Motourage

Saturday saw three thrilling AMA Pro Road Racing races at the 2.25-mile Virginia International Raceway in Alton, Va., in the opening day of competition for the Suzuki White Lightning AMA Pro Nationals presented by Foremost Insurance.  One was a runaway, one was a photo finish and the last was almost as close as the second one.

In the National Guard SuperBike race, it was Rockstar Makita Suzuki rider Tommy Hayden who took his fourth AMA Pro SuperBike win of the season by 0.005 of a second over pole position winner Ben Bostrom.  Bostrom led on his Pat Clark Motorsports Yamaha coming down to the line but in a mighty move, Hayden pulled out and crossed the line inches ahead of Bostrom.  The fun wasn’t over for Hayden who, in his successful attempt to win the race, was out of position at that very high speed part of the track, and he used all of his considerable skills to wrestle his Suzuki under control after he found himself running wide off the track onto the grass.  He brought it back under control and took a critical victory in his pursuit of Josh Hayes and his Team Graves Yamaha team.

John Hopkins walks back to the paddock after crashing out of Superbike race 1 on Saturday

“We started coming to the finish and I had huge momentum when I pulled out,” Hayden commented on his pass for the win.  “The way I was pointing too, when I pulled out, I never even got pointed towards turn one I don’t think.  I started leaning a little and I just had the biggest front slide I think you can have without crashing.  I pretty much thought I was down and somehow I just stayed in the throttle and steered it back up and pointed out in the grass and hoped there was nothing out there I couldn’t see, any ditches or nothing coming up and just tried to ride it out.  It feels good, I really feel like I needed this one today.”

Hayes, by virtue of leading the most laps in today’s race, has a one point lead over Hayden in their close battle for the National Guard SuperBike Championship.  Hayes had led early in the race after taking the lead from a fast starting Hayden. Hayes took the lead on lap four and led until lap 10 when Ben Bostrom asserted himself into the mix by grabbing the lead from Hayes in turn one.  Hayes responded and took the lead right back the next lap and he led for the next nine laps until Bostrom moved ahead on lap 21 which enabled Hayden to get by Hayes as well. Bostrom led as the last lap began but Hayden made a big late braking move into turn one and took the lead but Bostrom was able to fight right back and retook the lead two corners later and looked a likely winner until Hayden made his great move heading down to the flag to take the win.

Behind the riveting battle for the win, Larry Pegram finished fourth after dueling with Jake Zemke, Zemke’s Jordan Suzuki teammate Brett McCormick, Taylor Knapp and a front-row starting Eric Bostrom.  Knapp eventually finished fifth ahead of McCormick, Bostrom and Zemke.

John Hopkins made his return to the series today, and he rode his M4 Monster Energy Suzuki extremely well, running in a solid fourth place for most of the race until he went down in turn four near the end of the race.  Another rider making a comeback this weekend was Jordan Suzuki rider Aaron Yates, and he qualified on the outside of the second row; however, Yates elected not to start the race. His recovery is going well, but he wasn’t absolutely sure he would bring his best to the race, which was run in very hot and humid conditions.  Overall, it was another exciting race in a season that has seen five different winners in SuperBike.

Daytona SportBike Photo Finish

The AMA Pro Daytona SportBike presented by AMSOIL race was even more exciting and came down to an even closer finish.  After seeing Danny Eslick take the pole position, Eslick was joined on the front row by his championship rival Josh Herrin along with six-time 2010 Daytona SportBike winner Martin Cardenas and Tommy Aquino.

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Defending AMA Pro Flat Track Grand National Champion Kenny Coolbeth (No. 1 Harley-Davidson Motor Co. / Screamin Eagles Harley-Davidson) came away the big winner of the Lucas Oil Indiana Mile as Round 7 of the Grand National Twins Championship came to the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis, Ind. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company / Screamin’ Eagle backed Coolbeth led the 25-lap National wire to wire.

This weekend’s victory was Coolbeth’s second National win of the year, and coupled with the points from his Dash win, the three-time Champion was propelled to a four point lead over Jared Mees (No. 21 Blue Springs Screamin’ Eagle / Rogers Lake’s Harley-Davidson).

“Everybody was fast today,” Coolbeth said. “The best way to handle that is to just get out front, put your head down and try to get away.  I don’t worry about the points when I’m racing.  If I can keep winning, the points will take care of themselves.”

While Coolbeth pulled to a comfortable lead, Mees was locked in a race-long battle with yet another Screamin’ Eagle rider, No. 42 Bryan Smith and his Moroney’s Harley-Davidson. Smith took second by the slimmest of margins, keeping his Championship hopes alive.

