LEXINGTON, OH – Racing tension continues to mount in the fledgling AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 series, as points leader Chris Fillmore managed to maintain his recent domination of the class in Sunday action at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Fillmore, who picked up his third victory in today’s contest, extended his lead in the title chase to 30 points over second-place Steve Rapp (Parts Unlimited). Fillmore collected max points at the event, also taking pole position and leading the most laps on his Bruce Rossmeyer Daytona Racing GEICO Powersports XR1200. In the early stages of the race, it looked as if Fillmore and Rapp would battle every inch of the way to the checkered flag – until Fillmore took over the lead and refused to be headed. “I took a look back and didn’t see anyone there,” said Fillmore, “and I expected him (Rapp) to be there, so I took a couple more glances then put it on cruise control from there. I got a good launch, got through Turn 1 real well, and was kind of switching up my gearing through the race. I tried some different stuff, but pretty much had figured it out by the third lap.” Behind Rapp were his teammate Michael Barnes (Drag Specialties), Daytona race winner Kyle Wyman (RMR Bruce Rossmeyer Daytona Racing), Michael Beck (J&P Racing), and Tyler O’Hara (O’Hara Racing), the quartet of riders who waging a four-way battle for third. But then Rapp’s pace slowed and Wyman, Beck, and Barnes began a fateful assault. On a dramatic final lap, Wyman put a big move on Beck going into Turn 1, and as the three riders headed into the famous Keyhole, Rapp had a slight bobble that allowed Beck and Wyman to get by. Rapp fought back but was unsuccessful, Beck and Wyman taking second and third, respectively. “A couple weeks ago I went over the bars of my Harley,” said Beck, “and it was a pretty brutal adventure, so to rebound like this is so great. I got a decent start and was just watching Rapp, Barney, and Fillmore out front. I kept my head down, got by Barney, and saw Rapp in the distance. I caught Steve and was holding on to him, and I noticed his tires were going off dramatically. I felt like my bike was rolling, and all three of us had a pretty big battle — it was really great. Then both of them made a mistake in the Keyhole, and I was able to take advantage of it and ended up second today.” Added third-place finisher Wyman, who was equally pleased with his result, “I made a move on Michael going into Turn 1 — it was a tight, close one, but I got through. Then going into the Keyhole, Steve made a mistake right in front of me and I had to check up, and both guys got back past me. I just pushed as hard as I could through the second segment, which is the hardest place to pass. I knew if there was going to be a chance it would have to be coming up in Thunder Valley…. I didn’t have the greatest drive, but I tried to get a run out into the inside of the Carousel, but I got out of shape and had to check up again. Then Steve made another mistake and I was able to get a run around the outside of the last corner [and get by him] by maybe six inches or so.” Behind fourth-place Rapp came O’Hara, taking fifth ahead of Barnes (sixth). RMR Rossmeyer Daytona Racing rider Michael Corbino finished seventh, followed by Chase McFarland (Team Latus Motors), Michael Morgan (Python Dunlop), and Gerry Signorelli (Kuryakyn Bob Fier Racing). Watch for highlights from today’s XR1200 race during SPEED’s 12:00 a.m. EST/9 p.m. PST airing of Sunday AMA Pro action from Mid-Ohio. For complete broadcast details, visit speedtv.com/schedule. The AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 class now takes a brief hiatus while the rest of the series travels to Monterey, California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for Round 7 on the season calendar, run as part of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix MotoGP weekend. XR1200 pilots will next take to the track August 12 – 14 at Virginia International Speedway, and will make their own MotoGP-weekend debut August 27 – 28, when they’ll serve as AMA Pro’s sole representation at the Red Bull Indianapolis MotoGP. For tickets to and information about the latter event, visit indianapolismotorspeedway.com or call (800) 822-INDY. To learn more and be a part of AMA Pro Racing, please visit amaproracing.com and join us on facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing and twitter.com/AMAProSBK. More, from another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing: LEXINGTON, OH – This weekend’s AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio, were fraught with firsts. Yesterday, the iconic marque Triumph captured its first victory in the class, and today Bell Helmets-backed Yamaha rider Hayden Gillim claimed his career first AMA Pro Road Racing win in the class. Gillim led exactly one lap — the final one — to take the win with a 0.210 second margin of victory on the 15-turn, 2.4-mile track. He overcame his second slow start of the weekend and was forced once again to work his way through the field. That goal achieved, he then battled with series points leader and eventual second-place finisher James Rispoli (Ant-Racing.com Star School Suzuki) right down to the wire for the dramatic victory. “I was hoping to get a better start,” said Gillim, “but on the back straight I got drafted by two people, went back to sixth, and stayed there for a little bit. James [Rispoli] and Dustin [Dominguez] weren’t getting out front very far, so I figured I could make my move at the end. Halfway through, everybody’s tires started going away and I had conserved mine pretty good. Tomas [Puerta] was hardest to get by, he’s an awesome racer. Then I saw James slowly getting a little bit bigger in my vision, and I pushed a little bit harder than yesterday trying to get up to him. On the last lap I was right there. I felt really strong in Turn 1 and got a good drive up the inside and got by him. I made it into Turn 6 in front of him, and I was happy about that, but then I messed up a little bit coming into Thunder Alley and knew he’d be right there. Sure enough, I saw a white bike come up next to me and I thought, ‘Oh no, this can’t happen.’ I barely made the corner and held it real tight in the last corner and was able to make it stick. Man, I am so happy go be up here on top of the box today.” Although Gillim won the race, Rispoli led 12 of the race’s 17 laps. Initially, Rispoli was trailing yesterday’s winner, Dominguez (Team Latus Motors Triumph), who led the first four laps before suffering an unfortunate get-off that cleared the way for Rispoli. “It was a good race,” said Rispoli. “This is what I’m training to do: lead and turn in consistent lap times. Dustin got by me but I knew today I wasn’t going to let him go. I stayed right on his back wheel, trying to reel him in so he wouldn’t get away. Unfortunately, he fell in front of me in Turn 1 and then it was me racing the track. Hayden ran a great race — he got by me in Turn 1 and I knew it was going to be a race to the finish. We hit some lapped traffic and that kind of helped me out a little, but I didn’t feel confident that the front tire would hold in Turn 9. I got a really good drive out of 11 and thought I was going to make it [past Gillim], but dirt-trackers don’t really let off. It was great, two dirt-trackers going at it.” Third-place