CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR VESRAH SUZUKI DESPITE DIFFICULTIES AT THE WERA GNF AT ROAD ATLANTA. Vesrah Suzuki riders had a difficult weekend at the WERA Grand National Final at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA but still managed to capture the championships that they were chasing. Crashes by all of the riders had the team down to only Nick McFadden competing on Sunday but finishes earlier in the weekend and fate helped to ensure Tim Bemisderfer capturing the 2011 WERA Open Superbike National championship. The team was looking great at the close of the day on Friday with Tim Bemisderfer and Mark Junge riding for the BEI Dunlop Development team, which won the 4-hour endurance race and that clinched the first overall National Endurance Championship for that team. Later that day during the make-up WERA Open Superbike race from the previous round Mark was able to lead the race before being passed and then stalking his competitor before passing him out of the final corner on the last lap to take the victory. Tim finished on the podium in 3rd and in front of his competitor for the championship to lengthen his points lead heading into Sundays final race. Team Conky with Nick McFadden and Kyle Wyman competing in the Lightweight class of the National Endurance race got off to a great start leading that class but Nick had an incident during his first stint that dropped the team back several laps. The bike was repaired and returned to the track where the riders kept their heads down and tried to claw back up into the standings ending up 4th in class. Saturday things came unravelled for the team with hard crashes by both Tim and Mark while competing in the WERA Sportsman series races. After making a gentleman’s agreement with his also injured competitor for the Open Superbike championship, Tim decided to sit out of his remaining races with a broken hand. Mark also decided to not participate in his remaining races and Nick parked his SV 650 after Saturday. Nick was the only Vesrah rider to compete on Sunday but had issues with his GSX-R 600 and only completed one race. Mark Junge Team Owner Vesrah Suzuki & Rider #57 “I’m happy that Tim got the 2012 WERA Superbike championship and that we were able to help BEI Dunlop Development win their first overall WERA National Endurance championship. I really enjoyed the superbike race on Friday and winning it at the line made it even better. After that things went downhill but that is racing. Back to the shop and time to start getting ready for the 2012 season.” Nick McFadden Vesrah Suzuki # 18 “It was a wild weekend, for sure. I struggled all weekend trying to put a good plan together. Our Endurance Race was going good – Kyle Wyman had a good first hour on the bike and I was feeling pretty good during my first ride, then halfway into it, I was going through turn 10 and the next thing I knew, I was slammed on the ground. The front end tucked and I really don’t know why – there was some talk about the cold track temperature making the sealant slick in some turns. Travis Smith took the bike back and looked it over real quick and it mostly was damage to the body. Kyle jumped back on to let me check my gear out and we were able to keep going but couldn’t make up the time we lost.” “I didn’t finish very well in the Saturday races on the SV so I decided to just ride my GSX-R 600 on Sunday but had a mechanical problem and was only able to run one of the races. With all of the wrecks and destroyed bikes that were laying around the pits this weekend, I am just glad to be able to roll mine into the trailer and come home in one piece. I would like to thank Kyle Wyman for riding Endurance with me and Travis Smith for working on my bikes and always keeping calm when things are going wild, along with everyone in the Vesrah tent including Mike Himmelsbach from Penske, who helped me this weekend. Thanks to the tire guys in the Pirelli and Dunlop tents. Thanks to all of the Vesrah team sponsors and to ARAI Helmets, Pilot Leathers, NextMotoChampion, DVS Shoes, Pit Bull Stands, and everyone who helps make my racing possible.” Tim Bemisderfer Vesrah Suzuki #511 “Even though the season did not end as I wanted it to, I was very happy to wrap up the WERA Superbike championship which was only possible with the power of the Vesrah Suzuki and the awesome grip of the Dunlop tires. I am looking forward to 2012 and continuing my relationship with Vesrah. I have to thank my personal sponsors Dunlop, Twigg Cycles, CTR