of similarly-equipped Philip Fortune.
Steve Walker, a 46-year-old trauma physician from Canada, took first place in the Thunderbike Amateur division on his Open Road BMW R1200 S, beating Jay Smith and Dan Thompson.
J.B. Layman, age 44, dominated the Supersport Expert sprint on his Zyvax Yamaha YZF-R6, winning the 12-lap event by more than nine seconds ahead of Robert Pretts and James Dellinger. One Racing’s Byron Barbour was equally successful in the Superstock Expert contest and got his Suzuki GSX-R1000K8 across the finish line seven seconds ahead of James Vanderhaar, who got second place by a wheel over Ben Walters.
The only other multiple-race winner on the day was Ryan Jones, who rode his Capitalmeats.com-sponsored Kawasaki ZX-6R to wins in Supersport Amateur and Superstock Amateur. Jones, a former Pro motocrosser, was fourth after the first lap of the Supersport race but methodically worked his way up to first place and won by 2.3 seconds over Blake Cochran. James Brown finished third. In the Superstock class, which was open to 1000cc machinery, Jones used bold moves on the last lap to wrestle the win away from Honda CBR1000RR-mounted Chris Steele. Cochran was a very close third on his Suzuki GSX-R600.
The day ended with the Women Supersport race, which was open to female racers who used any brand of tires in 2009 as long as they used Michelins at this event. Melissa Appel won the race on her NESBA-supported Honda CBR600RR in spite of riding with a two-week-old broken right hand and a right foot injury she suffered in a crash just hours earlier. Wyeth Jackson was second on a Kawasaki ZX-6R, and pole-sitter Melissa Berkoff finished a close third on her Suzuki SV650.
Michelin U.S. Motorcycle Championship Barber Motorsports Park Birmingham, Alabama October 3, 2009 Race Results (all on Michelin tires):
Thunderbike Expert: 1. Danny Bilansky (Buell XB12R), 8 laps 2. Arnold Hastings (Suz SV650), -4.321 seconds 3. Philip Fortune (Suz SV650), -9.264 4. Steve Brunton (Suz SV650), -14.516 5. Melissa Berkoff (Suz SV650), -14.760 6. Stephen Laffoon (Suz SV650), -36.387 7. Russell Masecar (Suz SV650), -37.400 8. Luke Echols (Suz SV650), -56.758 9. Charlie Coyner (Suz SV650), -1 laps 10. Ryan Warren (Apr 550), -4 laps, DNF 11. Joel Spalding (Buell XB12R), -7 laps, DNF, mechanical 12. Chris Slay (Suz SV650), DNF, crash
Thunderbike Amateur: 1. Steve Walker (BMW R 1200 S), 8 laps 2. Jay Smith (Buell XB12R), -18.754 seconds 3. Dan Thompson (Buell XB12R), -36.521 4. Scott Laudon (Hon RC51), -36.034 5. Benjamin Stockdale (Suz SV650), -7 laps, DNF
Supersport Amateur: 1. Ryan Jones (Kaw ZX-6R), 9 laps 2. Blake Cochran (Suz GSX-R600), -2.358 seconds 3. James Brown (Hon CBR600RR), -8.820 4. Nick McCoy (Suz GSX-R600), -26.385 5. John Russell (Suz GSX-R600), -30.379 6. Melissa Appel (Hon CBR600RR), -30.503 7. Aaron Kennedy (Hon CBR600RR), -32.925 8. Scott Tucker (Yam YZF-R6), -34.710 9. Wyeth Jackson (Kaw ZX-6R), -55.291 10. Nick Montomaro (Yam YZF-R6), -82.251 11. Tyler Kennedy (Hon CBR600RR), -83.014 12. Chris Gray (Tri Daytona 675), -83.629 13. Michael Smith (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap 14. Aaron Fisk (Kaw ZX-6R), -1 lap 15. Mark Miller, Jr. (Suz GSX-R600), -1 lap 16. Jourdan Siem (Suz GSX-R600), -1 lap 17. Mitch McGinnis (Hon CBR600RR), -1 lap 18. Ryan Haddock (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap 19. Kimberly Prichard (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap 20. Sheila Paul (Yam YZF-R6), -2 laps 21. Eric Smith (Kaw ZX-6R), DNS 22. Erik DeVaan (Yam YZF-R6), DNS