finisher Puerta (LTD Y.E.S. Yamaha) – who’s suffered a bit of a dry spell since winning the first AMA Pro SuperSport race of the season — was particularly happy to be back on the podium again at Mid-Ohio. “It was a good race,” said Puerta. “Yesterday, we had some problems with the bike. I was trying to keep up with the guys, but was scared to crash. Today, I put my mind on restarting everything. I went out and tried something in the warm-up that worked good, and then in the race, I put my head down and kept it on two wheels. When I saw I could make the podium, I was trying to get some points back, but my rear tire was done so I held on for third. I wanted to be on the podium again.” Vesrah Suzuki’s Corey Alexander ended up fourth ahead of Elena Myers (SuzukiScoopFans.com Racing), who took a solid fifth ahead of James Dellinger (35 Motorsports Suzuki) and Miles Thornton, respectively. Eric Stump was eighth with Jeff Wrobel and Ben Young rounding out the AMA Pro SuperSport top ten. Watch for highlights from today’s SuperSport race during SPEED’s 12:00 a.m. EST/9 p.m. PST airing of Day 2 AMA Pro action from Mid-Ohio. For complete broadcast details, visit speedtv.com/schedule. The AMA Pro Road Race Championship next heads to Monterey, California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for Round 7 on the season calendar, run as part of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix MotoGP weekend. For tickets and information, visit mazdaraceway.com or call (800) 327-7322. To learn more and be a part of AMA Pro Racing, please visit amaproracing.com and join us on facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing and twitter.com/AMAProSBK. More, from another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing: LEXINGTON, OH – As AMA Pro Daytona SportBike Race 2 winner Danny Eslick spun up side-by-side burnouts with runner-up Tommy Aquino, the GEICO Powersports/RMR Suzuki rider was celebrating more than just his second win of the season. Today’s hard-earned victory at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course broke Eslick’s points-tie with Monster Energy Graves Yamaha rival Josh Herrin, allowing the Oklahoma pilot and 2009 class champion to reclaim the clear lead in the overall Daytona SportBike Championship. Second-place finisher Y.E.S./Pat Clark/Graves Yamaha’s Aquino, ecstatic with his first podium result of the 2011 season, was followed across the line by JHR/RidersDiscount.com’s Cameron Beaubier, who — as in yesterday’s Race 1 — again turned the quickest lap of the contest. Beaubier combined those fast laps with a last-corner error by Herrin to take his second career class podium, having fought through Team Latus Motors Racing’s Jason DiSalvo and fended off Vesrah Suzuki’s Cory West and M4 Suzuki’s Race 1 winner, Dane Westby. The race was red flagged almost immediately off the start, Santiago Villa (M4 Suzuki) and Michael Morgan (Autolite RIM Racing) both went down, triggering a ten-minute hold. Off the restart, Eslick put his head down and was quickly past DiSalvo into the lead. “Yesterday I tried to conserve on first few laps,” Eslick said after the race, “but after looking at what Dane did [yesterday] coming from that far back, he definitely didn’t take it easy on the tire. So I just threw the hammer down from the get-go and figured, ‘If we get away, we get away. If not, protect where I can and be strong in other places.’ Josh got up there next to me a few times and even lead a lap, but I knew where he was going to make his move at the end, and I wasn’t going to make that mistake again. It was an awesome race: hot, greasy, sliding around … it was a lot of fun.” “Everybody was riding such a face-paced race,” said Aquino, 19. “If I could have passed somebody earlier, I would have done it, but Danny was setting an incredible pace and Josh was following, so I just had to do what I had to do. I wasn’t going to get a fourth or third, so I put it in there on the second-last turn and Josh countered a little bit, but then I think he might have tucked the front a bit, and man, I was so happy when I crossed the finish line. I’ve had a number of thirds and like a thousand fourths coming into this race, so I’m really happy about it. I really had to work for it in some of the more technical passing spots, and I really have to thank all my guys. They’ve done so much for me and believed in me — it’s incredible.” Eighteen-year-old Beaubier, beaming throughout the post-race press conference, said, “Danny and Josh, I didn’t have anything from them, but it was an awesome race that went down to the wire. Josh made a mistake and I got by the outside of him, which was pretty cool. My mechanics did an awesome job again and gave me an awesome bike, and it’s a really good feeling. I was pushing pretty hard at the end and didn’t really know what lap we were on, but when I put my head down and went around the outside of him, it was pretty cool. Or it felt cool, at least.” Westby led the rest of the field across the line in fourth, followed by Herrin, West, DiSalvo, Paul Allison (Triple Crown Industries), Taylor Knapp (Vesrah Suzuki), and Tyler O’Hara (GP Bike Parts Racing). Eslick now leads Herrin in the championship standings by a 15-point margin; DiSalvo, Aquino, and West round out the top-five overall. Today’s AMA Pro Road Racing action airs tonight on SPEED at 12 a.m. EST/9 p.m. PST. For complete broadcast details, visit speedtv.com/schedule. The AMA Pro Road Race Championship next heads to Monterey, California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for Round 7 on the season calendar, run as part of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix MotoGP weekend. For tickets and information, visit mazdaraceway.com or call (800) 327-7322. To learn more and be a part of AMA Pro Racing, please visit amaproracing.com and join us on facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing and twitter.com/AMAProSBK. More, from another press release issued by AMA Pro Racing: LEXINGTON, OH – Sunday was a very good day to be a Hayden at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, as Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Tommy and National Guard Jordan Suzuki’s Roger matched or scored their best finishes of the 2011 season in arguably the most exciting battle the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike class has seen yet. Tommy earned his second victory of the year, while Roger bested Monster Energy Graves Yamaha’s Josh Hayes to take third. Between them in the winner’s circle was a reasonably happy Blake Young, who — if he couldn’t himself earn the win — was at least glad the points had gone to his teammate instead of championship rival Hayes. Hayes and Young swapped the lead furiously as the halfway mark came and went, while Roger maintained an almost defiant chokehold on third. With big brother Tommy just off Roger’s rear wheel, the lead four tore through the second half of the race covered by six-tenths of a second, a changing of the guard coming as first Roger then Tommy slipped past Hayes, relegating the Yamaha rider to fourth. Tommy was far from done advancing, however, sliding unstoppably past first Roger then Young, claiming the lead from his Rockstar Makita Suzuki teammate. Tommy and Young traded positions several times as the quartet blazed through the end laps, but it was Tommy whom the final corners