Suspensions & Washington Cycle Works.” Kyle Wyman “I want to thank Mark again for the opportunity to race the endurance race Friday on the SV650. I had a blast out there and if not for some attrition I think we would have had a great shot at pulling off the win. The Vesrah pads were as good on lap 81 as they were on lap 1 and it felt great to ride at Road Atlanta again!” Vesrah Suzuki wants to thank all of their sponsors for their support for the 2011 season Vesrah, American Suzuki, Rockstar Energy Drink, Nielsen Enterprises Suzuki, Penske Racing Shocks, Traxxion Dynamics Fork Components, Yoshimura, Catalyst Racing Composites, Sudco Int., Bazzaz, Factory Pro, Maxima Racing Oils, Vortex, DID Chain, GPR Stabilizers, Trek Bicycles, GP Tech, Active, Pilot, Suzuka Tire Warmers, Pit Bull & Road Rage Designs More, from a press release issued by Dave Krier on behalf of CayloR-Made Motorsports: CayloR-Made Compound and the 2011 GNF The Culmination of CayloR-Made! The 39th Annual WERA Grand National Finals has already come and gone but some of the memories from this years’ event are likely to last forever! CayloR-Made Motorsports’ now-infamous “Compound” came out to do battle for the top awards in each of their respective classes. Following an entire day of practice on Thursday, racing got under way with the final round of the 2011 WERA National Endurance Series on Friday. CayloR-Made Motorsports supported CCF Office Solutions Racing fought tooth and nail and for the third consecutive time took top honors in the Trophy Class with the hat trick aboard their Steel Horse Law Sponsored Dunlop-shod Suzuki GSXR600. The winning riders who were able to muster 45 minute stints each were “Fast” Fred Turner, Dave Krier, Derek Mugge, Kevin Mills, and John Risconsin. Sprint races were up next with a make-up round of the WERA National Challenge Series Superbike class that was postponed from the previous race at Barber Motorsports in September. CayloR-Made Motorsports owner Opie Caylor rolled his Dunlop-shod 2011 GSXR1000 out onto the second row of the grid in search of another victory. Looking to extend his undefeated season of 14 wins from 14 starts, Opie knew a great start was mandatory. Unfortunately, at the drop of the green flag, his start was deemed too good and Opie would have to come in for a stop and go penalty! Certainly the streak was over now! Opie put in two blistering fast laps and opened up a large gap. Opie then entered the pits on the third lap and ripped down pit road barely making it to a stop for the WERA officials. Opie received the signal to return to the track and was off again! He re-entered the track all the way down in fifth place but had the fourth place rider in his sights. Opie caught and passed him and then set off for the lead trio. Opie increased his pace and began to reel in the other riders. Rain began to fall as Opie dug deeper. The leaders were coming back to Opie quickly. On lap five of eight, Opie had closed the gap and caught them. He drafted past one rider on the back straight and was into third. By lap six, Opie had moved up to second place! Opie knew the streak was at stake. Could the hopes for an undefeated season remain intact? A lap later, Opie pushed his way into the lead! With only half a lap left, Opie did all he could to maintain the lead. Going into turn 12 for the final time, Opie drove the bike right down the middle of the racetrack in hopes of blocking any kind of inside attack. The early apex caused Opie to run a little wide and onto the paint at the exit. The slippery, wet paint caused Opie’s bike to spin up ever so slightly and when the bike hooked back up, it snapped into a wheelie! The second place rider squared off the corner perfectly and motored right up beside Opie at the finish line! It was so close neither rider knew for sure who had actually won. Upon their return to the pits, confirmation of the results showed that Opie was edged out by .001 of a second! After the race, Opie said “I am so mad at myself right now! I knew I had the pace to run at the front. I knew if I could get out front and do the lap times I had a good shot at winning the race and continuing my streak. Thermosman has my chassis and suspension totally dialed in but my bike’s engine is completely stock. I’ve been able to get away with that because most of the tracks are pretty tight and sometimes more horsepower only complicates things. Regardless, it was me that lost the race not the engine. I just gave myself too big of a deficit to begin