Supersport Expert: 1. J.B. Layman (Yam YZF-R6), 12 laps 2. Robert Pretts (Kaw ZX-6R), -9.214 seconds 3. James Dellinger (Yam YZF-R6), -14.312 4. Gerry Signorelli (Kaw ZX-6R), -15.679 5. J.D. Mosley (Tri Daytona 675), -29.060 6. Garet Tomlinson (Yam YZF-R6), -29.782 7. Rob Sobotta (Yam YZF-R6), -45.915 8. Alexander Smith (Hon CBR600RR), -55.862 9. Zach Kinzler (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap 10. Keith Hertell (Kaw ZX-6R), -1 lap 11. Ray Hofman (Hon CBR600RR), -1 lap 12. Meghan Stiles (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap 13. Ryan Warren (Tri Daytona 675), -1 lap 14. Steve Brunton (Suz GSX-R600), DNS 15. Brett Cole (Yam YZF-R6), DNS
Supersport Pro: 1. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R600), 12 laps 2. Ricky Parker (Yam YZF-R6), -18.481 seconds 3. Scotty Ryan (Yam YZF-R6), -26.444 4. Matt Lynn (Kaw ZX-6R), -31.556, crash 5. Brian Stokes (Kaw ZX-6R), -11 laps, DNF, crash
Superstock Amateur: 1. Ryan Jones (Kaw ZX-6R), 12 laps 2. Chris Steele (Hon CBR1000RR), -0.759 second 3. Blake Cochran (Suz GSX-R600), -1.054 seconds 4. James Brown (Hon CBR600RR), -2.641 5. Travis Walker (Hon CBR929RR), -11.220 6. Aaron Kennedy (Hon CBR600RR), -14.575 7. Tyler Kennedy (Hon CBR600RR), -32.244 8. James Gillespie (Suz GSX-R1000), -49.978 9. Chris Gray (Tri Daytona 675), -58.723 10. Scott Laudon (Hon CBR1000RR), -59.359 11. Mitch McGinnis (Hon CBR1000RR), -62.224 12. Michael Smith (Yam YZF-R6), -64.324 13. Jourdan Siem (Suz GSX-R600), 1:45.758 14. Erik DeVaan (Yam YZF-R6), 1:41.709 15. Luie Zendejas (Suz GSX-R1000), 1:37.140 16. Charles Justice (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:36.006 17. Tom Shaw (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:37.558, crash 18. G. Robin Davis (Suz GSX-R750), 1:37.956, crash 19. Melissa Appel (Hon CBR600RR), 1:37.599, crash 20. Eric Smith (Suz GSX-R1000), DNS 21. Aaron Fisk (Kaw ZX-6R), DNS
Superstock Expert: 1. Byron Barbour (Suz GSX-R1000), 12 laps 2. James Vanderhaar (Yam YZF-R1), -7.025 seconds 3. Ben Walters (Yam YZF-R1), -7.041 4. Jim Proulx (Yam YZF-R1), -16.261 5. Scott Carpenter (Suz GSX-R1000), -16.278 6. Ben Probst (Yam YZF-R1), -23.887 7. Robert Pretts (Kaw ZX-6R), -26.885 8. Michael Lee (Suz GSX-R1000), -27.511 9. Wayne Watts (Suz GSX-R1000), -47.810 10. Sam Fleming (Yam YZF-R1), -51.777 11. Joel Spalding (Buell 1125R), -52.022 12. Crash Lowe (Suz GSX-R1000), -58.764 13. Darnell Dorsey (Suz GSX-R1000), -59.178 14. Harry Tomlinson (Suz GSX-R1000), -1 lap
Superstock Pro: 1. Robert Jensen (Suz GSX-R1000), 12 laps 2. Brian Stokes (Suz GSX-R1000), -3.020 seconds 3. Matt Lynn (Kaw ZX-6R), -30.260 4. Ricky Parker (Yam YZF-R6), -43.675 5. Scotty Ryan (Yam YZF-R6), -72.601 6. Arnold Hastings (Suz GSX-R750), -85.133
Women Supersport: 1. Melissa Appel (Hon CBR600RR), 12 laps 2. Wyeth Jackson (Kaw ZX-6R), -8.261 seconds 3. Melissa Berkoff (Suz SV650), -9.598 4. Suzy Moody (Kaw ZX-6R), -28.148 5. Meghan Stiles (Yam YZF-R6), -28.449 6. Karen Coleman (Suz GSX-R600), -1 lap 7. Sasha Taranto (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap 8. Rhonda Gray (Kaw ZX-6R), -1 lap 9. Kimberly Prichard (Yam YZF-R6), -1 lap 10. Anita Thomas (Hon CBR600RR), -1 lap 11. Teri Gorrell (Kaw ZX-6R), -1 lap 12. Sheila Paul (Yam YZF-R6), -2 laps
More, from a press release issued by Michelin:
DOUBLE WINS FOR JENSEN AND JONES ON DAY ONE OF MICHELIN U.S. MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP
GREENVILLE, S.C. (Oct. 3, 2009) Pro rider Robert Jensen and amateur Ryan Jones are the front-runners for the overall titles in their respective classes at the Michelin U.S. Motorcycle Championship, as each posted two victories on the first day of the two-day event at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala., on Oct. 3.