forced to defend the position with every ounce of skill and courage in him. “Once I settled in,” said Tommy post-race, “I could tell it was going to come down to the last lap, and Blake pushed me all the way to the end. There was a point there, coming on to the front straight for the last time, where I was totally committed — I couldn’t do anything else. And Rog, I followed him for ten or twelve laps, and he was in that back straightaway deep. It was just tough – that big of a battle, and this place is tight; it’s hard to make passes. I’m just happy I was able to get through those guys and make it happen today, which I haven’t been able to do the last few races.” “I was glad to see my teammate come by,” Young agreed, “and it definitely helps as far as points are concerned. There are no team orders, and what happened to Tommy at Barber [engine failure] could happen to anyone. He knows that, and then again, he could be right back here again at any weekend. First and foremost, though, I’d like to thank my team — those guys keep impressing me; every time I go out, the bike is great. I think we’ll take this momentum into the next race and just continue to try to lead the points.” Roger, who used a harder tire in today’s race and expressed regret at not having done so in yesterday’s contest, said, “The race was pretty good for me; I felt like I had a pretty good rhythm going, and in the beginning Josh was kind of making it easy because he and Blake going back-and-forth definitely slowed the pace up. I couldn’t get out of the Keyhole good enough to make a pass on anybody, but I did twenty-one good laps and this is something we can build on and hopefully be here every weekend. A couple races this year, I felt like I left a lot out on the track after the weekend was over, so I’m trying to push it a little harder, come out of the gate faster, and be competitive.” M4 Suzuki’s Martin Cardenas followed Hayes across the line in fifth, heading Jordan Suzuki’s Ben Bostrom, who came out on top of a race-long battle with Foremost Insurance/Pegram Racing BMW rider Larry Pegram. Cycle World/Attack Performance Kawasaki’s JD Beach was eighth, followed by Factory KTM/HMC Racing’s Chris Fillmore and EBR Racing’s Geoff May, the latter piloting the new 1190RS in its debut AMA Pro SuperBike weekend. Young now leads the AMA Pro National Guard SuperBike Championship chase by 11 points over Hayes, with Tommy Hayden, Cardenas, and Pegram rounding out the overall top-five. Today’s AMA Pro Road Racing action airs tonight on SPEED at 12 a.m. EST/9 p.m. PST. For complete broadcast details, visit speedtv.com/schedule. The AMA Pro Road Race Championship next heads to Monterey, California’s Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca for Round 7 on the season calendar, run as part of the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix MotoGP weekend. For tickets and information, visit mazdaraceway.com or call (800) 327-7322. To learn more and be a part of AMA Pro Racing, please visit amaproracing.com and join us on facebook.com/AMAProRoadRacing and twitter.com/AMAProSBK. More, from a press release issued by LTD Racing: PUERTA BACK ON THE PODIUM IN OHIO FOR LTD RACING Y.E.S. YAMAHA Lexington, OH — Tomas Puerta returned to the podium in Sunday’s AMA Pro SuperSport race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, earning third place in the 17-lap event. David Gaviria looked to have a podium position in his grasp, too, but crashed out of the race before the halfway point. Huntley Nash earned 13th in Sunday’s Daytona SportBike race. Puerta had struggled on Saturday after getting a good start in the race. On Sunday, he took the holeshot once again but quickly dropped to second. Puerta rallied, challenging in close quarters the entire race, and he finished just 1.809 seconds behind the winner. Puerta was glad to have turned his weekend around. “Today’s race was more like it,” said the Colombian. “The team improved the bike for today, and I rode much better. It was important for us to have a good race and turn things around. Our goal is to improve a little more and get another win soon.” Gaviria crashed in some stray dirt on the racing line caused by another rider who ran off-track on lap 6. Nash fought hard to earn 13thin Daytona SportBike. “It wasn’t a great race, but it was a tough one,” said Nash. “It was hot, and there were quite a few riders out there looking to earn some spots. Our goal is to get in the top ten, so today wasn’t up to our standards. We’re looking forward to going to Laguna Seca. I won there last year in SuperSport, so we know what works there.” “It was good to get Tomy back on the box again today,” said LTD Racing’s Gary Medley. “David crashed, but it wasn’t his fault. Another rider had just run his knee through the dirt in that corner. Huntley is trying hard to improve, and we have a feeling it will pay off at Laguna.” More, from a press release issued by Geiger Media on behalf of GEICO: GEICO rider Fillmore victorious again as extends lead in XR1200 Series LEXINGTON, Ohio — GEICO rider Chris Fillmore rode his Richie Morris Racing Harley-Davidson to another big win Sunday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Fillmore has now won three times in six stops and was able to pad his lead in the AMA Vance & Hines XR1200 Series over second-place rider Steve Rapp. “I’m so happy with where I’m right now,” Fillmore said. “I got the win and to see Steve Rapp finish fourth is huge for the points situation. I got the extra points for pole and the most laps lead on top of winning so it’s a great way to come out of Mid Ohio.” The points leader is pulling double duty this weekend by also competing in the National Guard American SuperBike series and points to the extra seat time for his success. “More track time always helps no matter what you’re on,” Fillmore said. “Just knowing I could push and feel comfortable was huge. I didn’t even realize I had so much of a lead until the last couple laps. I was just in the zone and road my race.” GEICO teammate Kyle Wyman finished third, his best finish of the season since winning the season opener in Daytona. Sunday’s podium finish marks the first time he’s been in the top five in the past five races and he hopes the positive uptick in his performance is a sign of positive changes for his GEICO Harley. “To be back on the podium, where I feel I belong, is huge for my confidence,” Wyman said. “I hope we can just continue to build on this in the coming events.” Fellow RMR rider Mike Corbino rounded out the team’s success with a seventh-place finish. Coming off a career best finish at the last event, Corbino decided to stick with what’s worked for him in the past. “I went with the same game plan as Barber and it worked out nicely for me,” Corbino said. “I got a wicked jump off the start and was able to make a few moves on the track. I finished seventh and ahead of the people I needed to for the championship so I’m very happy with my finish.” Fillmore’s lead over Rapp is now 30 points. Wyman sits third and Corbino is seventh. The next stop for the AMA Vance & Hines XR1200 Series takes place Aug. 12-14 at the Suzuki White Lightning AMA Pro SuperBike Nationals at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va. More, from a press release issued by KTM North America: Fillmore 9th Overall at AMA Pro Superbike Race Day 2 HMC/KTM Race Team rider Chris Fillmore earned 9th overall at the second day of the sixth round of the AMA Pro Superbike Racing Series held in Lexington, OH at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Fillmore followed up his 7th place finish from Saturday’s Superbike race with another top ten finish when he earned 9th overall in the afternoon race. Starting from 9th position, Fillmore kept a steady pace and maintained his position for the first few laps. He was passed by Geoff May early in the race and dropped to 10th. On the next lap, Steve Rapp crashed which moved Fillmore back into 9th position. Shortly after, he found himself in a battle with former Red Bull Rookies Cup rider JD Beach. The two battled for a bit before Beach made a pass. Fillmore put on a late race charge and was able to catch back up to May and make a pass to move back to 9th position. He spent the remainder of the race trying to chase down Beach but was unable to get around. When the checkered flag flew, Fillmore crossed the line in 9th position. “This was the perfect end to a great weekend. We are very excited to leave our first AMA Pro Superbike race with two top ten results,” remarked Fillmore. “We definitely have some work to do before the next round but we are much further ahead than we expected.” Fillmore’s next race will take place at the eighth round of the series held in Alton, VA at Virginia International Raceway on August 12-14, 2011. Overall Results AMA Pro Superbike Class 1) Tommy Hayden 2) Blake Young 3) Roger Hayden 4) Josh Hayes 5) Martin Cardenas 6) Ben Bostrom 7) Larry Pegram 8) JD Beach 9) Chris Fillmore KTM 10) Geoff May 11) Jeremy Toye 12) Chris Clark 13) Jason Farrell 14) Jordan Burgess 15) Eric Pinson 16) Reese Wacker 17) Chris Trounson 18) Shane Narbonne 19) David Anthony 20) Steve Rapp More, from a press release issued by Team M4 Suzuki: WESTBY AND M4 SUZUKI CHALLENGE AGAIN IN OHIO M4 Suzuki concluded a hugely successful AMA Pro Road Racing weekend at Mid-Ohio with two more strong results, scoring top-five finishes in both the AMA Pro Daytona Sportbike and Superbike classes on Sunday. Saturday race winner Dane Westby came close to replicate his remarkable come-from-behind triumph of the day before, again running down the lead pack from nearly three seconds back. Once involved in the five-rider fray for victory, Westby showcased his impressive overtaking abilities aboard his GSX-R600 racebike with a pair of surprise maneuvers to move up the order entering the Carousel. The Oklahoman was in contention for victory right up to the checkered flag; he ultimately crossed the stripe just .0833 seconds off the win and 0.024 seconds off the podium, finishing a very close fourth at the end of the thrilling contest. “The race was a lot like yesterday,” said Westby. “We caught up with the lead pack after a few laps and were right there at the front. I felt like if we’d had another couple of laps, the result might have been different, but I guess everyone says that. Another rider did to me what I’d done to everyone on Saturday in the big braking zone, so we ended up fourth instead of third. It was a great weekend and winning will sink in for me in about a week. The team has been awesome and made improvements to make the bike suit me in every area I have asked. They are doing a great job and we’ll celebrate the weekend but keep looking to improve to make it happen every time.” Westby is currently seventh in the SportBike title race with 144 points. Martin Cardenas registered another gutsy ride on Sunday. Still hobbled by his Friday fall, the Colombian charged up from eighth early and even kept the lead pack in sight for a number of laps. He eventually consolidated his position and piloted his GSX-R1000 Superbike to a clear fifth-place result. Cardenas is fourth in the Superbike championship rankings with 154 points. Unfortunately, Santiago Villa was caught up in a two-rider incident entering the opening corner of the SportBike contest that brought out a red flag. The Colombian was unable to resume his race at the restart. M4 Suzuki will head to Laguna Seca in two weeks as the AMA Pro Road Racing tour joins the MotoGP World Championship for the USGP on July 22-24. More, from a press release issued by James Rispoli’s publicist: ANT Racing/STAR School/NationalGuard.com racer James “the Rocket” Rispoli finished 2nd in both Saturday’s and Sunday’s AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport races at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. James increased his points lead in the championship fight heading into the next round at Virginia International Raceway. The young racer from Attica, New York was able to qualify for the second spot on the grid only .164 off the pole position. Over the two day contest he led the most laps and in both races but suffered from excessive tire wear toward the end of each race missing out on the top step of the podium. James ‘the Rocket” Rispoli – ANT Racing/STAR School/NationalGuard.com #43 “I had momentum coming off the Barber weekend and managed to put together another great race weekend here at Mid Ohio, a track that’s not my best. Like Barber, we again were fast right out of the trailer with our new GSX R600. We chased tires and a little set up and just missed out on pole position again but it was good enough for a front row start. In race one I got out front and just hammered it trying to gap as much as I could. I led the first (4) laps and decided to settle into a pace to conserve the tires. The #68 bike caught me and was able to get by. We fad a 10 second gap on the third place rider but my front tire started to go away big time. I was fortunate to bring home second. On Sunday in the warm up we tested our “B” bike for the first time. We had a totally different chassis set up and tire choice. I through down the fastest time in the morning session but didn’t think the package was going to be better overall so I went back to our “A” bike for race two. On the start I was third but made an aggressive outside move going into turn one and came away with the lead. I broke away a little and again the #68 bike got by me but this time the bike was able to stay pace and I was on his rear wheel going along for the ride. He made a mistake a couple of laps later and I took advantage of it and put a gap of (5) seconds on second place. Again with (5) laps to go I could maintain a 31 pace and started to creep backwards allowing the #69 bike to catch and pass me into turn one on the white flag. I gave it everything I had and both our tires were worn out. As dirt trackers we were sliding around all over the place. In turn (11) I made my last ditch move and almost made it stick. After that I settled in for second place .209 out of the top spot again maximizing my points gain for the championship. It was an awesome race.” David Ashi – Team Owner ANT Racing Motorsports ” The team did a great job and we are pleased with the end results. We increased our points lead, learned more about ourselves and the new equipment and the team is working more efficiently throughout the race weekend. It was also awesome to have our sponsor PEI here to experience first hand the team in action and we look forward to having them join us at the track more often. While the crew and support folks are doing great preparing the equipment, James has stepped up his game and is charging to the front right off the trailer. We look forward to taking the momentum we have built into the last two race weekends of the season.” Thank you sponsors ANT Racing Motorsports, Star School, NationalGuard.com, PEI, S.H.A.T.K.I. Warriors,Techmounts, Cycle Dynamics, MOTOREX, Allaboutbikes.com, DS Racing, Dynojet Research, DP Brakes, AGV Helmets, Dainese, Monster Energy, K&N Filters, LeoVince, Saddlemen, Boughner Racing, Motion Pro, Engine Ice, Utopia Optics, West Coast Hot Shoes, Coolskunk Racing, Hollinks, Sunnyside Cycles, Spider Grips, Raceimage.net. VESRAH, Vortex, GG Speed Shop, DeJarnette Research Systems, and Dad. More, from a press release issued by Witchkraft Racing: WITCHKRAFT RACING EARNS FIRST TOP TEN FINISH IN AMA PRO DAYTONA SPORTBIKE DEBUT AT MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE July 11th, 2011 – Shelby, MI – Witchkraft Racing wrapped up a strong weekend with both Kyle Wyman and Jeff Wrobel in the Daytona Sportbike and Supersport classes during the sixth round of the AMA Pro Series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car course, held in Lexington, Ohio. Wyman put in a great ride, finishing 9th and 11th respectively in Daytona Sportbike races one and two after qualifying 17th earlier in the weekend. This was Kyle’s first time riding the Witchkraft Racing Yamaha R6 and his first time on a 600 within the past ten months. This was also Witchkraft Racing’s first entry into the Daytona Sportbike class. “I’m extremely happy with how the weekend went,” said Kyle, “the Witchkraft team put a very competitive Yamaha R6 under me and I was able to come away with a couple of great results. It was a challenge, but I felt no pressure from the crew to perform – it gave me the mental edge to go out there and mix it up with the DSB guys again after so much time off. It was a great way to kick off the last leg of the season and I can’t wait to get to VIR. Big thanks to Eddie, Joe and everyone who supported me this weekend for giving me such a fantastic opportunity!” “What a great weekend”, stated Crew Chief Joe Kraft. “We had a couple small hiccups early on that cost us a bit of time, but the entire team, including Kyle rebounded and made it happen once the flag dropped. Kyle put in two excellent results – especially for his first time on the bike. I couldn’t be happier in working with Kyle – his feedback, level of professionalism and overall demeanor throughout the weekend was exceptional. He represented the team and all of our sponsors extremely well. I’d like to also thank Doug Cornett, Aaron Bagwell, Matt Kraft and everyone involved for their help throughout the entire weekend. The strength in the group of people we have is what makes all of this possible.” In the AMA Pro Supersport class, Jeff Wrobel finished 14th and 9th place in races’ one and two respectively. Sorting through setup issues early on in practice and qualifying, Jeff found a good setup and wrapped up the weekend with the team’s best finish yet in the class, putting in his fastest laps by the end of the weekend. A gamble on tire choice in Saturday’s race helped dropped Jeff’s times, but he was forced to manage tire wear midway through race one and salvage a 14th place finish. Adjusting tires and setup for Sunday, Jeff was able to drop even more time and move through the pack finishing inside the top ten to wrap up 9th place. While not only gaining the team’s best finish in the class to date, he also moved himself into 10th place among the AMA Supersport East standings. Witchkraft Racing would like to thank all of their sponsors for their support this season: Honda East of Toledo, SportbikeTrackGear.com DuPont, Oakley, Hanshaw Engines, 35 Motorsports, Pit Bull, Sharkskinz, Graves Motorsports, Dynojet, RS Taichi, Teknic, Bell Helmets, NGK Spark Plugs, Worldwide Bearings, Motul, GP Tech, Full Spectrum, Knox Armour, Three J’s Wreck Tech, Trademark Custom Interiors, Motion Pro and Spiegler. For more information on the team, visit witchkraftracing.com. Kyle would like to extend gratitude to his personal sponsors: Arai, Long Pond Autobody, Rev’It!, Sidi, Held, Kicker, AllAboutBikes, Webster Dental Group, 505bluesmusic.com, and RIVALUS. Visit Kyle’s website at www.kylewymanracing.com. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Motors Corp., U.S.A.: With A Pole, Points And A Win, Yamaha Riders Are Right In The Thick Of Things At Mid-Ohio Lexington, OH AMA Pro Racing has, arguably, never been more exciting or more competitive than it is this season, and the Yamaha Road Racing Teams are one of the biggest reasons why. Whether it’s race wins, podium finishes, or pole positions, the Yamaha brand is prominently positioned at the front of races, and right in the thick of things in the championship standings. Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha rider Josh Herrin earned his first pole position of the season in Daytona SportBike. The combination of the bonus point for winning the pole and his hard-fought 2nd-place finish in Saturday’s race put Josh tied for 1st in the championship points standings heading into Sunday’s race. Josh was poised perfectly in 2nd position for most of Sunday’s race, sizing up the race leader and planning his move to the front. It was the kind of racecraft and talent-beyond-his-years that has become a Josh Herrin trademark. But, while coming out of Mid-Ohio’s famed “Carousel” on the final lap and with the checkered flag in sight, Josh’s Yamaha YZF-R6® momentarily lost a bit of traction, and in the hotly contested DSB class, that’s all it takes. He crossed the finish line in 5h. Despite the outcome, Josh is in 2nd place in the season points standings and just 15 points out of the lead. Note to all you race fans: stay tuned for this class right till the final race of the season. Josh Herrin’s Yamaha teammate, Tommy Aquino, who rides for the Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves/Yamaha team had two more of his patented in-the-lead-pack races, but with a decided difference on Sunday. When positions suddenly changed at the end of the final lap, Tommy capitalized and brought his R6 across the finish line in 2nd place for his first podium finish of his young career. And, with his 5th-place finish in Saturday’s race, Tommy moved up to 4th in the season points standings. According to Ron Heben, manager of the Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves/Yamaha team, “Tommy has been working so hard all year long, and he’s been dicing with the leader in most of the races this season. We’re so happy to see him earn the podium position that he so richly deserves.” Tommy chimed in, “Now, I’ve got to get up to the top step of the podium.” That will undoubtedly happen soon for the Saugus, California, rider. In the equally hotly contested American SuperBike class, Monster Energy/Graves/Yamaha defending SuperBike champion Josh Hayes finished second in Saturday’s race and earned a valuable point for leading the most laps. Then, on Sunday, aboard his crossplane-crankshaft #1 Yamaha YZF-R1®, the proverbial apple cart was slightly upset, with Josh’s closest rival and the current season points leader finishing 2nd, while Josh finished an uncharacteristic 4th. With everything said and done on Sunday, Josh currently sits just 11 points out of the championship lead with lots of racing left in the season. “I race for wins,” Josh said, which is clearly his mantra, but he and the team are still pleased to be in the “catbird seat” and ready to move back into first in the standings with the next race weekend coming up in less than two weeks at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. Well, maybe “pleased” is a little bit too strong a word for this highly competitive team who is now more motivated than ever to get to California for the next race weekend. For the Yamaha Extended Service/Pat Clark Motorsports/Graves/Yamaha team, American SuperBike rider Chris Clark made a textbook pass on his former Yamaha teammate, former AMA Superbike champion and World Superbike race winner Ben Bostrom. Chris made the pass just before the finish line in Saturday’s race and moved himself into 13th position at the checkers. And then, he improved upon that result with a 12th in Sunday’s SuperBike race aboard his #2 R1. In SuperSport, where America’s up-and-coming riders ply their trade, Yamaha R6 rider Hayden Gillim notched his first race win of the season on Sunday, which was preceded by a 3rd in Saturday’s race. LTD Racing/Y.E.S./Yamaha rider Tomas Puerta, who is also R6-mounted, finished 3rd on Sunday, which followed his 7th on Saturday. Tomy is currently 2nd in the SuperSport East standings. So, all in all, not a bad weekend for the Yamaha Road Racing teams at Mid-Ohio. A pole position was captured by one rider, a first-time podium was attained by another rider, and valuable season points were tallied by all the Yamaha Road Racing Teams. Now, on to California! More, from a press release issued by Rockstar Makita Suzuki: TEAM ROCKSTAR MAKITA SUZUKI SWEEPS SUPERBIKE RACES AT MID-OHIO!! Blake Young wins on Saturday & takes over championship points lead, Tommy Hayden wins on Sunday LEXINGTON, OH Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki took the AMA Pro National Guard Superbike races by storm this past weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH. The weekend started with Blake Young winning Saturday’s AMA Pro Superbike race and moving into the overall championship points lead. The weekend finished with Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Tommy Hayden winning Sunday’s AMA Pro Superbike race, with Young finishing second and extending his newly acquired points lead. On Saturday, Young came out of the gates swinging. He got a great start on his Yoshimura-prepped Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 and was running in second place. About eight laps in, however, a rider went down and there was a red flag. When the race re-started, Young came out in fourth but quickly moved back up into second place. With just a few laps left, however, Young made a bid for first and held it until the checkers. On Sunday, Young was again quick off the line at the start, and then he battled for the lead throughout all 21 laps. In the end, he walked away with a solid second-place finish. “Saturday was the fifth anniversary of my dad’s passing,” said Young. “And that put a little bit extra on me”¦ This place is pretty special to me I won my 2005 Horizon Award here with my dad and I really wanted to get the win and dedicate it to him”¦ I came to Mid-Ohio just really wanting to win it for my dad’s fifth anniversary, and that’s what we did.” Meanwhile, Rockstar Makita Suzuki Hayden’s day to shine was Sunday. The 21-lap race saw him get a good start and slot into fourth place. Then, he maneuvered his Yoshimura-prepared Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 into third, then second and then finally, he passed Young for the lead, took the win and capped off an all-Suzuki sweep of the podium. Hayden had also had a strong showing on Saturday. Although he struggled a bit initially, after the re-start he was right there. Hayden picked off competitors until he was in a podium position. Although he made several attempts at second, he finished up in a strong third place. “Overall, my weekend went pretty well,” said Hayden. “For some reason, we were struggling a bit on Friday, but my Rockstar Makita Suzuki team kept working hard and making improvements, and I was able to put up a good fight for the win on Saturday. I ended up on the podium for good, solid result. We made a few changes today that helped us be a little stronger. I was able to make passes a little easier. I got a good start on the Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000, was able to pick some guys off early and get in a good position with the leaders. It was a battle all the way to end, and it came down to the last lap with my teammate and, fortunately, I came out on top today.” The 2011 Rockstar Makita Suzuki team’s next event of the 2011 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship series is at Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA, on July 22 – 24, 2011. Mid-Ohio Superbike Results, Race 1: 1. Blake Young 2. Josh Hayes 3. Tommy Hayden 4. Roger Hayden 5. Martin Cardenas 6. Larry Pegram 7. Chris Fillmore 8. Steve Rapp 9. David Anthony 10. JD Beach Mid-Ohio Superbike Results, Race 2: 1. Tommy Hayden 2. Blake Young 3. Roger Hayden 4. Josh Hayes 5. Martin Cardenas 6. Ben Bostrom 7. Larry Pegram 8. JD Beach 9. Chris Fillmore 10. Geoff May 2011 AMA Pro Superbike Class Standings: 1. Blake Young 290 2. Josh Hayes 279 3. Tommy Hayden 233 4. Martin Cardenas 187 5. Larry Pegram 154 6. Ben Bostrom 152 7. Roger Hayden 145 8. Chris Clark 120 9. Steve Rapp 108 10. Geoff May 103 About Suzuki: Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) founded The Motorcycle and ATV Division of American Suzuki Motor Corporation (ASMC), Brea, CA, in 1963. ASMC markets motorcycles and ATVs via an extensive dealer network throughout 49 states. ASMC’s parent company, Suzuki Motor Corporation, based in Hamamatsu, Japan, is a diversified worldwide manufacturer of motorcycles, ATVs, scooters, automobiles and marine engines. Founded in 1909 and incorporated in 1920, it has 120 distributors in 191 countries. For more information, visit www.suzukicycles.com. Follow Suzuki Scoop on facebook for exclusive team content www.facebook.com/suzukiscoopfans. About Rockstar: ROCKSTAR is the world’s most powerful Energy Drink. Enhanced with the potent herbal blend of Guarana, Ginkgo, Ginseng, and Milk Thistle, ROCKSTAR is formulated to provide an incredible energy boost for those who lead active and exhausting lifestyles from athletes to rock stars. ROCKSTAR Energy Drink is available in sixteen amazing flavors. Also, check out ROCKSTAR Energy Gum and ROCKSTAR Energy Shots. ROCKSTAR Energy Drink supports the active Rockstar lifestyle in every sport. Go to www.rockstar69.com for athlete and event updates, videos, profiles, and product information. About Makita: Makita is a worldwide manufacturer of industrial quality power tools and offers a wide range of industrial accessories. Makita applies leading-edge technology and innovation to engineer tools that are more compact with less weight yet deliver industrial strength power and results. Makita innovation includes Makita LXT®, the industry’s first 18V lithium-ion cordless lineup. The Makita Teal color is the trade dress of Makita Corporation and is protected under common law and registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Makita is Best in Class Engineering. For more information visit www.makitatools.com. About Yoshimura R&D of America: Yoshimura is “The Leader in Performance” and has been for more than 55 years. With unmatched skills, knowledge and passion for racing, Yoshimura is on the forefront of the aftermarket exhaust industry. Yoshimura pipes are race bred and feature the same legendary performance, fit, and quality that have been their trademark for more than five decades. To learn more about Yoshimura and view their wide variety of performance products, visit www.yoshimura-rd.com. Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki is grateful for the support of their sponsors: Rockstar Energy Drink, Makita Industrial Power Tools, Yoshimura R&D, Dunlop, Motorex, Parts Unlimited, Galfer, Renthal, BMC Air Filter, NGK Spark Plugs, F. Fabbri, Catalyst, RK Racing Chain and Motion Pro. More, from a press release issued by Harley-Davidson: Fillmore Wins AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Race at Mid-Ohio Beck and Wyman Battle Rapp for Podium Spots Milwaukee (July 11, 2011) Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing’s Chris Fillmore posted a dominant victory from the pole position to win his third AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 race of the season at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course July 10. Fillmore lost the lead on a holeshot start by Steve Rapp, and battled with the Parts Unlimited rider for most of the first lap, but after passing Rapp on the second lap of the 11-lap race, he checked out to a substantial gap by the midpoint of the race and eventually built a lead of more than six seconds at the checkered flag. “I took a look back and didn’t see anyone there,” Fillmore said. “I expected [Rapp] to be there, so I took a couple more glances then put it on cruise control from there. I got a good launch, got through Turn 1 real well, and was kind of switching up my gearing through the race. I tried some different stuff, but pretty much had figured it out by the third lap.” While Fillmore cruised to victory and a 30-point lead in the series standings, the racing action was more tense for the second and third spots on the podium, as Rapp began to fade back and was caught first by Michael Beck (J&P Cycles) and Kyle Wyman (Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing) to eventually drop to fourth place. “I got a decent start and was just watching Rapp, [Michael] Barnes, and Fillmore out front,” Beck said. “I kept my head down, got by Barney, and saw Rapp in the distance. I caught Steve and was holding on to him, and I noticed his tires were going off dramatically. I felt like my bike was rolling, and all three of us had a pretty big battle; it was really great. Then both of them made a mistake in the Keyhole, and I was able to take advantage of it and ended up second today.” “I made a move on [Beck] going into Turn 1–it was a tight, close one, but I got through,” Wyman said. “Then going into the Keyhole, Steve made a mistake right in front of me and I had to check up, and both guys got back past me. I just pushed as hard as I could through the second segment, which is the hardest place to pass. I knew if there was going to be a chance it would have to be coming up in Thunder Valley. I didn’t have the greatest drive, but I tried to get a run out into the inside of the Carousel, but I got out of shape and had to check up again. Then Steve made another mistake and I was able to get a run around the outside of the last corner [and get by him] by maybe six inches or so.” Rapp finished fourth followed by Tyler O’Hara (Tyler O’Hara Racing) and Michael Barnes (Drag Specialties). The AMA Pro Racing Vance & Hines XR1200 Series returns to action August 13-14 at Virginia International Raceway in Alton, VA. Mid-Ohio Race Result: 1. Chris Fillmore (Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing), 11 laps 2. Michael Beck (J&P Cycles), +6.587 seconds 3. Kyle Wyman (Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing), +6.987 4. Steve Rapp (Parts Unlimited), +7.020 5. Tyler O’Hara (Tyler O’Hara Racing), +11.395 6. Michael Barnes (Drag Specialties), +11.572 7. Michael Corbino (Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Racing), +39.798 8. Chase McFarland (Latus Motors Racing), +45.345 9. Michael Morgan (Python Exhaust), 45.745 10. Gerry Signorelli (Kuryakyn), +56.463 11. Josh Chisum (Troy Lee Designs), +1:10.062 12. Gene Burcham (ERMCO Electric), +1:10.996 13. Brett Sassaman (Eagle Harley-Davidson), +1:13.489 14. Paul James (Hoban Brothers/H-D of Appleton), +1:13.627 15. Jeremiah Johnson (BE-EV.com ·New Roc Harley-Davidson), +1:33.295 16. Matthew Heidel (Shar-Tuff/Davis H-D), +1:33.458 17. Nicholas Hansen (Suburban Motors H-D), 10 laps, crash 18. Bryan Desimone (Kuryakyn), +1:33.018 19. Payton Sassaman (Eagle Harley-Davidson), DNS XR1200 Series Points Standings 1. Chris Fillmore, 167 2. Steve Rapp, 137 3. Kyle Wyman, 99 4. Michael Barnes, 95 5. Michael Beck, 84 6. Tyler O’Hara, 83 7. Michael Corbino, 79 8. Chase McFarland, 74 9. Danny Eslick, 50 9 (tie). Paul James, 50 Company Background Harley-Davidson Motor Company produces heavyweight custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles and offers a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, riding gear and apparel, and general merchandise. For more information, visit harley-davidson.com. More, from a press release issued by Michael Jordan Motorsports: ANOTHER PODIUM FINISH FOR MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS AT MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE Lexington, OH Michael Jordan Motorsports (MJM) rider Roger Lee Hayden earned his first-ever AMA Pro Superbike podium finish with a great ride to third place and a Suzuki podium sweep in Sunday’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH, bettering his fine fourth place on Saturday. Teammate Ben Bostrom earned valuable points with a Saturday finish just outside the top ten, then raced to a hard-fought sixth place in Sunday’s event during the sixth round of the 2011 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship. Hayden used his National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 and his front row starting position to run with the race leaders throughout the race on Saturday, finishing a very close fourth. On Sunday, he joined older brother Tommy Hayden as part of a Suzuki sweep of the Mid-Ohio podium. Hayden remains in seventh place in the championship points race. “The weekend at Mid-Ohio was really good for me,” said Hayden. “We were pretty solid on pace all weekend. The first race was going pretty good, but we made the wrong tire choice in the rear and it was having some problems toward the end of the race, and I lost touch with the leaders with two laps to go. For the second race, I switched rear tires and my National Guard Jordan Suzuki was working really well. It was a fun race and a hard battle. The top four guys were duking it out pretty hard. I got my first Superbike podium today and I’m really excited. It’s been a long time coming. I’ve got to thank my team for working hard and believing in me. Now I look forward to Laguna Seca, a track I like and I’ve done fairly well there in the past, and to keep this roll going.” Prior to a red flag interruption on the eighth lap of Saturday’s race, Jordan Suzuki’s Ben Bostrom had gotten a great start and was racing with teammate Hayden and the race leaders, but was run wide on the restart and recovered to finish in 14th place. On Sunday, Bostrom got a good start and had a spirited battle to finish in sixth place, which moves him to sixth place in the championship. “I can’t thank the Jordan Motorsports Suzuki crew enough for an amazing bike,” said Bostrom. “On the restart yesterday, I was avoiding hitting Roger, got into the marbles and it shredded my tire. Today, I asked for more grip. The team delivered, but then she wouldn’t steer and destroyed the front. Unfortunately, the rider chose a setup that didn’t show the bike’s potential. Fortunately, Roger did well on the National Guard bike. I’m looking forward to Laguna Seca and doing my best to give Michael Jordan his first win for 2011. I am a true believer in his quote, ‘I failed over and over again and that’s why I succeed.’ I feel this has been my season and I am a terrible quitter. I will win!” The Michael Jordan Motorsports team’s next event of the 2011 AMA Pro Superbike Championship series is at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California on July 22-24, 2011. ABOUT MICHAEL JORDAN MOTORSPORTS: Legendary NBA star Michael Jordan formed Michael Jordan Motorsports in 2004 as a result of his passion for motorcycle racing. His mission is to bring a new level of excellence and style to the motorcycle racing industry. For more information on MJM, please visit www.23race.com, www.twitter.com/23race and http://www.facebook.com/23race. Michael Jordan Motorsports is proud to partner with: Jordan Brand (a division of Nike), National Guard, American Suzuki, Upper Deck, Hanes, Gatorade, Bazzaz, MMI – Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Vortex Racing Components, Gemini Racing, K-Tech Suspension-Orient Express Racing, Maxima Racing Oils, K & N Air Filters, Dainese Leathers, AGV Helmets, Ancra Tie-downs, Chicken Hawk Racing Tire Warmers, Armour Bodies, DID Chains, FMF Racing Exhaust, Factory Pro Dyno, Roclun International, Hannspree, STAR Motorcycle School, Motion Pro Tools, Zero Gravity Windscreens, with transportation provided by Eastside Trucking. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Team Rockstar Makita Suzuki’s Blake Young has retaken the lead in the AMA Superbike Championship after winning Saturday’s race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course’s 10th and 11th round in Lexington, Ohio and then raced to second place behind team-mate Tommy Hayden in Sunday’s second leg. On Saturday, Young came out of the gates swinging: He got a great start on his Yoshimura-prepped Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 and was running in second place. About eight laps in, however, a rider went down and there was a red flag. When the race re-started, Young came out in fourth but quickly moved back up into second place. With just a few laps left, however, Young made a bid for first and held it until the flag. On Sunday, Young was again quick off the line at the start and then he battled for the lead throughout all 21 laps. In the end, he walked away with a solid second-place finish. “Saturday was the fifth anniversary of my Dad’s passing,” said Young. “And that put a little bit extra on me… “This place is pretty special to me – I won my 2005 Horizon Award here with my Dad and I really wanted to get the win and dedicate it to him… I came to Mid-Ohio just really wanting to win it for my Dad’s fifth anniversary and that’s what we did.” Meanwhile, Hayden’s day to shine was Sunday: The 21-lap race saw him get a good start and slot into fourth place. Then, he put his Yoshimura-prepared Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000 into third, then second and then finally, he passed Young for the lead, took the win; and capped off an all-Suzuki sweep of the podium. Hayden had also had a strong showing on Saturday. Although he struggled initially, after the re-start he was right there: He picked off competitors until he was in a podium position and although he made several attempts at second, he finished up in a strong third place. “Overall, my weekend went pretty well,” said Hayden. “For some reason, we were struggling a bit on Friday, but my Rockstar Makita Suzuki team kept working hard and making improvements and I was able to put up a good fight for the win on Saturday. I ended up on the podium for a good, solid result. We made a few changes today that helped us be a little stronger and I was able to make passes a little easier. I got a good start on the Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000, was able to pick some guys off early and get in a good position with the leaders. It was a battle all the way to end and it came down to the last lap with my team mate and, fortunately, I came out on top today.” The 2011 Rockstar Makita Suzuki team’s next event of the 2011 AMA Pro National Guard Superbike Championship series is at Laguna Seca in Monterey, California on July 22 – 24th. Mid-Ohio Superbike Results, Race 1: 1. Blake Young (Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000) 2. Josh Hayes 3. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000) 4. Roger Hayden 5. Martin Cardenas 6. Larry Pegram 7. Chris Fillmore 8. Steve Rapp 9. David Anthony 10. JD Beach Mid-Ohio Superbike Results, Race 2: 1. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000) 2. Blake Young (Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000) 3. Roger Hayden 4. Josh Hayes 5. Martin Cardenas 6. Ben Bostrom 7. Larry Pegram 8. JD Beach 9. Chris Fillmore 10. Geoff May 2011 AMA Pro Superbike Class Standings: 1. Blake Young (Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000) – 290 2. Josh Hayes – 279 3. Tommy Hayden (Rockstar Makita Suzuki GSX-R1000) – 233 4. Martin Cardenas – 187 5. Larry Pegram – 154 6. Ben Bostrom – 152 7. Roger Hayden – 145 8. Chris Clark – 120 9. Steve Rapp – 108 10. Geoff May – 103 More, from a press release issued by Turner’s Cycles Racing: Mid Ohio Sportscar Course would play venue for round six of AMA Pro Road Racing. Kris Turner would qualify in the 11th position putting him on the 3rd row for race one of Daytona SportBike. Off to a decent start, the trouble started quickly, “We had a problem on the last lap of qualifying that we thought was eletrical so we changed a few things on the bike in hopes of fixing it. On the first lap the clutch was slipping really bad and the lever had no slack in it at all, so I started trying to adjust it. About the time I got it okay the bike started acting up again. The bike just kept getting worse every lap and I ended up pulling in early. Later we found it was part of the fuel pump but it was disappointing to have a DNF by my name.” comments Turner. Knowing he had a lot of work to do in Sunday’s race, Turner lined up in his grid spot after a first lap red flag ready to go. “I got a little hung up on the first lap behind someone, once I got by them I ran down the next rider and got by him. I had the leaders in view and was very comfortable with my pace. I dipped down into the high 1.29’s which I was really happy with. I think it was about lap nine I just made a small line change looking for even more time to catch the leaders and it didn’t work. I lost the front end and watched the bike tumble to the airfence. It was a learning mistake, so we’ll take what we learned at Ohio to VIR in a few weeks and keep this year going strong.” Turner’s Cycle Racing would like to thank Donald and James Parton for their help, along with Turner’s Cycle, Arai, MJ Moto Gear, RS Taichi, Moto Liberty, DP Brakes, Spider Grips, Vortex.