with!” Additionally on Friday, the winner-takes-all Sportsman Series National Championships took place, with CayloR-Made sponsored riders representing in both the Clubman class as well as E Superstock. Derek Mugge took third place honors in the Clubman Novice event, while Dave Krier earned a National Championship with his win in E Superstock Novice after finishing fourth overall among Experts and Novices, and a nine second gap back to second place. Krier finished the year with multiple first and second place finishes in both E Superstock as well as Senior Superbike. A special thanks to Opie Caylor for providing the race-prepped Ninja 250 all year, and his hard work on Wednesday before the race weekend in fixing the bike after Dave crashed it in the parking lot at CayloR-Made! Additional thanks to Thermosman for rebuilding the rear shock of the Ninja trackside on Thursday night, putting the bike on rails for Friday’s event! On Saturday, and with the stress of maintaining an undefeated season off his shoulders, Opie went on to take the winner-takes-all Sportsman Series National Championship in A Superstock Expert. Opie turned a 1:28.2, the fastest lap of any rider for the entire event, in Formula One Expert but was edged out at the line again by .001 of a second. On Sunday, Opie closed out 2011 by taking convincing wins in Open Superstock and WERA Superbike. Those two wins catapulted Opie into the top three in points for both classes for the year, despite competing at only half of the rounds. Opie completes the season with 17 wins from 19 starts and the 2011 A Superstock Sportsman Series National Championship. CayloR-Made’s Nikk Rogers what an incredible year! Nikk’s first shot over the bow was in Friday’s A Superbike make-up race from Barber, where Nikk took a hard fought win! On Saturday, Nikk repeated his winning ways, securing the winner-takes-all Sportsman Series National Championships in A Superstock, A Superbike, and Formula 1! Nikk iced the cake on Sunday with a win in Open Superstock, securing him the National Championship! Nikk would additionally like to thank Thermosman for his infinite suspension tuning and building wisdom, Huff and HFD1 for his superior tuning abilities, and of course his always supportive family and friends! Mathew Dalke aka DONK had a great Final’s weekend as well, with third place finishes in Formula 1 and A Superbike, and a second place finish in Open Superstock. Derek Mugge took second place in the Senior Superbike final, while Ron Gaither finished second in the B Superstock National on Sunday. One member of the Compound who is serving our country overseas, Ian Coleman, was unable to make the event, and still finished third Nationally in the B Superbike Novice class. We miss him, and appreciate his service. Look out for Ian on the gas next year! When all was said and done with the GNF, the CayloR-Made Compound amassed six national titles and multiple regional championships in their inaugural year! The Compound doesn’t click without everyone’s support Eric Douglas, Fred and Gayle Turner, Wayne and Debbie Degourney, Dan Neves, Dani Mugge and family, Kevin Robinson, and all the parents, children, and friends that helped with fuel, tire warmers, grid positions, etc.! See ya’ll next year! More, from a press release issued by KWS Motorsports: KWS Motorsports and Millennium Technologies Win Multiple Races and Championships at the WERA Grand National Finals. Charleston, SC KWS Motorsports sponsored riders Tim Hunt, Jake Lewis, Scott Carpenter, Dan Crawford and Luie Zendejas won multiple races and championships at the year ending WERA Grand National Finals at Road Atlanta. Fifteen-year old phenomenon Jake Lewis added the 600 Superbike National Championship as well as three regional Sportsman Championships to his list of achievements in 2011. Lewis already clinched both the 750 Superbike and 750 Superstock championships earlier in the year on his KWS Motorsports built, Earl’s Racing Team Yamaha R6. Out of the four classes that Lewis competed in 2011, only the 600 Superstock title escaped his grasp. Jake came up just short of the title in a hard fought battle with Monster Energy Yamaha’s Garrett Gerloff. This was a break-out year for Jake. In total, Jake won 21 races, achieved, 31 podium finishes and won 6 out of seven championships. Tim Hunt won the Open Superstock National Championship on his Dunlop-shod, KWS Motorsports built Suzuki GSX-R1000. Unfortunately the WERA Superbike race was decided before it started when both Hunt and his main competition for the championship, Tim Bemisderfer crashed in separate races on Saturday. Both riders sustained minor injuries, but they were enough that neither rider could compete. This meant the Open Superstock Championship fell into Hunt’s hands and the WERA Superbike Championship was conceded to Bemisderfer. KWS Motorsport’s Luie Zendejas switched to a KWS built GSX-R1000 Superbike for the last race of the season, while continuing to run the BMW S1000RR in Superstock. The new GSX-R helped him finished his first full season as an expert with three top five finishes and finished 4th in both the Open Superstock and WERA Superbike championships. In total, Zendejas finished the year with one win and five podium finishes in the WERA National series in 2011. KWS Sponsored rider Scott Carpenter won his eighth Senior Superbike Championship on his KWS built GSX-R1000. Scott won one race, scored one podium, and one top five at the GNF this year. In total, Scott won 26 races and achieved 13 podium finishes in various regional and national races in 2011. Despite being hit by another rider in Friday practice, Dan Crawford achieved three podium finishes and won both the 750 Superbike and 750 Superstock Novice championships in his first year of racing. Jake Lewis “Thanks! Thanks to Earl’s Racing Team, Millennium and KWS! Thanks to all the sponsors that helped us this year. Thanks to Garrett for pushing me at every track. We had a blast racing each other. Thanks to my family and Tryce Welch for all the support. It was an awesome year of racing. Thats all I can say. Thanks!” Tim Hunt “Its been a great year and I cannot thank all the sponsors enough for making it possible. We won one out of the two Championships we were going for and we won a lot of races so I can’t ask much more than that. It’s a shame the season ended the way it did with a spectacular crash, but that’s the way it goes. Congratulations to Tim Bemisderfer on the WERA Superbike Championship. We pushed each other all year long. I really want to thank my mechanic Aaron Ralph and all sponsors for their support. Especially Millennium Technologies, KWS Motorsports, Race Tech, and Dunlop!” Luie Zendejas “It was an awesome year and we learned a whole lot about what it takes to complete a full season at this level. Every time we went to the race track we learned something. I would not have been able to do any of this without the help of Michael Godin, Eric Knight and Mike Fitzgerald. A special thanks goes out to all the sponsors, especially Zero Gravity Windscreens, Yoyodyne, Thermosman Suspension, Riders Discount, Millennium Technologies, Andrew Swenson, and of course KWS Motorsports for all the help this year!” Chip Spalding (KWS Manager) “I can’t tell you how proud we are of Jake, Tim, Luie, Scott, Dan and all of our sponsored riders, teams, and customers. It was a great year and we are very much looking forward to doing it again next year. Special thanks to all of our long term friends, partners, and sponsors for supporting us and our racing endeavors for all the years.!” KWS Motorsports (www.kwsmotorsports.com) is proudly sponsored by: Millennium Technologies, Ballistic Performance Components, Pit Bull, LeoVince Exhaust, Motion Pro, Bazzaz Performance, Yoyodyne, Worldwide Bearings, K&N Filters, Zero Gravity Windscreens, Spider Grips, XT Racing, Drippin Wet Graphics, VP Fuels and Motul Lubricants. Luie Zendejas (www.luiezendejas.com) is proudly sponsored by: KWS Motorsports, Millennium Technologies, Ballistic Performance Components, Ohlins USA, Andrew Swenson Designs, Drippin Wet, LeoVince Exhaust, Bazzaz Performance, Armour Bodies, Arai Helmets, Motion Pro, K&N Filters, EBC Brakes, Zero Gravity Windscreens, VP Fuels, Cox Radiator Guards, Worldwide Bearings, Spiegler Brake Lines, Yoyodyne, Driven, Riders Discount, and Motul Lubricants. Jake Lewis (www.jakelewis85.com) is proudly sponsored by: Hayden Brothers General Store, Earl’s Racing Team, 3rd Chance Auto Sales, KWS Motorsports, Millennium Technologies, Apex Manufacturing, Sportbike Track Time, Roclun International, GMDATL.com, Race Tech, Princeton Pawn, Alpinestars, Arai, HotBodies, Vortex, Galfer, Dunlop, Oakley, RK, VP Fuels, RoadracingWorld.com and Motul Lubricants. Tim Hunt (www.apexroadracing.com) is proudly sponsored by: KWS Motorsports, Millennium Technologies, Race Tech Suspension, Dunlop Tires, EBC Brakes, GPR Stabilizers, LeoVince Exhaust, VP Racing Fuels, Vortex, Arai Helmets, Hotbodies, Bazzaz, Heroic Leathers, K&N Filters, and Motul Lubricants.