The race in the distance behind Coolbeth was divided into pairs. Besides the Mees / Smith duo, No. 14 Jake Johnson (SuperTrapp / F&S Harley-Davidson) and No. 43 Sammy Halbert (Halbert Family / Kings Kustoms) were having a great race until Halbert slid down on Lap 20.

Another three seconds back, No. 4 Chris Carr Racing’s Chris Carr and No. 33 Memphis Shades / Parts Unlimited’s JR Schnabel fought over fifth, with the edge going to Carr at the wire.  The last dueling pair was No. 3 Joe Kopp (Latus Harley-Davidson / Screamin Eagle) and No. 17 Henry Wiles (KK Motorcycle Supply / Mike Adkins).  Kopp was able to hold off a hard-charging Wiles by the end of the race.

Harley-Davidson of Wausau’s No. 59 Willie McCoy was a lonely ninth over the Nation Cycle / Reiman’s Harley-Davidson backed No. 26 Brandan Bergen.

The first attempt to start the 25-lap National was short lived, as four riders quickly tangled. No. 44 Brandon Robinson, No. 69 Jethro Halbert, No. 28 Shaun Russell and Wiles were involved in a Turn 1 incident.  Only Wiles was able to make the restart, riding his backup Harley-Davidson.

Under the new points system, the Dash has taken on great importance, as the points garnered from the 5-4-3-2-1 bonus system can add up fast. Coolbeth was able to take the five points for the win tonight, with last year’s race winner Carr finishing second. The short, four lap races are packed with action every week.

The Pro Singles Main event was another “barn burner” as Red Bull / Team 95 / American Honda’s No. 95C JD Beach backed up last week’s Peoria TT win with a solid performance tonight. Although Beach would lead all 12 laps, he was under constant attack from Vans Yamaha / Stevens Racing’s No. 24P Jeff Carver.

As Beach and Carver dueled away, current Pro Singles points leader Mike Velasco / Brothers Powersports’ No. 17M Brad Baker closed in and grabbed second on Lap 19, setting the podium. Grove City Mile winner  No. 10J Stephen Vanderkuur brought his new Dallas / Fort Worth Honda home in fourth over Weirbach Racing / Barnett’s James Rispoli, who in turn made a last lap pass on No. 80B Corey Crawford (Mom & Dad / Priestley Racing) for fifth.

RESULTS
Indiana State Fairgrounds
Indianaolis, IN
August 29

AMA Pro Racing Pro Singles Championship: (18 riders / 12 laps) 1. JD Beach (Hon); 2. Brad baker (Hon); 3. Jeff Carver (Yam); 4. Stephen Vanderkuur (Hon); 5. James Rispoli (Hon); 6. Corey Crawford (Hon); 7. Michael Toon (Hon); 8. Michael LaBelle Yam); 9. Zach Palmer (Hon); 10. Colin Heggarty (Kaw); 11. Tony Davila (Hon); 12. Kayl Kolkman (Hon); 13. Brian Tapp (Hon) 14. Jake Shoemaker (Suz); 15. Shauyna Texter (Suz); 16. Wyatt Maguire (Yam).

Time 7:58. 929.

AMA Pro Racing Grand National Twins Championship: (19 riders / 25 laps) 1. Kenny Coolbeth (H-D); 2. Bryan Smith (H-D); 3. Jared Mees (H-D); 5. Jake Johnson (H-D); 6. JR Schnabel (H-D); 7. Joe Kopp (H-D); 8. Henry Wiles (H-D); 9. Willie McCoy (H-D); 10. Brandan Bergen (H-D); 11. Don Taylor (H-D); 12. Aaron King (Apr); 13. AJ Eslick (H-D); 14. Dan Gedeon (H-D); 15. Sammy Halbert (H-D); 16. Jethro Halbert (H-D); 17. Brandon Robinson (H-D); 18. Shaun Russell (H-D).

Time: 15:48.256.

AMA Pro Racing is the premier professional motorcycle racing organization in North America, operating a full schedule of events and championships for a variety of motorcycle disciplines.  From its Daytona Beach headquarters, the organization operates and manages AMA Pro Road Racing, which includes AMA Pro American Superbike, AMA Pro Daytona SportBike, AMA Pro SuperSport and AMA Pro SunTrust Moto-GT.  AMA Pro Racing also manages and works closely with the day-to-day operational organizations of the AMA Pro Flat Track Championship and the AMA Pro Supermoto Championship Series in addition to other two-wheel and ATV series.  Learn more about AMA Pro Racing at www.amaproracing.com.