Jensen led from the pole in the Supersport Pro race aboard his Suzuki GSX-R600, fending off the challenge of Kawasaki ZX-6R-mounted Matt Lynn until Lynn crashed on the sixth of 12 laps. While Lynn remounted to finish fourth, Jensen easily won with an 18-second margin over second-placed Ricky Parker on a Yamaha R6. Scotty Ryan finished third on another Yamaha.
The Chaffee, N.D., rider earned his second win of the day in Superstock Pro, taking the lead on the first lap from polesitter Brian Stokes. While Stokes stayed close for most of the race, Jensen opened a gap after the two Suzuki GSX-R1000 riders encountered a lapped rider on the penultimate lap of the 12-lap race. Lynn, riding a 600cc Kawasaki, finished third.
Jensen’s two victories put him in line for a possible $14,000 payday, if he can win Sunday’s two pro races. “We’ll make some changes to the 1000, and some changes to the 600, and see how they go,” Jensen commented.
Jones began the day with a hard-fought win in the 12-lap Supersport Amateur race. Starting fourth on the grid, the Kawasaki rider hounded polesitter Blake Cochran for the lead until passing Cochran’s Suzuki on lap five. He held on for the win, with Cochran second and James Brown on a Honda CBR600RR third.
The second win of the day for Jones came in far more eventful fashion, as the Superstock Amateur race was red-flagged twice for crashes. After the second restart, Jones found himself in a three-way battle for the lead with Honda rider Chris Steele and Cochran, his nemesis from the earlier race. The trio traded the lead at least three times on the final lap, Jones taking the win by less than a second over Steele.
In other race action, Melissa Appel topped what may have been the largest-ever field of women at a national-level motorcycle road race, winning Women Supersport aboard her Honda CBR600RR, ahead of Wyeth Jackson on a Kawasaki and Melissa Berkoff on a Suzuki SV650. Berkoff earned an impressive pole position on the v-twin-powered Suzuki, but was at a decided horsepower disadvantage versus the four-cylinder competition in the race.
J.B. Layman on a Yamaha breezed to a nine-second victory in Supersport Expert, which ran in a combined race with Supersport Pro. Layman moved into the lead on the third of 12 laps, while a three-rider battle for second eventually went to Robert Pretts on a Kawasaki, over James Dellinger (Yamaha) and Gerry Signorelli (Kawasaki).
In Superstock Expert, Byron Barbour on a Suzuki GSX-R1000 led the class from flag to flag in another combined pro/expert field, Meanwhile, James Vanderhaar and Ben Walters, both aboard Yamaha R1’s, took their battle for second place all the way to the finish, with Vanderhaar taking the position by a half-bike length. So intense was the contest that Walters crashed after the finish in turn one, without injury.
Buell rider Danny Bilansky led from pole in the Thunderbike Expert class and was awarded the victory after the race was red-flagged for a crash after eight laps. Arnold Hastings rode his Suzuki SV650 to second, while Phil Fortune was third on a similar machine. In Thunderbike Amateur, Steve Walker’s BMW 1200 was the winner over the Buells of Jay Smith and Dan Thomson.
The Michelin U.S. Motorcycle Championship is an exclusive, invitation-only event for club-level racers who compete on MICHELIN® racing tires. Attracting more than 110 entries, the event offers $87,500 in prize money over two days of racing. Results from second day of competition Oct. 4 will be updated after the finish of each race on the event’s official website, www.MichelinUSChampionship.com.
Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.MichelinMotorcycle.com) employs more than 22,600 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations.