By Beth Dolgner
Tray Batey and John Jacobi gave Vesrah Suzuki another win in the Dunlop/WERA National Endurance Series during a 4-hour race at Barber Motorsports Park, riding a Suzuki GSX-R1000 to a three-lap margin of victory Saturday.
Robert Jensen joined Ben Walters to put Army of Darkness in second overall, giving the team the Mediumweight Superbike victory on a Suzuki GSX-R600. Team Velocity Racing clinched the Heavyweight Superstock Championship after a third-place-overall finish–and class win–for Mark Crozier and Reuben Frankenfield on a Yamaha YZF-R1.
Vesrah led from the start, building up a one-lap lead by the end of one hour. Behind, Army of Darkness came up to challenge Team Velocity, and the two teams stayed close from the second hour until the end. At the checkered flag, Army of Darkness was just under 20 seconds ahead, an advantage earned when Team Velocity encountered late-race electrical problems.
Red Star finished fourth overall with Ben Thompson, Brett Champagne and William Lindsay on a Mediumweight Superbike Yamaha YZF-R6. Next came Nathan Dressman and Randy Sherman on the Heavyweight Superbike-spec Bell’s ARNCHU Racing Suzuki GSX-R750.
Team Velocity opted to enter a Yamaha YZF-R6 in the Mediumweight Superstock class with riders Chuck Ivey and David Weber, and the pair won in the class, taking sixth overall.
Chris Ecklund, Nolan Ballew, Stephen Bacon and Melissa Berkoff won in the Lightweight Superbike class by three laps on The Notorious P.I.G. Suzuki SV650.
Despite a large number of crashes, there was only one red flag during the race. It came after two hours and 37 minutes of racing for Larry Dulaney, who crashed the Wikle Racing Suzuki GSX-R750 at pit out. The team had changed the front tire but forgot to pump the front brakes.
The race restarted just after the start of the final hour, and Vesrah continued to lead the field.
OVERALL RESULTS
1. Vesrah Suzuki (Tray Batey/John Jacobi), Heavyweight Superbike, Suz GSX-R1000, 135 laps.
2. Army of Darkness (Ben Walters/Robert Jensen), Mediumweight Superbike, Suz GSX-R600, 132 laps.
3. Team Velocity Racing (Mark Crozier/Reuben Frankenfield), Heavyweight Superstock, Yam YZF-R1, 132 laps.
4. Red Star (Ben Thompson/Brett Champagne/William Lindsay), Mediumweight Superbike, Yam YZF-R6, 131 laps.
5. Bell’s ARNCHU Racing (Randy Sherman/Nathan Dressman), Heavyweight Superbike, Suz GSX-R750, 130 laps.
6. TVR 2 (Chuck Ivey/David Weber), Mediumweight Superstock, Yam YZF-R6, 129 laps.
7. 5150 Racing (Justin Marm/Phil Caudill), Heavyweight Superstock, Suz GSX-R750, 129 laps.
8. Team HMR (Daryl Nolt/James Kerker), Heavyweight Superbike, Hon 954, 127 laps.
9. Dalke Motorsports (Josh Smith-Moore/Wrenn Smith/Brian Dalke), Mediumweight Superstock, Suz GSX-R600, 127 laps.
10. Team Eclipse (Dale Burroughs/Mike Scruggs/Brian Healea), Heavyweight Superbike, Suz GSX-R750, 127 laps.